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Can we get some love for Plasma weapons?

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  • warpangelwarpangel Member Posts: 9,427 Arc User
    warpangel wrote: »
    Yes, which is why the damage types are pointless.
    Except they aren't because of Procs.
    Procs != damage types. :disappointed:
  • rattler2rattler2 Member Posts: 57,973 Community Moderator
    No. Procs don't = damage type. Procs are the added bonuses like a chance to slap a resistance debuff or knock a subsytem offline. That has nothing to do with the actual damage.
    Damage type is what type of damage you're causing. Disruptor, Phaser, kinetic... THOSE are damage types. Not procs. If Procs are damage types, then our Resistance categories are WOEFULLY out of date because we got how many different flavors of each damage type?
    • Phaser
    • Phased Biomatter
    • Kelvin Phaser
    • Bio-Molecular Phaser
    • x-Linked Phaser (Wait... doesn't exist because it doesn't have a proc ;) )
    • Pulse Phaser

    And that's just the Phaser types I remember. Each one has a different proc from the baseline Phaser listed at the top. But they all cause Phaser Damage. So... how does Proc = Damage Type if even the same damage type weapons have different procs?
    db80k0m-89201ed8-eadb-45d3-830f-bb2f0d4c0fe7.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2ExOGQ4ZWM2LTUyZjQtNDdiMS05YTI1LTVlYmZkYmJkOGM3N1wvZGI4MGswbS04OTIwMWVkOC1lYWRiLTQ1ZDMtODMwZi1iYjJmMGQ0YzBmZTcucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.8G-Pg35Qi8qxiKLjAofaKRH6fmNH3qAAEI628gW0eXc
    I can't take it anymore! Could everyone just chill out for two seconds before something CRAZY happens again?!
    The nut who actually ground out many packs. The resident forum voice of reason (I HAZ FORUM REP! YAY!)
  • warpangelwarpangel Member Posts: 9,427 Arc User
    rattler2 wrote: »
    Something tells me this is going to be a circle of "Pointless" and "not pointless". Not gonna matter how many times you point out procs, in his mind as long as they kill... procs mean nothing therefore why bother having anything other than the best to kill fast. Why should we be allowed a choice? Give us all cookie cutter weapons that kill fast because reasons.
    The topic is damage types and how they're all the same. Phaser is disruptor is plasma, and so on. They all do the exact same damage. They might as well be just a generic "energy weapon damage" and nobody would notice. It's only written in the combatlog.

    Pointing out procs is just off-topic.
  • warpangelwarpangel Member Posts: 9,427 Arc User
    rattler2 wrote: »
    No. Procs don't = damage type.
    That's what I just said. In case you don't know, != means "not equal."
  • rattler2rattler2 Member Posts: 57,973 Community Moderator
    I'm pretty sure the generally accepted shorthand for not equal is more along the lines of =/= or something.

    As for saying that damage is damage... its the equivelent of elemental damage types seen in some other franchises. Yea it all does the same thing in the end, but its not just a generic, general purpose damage alone. It adds flavor. Everyone has their prefered flavor. Basically advocating that choice be removed because "its all the same thing" makes gameplay rather boring. We don't have to plan for specific enemy types or anything. Just put on generic and call it a day. You loose the customization that STO does so well.

    Why bother even giving us a choice of damage types if "it all does damage anyways"? Basically you're saying "remove all damage types and just give us generic particle beams that all look the same because nothing matters in the end but damage output." At least that's what its looking like.
    db80k0m-89201ed8-eadb-45d3-830f-bb2f0d4c0fe7.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2ExOGQ4ZWM2LTUyZjQtNDdiMS05YTI1LTVlYmZkYmJkOGM3N1wvZGI4MGswbS04OTIwMWVkOC1lYWRiLTQ1ZDMtODMwZi1iYjJmMGQ0YzBmZTcucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.8G-Pg35Qi8qxiKLjAofaKRH6fmNH3qAAEI628gW0eXc
    I can't take it anymore! Could everyone just chill out for two seconds before something CRAZY happens again?!
    The nut who actually ground out many packs. The resident forum voice of reason (I HAZ FORUM REP! YAY!)
  • brian334brian334 Member Posts: 2,214 Arc User
    The point being that Plasma damage type is the unloved orphan of the various damage types. Its primary ability, to create plasma fires and cause damage over time, has been subsumed by other weapon types, it is easily countered or ignored by targets and, in competitive arenas, other, harder hitting damage types outperform it to the point that Plasma's secondary ability is unable to inflict much damage prior to the destruction of the target via raw damage.

