Need help with my torpedo boat build.

rpoc

I am a tactical officer (lvl50) with a fleet escort ship.

First of all is having a torpedo boat viable end-game (pve or pvp)? I really like the idea of just running torpedoes so I can set all power to shields and auxiliary for more survivability. But I tend to pull much threat in pve and don't survive long. Right now I am running all plasma torpedoes up front for the dot dmg to bypass shields and 2 Photons and 1 mine in aft so I can still dps when I have to run or switch shield facing to repair front.

As for skills I have taken every defensive skill to increase hull and shield strength or anything to do with help repairing them.

I don't want to, but was thinking of switching to carrier to get more survivability in exchange for firepower.

Any constructive advice or strategies would be much appreciated.

skhc

I'm not a Torpedo boat expert, but my understanding is it's generally only approaching viability in Science ships, because they can use their BOff abilities to shield strip & energy drain, so you're not facing full shields as much. They also have an in-built subsytems targetting to disable shields if they're running a beam array somewhere. Certainly the few people I've seen try it in PvE/STFs always use science ships. The carrier, having plenty of Sci abilities, would be a better choice than your Fleetscort.

If you really want to run a torp-boat, Transphasics are getting a buff to do 40% damage through shields instead of the 20% they have now (or have they already got it?), that'll make them far more useful than the plasmas, if you want to give that a try. Also, make sure you have Projectile Weapons DOffs to reduce your torpedo cooldown. But I still don't think the Fleetscort is the right ship for it.

There's probably a Torpedo boat build thread somewhere in the Federation Shipyards forum if you want go look in there.

If you want to keep the Fleetscort, my suggestion would be to drop the torpedo build and just go for a cookie-cutter DHC & Turret DPS build.

Unknown

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crusty8mac

I've tried the torpedo boat, and I can't get it to work. You rarely see them for a reason.

lotharic1

I tried a torpedo boat as well for a while. Couldn't get it to work. The main problem was I couldn't get a reliable way to take down enemy shields.

My plan was to use tachyon beam and viral matrix, but tachyon beam sucks and viral matrix won't take down shields.

Sure, you can save power from weapons, but where do you put it? Aux skills are underpowered and while flying around with 100 engines is fun, there's a lack of utility there.

asphe

For a D'Kyr?

2 Photon Torpedo launchers up front plus a Dual Beam Bank with three turrets aft using using Tachyon Beam and / or Tractor Beam with a Tractor Beam DOff

As a science vessel, it will can use Sensor Analysis with the DBB using Target: Shields Subsystems.

Seems to work rather well in PvE / STFs.


For an escort class ship?

Quantum Torpedo launcher / Torpedo High Yield 3, Breen Cluster torpedo, Har'Peng Torpedo followed by a Tricobalt / Bio-Neural Warhead. A Chronitron or other torpedo type or mines can be mounted aft.

Realistically, this only seems viable in PvE using a B'Rel BOP where you hunt down damaged, complacent ships. NPC ships are deliberately upscaled, making it difficult for a torpedo boat to do enough damage. Even with a B'Rel, it's about one alpha strike per minute so ... PvP ^-^

lordmalak1

Can hardly wait for the Transphasic respec to 40% shield penetration, but have been toying with the REMAN set/HY2/mk X Plasma torp [CritD][CritH] with ambiplasma console and tho visually impressive doesn't move any faster than a Tricobalt torp, and a mk XI tricobalt [DMG]X2 and a TCD console gives better 'bang for the buck' IMHO.

...Just thinking out loud.
:biggrin:

grouchyotaku

lotharic1 wrote: »

I tried a torpedo boat as well for a while. Couldn't get it to work. The main problem was I couldn't get a reliable way to take down enemy shields.

What might work would be the Ferengi 'Concentrated Tachyon Mine' which can take down or damage shields on a target, depending on how many mines get triggered, and a quick 20 second cool-down. I've seen them strip the shields off a Borg Cube... But at 200 Crystals in the Lobi Store, its one of the most expensive weapon systems in the game...

overlapo

I have an Excelsior retrofit torpedo boat on a Fed Tac. 1dbb and 3 quantums on the front and 4 turrets on the back. Plus the usual 3 purple torpedo doffs.
I use Beam Overload 2 and 3 to strip shields and high yield 1 to hit the hull with extra damage. It works great for PvE but I never tried it on PvP.

beary666sto

In PvP a torp boat escort won't be that great. In PvE theory wise it could be decent.

You're in a fleet escort, so I'd run:

Fore: 1 Dual Beam Bank, 3 Quantum Torpedos
Aft: 1 Quantum(or Chroniton) Mine Launcher, 1 Tri-cobalt, 1 Beam array

For BOff layouts:

Cmdr Tac: Tactical team 1 (TT1), Beam Target Subsytem Shields 2 (BTSS 2), Torpedo High Yield 3 (THY3), Attack Pattern Beta 3 (APBIII)
LT. Cmdr Tac: TT1, BTSS2, THY3
Lt Eng: Emergency Power to Shields 1 (EPTS1), Aux to SIF 1
Ens Eng: EPTS1
LT Sci: Polarize Hull1, Transfer Shield Strength 1

DOffs: 3 Torp doffs, 2 Shield Distribution

Why Quantums? For some reason, Quantums get an even bigger damage bonus than other torpedoes when using HYT

So Gameplay:
BTSS2 is enough to shut down just about any NPC's shields (I think, it's been a while since I tested it). Make sure to spec into flow capacitors for the extra drain.

Literally just spam the Quantum mines, spam the quantum torpedoes with HYT3. Apply APB3 whenever it's up. With Tactical Initiative 1 copy of APB will be enough to have it running all the time. Use Fire on my mark whenever it's available.

Running 2 copies of EPTS means you can have it running 100% of the time. That gives you about +22 shield power and +20 something % shield resists (which helps your shields last longer). If you are taking a beating, switch to an Aux power setting and when your Aux power maxes out hit TSS2, PH1 and AuxToSIF1. Switch back to a shield and engine power setting and then use Go Down fighting (GDF). When making use of GDF, you want to learn to Tank at low hul strength to get the most out of it.

Good Luck, Have Fun (GLHF)

Disclaimer: I'm just basing this off the top of my head with theory. I've never actually tested this build. But with a constant flow of quantums, you will blow through shields of NPCs. APB3 with other Tac captain buffs will make the bleed through significant.

rpoc

Thanks Beary for the info, I tried it out and works great. Although I did switch out AuxToSIF2 for engineering team2 for a bigger hull heal in exchange for the dmg resis. But everything else works great I burn through shields quicker than I thought I would and have enough oomph to do major dmg when I do. I only miss having torpedo spread.

redstarswe

I run a B'rel retrofit torp boat and it is awesome, thanks to the enhanced battle cloak I can skip power to shields and due to me only firing torps I can skip power to weapons as well. I can't really give advice to feds on the matter though, other than go Klink.