test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
Options
EWP, or how I learned to stop worrying and love plasma...
System
Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
I see enough people using Eject Warp Plasma, that I think I can make a bit of a post on it, and help those who have yet to clue in to this great power.
First, some info for people who might not know what I'm talking about. Eject Warp Plasma is an engineering power. Version 1 is at Lt Commander, version 2 is at Commander, and version 3 is at Commander, but can only be trained by Engineering Captains. It is modified by the following Captain Skills: Starship Engineering Training, Starship Engine Maintenance, and Starship Engine Performance (this latter also allowing the training of EWP 3 at rank 9). This power produces a cloud of plasma behind your ship over a period of time. As you move forward, it leaves this cloud, which lasts for approximately 30 seconds. Any enemy ship caught in this cloud has a large penalty to speed and turn rate, as well as suffering damage over time.
Okay, so what do we do with it?
Something you need to realize is that the damage it does skips shields completely. If an enemy has shields you cannot deplete, due to ridiculous shield strength in PvE or the use of Reverse Shield Polarity in PvP, you can drop this on them to inflict damage without having to break their shields. As with all powers, the rock-stupid behavior of AI makes this particularly devastating, as the AI takes no action to counter EWP. Causing ships to effectively halt dead in space also improves your chance to hit. Any chance to hit over 100% translates directly in to Critical Hit Severity bonus.
Do not doubt that dropping this power correctly, particularly in PvP, can be a game changer. It is also useful against enemies that aren't smart enough to keep a couple kilometers of distance with you (like some Klingon BoP pilots...you know who you are
). Also, it can be used to pin an enemy while you retreat, or break up a tight formation of enemies (or damage several enemies at once in PvE). As people rarely use much if any armor (instead opting for offensive boosters and the lovely Field Generator), you can really chew up their hulls.
Try hitting someone inside the cloud with a tractor beam, for a great up-yours maneuver.
How to deal with it...
Okay, so your enemies seem to have the leakiest engines in the Quadrant. They are constantly spewing smoke, to the point that the EPA has put out a hit on them. How do you deal with it?
The first method is the most obvious. Don't fly in to it. This is obviously harder in a large ship (like an Exploration Cruiser or Carrier), but if you keep at least kilometer or two of distance with your enemies, it is definitely do-able. Aux to Inertial Dampeners can give you a boost to maneuverability and help you avoid it in a pinch, as can evasive maneuvers. Weigh the damage you might take against the recharge time of the power you need to use to avoid it first. Keep in mind that this power can be used offensively by skimming over enemy ships, so avoiding it might not be possible.
Next, you can use Hazard Emitters on someone (like yourself) who is caught in the cloud. This power will constantly clean the effects that EWP tries to constantly apply. Your target might take a little damage, depending on the Hazard Emitters vs EWP strength, but overall they will be able to escape quickly (it counters the movement penalties) and so can come out ahead in health.
Another option is Evasive Maneuvers or Ramming Speed. These can launch you right out of the cloud, and if the dropper is in front of you, you can thump in to them with Ramming. Great fun if they are a Bird of Prey and you are a Cruiser. Aux to Inertial Dampeners does not give you enough of a speed boost to get you out of the cloud, so if you are in it, don't bother using this power to try to get out.
One of the less obvious methods of dealing with this is Scramble Sensors. If you drop this power on whoever spewed the plasma cloud, the cloud will see you as an ally and stop damaging you or anyone else on your team. This shuts off a plasma cloud's effectiveness immediately, unless someone throws out a Science Team to clean the Scramble Sensors. Even so, you and your allies can generally escape the plasma cloud before it becomes a threat again.
Anyways, I hope this helps players new to this power.
Addendum: Try using this against clouds of fighters, or around a Carrier who might be launching fighters soon. REALLY messes them up.
First, some info for people who might not know what I'm talking about. Eject Warp Plasma is an engineering power. Version 1 is at Lt Commander, version 2 is at Commander, and version 3 is at Commander, but can only be trained by Engineering Captains. It is modified by the following Captain Skills: Starship Engineering Training, Starship Engine Maintenance, and Starship Engine Performance (this latter also allowing the training of EWP 3 at rank 9). This power produces a cloud of plasma behind your ship over a period of time. As you move forward, it leaves this cloud, which lasts for approximately 30 seconds. Any enemy ship caught in this cloud has a large penalty to speed and turn rate, as well as suffering damage over time.
Okay, so what do we do with it?
