Best use of Zen

Best Answers

• ihatepwe735 Member Posts: 337 Arc User

  December 2018 edited December 2018 Answer ✓

  Never buy anything with Zen thats not on Special. Specials come around.
  
  Never buy anything with Zen thats tradeable. Everything tradable will be cheaper to buy for EC.
  
  Wait for the 20Key Lockbox special with ultimate upgrades. Sink ALL your remaining Zen into this. Keep the Ultimate upgrades and use them to instantly upgrade perfect items to max level elites. SELL ALL THE KEYS.
  
  Never ever ever open a Lockbox. Lockbox ships and Lobi ships are all cheaper if you buy them for EC. The reason for this is our population of whales, who enjoy spending $ on Zen, Zen on Keys, and opening lots and lots of lockboxes looking to complete their ship collection. These guys generate a massive surplus of all the lobi and lockbox ships so they are, relatively speaking, cheap as chips on the exchange for EC.
  
  Buy account bank slots first. And again, only when they're on the 25% off special. These apply to all your characters and you'll probably have lots.
  
  As a fellow LTS Ive been through many characters and every single Zen I spend on a per-character item I have regretted. Don't buy anything for a character until/unless you know they're a true keeper: i.e. An event Recruit. That you rolled Alien because Aliens are always the meta.
  
  Don't roll a Borg. I know they're free with LTS. If you like roleplay go ahead. But otherwise Alien just have more, and better, traits for space and ground.
  
  If you do spend Zen - ensure the service you buy unlocks items for your entire account.
  
  Every now and then Cryptic will re-run a Delta Recruit, Gamma Recruit or Temporal Operative event. At these times you will WANT to create brand new characters to get the unique benefits these confer to your account, which means your previously purchased character locked services will be deleted. And Cryptic won't refund you.
  
  There are a few critical ships to spend Zen on due to their OP Tier5 traits. Don't spend all your Zen until you have researched which ships these are. Otherwise avoid spending Zen on Ships - they ARE account unlocks so they're not the worse purchase, but buying Zen ships gets expensive quickly - if you are intendending to parlay a LTS surplus into the best benefit get some of the cheaper packs (again, while they are on Special) that confer an advantage to your account - the Discovery Starter Pack has that levelling ship for example. There are so many ships available in game that spending Zen on ships is mostly a waste, especially as the introduction of a new Tier of ship will make your fleet of Zen ships a redundant waste on your account that you will regret.
  
  

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• jimduval

  jimduval#7537

  Member Posts: 75 Arc User

  December 2018 Answer ✓

  Depending the pack you are talking about.
  
  This one is no longer available and the old version witch was account unlockhttps://arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/10883424-the-elite-starter-pack Nowadays there is https://sto.gamepedia.com/Elite_Services_Starter_Pack Witch is inferior over the old one and only character unlocked.
  
  You are better of buying the ec limit remover and a shared bank account in my eyes, as for a new toon.
  
  Tact = for pure dps
  Engineer = for tanking
  Science = for healing and team play
  
  All are good in my opinion, it is more important to start of in the right factions. Example - certain bugs happen on a rom toon where those bug never show for a tos toon and vice versa.
  There is more to consider but sadly my nooblet knowledge does not go that far just yet so it is hard for me to exactly tell you how to go about it all. Maybe an engineer kdf toon will have your liking, i know i like the one i have It packs a good punch and has a lot of stamina.
  
  Hope it is helpful, good luck and have fun

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• garaks31 Member Posts: 2,845 Arc User

  December 2018 edited December 2018 Answer ✓

  you must be a lifer to accumulate that much zen !
  
  the important stuff are,
  ec cap , starter packs
  elite starter pack
  miracle worker mega bundle (only 12 console ships, are the miracle workers)
  pilot mega bundle (i prefer the old set not the new t6 andorians ones ) (when all the above are on sale!)
  
  why mega bundles? couse if we buy one ship or 3 peace set from these bundles, we lose the abilty to buy the mega ones!!
  
  then keep some zen/dil to buy phoenix boxes
  

  

  
  

  https://forum.arcgames.com/startrekonline/discussion/1249570/axanar-locks-in-start-date-for-filming

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• seaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,918 Arc User

  December 2018 Answer ✓

  Buying ship packs before you have developed your play style is a mistake.
  
