Hey guys, I need an opinion. I know there is a thread on the first page about this very same topic, but the regulars of this thread seem to be the most knowledgeable bunch when it comes to Escorts and STFs. What with the sale and bonus CP weekend, I've decided to buy a new ship. I primarily use the Advanced Escort right now, and I'm having a tough time deciding between the Defiant Retrofit and MVAE. I've done some research into the subject, and I know the pros and cons of both ships. I was just hoping to get a few more opinions about them. I only do PvE (Elite STFs), and if I ever do PvP I probably won't be very serious about it. I know the Defiant and its cloaking device is great for PvP. I'm just wondering which ship you guys prefer, and why.
Hey guys, I need an opinion. I know there is a thread on the first page about this very same topic, but the regulars of this thread seem to be the most knowledgeable bunch when it comes to Escorts and STFs. What with the sale and bonus CP weekend, I've decided to buy a new ship. I primarily use the Advanced Escort right now, and I'm having a tough time deciding between the Defiant Retrofit and MVAE. I've done some research into the subject, and I know the pros and cons of both ships. I was just hoping to get a few more opinions about them. I only do PvE (Elite STFs), and if I ever do PvP I probably won't be very serious about it. I know the Defiant and its cloaking device is great for PvP. I'm just wondering which ship you guys prefer, and why.
I have both ships. I don't use cloak or MVAM. For me it comes down to the Ensign slot. Defiant-R gives you a tac ens and the AE gives you a Sci Ens. I flew the Defiant for along time. Lately though, I've though I've been flying the Advanced with Tachyon Beam in the Sci Ens slot. Since I also have torpedo spread 3 I like having a little bit of extra punch to knock down the shields before I cut loose with my torp launcher. I find it helpful, especially against tac cubes.
Hey guys, I need an opinion. I know there is a thread on the first page about this very same topic, but the regulars of this thread seem to be the most knowledgeable bunch when it comes to Escorts and STFs. What with the sale and bonus CP weekend, I've decided to buy a new ship. I primarily use the Advanced Escort right now, and I'm having a tough time deciding between the Defiant Retrofit and MVAE. I've done some research into the subject, and I know the pros and cons of both ships. I was just hoping to get a few more opinions about them. I only do PvE (Elite STFs), and if I ever do PvP I probably won't be very serious about it. I know the Defiant and its cloaking device is great for PvP. I'm just wondering which ship you guys prefer, and why.
I also have both, and personally, I prefer the Defiant for aesthetics and also mentioned below, the extra tactical ensign. It's nice to have 2 TT's, both for the shield distribution effect and the damage buff.
The cloak is useful in PvE, I use it every time I drop out of combat (or try to) to get that nice additional burst when I approach my next target. I tried to use the MVAM a couple of times, but (and it was probably user error) I couldn't really get the "point" of the separation.
Well, I don't actually own any purple Conn DOFFs that buff tac team.
I think common reduces rech by 2s and green by 4s.
If Purple reduces rech by 8s then you could theoretically run only 1 copy of TT with 2 of these DOFFs and it would function as if you had 2 copies of TT.
I can't really confirm if it works that way or not.
It works (have 2 blues and 1 green at the moment, saving for 2 purple) and your comment brought me to a little modified defiant version.
standard setup with dhcs, quantum launcher, turrets, 2x scatter volley, 2x torp spread and 2 attack patterns (prefer 2x beta for stf) but only 1 tac team thx to the duty offis and use the free slot for beam overload and change one dhc with a dual beam. Works especially well with a tac thx to tactical initiative.
This setup shifts the damage a little more to single target but leaves enough ae damage to handle probes, bops...easily. Also beam overload has a different timer than the other skills so you can have some really nice burst damage and get through shields before the torpedos hit. And I really like the optical effect from dual beams and beam overload .
Best run so far with this setup was a KASE with 8385 dps though normally it's somewhere between 6k and 8k damage.
I also tried setups with rapid fire and high yield because lot of people suggested it in the channels but it's only very situational useful. A KASE run where you aren't on drones duty could be improved that way. As soon as there is more than 1 enemy I prefer my setup. Also helps with plasma torpeds, scimitar drones, carrier...
