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dual beams, cannons, dual cannons

jaephjaeph Member Posts: 77 Arc User
I was recently browsing the ec and noticed that dual beams and cannons are significantly cheaper than the others. I'm not a very experienced player, but it seems to me that every build I consider and/or read about is either beam arrays for broadsiding, or dual heavies for front arc. I see little point in equipping dual beams when dual heavies do the job better, and so on, and I think the market agrees.

Are there good reasons to use any of these weapons over the others?

Comments

  • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,918 Arc User
    Dual Beam Banks are in a bit of a weird place right now, and some of what you say is true. Dual Beams suffer a lot of the same negatives as cannons but still do slightly less damage. I run an Arbiter in a DBB build and it's a very powerful ship, it takes things down quickly, but yes.. it would be a little more powerful using Cannons instead.

    The biggest advantage dual beams have is that they take advantage of easier to slot beam abilities. In order to use Scatter Volley or Rapid Fire at rank 3 you need a full commander tactical seat which can be hard to come by, especially on a cruiser. Most have a Lt. Commander which means using Scatter Volley or Rapid Fire 2 as to where Beams can use rank 3. Still, it's really not even that big of a deal since unlike with Beams you can still use a Rank 2 ability and be fine, especially if you run something like the Hostile Acquisition console to push up your accuracy.

    Right now, Dual Beam Banks don't have a real place. Single Beams will always be the easiest and probably the most common. They're easy to use and will always be a highly popular choice. If you're going to go with a front facing build though, honestly there is usually little reason to run DBB over Cannons.. it's really just if you happen to like beams better. I honestly don't see a way around this, maybe giving DBB a slight damage bump would help.. I am not really sure. Honestly though, the difference isn't huge, I run DBB on an Arbiter and on a Phantom Escort and they both do impressive damage. For the most part, DBB's are there for people that want to run a front facing build but don't want to use Cannons for whatever reason. It may be a bit of a niche market, but they do seem to have a place.
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  • questeriusquesterius Member Posts: 8,301 Arc User
    edited September 2018
    jaeph wrote: »
    I was recently browsing the ec and noticed that dual beams and cannons are significantly cheaper than the others. I'm not a very experienced player, but it seems to me that every build I consider and/or read about is either beam arrays for broadsiding, or dual heavies for front arc. I see little point in equipping dual beams when dual heavies do the job better, and so on, and I think the market agrees.

    Are there good reasons to use any of these weapons over the others?

    It's primarily a herd mentality and the fact that beam arrays can be placed in any fore or after weapon slot.
    However if you have a battle cruiser or war bird with enough turn rate then DBB can be a lot more potent.

    Regarding the DC and DHC this is an ongoing issue. If memory serves me right DC fire faster and DHC fire slower while doing more damage per shot and draining more power. DPS should be the same.

    When power usage of weapons was a real issue players would choose DC instead of DHC since those provided a better choice to avoid running out of weapon power.
    For today's game power usage is almost nonexistent and DHC are usually used in spike damage builds or ambush builds.

    DHC also used to have an innate higher crit chance.

    There also used to be a situation where due to the increased number of shots DC were preferred in builds based upon proc from the energy type.

    For these last two situations i am not entirely sure if they still hold true for today's metagame after the 13.5 balance pass.
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  • jaephjaeph Member Posts: 77 Arc User
    In order to use Scatter Volley or Rapid Fire at rank 3 you need a full commander tactical seat which can be hard to come by, especially on a cruiser. Most have a Lt. Commander which means using Scatter Volley or Rapid Fire 2 as to where Beams can use rank 3.

    I hadn't thought about that angle, thanks. I'll need to think that through. It also occurred to me that I'm thinking KDF, where practically everything can mount a DHC...I think fed side has more restrictive ships (as a tendency).
    questerius wrote: »
    However if you have a battle cruiser or war bird with enough turn rate then DBB can be a lot more potent.

    The point wasn't DBB vs Beams, it's DBB vs DHC. If you're working to keep something in your front arc, then you might as well work to keep it in the narrow arc and do more damage with a DHC.

    The same goes for Cannon vs Beams. If you're picking cannons, you might as well pick beams and broadside.

    As for proc rates, everything I've read says that DCs have the same proc rate as DHCs, do the same dps, but DHCs tend to be slightly more energy efficient because of the gaps between shots that let them recharge more.
  • odinforever20000odinforever20000 Member Posts: 1,849 Arc User
    edited September 2018
    pryor#5476 wrote: »
    Dual Heavey Cannons fire less shots per cycle but hit harder.
    One advantage over all would be to use Duel Cannons [Pen], as the weapons proc rate is the same, Using Kemocite Laced Weaponry has a 10% proc rate PER SHOT vs per cycle, every 10 shots or so you will have a Kemocite explosion, based upon Kemocite 1, 2, 3 will deliver more radiation the higher you go, if you have a Commander Tactical, I would us e Cannons Rappid Fire 3, then Kemocite 3.
    I use this with Turrets, as turrets are inherently weak, the [Pen] mod and Kemocite can chew up most ships when there is 8 of them firing upon your target, this is very helpful when doing reputation, doesn't work so well anymore vs other players.

    Didn't they change ALL procs to per cycle? Im pretty sure Kemo is 10% chance per cycle.
    Post edited by odinforever20000 on

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  • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,918 Arc User
    coldnapalm wrote: »
    The main reason for dual cannons was when spire consoles were a thing and those use to proc per shot...and did a decent amount per proc as well.

    Yep, exactly.

    Something might have changed, but as far as I know, at the current time Dual Cannons and Dual Heavy Cannons are functionally the same. I guess technically since DHC to higher per shot damage if you had a really high critical chance, you might get bigger crits off them but I have yet to see that actually proven.

    I am pretty sure Kemocite is per cycle but I'll be honest.. I am not 100% sure. Either way, in the debate between Dual Beam Banks vs. Cannons.. Cannons usually wins. DBB's are really for ships that you want to make into front facing builds that are restricted from using Cannons. This obviously effects Feds far more then Klingons or even Romulans.

    DBB's aren't bad by any means, as I said before, I use them occasionally.. but as a general rule single beams or DC/DHC with Turrets are the way to go if you can.
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