Need Help With My Bridge Officer Build.

denliner1701

I believe that my build could use some work. I am Vice Admiral and regularly running Special Task Force missions to get Borg Salvage and Tech. So, my build is mainly focused on spread damage like Torpedo Spread, Cannon Scatter Volley, and Beam Fire at Will. However, I could use some insight in how to make my layout a bit better for my Advanced Escort.

Cmdr Tactical:Beam Target Shields I, Beam Fire at Will II, Attack Pattern Delta II, Attack Pattern Omega III
Lt Cmdr Tactical: Tactical Team I, Cannon Scatter Volley I, Torpedo Spread III (Jem'Hadar)
Lt Engineer: Emergency Power to Shields I, Reverse Shield Polarity I
Lt Science: Science Team I, Hazard Emitters II
Ens Science: Transfer Shield Strength I

reginamala78

Drop the shield targeting for a second tactical team, then alternate between the two to always have one running. Or if you figure you'll forget to constantly cycle (and don't wanna deal with keybinds at this time), then either Torp High Yield 1 or a dual beam bank and Beam Overload 1. Attack Pattern Beta 1 in place of the Fire At Will (an escort shouldn't have beams anyways, except maybe a single DBB with Beam Overload as above), and then use it together with Scatter Volley to mark a bunch of targets at once. Finally, replace the Delta with a Rapid Fire 2 for when you're going after single big targets.

Whats your weapons layout?

denliner1701

I don't use the Full Dual Cannon with Turret Aft.
My weapons type is Antiproton Mark X Borg with Quantum Torpedo X Borg.

Front: Antiproton Dual Beam Bank, Quantum Torpedo, Antiproton Dual Heavy Cannons x2
Aft: Antiproton Array, Quantum Torpedo, Antiproton Array

hakaishinlegion

denliner1701 wrote: »

I believe that my build could use some work. I am Vice Admiral and regularly running Special Task Force missions to get Borg Salvage and Tech. So, my build is mainly focused on spread damage like Torpedo Spread, Cannon Scatter Volley, and Beam Fire at Will. However, I could use some insight in how to make my layout a bit better for my Advanced Escort.

Cmdr Tactical:Beam Target Shields I, Beam Fire at Will II, Attack Pattern Delta II, Attack Pattern Omega III
Lt Cmdr Tactical: Tactical Team I, Cannon Scatter Volley I, Torpedo Spread III (Jem'Hadar)
Lt Engineer: Emergency Power to Shields I, Reverse Shield Polarity I
Lt Science: Science Team I, Hazard Emitters II
Ens Science: Transfer Shield Strength I

Fore Weapon loadout (recommended Antiproton or Phaser energy type): 1x Dual Beam Bank, 3x Dual Heavy Cannon. You may supplement one DHC with a Photon Torpedo if you throw in the Nadeon Detonator and/or Armitage Spread console. Quantums work well if you don't have either of these devices. If you choose this option, replace the Dual Beam Bank with another Dual Heavy Cannon.

Rear Weapon loadout (recommended Antiproton or Phaser energy type): 3x Turrets

Replace Beam - Target Shields I with a second Tactical Team I. Greater damage output and targeting an NPC's shields is a bit of a useless point, they'll drop too fast to matter.

Replace Beam - Fire At Will II with Cannon - Rapid Fire I. Take advantage of the damage potential of cannons.

Replace Attack Pattern Delta II with Attack Pattern Omega I. Omega protects against tractor beams, which Borg spam a LOT, as well as providing a very nice damage and maneuverability buff. This saves your Commander slot for something more useful as well.

Replace Attack Pattern Omega III with Attack Pattern Beta III. Far greater damage output, particularly alongside stacked Fire On My Marks.

Replace Cannon - Scatter Volley I with a 2nd Cannon - Rapid Fire I. Keep a constant spray to burn down targets far faster.

Keep Torpedo Spread III if you chose to keep the torpedo. If not, replace it with Beam Overload III and swap a DHC for a Dual Beam Bank.

Science looks good.

Engineer - you ALWAYS want 2x Emergency Power to Shields. No exceptions.

Replace Transfer Shield Strength I with Emergency Power to Shields I.

Replace Reverse Shield Polarity I (excellent skill, but more useful in PvP than PvE) with Engineering Team II to compliment some form of hull heal, because the Borg will be stripping your shields quite a bit and you can't rely 100% on them.

Hope these suggestions with explanations help.

reginamala78

Thats .... one way of doing it. Usually most ships run all-cannon or all-beam (with a torp or two) so their skills boost all their weapons, and not just some of them. Obviously there are exceptions, players who can do scary-effective things by mixing it up, but there's a reason standard escort is standard. Ultimately its your call, but you asked for help and I imagine most helpers would recommend at least swapping the rear BAs for turrets.

reginamala78

hakaishinlegion wrote: »

Engineer - you ALWAYS want 2x Emergency Power to Shields. No exceptions.

Replace Transfer Shield Strength I with Emergency Power to Shields I.

Replace Reverse Shield Polarity I (excellent skill, but more useful in PvP than PvE) with Engineering Team II to compliment some form of hull heal, because the Borg will be stripping your shields quite a bit and you can't rely 100% on them.

One, you don't ALWAYS want 2 EPTS. One can work, up 2/3 of the time, maybe throw on a damage control DOFF to cut the cooldown even further.

Two, you can't replace TSS with EPTS. One is sci, the other is engineering. Advanced Escort, not Fleet Escort.

Three, if he runs dual tac team, he can't use an engineering team. The cooldowns will conflict. If he wants RSP, thats his call, or alternately there is Aux2SIF. ET is a better hull heal obviously, but doesn't do much good if its inaccessable.

hakaishinlegion

reginamala78 wrote: »

One, you don't ALWAYS want 2 EPTS. One can work, up 2/3 of the time, maybe throw on a damage control DOFF to cut the cooldown even further.

Two, you can't replace TSS with EPTS. One is sci, the other is engineering. Advanced Escort, not Fleet Escort.

Three, if he runs dual tac team, he can't use an engineering team. The cooldowns will conflict. If he wants RSP, thats his call, or alternately there is Aux2SIF. ET is a better hull heal obviously, but doesn't do much good if its inaccessable.

One: Subject to opinion, and no real point calling it as either true or false. Still, keeping shield power up beyond 100 at all times to compliment damage resistance, shield recharge, and shield capacity is far superior to any other Ensign Engineer BOFF ability when you can maintain it 24/7/365. Again... my opinion, which is the only relevance in my own advice.

Two: I misread and I'm at work. I thought the build was Fleet Escort and didn't think about the skill. My apology for simple error.

Three: Dual Tac Team does NOT mean you can't use Engineering Team.

You can't if you're just mindlessly selecting them without even considering what's going on around you.

You can however if you've a brain and know how to use your skills situationally and with a grain of tact.

Use Tac Team while being focussed and shields have sufficient strength to be effective. Shields drop, Tac Team is not practical. Enter Engineering Team.

Engineering Team also allows you to heal allies, not just you.

The same reason Science Team is still equipped. Situational skill, not meant to be used every cooldown.

Dual Tac Team is there if it is needed, or if you're not the object of focus to get some extra DPS in. Not to be spammed.

Think about the skills you use.