    One need only go to the exchange to see how unloved Plasma type weapons and gear is by the general community. The difference between Plasma and other damage types is at minimum an order of magnitude greater in favor of any other damage type. The community believes that Plasma under-performs, and this belief is informed by constant and repeated tests.

    If Plasma were a competitive choice in overall total damage, it would feature in at least some builds in the DPS leagues. It does not. Players haven't overlooked it: they have rejected it based on its overall performance. This indicates that Plasma needs work. However, since some very powerful enemies use plasma weaponry, any such tweaks would impact NPC performance, perhaps to a degree players would find unfavorable.

    It is not an easy issue to resolve. Do we really want Borg and Romulan NPCs hitting 20% harder? Or do we want their secondary damage to be twice as potent? But we do indeed want Plasma to be a viable top-end build choice, if for no better reason than for variety of choice.

    So, let's come up with ways Plasma could be tweaked to make it useful

    1) While under the influence of Plasma Fire DOT effect the target vessel has reduced accuracy.

    2) Plasma DOT effect has a more powerful initial burn which reduces over time, so half its initial burn damage would be inflicted in the first round after a hit, then half of the rest in the next round, and half of what's left in the next, and so on. (1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, etc for the duration of the burn.)

    3) Eliminate the cap on Plasma DOT stacking, allowing any number of Plasma Procs to act simultaneously.

    These ideas may be tweaked to generate better ideas, or better ideas may be put forward. It would be unfair to simply push Plasma damage up to equal Disruptor damage without adjusting the DOT proc, but the current situation has Plasma relegated to 'flavor builds' which are not competitive in the end game content of STO. Something has to be done if Plasma is ever to take a place at the grown-up's table.
  • rattler2rattler2 Member Posts: 57,973 Community Moderator
    brian334 wrote: »
    3) Eliminate the cap on Plasma DOT stacking, allowing any number of Plasma Procs to act simultaneously.

    There's a cap? I've had multiple stacks of Plasma Burn on me before. Think I've had up to 8 stacks at once in an Infected run when everything wanted me dead one time.
    db80k0m-89201ed8-eadb-45d3-830f-bb2f0d4c0fe7.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2ExOGQ4ZWM2LTUyZjQtNDdiMS05YTI1LTVlYmZkYmJkOGM3N1wvZGI4MGswbS04OTIwMWVkOC1lYWRiLTQ1ZDMtODMwZi1iYjJmMGQ0YzBmZTcucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.8G-Pg35Qi8qxiKLjAofaKRH6fmNH3qAAEI628gW0eXc
    I can't take it anymore! Could everyone just chill out for two seconds before something CRAZY happens again?!
    The nut who actually ground out many packs. The resident forum voice of reason (I HAZ FORUM REP! YAY!)
  • lianthelialianthelia Member Posts: 7,820 Arc User
    pottsey5g wrote: »
    Just spent the weekend and today playing around with plasma projectiles and the problem was even worse then I expected. Not only does it take 15seconds after hitting for plasmas just to match Quantum but I ran into a major speed problem.
    We all know Plasma torpedoes are slow but Plasma mines are noticeably slower then Quantum in travel speed. What was happening was Quantum torpedoes and mines where killing targets before plasma even had a chance to hit and long before the Plasma burn had chance to do anything.

    I could get away with Plasma in solo content but when teaming up the slowness of plasma projectiles both torps and mines often meant the other players killed the target long before you even hit. I was expecting that with torpedoes but I forgot just how slow plasma mines are. (I have all the projectiles travel speeds boosts fitted)

    The short version is plasma not only dropped my damage by worse then half but the really silly thing is swapping to Plasma also reduced my burn damage to hull by around a 75% reduction!!!

    Are you talking as in projectile boats or just a torp and or mine on top of energy weapons?

    I haven't played a torp boat in a while but I still like to throw a torp on any ship I play because it feels right and I'm not worried about topping the DPS meters, but either way that is really depressing because I love plasma torps but the damage is kinda meh burn really is rather useless because the ticks are so low or like you said the target is destroyed.
  • pottsey5gpottsey5g Member Posts: 4,165 Arc User
    lianthelia wrote: »
    pottsey5g wrote: »
    Just spent the weekend and today playing around with plasma projectiles and the problem was even worse then I expected. Not only does it take 15seconds after hitting for plasmas just to match Quantum but I ran into a major speed problem.
    We all know Plasma torpedoes are slow but Plasma mines are noticeably slower then Quantum in travel speed. What was happening was Quantum torpedoes and mines where killing targets before plasma even had a chance to hit and long before the Plasma burn had chance to do anything.