For the other escorts the duty offis allow you to get 2 skills of everything else since you only need 1 tac team.
MVAM or standard Prometheus with Gravity Well (only MVAM) or Polarize Hull have their advantages but I just love the defiant.
Anyone manage to outfit their Escort with all MK XII purple consoles yet?
With the nerf to Field Generators, I'm certainly noticing an increase in squishyness in Elite runs
I found that the influence from equipment is pretty small. Think you would hardly notice the difference between 4 blue MK XI consoles and 4 purple MKXII. A 26% console gives you about 7% more real damage, so a purple MK XII will be maybe 8%. A lot of investment for such a small increase.
I resently leveled a new tac and equiped him with blue MK X disruptors first which cost next to nothing and was ready for elite stfs as soon as I hit 50, managed to kill all 6 bops alone in CSE for example.
So what I'm saying, right Boff/Doff/Items setup and knowing how to handle your ship is much much more important than having MK XII weapons. So read this thread carefully .
As for the Field generator nerf it hurt a little but didn't really notice a difference while playing.
Looking at tweaking my Boffs and wanted to know what you guys think.
Right now I've got
TT1 CSV1 TS3 CSV3
T1 TS3 APD2
I'm thinking switching out the CSV1 for APB1 and APD2 for CSV2
Also, I've got the MACO Mk XII set, but I'm thinking about MACO shield with Borg 3-piece after the field generator nerf. Or would the Omega force set be better in an escort?
standard setup with dhcs, quantum launcher, turrets, 2x scatter volley, 2x torp spread and 2 attack patterns (prefer 2x beta for stf) but only 1 tac team thx to the duty offis and use the free slot for beam overload and change one dhc with a dual beam. Works especially well with a tac thx to tactical initiative.
You should try and slot the DBB aft and see if you can make that work for you.
I know you generally want to be front facing, but this would allow you to do a quick turn around and finish off something like a sphere while maintaining 3x DHCs up front. It's much easier to lose a Turret than a DHC.
The Defiant in particular is suited to this, due to its higher than typical turn rate.
Just wanted to say thanks for posting this tread!!
I found it VERY useful!! - I am pleased to say that I got most of the weapons right, most of the officer skills, but I would NEVER have though of using more than 1 of the same type of item in the consoles. (3x same item in tactical slots). - It is going to make a big difference, I am sure!! - I read this thread because the game is down for maintenance, I have spent the time constructively...
Got lucky last night - mako shield and deflector XII. Using 2mako + 2borg set seems to be the perfect equipment for me. Especially with 3 field generators(flying mvae). On elite stf can tank tacticle cubes almost all the time and the cubes can't 1shot me anymore (maybe once per 10 missions).
After many testing, I find CSV and Torp Spread much more effective for stf than CRF and THY.
This thread has been extremely useful. Thanks.
Got lucky last night - mako shield and deflector XII. Using 2mako + 2borg set seems to be the perfect equipment for me. Especially with 3 field generators(flying mvae). On elite stf can tank tacticle cubes almost all the time and the cubes can't 1shot me anymore (maybe once per 10 missions).
After many testing, I find CSV and Torp Spread much more effective for stf than CRF and THY.
This thread has been extremely useful. Thanks.
I couldn't begin to say how many elite STF's Ive done and I have yet to see the Elite X!! shield drop. LOL
I've only seen Mk X KHG / MACO / Omega components drop from normal mode STF's...
I've gotten a full set of Mk XII MACO space gear, a Mk XII Omega Deflector, and MK XII MACO armor. It took about 2 and a half months. I played STFs for about a month, to get the MK XI set, before I started on Elites. I would guess- know way I can tell for sure- that it took about 150-200 runs on Elite to get each piece.
Like i said - i got lucky been playing stf and elite stf for 2 weeks or less
For what i read on the forum during the cardassian lockboxes event the drops on STF were much lower, but i was playing elites after they were gone. I suspect now with the ferengi boxes will be the same.
