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Need advice on Atrox Carrier build please?
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Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
I'm tempted to try the Atrox Carrier. However, I have never flown a carrier before. Can you please critic my proposed build below and help me fill in the question marks?
This is a build for PvE. I am an engineer captain.
I am a lazy fighter. I'm aiming to enter the edge of the battle field, launch fighters, then just tank and debuff enemies. Therefore I'll be relying on my fighters for DPS. Resilience, Debuffs, and enemy shield stripping is what I need to support the fighters.
WEAPONS:
Fore: Tetryon Beam Array + 2x Tetryon Cannon
Aft: 3x Tetryon Turret
BOFFS:
Tactical (Lt): Tactical Team 1, Cannon Rapid Fire 1
Engineering (LtCmdr): Emergency Power Shields 1, Engineering Team 2, Directed Energy Modulation 2
Science (LtCmdr): Jam Sensors 1, Transfer Sheild Strength 2, Photonic Officer 2
Science (Cmdr): Hazard Emitters 1, Science Team 2, Scramble Sensors 2, Viral Matrix 2
CONSOLES:
Tactical (2): Prefire Chamber, Tetryon Pulse Generator
Engineering (3): Neutronium Alloy? or SIF Generator? or EPS Flow Regulator? or Field Emitter? or Plasma Distribution Manifold?
Science (4): Biofunction Monitor, Shield Emitter Amplifier, Field Generator, Emitter Array
HANGERS:
2x Advanced Danube Wing
2x Advanced Peregrine Wing
SHIELD: ?
ENGINES: ?
DEFLECTOR: ?
DOFFS: ?????
Thank you.
This is a build for PvE. I am an engineer captain.
I am a lazy fighter. I'm aiming to enter the edge of the battle field, launch fighters, then just tank and debuff enemies. Therefore I'll be relying on my fighters for DPS. Resilience, Debuffs, and enemy shield stripping is what I need to support the fighters.
WEAPONS:
Fore: Tetryon Beam Array + 2x Tetryon Cannon
Aft: 3x Tetryon Turret
BOFFS:
Tactical (Lt): Tactical Team 1, Cannon Rapid Fire 1
Engineering (LtCmdr): Emergency Power Shields 1, Engineering Team 2, Directed Energy Modulation 2
Science (LtCmdr): Jam Sensors 1, Transfer Sheild Strength 2, Photonic Officer 2
Science (Cmdr): Hazard Emitters 1, Science Team 2, Scramble Sensors 2, Viral Matrix 2
CONSOLES:
Tactical (2): Prefire Chamber, Tetryon Pulse Generator
Engineering (3): Neutronium Alloy? or SIF Generator? or EPS Flow Regulator? or Field Emitter? or Plasma Distribution Manifold?
Science (4): Biofunction Monitor, Shield Emitter Amplifier, Field Generator, Emitter Array
HANGERS:
2x Advanced Danube Wing
2x Advanced Peregrine Wing
SHIELD: ?
ENGINES: ?
DEFLECTOR: ?
DOFFS: ?????
Thank you.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
For that, I would suggest to have a wider arc covered with at least one beam array, so that you can use the target subsystems ability on any enemy ship around you.
I also think that for your intentions, even with an engineer captain, you should have more shield and hull heals.
Ah, and if you want to do Viral Matrix, look for rare (blue) Bridge officer candidates on the exchange who have Viral Matrix 3. They go for something like 1000 Energy Credits, and can teach your Commander that skill.
I would propose to use Neutroniumx3 for your intentions to make your ship more resilient. Healing is quite doable for you as an engineer and with the right powers, and the SIF generator gives only something like 5% bonus to restored hitpoints.
Something with a high cpacity is probably the best for your. Depending on what kind of enemies you fight in PvE, you might want to look at shields which offer special resistances against their weapon type. Very useful.
If you run high on shield power, the Borg shield maybe the right thing for you if you can boost its capacity more.
For that, I would recommend the Borg set - deflector, engines, and the console. The set bonus gives you automatic self-healing from time to time, which is exactly what you want for your tanking build.