    I could get away with Plasma in solo content but when teaming up the slowness of plasma projectiles both torps and mines often meant the other players killed the target long before you even hit. I was expecting that with torpedoes but I forgot just how slow plasma mines are. (I have all the projectiles travel speeds boosts fitted)

    The short version is plasma not only dropped my damage by worse then half but the really silly thing is swapping to Plasma also reduced my burn damage to hull by around a 75% reduction!!!

    Are you talking as in projectile boats or just a torp and or mine on top of energy weapons?

    I haven't played a torp boat in a while but I still like to throw a torp on any ship I play because it feels right and I'm not worried about topping the DPS meters, but either way that is really depressing because I love plasma torps but the damage is kinda meh burn really is rather useless because the ticks are so low or like you said the target is destroyed.
    My views on plasma being underdeveloped are from the point of view as a projectile boat although I do tend to focus more into mines then torpedoes these days.
  • warpangelwarpangel Member Posts: 9,427 Arc User
    rattler2 wrote: »
    Why bother even giving us a choice of damage types if "it all does damage anyways"? Basically you're saying "remove all damage types and just give us generic particle beams that all look the same because nothing matters in the end but damage output." At least that's what its looking like.
    I'm saying the damage types are pointless if they are all equally effective against everything. Damage. Types. That has nothing to do with what the weapons look like, what procs they have, whatever else entirely different red herrings you try to sidetrack the topic into. :expressionless:
  • pottsey5gpottsey5g Member Posts: 4,165 Arc User
    edited March 2019
    warpangel wrote: »
    rattler2 wrote: »
    Why bother even giving us a choice of damage types if "it all does damage anyways"? Basically you're saying "remove all damage types and just give us generic particle beams that all look the same because nothing matters in the end but damage output." At least that's what its looking like.
    I'm saying the damage types are pointless if they are all equally effective against everything. Damage. Types. That has nothing to do with what the weapons look like, what procs they have, whatever else entirely different red herrings you try to sidetrack the topic into. :expressionless:
    Fully agree, long gone are the days where choosing a damage type mattered or enemys had high resistance against one type. Apart from a few very old and legacy NPC's all that has been removed :(
  • drakethewhitedrakethewhite Member Posts: 1,240 Arc User
    rattler2 wrote: »
    I'm pretty sure the generally accepted shorthand for not equal is more along the lines of =/= or something.

    There's quite a number, it depends upon the programming languages one is familiar with. See Here.

    =/= isn't listed, no idea where you got it from.

  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,231 Arc User
    Yeah it's a general math thing.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
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  • drakethewhitedrakethewhite Member Posts: 1,240 Arc User
    There's quite a number, it depends upon the programming languages one is familiar with. See Here.

    =/= isn't listed, no idea where you got it from.
    Who said this had anything to do with programing languages?

    I see =/= used constantly on the internet.

    I've never seen it.

    But I will admit that I don't spend a lot of time on the Internet, so maybe it's a new 'in' thing.
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,231 Arc User
    There's quite a number, it depends upon the programming languages one is familiar with. See Here.

    =/= isn't listed, no idea where you got it from.
    Who said this had anything to do with programing languages?

    I see =/= used constantly on the internet.
    I've never seen it.

    But I will admit that I don't spend a lot of time on the Internet, so maybe it's a new 'in' thing.
    How much time have you spent reading math textbooks? 'cause that's where it came from.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • drakethewhitedrakethewhite Member Posts: 1,240 Arc User
    There's quite a number, it depends upon the programming languages one is familiar with. See Here.

    =/= isn't listed, no idea where you got it from.
    Who said this had anything to do with programing languages?

    I see =/= used constantly on the internet.
    I've never seen it.

    But I will admit that I don't spend a lot of time on the Internet, so maybe it's a new 'in' thing.
    How much time have you spent reading math textbooks? 'cause that's where it came from.

    In my math books, it was always ≠.

    But I will admit that is been decades since I cracked open a math book.
  • asuran14asuran14 Member Posts: 2,335 Arc User
    edited March 2019
    The isse I see with procs like plasma burns is that we can't really affect them too much, and at a proc rate of 2.5-5% could be completely ignored. Having some method that we could use to adjust the proc rate would be nice, like a talent choice, or such would make the procs of the different energy types abit more interesting an meaningful.

