I like torpedoes. I like how they look, I like the pachoo pachoo sound they make, I like timing them to fire a High Yield salvo when my opponent's shields drop, I like the sense of continuity with the shows that they give me.
Unfortunately, I've been led to believe that they're more or less useless compared to a fourth dual cannon or a dual beam.
Is there anything I can do to make the torpedoes work for me? Or should I get over it and just use something else?
Running a Torp or an extra DHC / DBB is based solely on personal preference and your skill as a pilot to keep your enemy in your fore arc.
But I will list some pro's for each.
Pro - Running Torp + HY or Spread can give you easy KO's.
Pro - Torps do not eat into Power levels.
Pro - Torps are Fire and forget whereas this is not possible with Energy Weps.
Pro - Torpedos with Effects have a higher procc rate than energy Weps.
Pro - RSP doesnt work on torps, (hitting a nice DBB overload + a torp HY will be devestating to those who spam this buff)
Pro - Energy weps will be buffed by your tactical consoles (I assume you are running all energy wep consoles)
Pro - Running an extra DBB will give you a little more sustained dps due to enemy manoeuvres (unless your pro at keeping enemy in for arc, in which case run an extra DHC)
Umm, This is all i could think of before my attention spam was gone... im sure others will pick up where i have left off.
Torps are only good on highly specific builds imo.
There are _always_ drawbacks from using both Energy and torps if looking at the whole picture.
Let me add those to the above list:
- Torps require double skill points to get maximum effect on them.
- Torps require the same +consoles for their maximum effect, since on how the way tactical consoles work, either your energy weapons or torpedos will always have a disadvantage on their maximum potential power.
I love using Torpedoes in my builds. Provided you don't have them on autofire (and honestly, why would anyone) they are very challenging and can be very rewarding. Other folks seem to do very well without. It is quite difficult to pull off but it feels wrong not to have them.
Having torpedo on an escort is good idea i think because to many energy type weapons drain your power too much that can cause the DPS to drop. While torpedos as been posted earlier dont drain your power, and can cuase quite large damage (specialy high yield 3) in short period of time wich can make your enemies KO.
From my (admittedly limited) pvp experience, it seems like people know how to keep onto that fraction of shield facing that drastically reduces the damage of the torpedoes. I can't count how many times where I've launched a killing blow, only to have the shields regenerate just a slight bit and turn the tide of the fight.
But again, I'm not the best to ask for advice. Just sayin' it how I see it.
Edit: However, I have noticed that torpedoes are amazing at picking on people who don't know how to balance their shields or use hull resists properly. I can't count how many cruisers and science ships (in lol ker'rat) I've dropped with a Beam Overload II followed by a Quantum High Yield III.
with accuracy actually affecting accuracy, you can get A torp to hit in a VOLLY with THY almost 100% of the time. I tried the DBB with ACCx3 and BOL it was utterly frustrating watching my BOL hit an empty spot in space 50% of the time.
Well, call me crazy but i do run dual quantums front on a battlecruiser together with purple projectile doffs, honor guard set and ferengi console. The quantums deal out a lot of damage.
Personally prefer not to use them and have no problems killing stuff. Perhaps if I used a BoP I would use them again for the nice Alpha spike, but heyho
They can be an important part of an alpha. If you have a bit of timing and hold them in reserve for a hull strike they are wonderful.
Spamming transphasics aoe about the field isn't bad in the face of spam but I find I need 2 consoles and the Breen bonus to make it useful. That's just a personal choice to hop on the short bus and take a ride for old times sake. They do better damage then other torps when the targets still have shields and well when you AOE its sort of a given that your targets have shields.
Plus torpedoes are just to much good fun to let go of. Um...not in that way. Not the way it sounded. Okay move along now.....
I've got builds with torps, and also torpless builds. All in all, it's apples and oranges, both confer different benefits. CSV+spread is still an excellent counter to spam, so I keep it in stock. I find the mechanic of even a sliver of shields providing resistance to kinetic annoying to be honest, but it's something that can be gotten around with good timing and/or point blank attacks.
They are also rather spammable with the right doffs, although to be honest, photon and quantum are good for pure kinetic damage, chronnies make up for their lower damage with an uncounterable proc that's rather frequent, and tricobalt while temperamental and something of a niche thing, can still be tremendously devastating when you get it right/luck out. I think most people who've sailed the seas of Ker'rat have had Mini drop one on their head at some point.
Comments
Running a Torp or an extra DHC / DBB is based solely on personal preference and your skill as a pilot to keep your enemy in your fore arc.
But I will list some pro's for each.
Pro - Running Torp + HY or Spread can give you easy KO's.
Pro - Torps do not eat into Power levels.
Pro - Torps are Fire and forget whereas this is not possible with Energy Weps.
Pro - Torpedos with Effects have a higher procc rate than energy Weps.
Pro - RSP doesnt work on torps, (hitting a nice DBB overload + a torp HY will be devestating to those who spam this buff)
Pro - Energy weps will be buffed by your tactical consoles (I assume you are running all energy wep consoles)
Pro - Running an extra DBB will give you a little more sustained dps due to enemy manoeuvres (unless your pro at keeping enemy in for arc, in which case run an extra DHC)
Umm, This is all i could think of before my attention spam was gone... im sure others will pick up where i have left off.
There are _always_ drawbacks from using both Energy and torps if looking at the whole picture.
Let me add those to the above list:
- Torps require double skill points to get maximum effect on them.
- Torps require the same +consoles for their maximum effect, since on how the way tactical consoles work, either your energy weapons or torpedos will always have a disadvantage on their maximum potential power.
see here for an ancient thread about torpedoes, most info still relevant (altho tricos have been nerfed)
http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=198687
But again, I'm not the best to ask for advice. Just sayin' it how I see it.
Edit: However, I have noticed that torpedoes are amazing at picking on people who don't know how to balance their shields or use hull resists properly. I can't count how many cruisers and science ships (in lol ker'rat) I've dropped with a Beam Overload II followed by a Quantum High Yield III.
Spamming transphasics aoe about the field isn't bad in the face of spam but I find I need 2 consoles and the Breen bonus to make it useful. That's just a personal choice to hop on the short bus and take a ride for old times sake. They do better damage then other torps when the targets still have shields and well when you AOE its sort of a given that your targets have shields.
Plus torpedoes are just to much good fun to let go of. Um...not in that way. Not the way it sounded. Okay move along now.....
They are also rather spammable with the right doffs, although to be honest, photon and quantum are good for pure kinetic damage, chronnies make up for their lower damage with an uncounterable proc that's rather frequent, and tricobalt while temperamental and something of a niche thing, can still be tremendously devastating when you get it right/luck out. I think most people who've sailed the seas of Ker'rat have had Mini drop one on their head at some point.