Like i said - i got lucky been playing stf and elite stf for 2 weeks or less
For what i read on the forum during the cardassian lockboxes event the drops on STF were much lower, but i was playing elites after they were gone. I suspect now with the ferengi boxes will be the same.
the lock boxes draw from a different loot table. So they shouldn't effect the drop rate for prototype tech or salvage. But so many of the frackin' things drop it does look that way.
I've been playing with my build for awhile and now I'm thinking about using a different kind of torp. I've been using a quantum launcher with one console, 3 purple PWO DOFFs, and BOFFS with TS2 and TS3. But, I've got a photon torpedo launcher in the bank. Are any of the other torps good for STFs?
I've been playing with my build for awhile and now I'm thinking about using a different kind of torp. I've been using a quantum launcher with one console, 3 purple PWO DOFFs, and BOFFS with TS2 and TS3. But, I've got a photon torpedo launcher in the bank. Are any of the other torps good for STFs?
I've tried a number of torps. The quantum seems to do the best.
BUT...
Do a little research there on torps healing the borg. I don't recall what it was but it might have been the duty officer that was causing the torps to heal the Borg.
You might want to see if you can find that and see if it's been nerfed or what.
I've tried a number of torps. The quantum seems to do the best.
BUT...
Do a little research there on torps healing the borg. I don't recall what it was but it might have been the duty officer that was causing the torps to heal the Borg.
You might want to see if you can find that and see if it's been nerfed or what.
Since I asked I tested all of the torps and different combinations of launchers and consoles. I got the most consistent results with 2 photon torpedo launchers, 3 purple PWOs and 4 energy weapon type consoles. Quantums do more max damage, but photon torpedo launchers get higher dps and higher peak dps.
PWOs seem to be useless if you only have 1 launcher. So if you're doing something like 3 DHC and 1 launcher I would recommend against using PWOs. Right now I am running 2 DHCs, 2 photon launchers, and 3 turrets.
So far I've tested AP, disruptor, and I'm working on Tetryon. I think I'm going to need to do at least one more run with AP and disruptor. I'm also doing to test phaser. I probably won't get it done until next weekend, we'll see. I don't know if I'll test polaron or not. It honestly depends on how much proto salvage I have left.
So what happens if you have one quantum and one Photon?
Sonce there are no consoles involved (3 or 4 energy weapon consoles depending on the ship) skittle torpedos should work.
Nope it don't work. I tried it in a couple different configs real quick like.
Two torpedoes, one quantum and one Photon. Both XII Borg.
One fires a full spread while the other just fires one torpedo. Depending on which is placed before the other in the weapons slots determines which fires the spread and which fires just one. This proves a torpedo boat won't work. One torpedo front or rear will be doing all the work while the other sets just fire one shot.
I've been using a full cannon setup in my FE and I'm not 100% sure I like it. I don't really feel like I'm getting the full effect of CSV and CRF.
I added back the single (After the above experament) quantum torpedo and I seem to be getting a better effect from the cannons.
Nope it don't work. I tried it in a couple different configs real quick like.
Two torpedoes, one quantum and one Photon. Both XII Borg.
One fires a full spread while the other just fires one torpedo. Depending on which is placed before the other in the weapons slots determines which fires the spread and which fires just one. This proves a torpedo boat won't work. One torpedo front or rear will be doing all the work while the other sets just fire one shot.
I've been using a full cannon setup in my FE and I'm not 100% sure I like it. I don't really feel like I'm getting the full effect of CSV and CRF.
I added back the single (After the above experament) quantum torpedo and I seem to be getting a better effect from the cannons.
I wouldn't try to mix torpedo types. Without actual testing I can't say definitively, but Jake81499 seems to be correct. The reason for two launchers is to increase the probability of a single launcher firing in between cooldowns for torpedo spread. As I said, PWOs seem to be pointless with only one launcher. Absent any abilities, with two photon torpedo launchers and 3 purple PWOs, you will fire one torpedo roughly every 3/4s of a second. I typically fire Torpedo Spread 3 then Torpedo Spread 2 as soon as the cooldown timer makes it available. In between one of my launchers is firing- roughly- every second. If you switch one of those out with a quantum you might get higher spike damage, but more than likely it will not fire as often at all and so you will get less total DPS.