    Though I see energy types an specifically plasma as somewhat like the issue you see with the different shield types in the game we have. There is largely a specific shield type that is just hands down better than the others, as such is grabbed by many on that merit of stat-wise being better. If we had a system that the different shield types had a innate resist/protection against a given energy type/s, or that specific energy types (or sub-types) had a advantage against different types of shields that would make both different energy types an shields abit more valid. Though we do have resistances an the mods that can give you additional damage reductions to different energy types.
  • rattler2rattler2 Member Posts: 57,973 Community Moderator

    In my math books, it was always ≠.

    But I will admit that is been decades since I cracked open a math book.

    Not everyone knows the keyboard code or has a key with that exact symbol, so the next best approximation is =/=.
    db80k0m-89201ed8-eadb-45d3-830f-bb2f0d4c0fe7.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2ExOGQ4ZWM2LTUyZjQtNDdiMS05YTI1LTVlYmZkYmJkOGM3N1wvZGI4MGswbS04OTIwMWVkOC1lYWRiLTQ1ZDMtODMwZi1iYjJmMGQ0YzBmZTcucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.8G-Pg35Qi8qxiKLjAofaKRH6fmNH3qAAEI628gW0eXc
    I can't take it anymore! Could everyone just chill out for two seconds before something CRAZY happens again?!
    The nut who actually ground out many packs. The resident forum voice of reason (I HAZ FORUM REP! YAY!)
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,231 Arc User
    rattler2 wrote: »
    In my math books, it was always ≠.

    But I will admit that is been decades since I cracked open a math book.
    Not everyone knows the keyboard code or has a key with that exact symbol, so the next best approximation is =/=.
    Yeah that. I don't have a key for ≠ and I don't feel like finding the code. It's quick and easy to type =/=.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • duasynduasyn Member Posts: 492 Arc User
    Destructible torps are too destructible and slow. I love making a big ol' HY torp to watch it get zapped before it can slowly reach the target

    The plasma energy weapons dot is too weak. If you lay into someone with 8 energy weapons the burn should be something they fear if HE is on cooldown.

    Ignoring the fact that a 2.5% proc rate per cycle makes any chance at a consistent burn chance nearly pointless.
    Even Cryptic must feel that new proc rate system is bad... just look at all the new weapons that just give a flat stat bonus instead. Those are the weapons people want. No one wants something with a 2.5% proc anymore.
  • asuran14asuran14 Member Posts: 2,335 Arc User
    For the destructible torps it would be interesting to get another spec tree that instead of like the last one that affected torps/mines giving them temp health or shield basically. It might give them something like talents or boff abilities that might be like a phase cloak making them unforgettable for a short period of time like say 1-2 (maybe 3 seconds), or a ability/talent that gives the high yield destructible torp a large speed buff that degrades quickly in a short span of time like the travel at 10% speed that decreases at a rate of something like 10% over something like .5 or something seconds.

    The proc as I said before if we could have a method of speccing or gearing to make it useful to actually use the procs reliably they might be something more than a nice minor buff from the weapon/energy type being used. Could go with something like the proc chance of the proc effect slowly raising the more times it does not proc, with the idea being that the more you hit the target the more saturated in that energy they become an so more susceptible to getting off the proc on them, yet also the chance might reset if you don't hit that target within a certain period of time elapsing. Though i will say I would love to see it made that plasma weapons innately refresh the plasma dot (maybe even update it if a higher one is applied) upon hitting a target with one of your plasma dots active, even if the plasma burn dot does not proc off that hit, but had from an earlier hit.
  • ichaerus1ichaerus1 Member Posts: 986 Arc User
    rattler2 wrote: »
    gaevsman wrote: »
    I haven't tested that, but i had a feeling that the oposite was posible, so thanks for confirming that! :smile:

    Well considering that one of the Nukara set weapons deals pure COLD damage while another shoots cold infused Antiproton... Yea I'd say so.
    Also the Nukara Cryo Launcher is oversized as all hell for a pulsewave. It looks like it should be a bazooka.