Development lab scientists reduce the cooldown for your science team, which is pretty useful if you use only one Sci-Team. Shield distribution officers will help you tank even more if you press Brace For Impact from time to time.
Thank you for the reply.
I plan on having a beam array on the front for sub system targeting.
Also with 2x Cannons on the front (180 arc) + 1x BA (270 arc), and 3x Turrets (360 arc) on the back I should have good enough coverage shouldn't I?
Good advice on Viral Matrix 3.
I read that having multiple hull armours don't really stack that well. Will 3x Neutronium armour give better protection than shield Buffs?
I don't have the Borg set, unfortunately, but you're right, that would be perfect. How do I get it?
I always forget about brace for impact when I need it most.
I have bought the Atrox and equipped it with 6x Tetyron Beam Arrays for coverage, SS targeting, longer range DPS, and because I already had them equipped to my cruiser.
As far as amour goes; I have my engineering consoles set up was follows: EPS Flow Regulator XI (purple), Neutronium Alloy XI (blue), Ablative Armour X.
This gives:
15% Kinetic resist.
35% Energy resist against phaser, disruptor, plasma, tetyron.
15% Energy resist against all other.
Tactical consoles: Distributed Energy Manifold, Tetyron Pulse Generator.
Science consoles: Biofunction Monitor, Shield Emitter Amplifier, Field Generator, Emitter Array.
Hangers: Adv Peregrine, Adv Danube.
My shield HP is currently: 10,600.
What do you think to my console setup?
Could you help me with my BOFF and DOFF setups please? I made some suggestions in my first post.
Thanks for your help.
(I am the OP btw).
On my Atrox, I run with:
Engineering Team
Auxiliary to Structural
Emergency Power to Shields
Hazard Emitters
Science Team
Transfer Shield Strength
This gives me three hull heals plus three shield heals. Additionally, one of each is for me only (Aux2Struc and EPTS) and the others are either for me or someone else. Eng Team and Sci team trigger a shared cooldown, but they are not on the same cooldown as the others, so this leaves me with the ability to cast one of each heal on me and one of each heal on someone else (or two heals on me) leaving Eng and Sci teams as a reserve heals where needed.
RSP isn't bad, sure, but EPtS, ET, and Aux2SIF can be a potent combination, given the presence of other shield heals in that listed build. If sotaudi also slots a TT with his tac slot, then the need for RSP is further reduced.
However ET could be dropped for non-eng. captains, as only engineers have "Repairs" in their ground skills to boost it. Then a strong Aux2SIF with HE would be for hull heals, and something else could be used on the engineer boff, such as RSP or DEM or EWP or ES, and so on.
equal parts cynical and helpful
I must've had "Repairs" highlighted whenever I was last using the Skills tab to check which skills boosted which boff abilities, so it looked like it also counted.
*shrug* Oh well, it didn't make sense, so I'm glad that's wrong. And boy I feel dumb for posting that.
I take hull repair anyway, so it makes no difference to me.
equal parts cynical and helpful
I did not realize that Aux2SIF was castable on others. I thought it was always greyed out when I was targeting an ally, so I assumed it was just an internal transfer of power like EPtS. In retrospect, it was probably just unusable because it was on cooldown since that is my first "goto" heal for hull. So that is good to know as it means I can cast three hull heals on either me or someone else.
I do slot and use Tac Team. I debated with myself about mentioning it, but since I was specifically talking about heals, and Tac Team is not specifically a heal in that sense, I left it out.
However, I do slot and use it. It balances damaged shields automatically and slightly boosts damage, so I use it any time it is off cooldown as a preventative measure. When I start taking fire, I will cast EPtS to boost shield power and resists. Tac Team and EPtS is usually enough unless I am under specifically concentrated fire. If I start to take hull damage, I will cast Aux2SIF for the heal and resists. Again, this is normally enough unless I am under heavier fire. That leaves Hazard Emitters and Transfer Shield Strength in reserve for additional heals for myself or for someone else. Since Eng Team, Sci Team, and Tac Team share a cooldown, Eng Team and Sci Team are saved for special circumstances, such as if I am taking particularly heavy damage or if I need to cast an additional heal on someone else.