  Get the basic things, the starter pack and Energy Credit Cap increase.. maybe some more inventory space if you like.
  
  Then make your character and play the game. Use this time to find out if you like big ships or small ships.. do you prefer beams? Cannons? Maybe a torp boat? Do you prefer Science or Engineering? Maybe another tactical?
  
  You need to learn all this stuff before you start buying mega bundles. It's easy for people on forums to spend your money based on what they like.. I could make you quite an extensive list myself. But we're all advising you based on what we like.. if you really want the best value for your Zen then determine exactly what you want/need and go from there.
  
  It's your Zen, do with it as you wish.

  Insert witty signature line here.

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• coldnapalm Member Posts: 9,653 Arc User

  December 2018 Answer ✓

  Shared bank and EC caps are basic musts. It was nice when they had a bundle with it for you to buy with some retrain token and inventory space per toon...but no, they got rid of it for some stupid reason.
  
  Each factional starter pack isn't a bad deal either.
  
  If you are romulan, grab the valdore. No...really get it. That console should be on every Romulan ship you fly.
  
  Otherwise, the only thing I might suggest before you figure out what you wanna fly is the battlecruiser pack. All the ships in it are quite good...with the romulans having an excellent one that works well with that console you must get. They also have a trait that is a must have for energy based builds...so unless you wanna go wonky for all your builds, the trait is something you will use.

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• grimme68 Member Posts: 3 Arc User

  December 2018 Answer ✓

  Thank you guys for the replies. I will play my new Klingon for awhile without buying anything, and keep a eye out for sales. When I figure out what type of character I really want to build I will probably be back with more questions. Again, thank you very much for your time and answers.

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• razar2380 Member Posts: 1,185 Arc User

  December 2018 Answer ✓

  grimme68 wrote: »

  Thank you guys for the replies. I will play my new Klingon for awhile without buying anything, and keep a eye out for sales. When I figure out what type of character I really want to build I will probably be back with more questions. Again, thank you very much for your time and answers.

  
  
  I am not sure if you have the Zen because you have the lifetime subscription (you get 500 Zen/month). If you do, I wanted to let you know that you should have 1 or 2 special ships just for lifetime subscribers. My brother used his all the time when he used to play. It had the ability to switch between tanking and tactical. He loved that one.
  
  I suggest what some others did, and keep your Zen for now. But I would also suggest rolling different classes before deciding to spend anything. I have been away for a while, but before I left, I had a Tac, Sci, and Engineer for Fed, Rom, and KDF. I am not suggesting to roll that many. But I suggest making sure you have at least 1 of each (Sci, Tac, and Engineer). They all being something to the table, and you might prefer one over the other, that you wouldn't have know if you didn't actually try it.
  
  Me personally, I love the Engineer on the ground, because they can do so much (Cool toys for kits). And they are good for tanking in space. Tactical in space, just because of the ability to pop other ships quicker with an alpha strike (be careful, not as good survivability). And Science is fun all around for me. Debuff enemies on the ground, and hold and damage in space is fun. But if you know what class you like more, and what type ships you like them in, then you can better decide what ships you might like from the C-Store. This will lead to a lower chance of buyers remorse.
  
  Whatever you do, I hope that you have fun, and enjoy happy gaming.
  
  Razar.

  Leader of Elite Guardian Academy.Would you like to learn how to run a fleet? Would you like to know how to do ship builds (true budget as well as high end)?The join the Academy today!