As for an all cannon build. That will probably be the last thing I try. It seems like I tried it once before and my BOFFs were incredibly inefficient. However, I haven't drilled down into yet and got numbers.
First of all, great thread. Answered a lot of questions that've been bugging me for some time.
One thing I'm still unclear about though: is it better to use Cannon Scatter Volley 3 + Torpedo Spread 3 + Attack Pattern Beta 1, or Cannon Scatter Volley 2 + Torpedo Spread 2 + Attack Pattern Beta 3? (This is on the multi-vector advanced escort, so I'll have CSV1/TS1 as my other set of cannon/torpedo skills.) I managed to get the first configuration because of the Jem'Hadar boff from the 2800 feature episode series, but I'm not sure if it's worth giving up APB 3 in order to get to use CSV3/TS3. Thoughts?
One thing I'm still unclear about though: is it better to use Cannon Scatter Volley 3 + Torpedo Spread 3 + Attack Pattern Beta 1, or Cannon Scatter Volley 2 + Torpedo Spread 2 + Attack Pattern Beta 3?
I'm flying a FE so my bridge may differ from yours.
If you do much STF you should have CRF in there somewhere. Here's the reasoning.
I'll use ISE as an example.
If you are shooting at the nodes trying to get them down to 10% and within range of three of the nodes, or even two and you hit CSV, then you could theoretically kill a node that someone else has already taken down to 10% or less. When I'm working the nodes I always use CRF then back off to just regular fire when the node gets down close to 10. It usually only takes me three or four vollies to get it down.
Also there are times when you may NOT want to agro something else within your weapons range. CRF fits the bill for that also.
I've changed my Tactical BO setup in the last couple days but here's the basic current.
CTS---> TT1 TT2 APO1 CRF3
LCTS--> THY1 CSV1 TS3
I need to change around THY1 with something else and change TT2 with something else.
But that is my basic. I am NOT putting anything into the SPW or SPWS Skills slots because torps are NOT my primary weapons and i can best use those points elsewhere. Besides I might drop the torps again in favor of the all cannon build.
Hints;
Train a bridge officer and leave that bridge officer alone after you get him where you want him. If you need to change that bridge officer slot, train a new one.
Try to get bridge officers with space passives. These can be expencive but they are worth it.
READ THE FULL DOFF DESCRIPTION. The short discription may be missleading. If you check the long discription you may find that the doff you've chosen won't really do what you want him to.
For Infected Rapid Fire and High Yield is clearly superior over Scatter Volley and Spread. You want to focus your fire on Generators, the Transformer or the Cube.
Cure and KA. Scatter Volley and Spread are probably a must have here, but personally I also feel the need to focus fire sometimes to deal more damage or not get too much aggro. So for those 2 missions I go:
TT1 / HY2 / CRF2 / APBeta3
TT1 / TS2 / CSV2
For STFs, this seems to cycle perfectly between single target and AoE for me.
One thing I'm still unclear about though: is it better to use Cannon Scatter Volley 3 + Torpedo Spread 3 + Attack Pattern Beta 1, or Cannon Scatter Volley 2 + Torpedo Spread 2 + Attack Pattern Beta 3? (This is on the multi-vector advanced escort, so I'll have CSV1/TS1 as my other set of cannon/torpedo skills.) I managed to get the first configuration because of the Jem'Hadar boff from the 2800 feature episode series, but I'm not sure if it's worth giving up APB 3 in order to get to use CSV3/TS3. Thoughts?
I prefer Scatter Volley 1, Torp Spread 3, Beta 3 myself, even though 2 and 2 for SV/TS is probably more effective. Beta 3 is the most important of all of them due to the -50% resist for everyone shooting at said target, so running 1 vs. 3 is a huge difference in damage for Beta.
For Infected Rapid Fire and High Yield is clearly superior over Scatter Volley and Spread. You want to focus your fire on Generators, the Transformer or the Cube.
