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Polaron build ... me likey

shadowaxxshadowaxx Member Posts: 126 Arc User
edited August 2012 in Klingon Discussion
I have been test driving a Polaron build on my D'Kora and I really like it.

Here's the layout:

Fore: (3x) Dual Cannon MK XII [acc] [crth] [crtd] + Quantum Torp MK XI [Borg]
Aft: (3x) Turret MK XII [acc] [crtd]x2 + Quantum Torp MK XI [Borg]

I have also collected the Phased Polaron weapons, but this build seems to perform greater damage on a more consistent basis.

Jem'Hadar set: shields/engine/deflector

Sci: (3x) RSC 26% + Leach
Eng: Borg, Battle Mode, Rule 62
Tac: (3X) Polaron 30% consoles

BTW... the D'Kora Battle mode console is like a purple MK XII RCS, Energy Weapon, Torp, Energy Power and Engine Power all rolled into one.


Boffs:
Tac LtComm TS1/ApB1/RF2
Tac Ens: HY1
Sci: PH1/ST2
Eng LT: EpA1/DeM1
Eng Comm: EpS1/EpS2/ET3/AtS3

Doffs:
(2x) blue Energy Weapons - Cannon Cooldown buff
Sensor Scan enemy damage output debuff
(2x) purple Science Team cooldown

I like the extra turning rate of stacking some RCS consoles over any extra hull/shield buffing. I very rarely die, unless I get whacked by a Bio-Neural warhead or a massive borg plasma burst. I am usually easily healing thru any damage, while tossing out tons of DPS.

I have some alternate builds for disruptor and antiproton, but I really enjoy the look of the Jem'Hadar set and Polaron weapons. I can also run Polaron beams and they look amazing but they offer just a little less DPS burst damage.

Call me crazy... but I really think the D'Kora is the best bug ship and with it's balance of DPS and survivability, it gives the Jem'Hadar a run for the money. Given a choice, I'm not sure I would trade a D'Kora for a Jem'Hadar.

When I am not flying the D'Kora I also really like the Garumba, Kar'Fi and Tac Borta.

This game is just too much fun.

:)
Post edited by shadowaxx on

Comments

  • boglejam73boglejam73 Member Posts: 890 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    I am running all polaron on a fed VA Defiant with the jem set and it is tearing stuff up. Might even be a bit better after polaron gets buffed in tomorrows patch.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • shadowaxxshadowaxx Member Posts: 126 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    Say what? A Polaron buff? Is it possible I made a wise decision in this game?

    :)

    BTW... did I say the Polaron beams look really cool? Almost feel like a Sith Sorc.
  • travelingmastertravelingmaster Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    shadowaxx wrote: »
    Say what? A Polaron buff? Is it possible I made a wise decision in this game?

    :)

    BTW... did I say the Polaron beams look really cool? Almost feel like a Sith Sorc.

    Huh, I should look into polarons, then, if they're getting buffed. . .
    My PvP toon is Krov, of The House of Snoo. Beware of my Hegh'ta of doom.
  • shimmerlessshimmerless Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    The D'kora is certainly a bit of a monster, having eight slots on a DHC-mounted ship doesn't hurt either. I personally go with RCSs as well, generally your survivability is provided by you being in a cruiser with a cruiser BOff-layout, and you want to squeeze all the turn out you can to bring your fore to bear.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    vids and guides and stuff

    [9:52] [Zone #11] Neal@trapper1532: im a omega force shadow oprative and a maoc elite camander and here i am taking water samples
  • shadowaxxshadowaxx Member Posts: 126 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    The D'kora is certainly a bit of a monster, having eight slots on a DHC-mounted ship doesn't hurt either. I personally go with RCSs as well, generally your survivability is provided by you being in a cruiser with a cruiser BOff-layout, and you want to squeeze all the turn out you can to bring your fore to bear.

    Great minds think alike. :)
  • shadowaxxshadowaxx Member Posts: 126 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    boglejam73 wrote: »
    I am running all polaron on a fed VA Defiant with the jem set and it is tearing stuff up. Might even be a bit better after polaron gets buffed in tomorrows patch.

    I think you might mean some of the new polaron hybrid weapons coming in lock boxes.

    If this is what you meant... as a Tac captain building on crit, it really feels like [acc] and [crth] are my best friends.

    I have used all (3) hybrid weapons available so far, phased polaron, disruptor/plasma hybrid & spiral wave disruptors (phaser hybrid), and the pure weapon types with extra accuracy and crit still seem to out perform. Perhaps there are scenarios where these and the new hybrids are the better choice. I'm still trying to figure it out.
  • bitemepwebitemepwe Member Posts: 6,760 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    All the Procs on all weapons are getting a once over pass to buff them.
    Otherwise the damage and other stats remain the same.
    Leonard Nimoy, Spock.....:(

    R.I.P
  • boglejam73boglejam73 Member Posts: 890 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    shadowaxx wrote: »
    I think you might mean some of the new polaron hybrid weapons coming in lock boxes.