As you indicate, RSP would be nice, but I am already devoting seven BOff slots to survivabilty if you count Tac Team, and four of those (Tac Team, Sci Team, TSS, and EPtS) deal with shields already. I look at RSP the way I do Polarize Hull. Polarize Hull would be nice to have for those annoying tractor beams and its additional hull resists, but I find that with the abilities I already have, Evasive Maneuvers, and a stack of Deuterium Surplus tanks, tractor beams are usually just a minor annoyance. With the survivability I already have, RSP and Polarize Hull are luxuries I can afford to skip so that I don't gimp my offensive abilities.
Beam Overload or Fire At Will (see below)
Tractor Beam
Gravity Well x 2 (I & III)
Energy Siphon
I also have the Borg Tractor Beam from the set.
I use Beam Arrays, so for my general use, I will run with Beam Fire At Will. But in circumstances where randomly targetting foes may cause unwanted aggro (e.g., the Tac Cube sitting by the gate), I will swap in my BOff with Beam Overload.
Firing six beams at once can be a big power drain, so I only slot four. I also use Energy Siphon to keep my power levels up, particularly for firing Fire At Will. Likewise, I slot Tac Team, so Beam Overload or Fire At Will take up my only other Tac slot, which means I cannot slot High Yield or any other projectile damage enhancer. Thus, I like to slot a Breen Transphasic Cluster Torpedo Launcher front and rear. This launcher fires like a torpedo, but it breaks up into 12 mines when it reaches its target. While both the projectile and mines are destructable, this gives me major benefits with the Carrier.
First, most mine launchers deploy only five mines. Also, the Attack Pattern BOff skills start as a Lieutenant slot. Attack Pattern Beta I only increases the mine field to eight mines. This launcher deploys 12 mines, which is the equivalent of Attack Pattern Beta II, which is a Lt. Commander ability. Since the weapon fires like a torpedo but breaks up into 12 mines when it reaches its target, these devices are like having a mine launcher that you don't have to be near the target which automatically uses a Lt. Commander ability, one which you cannot even slot on this ship since you only have a Lieutenant Tac station. Having two of them is like being able to slot two copies of that ability.
So, yes, both the projectiles and the mines can be destroyed, but I find the projectile is almost never destroyed in flight, and the mines rarely fail to deploy and do at least some damage. On top of all that, because they are mines and, thus, independent warheads, if they deploy and the target is destroyed before all the mines detonate, the remaining mines are free to attack other nearby targets, making it a great weapon to be used against targets all nicely packed together with a Gravity Well. And with the upcoming boost to Transphasic Damage, their greater bleed through will be more effective.
For my other offensive abilties, the Carrier has a poor turn rate, but targets that are not moving cannot out flank you and have severely inhibited defense. Thus, I run two copies of Gravity Well and one copy of Tractor beam (with a second from the Borg set). This allows me to do heavy crowd control which is good gathering up probes as well as just making stuff stand still while I maneuver. Enegy Siphon, as mentioned, helps keep up my weapons energy as well as reduce the target's offensive abilities.
I find the above combination, along with my previously mentioned heals, to be highly survivable and ultilitarian while still dealing out respectable damage for a Science ship. I am a Science Captain, by the way.
I have just hit level 50 and bought an Atrox (I'm a Science Captain) and I have no clue how to outfit my new beastie. I have always used the cookie-cutter science ships up until now so I'm used to the faster turning rate with Beam Arrays/Torps and an Aft Mine Launcher. Flying a Brick is going to take some getting used to.
With the cookie-cutter ships I've been able to hold my own against most PVE mobs in the Normal level Mission Chains (except the D'deridex Battleship and that usually pwns me with one Torp spread).
Having used the Atrox in combat on a mission once I can see that Torps/Mines aren't going to be much use.
Can anyone please give me advice on a Atrox build for a Science Captain. I don't PVP and have never been in an STF (whatever they are) but I would like to start learning (especially to start taking on the Borg).