    I like to headcanon it to be STO's version of the Claymore shotgun from Mass Effect 2. And it can hit just about as hard, along with the CC effect it brings. B)
  • ichaerus1ichaerus1 Member Posts: 986 Arc User
    brian334 wrote: »
    The point being that Plasma damage type is the unloved orphan of the various damage types. Its primary ability, to create plasma fires and cause damage over time, has been subsumed by other weapon types, it is easily countered or ignored by targets and, in competitive arenas, other, harder hitting damage types outperform it to the point that Plasma's secondary ability is unable to inflict much damage prior to the destruction of the target via raw damage.

    One need only go to the exchange to see how unloved Plasma type weapons and gear is by the general community. The difference between Plasma and other damage types is at minimum an order of magnitude greater in favor of any other damage type. The community believes that Plasma under-performs, and this belief is informed by constant and repeated tests.

    If Plasma were a competitive choice in overall total damage, it would feature in at least some builds in the DPS leagues. It does not. Players haven't overlooked it: they have rejected it based on its overall performance. This indicates that Plasma needs work. However, since some very powerful enemies use plasma weaponry, any such tweaks would impact NPC performance, perhaps to a degree players would find unfavorable.

    It is not an easy issue to resolve. Do we really want Borg and Romulan NPCs hitting 20% harder? Or do we want their secondary damage to be twice as potent? But we do indeed want Plasma to be a viable top-end build choice, if for no better reason than for variety of choice.

    So, let's come up with ways Plasma could be tweaked to make it useful

    1) While under the influence of Plasma Fire DOT effect the target vessel has reduced accuracy.

    2) Plasma DOT effect has a more powerful initial burn which reduces over time, so half its initial burn damage would be inflicted in the first round after a hit, then half of the rest in the next round, and half of what's left in the next, and so on. (1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, etc for the duration of the burn.)

    3) Eliminate the cap on Plasma DOT stacking, allowing any number of Plasma Procs to act simultaneously.

    These ideas may be tweaked to generate better ideas, or better ideas may be put forward. It would be unfair to simply push Plasma damage up to equal Disruptor damage without adjusting the DOT proc, but the current situation has Plasma relegated to 'flavor builds' which are not competitive in the end game content of STO. Something has to be done if Plasma is ever to take a place at the grown-up's table.

    Are you really sure you want this as an idea/suggestion, especially with Caustic Plasma being in the game? The Romulan only(because no other faction has access to the reward for the Romulan specific episode) weapon that burns twice as hot as any other plasma weapon?

    I would still like to see a Plasma/Tetryon(plasma dot with shield drain) hybrid weapon introduced at some point.

    A big problem is that for the most part, if anyone is trying to play the proc game, there are really only a couple of energy weapon types of value. Resonating Tetryon, since it has double the chance for proc-rate, and Proton/Protonic-Polaron, because the proton damage proc isn't tied to weapon cycle. It's tied to criticals. And the Proton/Protonic-Polaron is basically for the "throw a legion of dice at the enemy to see gaggle of numbers" build. I remember the Protonic-Polaron Kool-Aid build. And the proton doping science builds before those were gimped.
  • brian334brian334 Member Posts: 2,214 Arc User
    As a player of Romulan ships currently loaded with Phasers, Disruptors, and Antiprotons respectively, I'd love to see some Plasma builds which won't get me laughed out of ISA.

    Caustic Plasma is a very hot burn, but also very short, so the chances of multiple stacks are very small. However, if someone loads their cruiser with eight turrets and goes to town, the plasma burn should be stacking like crazy.
  • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,918 Arc User
    edited March 2019
    brian334 wrote: »
    As a player of Romulan ships currently loaded with Phasers, Disruptors, and Antiprotons respectively, I'd love to see some Plasma builds which won't get me laughed out of ISA.

    Not sure why you're getting 'laughed out of ISA' for using Plasma on a Romulan. This generic build of mine pulls 100k+ with ease.. and that's on an Engineer. It's nothing special, fleet weapons, mostly UR rep gear.. not hard to replicate at all. This is a build I put very little effort into.

    It would get a slight boost if I converted her to Phaser or Disruptor sure.. but not like Plasma is holding her back.

    Insert witty signature line here.
  • brian334brian334 Member Posts: 2,214 Arc User
    I've only come close to 100k damage in Crystalline, (old style) with a quantum torp/exotic science vessel. I'm obviously not in your league.
  • ichaerus1ichaerus1 Member Posts: 986 Arc User
    brian334 wrote: »
    As a player of Romulan ships currently loaded with Phasers, Disruptors, and Antiprotons respectively, I'd love to see some Plasma builds which won't get me laughed out of ISA.