I'm finding in Infected I don't use ANY buffs with the small generators because they die too fast (if anything, Beta 3 and hope nobody alpha strikes the thing) and go full alpha strike against the big generators.
I prefer Scatter Volley 1, Torp Spread 3, Beta 3 myself, even though 2 and 2 for SV/TS is probably more effective. Beta 3 is the most important of all of them due to the -50% resist for everyone shooting at said target, so running 1 vs. 3 is a huge difference in damage for Beta.
I'm finding in Infected I don't use ANY buffs with the small generators because they die too fast (if anything, Beta 3 and hope nobody alpha strikes the thing) and go full alpha strike against the big generators.
I usually use AP-Omega on my Advanced Escort and Gurumba to deal with borg tractor beams and get an extra damage boost, but if you're finding AP-Beta to be a better damage dealer, then I'll set up another tactical officer just to run CSV1, CSV2, and AP-Beta just to try it out.
You can rotate 3 attack patterns, two APO and one APB. I find that gives me a balance between DPS and tankiness. APO3 + CRF1 would give 55% extra damage vs 50% for CRF3 assuming the percentages are additive, so the damage is still good. More if multiplicative. APO also lasts 15s, but has a 60s cooldown. APO is an excellent buff still, negates tractor beams, gives you armour, defense, turn rate speed and extra damage.
I usually use AP-Omega on my Advanced Escort and Gurumba to deal with borg tractor beams and get an extra damage boost, but if you're finding AP-Beta to be a better damage dealer, then I'll set up another tactical officer just to run CSV1, CSV2, and AP-Beta just to try it out.
APB (and even APD) is the better damage dealer by default as it is a force multiplier.
APO's +damage boost is almost an afterthought compared to the multiple mitigation advantages it grants (Defense, Resistance & Movement Debuff protection) and maneuverability benefits..
Comments
I have both ships. I don't use cloak or MVAM. For me it comes down to the Ensign slot. Defiant-R gives you a tac ens and the AE gives you a Sci Ens. I flew the Defiant for along time. Lately though, I've though I've been flying the Advanced with Tachyon Beam in the Sci Ens slot. Since I also have torpedo spread 3 I like having a little bit of extra punch to knock down the shields before I cut loose with my torp launcher. I find it helpful, especially against tac cubes.
I prefer the Fleet Escort. But it's up to you.
I also have both, and personally, I prefer the Defiant for aesthetics and also mentioned below, the extra tactical ensign. It's nice to have 2 TT's, both for the shield distribution effect and the damage buff.
The cloak is useful in PvE, I use it every time I drop out of combat (or try to) to get that nice additional burst when I approach my next target. I tried to use the MVAM a couple of times, but (and it was probably user error) I couldn't really get the "point" of the separation.
With the nerf to Field Generators, I'm certainly noticing an increase in squishyness in Elite runs
It works (have 2 blues and 1 green at the moment, saving for 2 purple) and your comment brought me to a little modified defiant version.
standard setup with dhcs, quantum launcher, turrets, 2x scatter volley, 2x torp spread and 2 attack patterns (prefer 2x beta for stf) but only 1 tac team thx to the duty offis and use the free slot for beam overload and change one dhc with a dual beam. Works especially well with a tac thx to tactical initiative.
This setup shifts the damage a little more to single target but leaves enough ae damage to handle probes, bops...easily. Also beam overload has a different timer than the other skills so you can have some really nice burst damage and get through shields before the torpedos hit. And I really like the optical effect from dual beams and beam overload
Best run so far with this setup was a KASE with 8385 dps though normally it's somewhere between 6k and 8k damage.
I also tried setups with rapid fire and high yield because lot of people suggested it in the channels but it's only very situational useful. A KASE run where you aren't on drones duty could be improved that way. As soon as there is more than 1 enemy I prefer my setup. Also helps with plasma torpeds, scimitar drones, carrier...
For the other escorts the duty offis allow you to get 2 skills of everything else since you only need 1 tac team.