Something you need to realize is that the damage it does skips shields completely. If an enemy has shields you cannot deplete, due to ridiculous shield strength in PvE or the use of Reverse Shield Polarity in PvP, you can drop this on them to inflict damage without having to break their shields. As with all powers, the rock-stupid behavior of AI makes this particularly devastating, as the AI takes no action to counter EWP. Causing ships to effectively halt dead in space also improves your chance to hit. Any chance to hit over 100% translates directly in to Critical Hit Severity bonus.
Do not doubt that dropping this power correctly, particularly in PvP, can be a game changer. It is also useful against enemies that aren't smart enough to keep a couple kilometers of distance with you (like some Klingon BoP pilots...you know who you are
). Also, it can be used to pin an enemy while you retreat, or break up a tight formation of enemies (or damage several enemies at once in PvE). As people rarely use much if any armor (instead opting for offensive boosters and the lovely Field Generator), you can really chew up their hulls.Try hitting someone inside the cloud with a tractor beam, for a great up-yours maneuver.
How to deal with it...
Okay, so your enemies seem to have the leakiest engines in the Quadrant. They are constantly spewing smoke, to the point that the EPA has put out a hit on them. How do you deal with it?
The first method is the most obvious. Don't fly in to it. This is obviously harder in a large ship (like an Exploration Cruiser or Carrier), but if you keep at least kilometer or two of distance with your enemies, it is definitely do-able. Aux to Inertial Dampeners can give you a boost to maneuverability and help you avoid it in a pinch, as can evasive maneuvers. Weigh the damage you might take against the recharge time of the power you need to use to avoid it first. Keep in mind that this power can be used offensively by skimming over enemy ships, so avoiding it might not be possible.
Next, you can use Hazard Emitters on someone (like yourself) who is caught in the cloud. This power will constantly clean the effects that EWP tries to constantly apply. Your target might take a little damage, depending on the Hazard Emitters vs EWP strength, but overall they will be able to escape quickly (it counters the movement penalties) and so can come out ahead in health.
Another option is Evasive Maneuvers or Ramming Speed. These can launch you right out of the cloud, and if the dropper is in front of you, you can thump in to them with Ramming. Great fun if they are a Bird of Prey and you are a Cruiser. Aux to Inertial Dampeners does not give you enough of a speed boost to get you out of the cloud, so if you are in it, don't bother using this power to try to get out.
One of the less obvious methods of dealing with this is Scramble Sensors. If you drop this power on whoever spewed the plasma cloud, the cloud will see you as an ally and stop damaging you or anyone else on your team. This shuts off a plasma cloud's effectiveness immediately, unless someone throws out a Science Team to clean the Scramble Sensors. Even so, you and your allies can generally escape the plasma cloud before it becomes a threat again.
Anyways, I hope this helps players new to this power.
Addendum: Try using this against clouds of fighters, or around a Carrier who might be launching fighters soon. REALLY messes them up.
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
I must admit it is a really annoying skill and while easy to avoid it can really hurt your damage output, especially in an escort. The number of times I have flown in and dropped a cruiser's aft shields only to be forced to stop firing due to EWP is excruciating....:mad:
Dunno, but I've been seeing it more and more myself. I decided to give it a try, and found that it can do really good damage. About 10K over time for my build, and I'm not built around it.
I have also been seeing a LOT more Engineer Captains in space PvP, on both side, recently. Perhaps the ability to train rank 3 is what is causing it to show up more?
Perhaps it is like Tractor Beams. People rarely used those, until they figured out how it affects Critical Hit Strength. Now, any power that cuts a target's speed is useful for offensive play.
As this power doesn't rely on any particular energy setting (at least, I can't see any difference for me), maybe it is used more because it is reliable no matter what.
BTW, your sig rocks.
Eject Warp Plasma + Tractor Beam + Tricobalt = Fun.
I enjoy EWP tho, I've noticed many escorts like to fly through me, and ships in general, partly cause everyone does more damage up close. Sometimes I'll drop the EWP when they're obviously inbound and about 2-3k away from me, pull a nice crescent and when they smack into it I drop a cluster, my boarding party 3, and hy torps. If it's timed right I can pop them with a overpower phaser shot too. It just feels so...mean
I do wish I could fit a tractor beam into my build, cause the idea of locking someone in the EWP with a tb is just...so mean
In most cases, it even if someone avoids the fog, it can serve a purpose by making your attacks on your tail temporarily break off their pounding on you. With a sci+cruiser, extra seconds means BIG DEAL, as it gives you time to pop another shield or hull heal.
EWP is sweet power in a bop. There are also some odd damage multiplying effects if you have 2 trails hit a target.. a team dropping this stuff can be very nasty.