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• thunderfoot

  thunderfoot#5163

  Member Posts: 4,540 Arc User

  December 2018 Answer ✓

  BTW, since no one else seemed to say it, Welcome Back! We missed you! Yes I am being serious. Too many people post in here about how they're quitting because silly reasons. How nice it is to see someone return. And return in style, too.
  
  Lots of very good advice from previous posters about what to do with the Zen. All of them are smarter than I am about this game. Yes, once again I am being serious. the only thing I could add is this.
  
  Don't forget to have fun while playing STO.
  
  Lastly, nuqneH ghobe'-Qovpatlh tlhIH DopDaq, SuvwI'!
  You Honor the Empire and all our Houses by making such a choice. Qa'pla!

  A six year old boy and his starship. Living the dream.

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• dracounguis Member Posts: 5,358 Arc User

  December 2018 edited December 2018 Answer ✓

  The current Elite Pack is not the Elite pack that people were talking about. The one they removed (for 1500 Zen) was freaking awesome. It gave stuff account wide. The new one (for 1000 Zen) is a poor imitation and only for 1 character. It might still be better than buying what it gives vs buying those things separately, but nowhere near the massive value of the old version.
  
  And of course, start doing the Winter ship, if you have not yet. Looks like a fun ship, for the low price of running 25 quick races.

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• garaks31 Member Posts: 2,845 Arc User

  December 2018 Answer ✓

  i was talking about this pack !! the old one is gone. nothing can be done about it.

  

  
  

  https://forum.arcgames.com/startrekonline/discussion/1249570/axanar-locks-in-start-date-for-filming

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• seaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,918 Arc User

  December 2018 Answer ✓

  grimme68 wrote: »

  Thank you guys for the replies. I will play my new Klingon for awhile without buying anything, and keep a eye out for sales.

  
  There is usually a big one right around this time every year. I expect there to be a sale either this coming weekend or New Years Weekend. You shouldn't have to wait too long.
  
  If you want to make some purchases during the sale, I would recommend going with what ColdNapalm suggested. If you're a Romulan, you'll want the T4 Valdore for the console and the T6 Morrigu for the trait. The trait is a 'must have' on any energy build, and while the Console isn't on most 'meta' DPS builds, like Napalm.. I use it on every warbird I fly.. always. It's an amazing console that will really increase your durability.
  
  If you're going to play more then just a Romulan, I would give heavy consideration to the T6 Cross Faction Battle Cruiser Bundle. This gets you the trait for Fed/Romulan/KDF.

  Insert witty signature line here.

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• ihatepwe735 Member Posts: 337 Arc User

  December 2018 edited December 2018 Answer ✓

  grimme68 wrote: »

  Thank you guys for the replies. I will play my new Klingon for awhile without buying anything, and keep a eye out for sales. When I figure out what type of character I really want to build I will probably be back with more questions. Again, thank you very much for your time and answers.

  
  I prefer playing fewer rather than more characters so my plan - which might make some sense to you - is:
  
  * Across my toons, have (at least) 1 each of each career: Tac, Science and Engineering: as this means I can craft all the skill manuals.
  * Additionally, at least 1 toon of each available faction: 1 Starfleet, 1 Rom, 1 Klingon, 1 TOS, 1 Klingon, 1 Jem'hadar and 1 DSC.
  
  Also, there have been historically special events run soon in the new year in which a Starfleet, Romulan and Klingon characters can earn access to account unlocked ships.
  
  Finally Feds, Romulans and Klingons are all eligible for Delta Recruit. TOS are eligible for Temporal Recruit, Jem'hadar can be gamma recruits. DSC don't seem to have a recruitment event so...
  
  So, my short term plan would be:
  - create a DSC character to be my main.
  - create a romulan and klingon and play them to at least level 50, so they are ready to claim any faction specific account unlock ships from events.
  
  Longer term:
  - if/when any recruitment events arrive roll new characters that are eligible for the event.
  - Play tac,sci and eng enough to get maxed crafting on all careers.

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