I'm still fairly new to STO (only been playing three weeks or so) and the component and skill acronyms don't mean anything to me so if you could advise components and skills with their full names I'll know what I'm looking for.
Many thanks in advance to any who will kindly offer advice.
Kind Regards,
Vice Admiral Katija (chose the name before I new about the Caitian hehheh)
Lt. Tac - Tactical Team I, TOrp Spread II
Cmdr. Engineer - Emergency Power to Shields I, Engineering Team II, Eject Warp Plasma II
Cmdr Science - Polarize Hull I, Tractor Beam Repulsors I, Tykens Rift II, Gravity Well III
Lt. Cmdr Science - Science Team I, Transfer Shield Strength II, Hazard Emitters III
This coveres the 3 must haves for STF's which are...
tac team (to get rid of borg beam overs, balance shields, and give tactical buff)
Polarize Hull (to escape borg tractor beam and give defense bonus)
Hazard Emitters - (to stop borg shield neutralizer, remove plasma fire, give large hull heal)
This also gives you the ability to do much needed crown control that is required in all STF's.
In Infected, the sci ship has to keep multiple nanite probes away from the transformer, so they cant heal and you lose the bonus.
.
In Cure, you need to be able to keep multiple ships away from the Kang
In KA, you need to be able to keep multiple probes from escaping towards the gate.
Make sure you have the Particle Generator and Graviton Generator consoles which gives a bonus to the kinetic damage as well as the pull effect of Tykens Rift and Gravity well.
Doffs. There are multiple doffs that are extremely valuable to a sci character in the Atrox..
Gravimetric Scientist - Spawn Gravity Well Aftershock - spawn up to 1-4 additional gravity wells keeping ships in place and doing a ton of damage. (depending on quality)
Gravimetric Scientist (from reinforcement doff pack) - Spawn Tykens Rift Aftershock spawn up to 1-4 additional Tykens Rift (depending on quality).
Medic (from reinforcement doff pack) - increases crew recovery while in combat between 100%--175% (depending on quality) when below 75%.
Deflector Officer - Chance to reduce cooldown on Deflector Abilities (such as tykens rift and gravity well)
Sensor Officer - Debuff targets offensive damage with sensor scan (all sci ships have sensor scan)
Both the Borg deflector and MACO deflectors give large bonuses to the Graviton generators. As does the Borg Universal console. This improves the pull of tykens rift and gravity well.
i purchased an atrox awhile back. took it into battle and got my TRIBBLE handed to me. i blamed it on the ship and put it away and even considered selling it.
this weekend, actually 4th of july, i got it out and went to CSE with it. we got the optional and easily won. i protected kang and was launching danube runabouts like crazy. i took my time with the ship and was able to really contribute to the mission.
later i went into khitomer elite and the danube runabouts and the atrox easily took care of probes and everything else.
the big difference for me i think is playing at a little more relaxed pace letting the runabouts do most of the work.
i use tetryon weapons; beams and cannons. i also run the 3 piece borg set with maco 12 shields.
previously i had used peregrine fighters and stalkers, but i swear by the danubes. they are the only way to go.
i am a tactical officer btw.
As one who posted some build information and someone who does run STFs, I have a few comments.
Torp Spread II is a good skill. So is Beam Overload and Beam Fire At Will. Given you only have one Tac slot for a Tactical damage skill (after Tac Team), this is highly a matter of preference.
I have Tac Team. No argument here.
I disagree with this (the need, not the features). Tractor Beams in PvE are a minor annoyance most of the time. They can be avoided by staying out of range, escaped using Evasive Maneuvers or Deuterium Surplus tanks, and when they cannot be, they are not a major threat in survivability to a Science ship with enough survival skills. Will you occassionally blow up without Polarize Hull? Sure. Will you occassionally blow up with it? Again, sure.
I personally don't find them to be a big enough threat in an Atrox to slot another skill specifically to counter them. I have enough counters and can survive them most of the time if I can't get out. As an example of survivability (not involving a tractor beam), last night, I got blind sided by a Bio-Neural Warhead in a Fleet event last night. My attention was elsewhere, and I suddenly got pimp-slapped hard enough that my ship portrait actually displayed 0%, and I survived it with the abilities I have. Tractor Beams? Bah!