MVAM or standard Prometheus with Gravity Well (only MVAM) or Polarize Hull have their advantages but I just love the defiant.
I found that the influence from equipment is pretty small. Think you would hardly notice the difference between 4 blue MK XI consoles and 4 purple MKXII. A 26% console gives you about 7% more real damage, so a purple MK XII will be maybe 8%. A lot of investment for such a small increase.
I resently leveled a new tac and equiped him with blue MK X disruptors first which cost next to nothing and was ready for elite stfs as soon as I hit 50, managed to kill all 6 bops alone in CSE for example.
So what I'm saying, right Boff/Doff/Items setup and knowing how to handle your ship is much much more important than having MK XII weapons. So read this thread carefully
As for the Field generator nerf it hurt a little but didn't really notice a difference while playing.
Right now I've got
TT1 CSV1 TS3 CSV3
T1 TS3 APD2
I'm thinking switching out the CSV1 for APB1 and APD2 for CSV2
Also, I've got the MACO Mk XII set, but I'm thinking about MACO shield with Borg 3-piece after the field generator nerf. Or would the Omega force set be better in an escort?
You should try and slot the DBB aft and see if you can make that work for you.
I know you generally want to be front facing, but this would allow you to do a quick turn around and finish off something like a sphere while maintaining 3x DHCs up front. It's much easier to lose a Turret than a DHC.
The Defiant in particular is suited to this, due to its higher than typical turn rate.
I found it VERY useful!! - I am pleased to say that I got most of the weapons right, most of the officer skills, but I would NEVER have though of using more than 1 of the same type of item in the consoles. (3x same item in tactical slots). - It is going to make a big difference, I am sure!! - I read this thread because the game is down for maintenance, I have spent the time constructively...
Thanks again!
After many testing, I find CSV and Torp Spread much more effective for stf than CRF and THY.
This thread has been extremely useful. Thanks.
I couldn't begin to say how many elite STF's Ive done and I have yet to see the Elite X!! shield drop. LOL
It's a myth.
I've only seen Mk X KHG / MACO / Omega components drop from normal mode STF's...
I've gotten a full set of Mk XII MACO space gear, a Mk XII Omega Deflector, and MK XII MACO armor. It took about 2 and a half months. I played STFs for about a month, to get the MK XI set, before I started on Elites. I would guess- know way I can tell for sure- that it took about 150-200 runs on Elite to get each piece.
For what i read on the forum during the cardassian lockboxes event the drops on STF were much lower, but i was playing elites after they were gone. I suspect now with the ferengi boxes will be the same.
the lock boxes draw from a different loot table. So they shouldn't effect the drop rate for prototype tech or salvage. But so many of the frackin' things drop it does look that way.
I've tried a number of torps. The quantum seems to do the best.
BUT...
Do a little research there on torps healing the borg. I don't recall what it was but it might have been the duty officer that was causing the torps to heal the Borg.
You might want to see if you can find that and see if it's been nerfed or what.
Since I asked I tested all of the torps and different combinations of launchers and consoles. I got the most consistent results with 2 photon torpedo launchers, 3 purple PWOs and 4 energy weapon type consoles. Quantums do more max damage, but photon torpedo launchers get higher dps and higher peak dps.
PWOs seem to be useless if you only have 1 launcher. So if you're doing something like 3 DHC and 1 launcher I would recommend against using PWOs. Right now I am running 2 DHCs, 2 photon launchers, and 3 turrets.
So far I've tested AP, disruptor, and I'm working on Tetryon. I think I'm going to need to do at least one more run with AP and disruptor. I'm also doing to test phaser. I probably won't get it done until next weekend, we'll see. I don't know if I'll test polaron or not. It honestly depends on how much proto salvage I have left.
So what happens if you have one quantum and one Photon?
Sonce there are no consoles involved (3 or 4 energy weapon consoles depending on the ship) skittle torpedos should work.
Nope it don't work. I tried it in a couple different configs real quick like.
Two torpedoes, one quantum and one Photon. Both XII Borg.