    Caustic Plasma is a very hot burn, but also very short, so the chances of multiple stacks are very small. However, if someone loads their cruiser with eight turrets and goes to town, the plasma burn should be stacking like crazy.

    The fact that it's a very short, but hot burn means more damage. This was something I learned from my old days with Warhammer Online, where the Disciple of Khaine class had bleed dots that you could stick on a target when you crit. Ones that had durations that you could shorten, with extremely high damage, to compare with dots that would last 20 seconds or so, and needle at a target.

    Also, you want a plasma build that won't get you laughed out of Infected Conduit Advanced? Use Corrosive Plasma or Caustic Plasma. With the Romulan Reputation Beam Array up front. You can even use the full set, so that you have the Beam Overload clicky that you can combo with a regular Beam Overload. The torpedo would be more of a stat stick to plant in the rear.

    Caustic Plasma turrets in the rear, Caustic Plasma DBBs and Caustic Plasma DHCs up front.

    If Corrosive Plasma weapons, go with Corrosive Plasma DHCs up front, and Corrosive Plasma turrets in rear. Or DBBs up front. CRF/BOL will core something very nicely. CSV/BOL works as well.

    Here's what my KDF 2nd main or first alt uses:

    Corrosive Plasma DHCx3 or 4(depends on ship, of course), all of them with CrtDx4, CrtD/Dmg mods, 1 DBB up front for final weapon slot. Because having BOL and CRF or CSV allows me to keep boosting my mobility due to competitive wargames engines.
    Corrosive Plasma Turrets, all of them CrtDx4, CrtD/Dmg mods
    I use both consoles that are part of the Undine reputation set, for additional 7.5% cat 2 bonus
    DPRM console of course. If you're feeling squirrelly, and want to go nuts, you can run the K-13 engi consoles that give hull penetration, and stack those. If you use the Plasma Wave console, it's purely as a stat stick you throw into a sci slot. Don't even think of using that specific clicky. It's a 7 second self-imposed crowd control.

    Nukara Deflector and Nukara Shield Array for additional cat 2 dmg bonus
    Warp Core is up to you. Prefer something with AMP.
    Engines would be the Prevailing Innervated Engines
    All remaining tac console slots, load with plasma vulnerability exploiters.

    But Ichaerus, you're a tac player! Why not use locators and DMG mods for your weapons? You derpstar! Well, I'll tell you why. Because I trained for blue line in space skills, to snag that Probability Manipulation ultimate. With my crit chance boosted up, all that CrtD kicks in, and hammers a target harder. And it stays up even if I switch targets. If another teammate has the Focused Frenzy ability that extends to teammates, awesome. Let him or her be the one to cast that. If you have EWC as a trait, that's all you really require for haste needs along w/ teammate Frenzy.

    If you use Beam Overload with a Caustic or Corrosive Plasma DBB, or even the Romulan reputation set beam array, make sure you're using the Suliban Energy Weapons Officer. At least 2. 3 is optimal potential. Especially when combined with the trait Self-Modulating Fire. The other doffs can be technicians if you're running an Aux2Bat build with the Breenhearted trait. If you have the trait from the Xindi-Primate dreadnought, that will give you a Beam Overload double-tap. Husnock Warship trait can give your CRF and BOL(Beam Overload) a 25% cat 2 bonus when/if you use Directed Energy Modulation or temporal boff abilities.
  • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,918 Arc User
    brian334 wrote: »
    I've only come close to 100k damage in Crystalline, (old style) with a quantum torp/exotic science vessel. I'm obviously not in your league.

    I am not that good, and I would be willing to bet that you're better then you think.

    Honestly, with the ship I linked.. it's mostly park and shoot. I move to a spot with a lot of targets and then do power to weapons, attack pattern, kemocite, tac team, Scatter Volley and then Aux2Bat to reduce the cool downs before I can fire again. If I am taking too much damage, Reverse Shield Polarity so I can heal up, if I am getting hammered I can pop Miraculous Repairs (Engineer ability) or hit that Protomater console.

    I have no doubt that with some practice you could duplicate my results.

    I would love to tell you I have some great skill level, but that would not be an honest reply. I won't tell you I suck.. but I also won't pretend to be Elite. And for the record, everyone in this game struggled at one point. Feel free to take some ideas from my build if you can, and if there is any help I can provide, feel free to start a new thread (so we don't derail this one) and tag me in it. I'll be happy to answer any questions if I can.
    Insert witty signature line here.
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