That is not to say that Polarize Hull is useless by any means. However, this is a personal choice, not a must.
Again, I slot this. So no disagreement. I do, however, slot Hazard Emitters I rather than III, which goes in the place of Polarize Hull I in your layout. This frees up a Lt. Cmdr slot for something else.
For CC, I have Tractor Beam, and two copies of Gravity Well (I and III). I am currently running the full Borg set, so I actually have two tractor beams. If I need more CC, I can slot a hanger of Danubes. This is plenty of CC.
Gravity Well has a pull effect. Unless there is something hidden of which I am not aware, Tyken's has no pull:
It does a DoT and power drain. One of the reasons I rarely slot it is that, there is nothing to keep ships in its effect, and it starts a cooldown on Gravity Well, which actually will hold them in place. Its power drain can slow them down or shut systems down by draining enough power, but it doesn't actually pull as far as I know.
Again, Tyken's has no pull. A Gravimetric Scientist DOff may modify it, but it is affected by Flow Capacitors and Particles Generators, not Graviton Generators. That is not to say that it is not a useful skill, but if you are using it for a pull, you are mistaken. It may have a CC side effect by shutting down engines periodically, but there is no guarantee here. I would much rather slot Energy Siphon so that I can boost my own power while simultanously draining a specific target. This reduces what they can do and increase my damage or other abilities from the free power.
Eject Warp Plasma is a good skill, but I am not sold on Tractor Beam Repulsors. It requires specific positioning to be most effective, and it is too easy to actually TRIBBLE up other CC (e.g., pushing ships trapped by Gravity Well out of the effect). Given that the Atrox does not exactly turn on a dime and that you have to be careful about how you use it, that makes it far too situational for my tastes. For instance, if I cast a second gravity well where someone else already has one, I am adding to damage and adding to hold. If I cast TBR near someone's gravity well, I push the trapped ships out of the well. Likewise, firing it off to push some probes away from the gate can push others towards it if not positioned right. It has its place when used properly, but it is not a "must have," and while I would certainly not question your skill in using it, I have seen it misused enough that I see it being more of a "shouldn't have" for most people.
That is not to say your build is bad by any means. I am sure it suits your playstyle quite well. However, it is not a "must have" build (not that you were necessarily implying that) because all the goals you state as being necessary in an STF, while true, can be achieved by other means.
Just out of curiosity is Extend Shields not a viable skill to have? I just noticed it absent from everyone's build and I was curious as to why.
I haven't gotten my Carrier yet but I literally came back to the game when I saw it. I was planning on running with
Tactical: Tactical Team I Beam Fire at Will II
Engineering: Emergency Power to Shields I Engineering Team II Eject Warp Plasma
Science: Science Team I Transfer Shield Strength II Gravity Well I
Science: Hazard Emitters I Tractor Beam II Energy Siphon II Gravity Well III
I'm still very much a noob at this game though so I wouldn't be surprised if I'm way off in my approach.
Extend Shields is a great ability. However, I don't slot it for a simple reason. It is only castable on others. I much prefer to slot abilities that can be cast on self and others. I tolerate Emergency Power to Shields being castable only on self because I use it constantly, so it is on cooldown most any time I need to cast something on someone else anyway, so the fact that it is only castable on self is not a drawback. It also keeps me from dumping all my heals on others and having nothing left to keep me alive.
If I was on a cruiser with engineering slots to spare, I would consider it, but on the Atox with only three engineering slots, I go with EPtS, Aux to Structural, and Eng Team.
After playing a bit with my Atrox, I agree Extend shields is just not that great. It also seems to have been nerfed recently.
Plus playing at VA I just don't find people healing each other as much. It's more about DPS and staying alive.
One question I had about the Atrox I can't find any information on: Is there a way to see the stats of your fighters? Like how many are alive, or should I just keep spamming them out each time the cooldown comes off?