One fires a full spread while the other just fires one torpedo. Depending on which is placed before the other in the weapons slots determines which fires the spread and which fires just one. This proves a torpedo boat won't work. One torpedo front or rear will be doing all the work while the other sets just fire one shot.
I've been using a full cannon setup in my FE and I'm not 100% sure I like it. I don't really feel like I'm getting the full effect of CSV and CRF.
I added back the single (After the above experament) quantum torpedo and I seem to be getting a better effect from the cannons.
I wouldn't try to mix torpedo types. Without actual testing I can't say definitively, but Jake81499 seems to be correct. The reason for two launchers is to increase the probability of a single launcher firing in between cooldowns for torpedo spread. As I said, PWOs seem to be pointless with only one launcher. Absent any abilities, with two photon torpedo launchers and 3 purple PWOs, you will fire one torpedo roughly every 3/4s of a second. I typically fire Torpedo Spread 3 then Torpedo Spread 2 as soon as the cooldown timer makes it available. In between one of my launchers is firing- roughly- every second. If you switch one of those out with a quantum you might get higher spike damage, but more than likely it will not fire as often at all and so you will get less total DPS.
As for an all cannon build. That will probably be the last thing I try. It seems like I tried it once before and my BOFFs were incredibly inefficient. However, I haven't drilled down into yet and got numbers.
One thing I'm still unclear about though: is it better to use Cannon Scatter Volley 3 + Torpedo Spread 3 + Attack Pattern Beta 1, or Cannon Scatter Volley 2 + Torpedo Spread 2 + Attack Pattern Beta 3? (This is on the multi-vector advanced escort, so I'll have CSV1/TS1 as my other set of cannon/torpedo skills.) I managed to get the first configuration because of the Jem'Hadar boff from the 2800 feature episode series, but I'm not sure if it's worth giving up APB 3 in order to get to use CSV3/TS3. Thoughts?
I'm flying a FE so my bridge may differ from yours.
If you do much STF you should have CRF in there somewhere. Here's the reasoning.
I'll use ISE as an example.
If you are shooting at the nodes trying to get them down to 10% and within range of three of the nodes, or even two and you hit CSV, then you could theoretically kill a node that someone else has already taken down to 10% or less. When I'm working the nodes I always use CRF then back off to just regular fire when the node gets down close to 10. It usually only takes me three or four vollies to get it down.
Also there are times when you may NOT want to agro something else within your weapons range. CRF fits the bill for that also.
I've changed my Tactical BO setup in the last couple days but here's the basic current.
CTS---> TT1 TT2 APO1 CRF3
LCTS--> THY1 CSV1 TS3
I need to change around THY1 with something else and change TT2 with something else.
But that is my basic. I am NOT putting anything into the SPW or SPWS Skills slots because torps are NOT my primary weapons and i can best use those points elsewhere. Besides I might drop the torps again in favor of the all cannon build.
Hints;
Train a bridge officer and leave that bridge officer alone after you get him where you want him. If you need to change that bridge officer slot, train a new one.
Try to get bridge officers with space passives. These can be expencive but they are worth it.
READ THE FULL DOFF DESCRIPTION. The short discription may be missleading. If you check the long discription you may find that the doff you've chosen won't really do what you want him to.
Good Luck.
Cure and KA. Scatter Volley and Spread are probably a must have here, but personally I also feel the need to focus fire sometimes to deal more damage or not get too much aggro. So for those 2 missions I go:
TT1 / HY2 / CRF2 / APBeta3
TT1 / TS2 / CSV2
For STFs, this seems to cycle perfectly between single target and AoE for me.
I usually use AP-Omega on my Advanced Escort and Gurumba to deal with borg tractor beams and get an extra damage boost, but if you're finding AP-Beta to be a better damage dealer, then I'll set up another tactical officer just to run CSV1, CSV2, and AP-Beta just to try it out.
APB (and even APD) is the better damage dealer by default as it is a force multiplier.
APO's +damage boost is almost an afterthought compared to the multiple mitigation advantages it grants (Defense, Resistance & Movement Debuff protection) and maneuverability benefits..