    Nope. Not what I meant.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • shadowaxxshadowaxx Member Posts: 126 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    Ahhh... I was checking out the maintenance notes and I see the proc reference. It looks like some of the "cheap" tetryon goodies on the exchange might be going up in price.

    :)

    I look forward to seeing what the proc updates change.

    I was also thinking, of all of the weapon types, Polaron might just be the most team friendly if any enemy ships are procing upwards of (-43) power to their systems, which is what my weapon specs reflect since I put skill points into flow capacitors and run the Jem'Hadar set.
  • rdm1958rdm1958 Member Posts: 822 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    boglejam73 wrote: »
    I am running all polaron on a fed VA Defiant with the jem set and it is tearing stuff up. Might even be a bit better after polaron gets buffed in tomorrows patch.

    for quite awhile now i have been running polaron on my sci oddy and it does very well. your comment about matching them with the jem'hadar set makes me think i may want to try that out.
  • shadowaxxshadowaxx Member Posts: 126 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    I had an interesting private contest with another fleet mate and D'Kora owner tonight.

    I had the best success against him with antiproton and polaron. He had the best success against me with the new phased tetryon.

    I'm a Tac captain and he is a Sci. I am a new player and he has been playing STO from the beginning and has all the associated legacy/class perks. (at least he was not running any "prototype" weapons which were long removed from the game)

    He is a better pilot than me, so even though we had our ships similarly matched, when I ran DC/Turrets, he kicked my butt, since I had trouble keeping my forward guns on him.

    When I switched to DBB/BA weapons, I sometimes owned him or held my own very well.

    Next, I could not run the Jem Hadar set against him as I kept getting burned down too quick. I had to run full Aegis, which is my best defensive set. I even tried the Borg set and nothing let me survive like the Aegis 3 piece. He was running full Honor Guard XII and Borg console, so he again had a bit of an edge on me in this regard as well. :)

    At the end of the play time, I really appreciated what folks say about STF and PvP. In STFs, it's so much easier to make many builds work well. In a PvP contest, there are so many other factors which can ruin your day, one must fine tune for the challenge at hand.

    I did come away from the experience thinking, I would have had a hard time surviving against him with any ship that did not offer some serious self healing and DPS. For my KDF captain, only the D'Kora and Tac Borta seem to fill this niche.

    One thing he used a lot was his ability to cloak with the Honor Guard set and jam sensors. So I wondered how things might have been different had I been in a B'Rel.

    I don't regret rolling a Tac Captain, but a Sci Captain sure does have an interesting bag of tricks.

    Bottom Line.... I'm still very much liking the Polaron build. although there is a time for Cannons and a time for Beams.

    Aside... my friend really wants wants a Tholian Orb Weaver. He swares that is going to be the perfect Sci Captain ship.
  • cmdrskyfallercmdrskyfaller Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    The thing with polarons is that they lower the power levels to help you do more dps... but the amount they drain is so low per proc , -25 to all systems that it is very difficult to get stacking procs to really make a difference. In short, at 2.5% proc rate your chances of getting two or three procs triggering inside the 5 seconds the power debuff is in place so that they stack is astronomically small.

    Antiproton, phaser and disruptor on the other hand have their procs instantly providing a crippling debuff (spike dps, disable subsystem, -10% resist to hull for 10 seconds) the moment it procs.

    Polarons are useful only if you have a drain setup. Tyken+polaron+aceton assimilator+drain drones+power siphon type of thing.
  • bitemepwebitemepwe Member Posts: 6,760 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    All energy weapon Procs have been changed recently.
    Many are finding the Polarons quite powerful now. Especially if used on a Drain build.

    Polarons
    Leonard Nimoy, Spock.....:(

    R.I.P
  • uxvorastrixuxvorastrix Member Posts: 21 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    Although I'm a Federation player, I had to add my 2.4 cents.

    Polaron build is .... awesome. Personally I use Polaron turrets + 2 Phaser turrets (that way I get the -25 pts to all enemy power levels (Polaron) stacked with the occassional complete loss of one subsystem (Phaser)).

    Withing a few seconds of firing at an enemy, you can watch their speed drop as the -25 power levels take effect, making if harder for them to get out of your weapon range, allowing you to do even more damage.

    I've experimented with several different energy types, and right now I think the Polaron / Phaser combo works the best (until they tweak the game again in a future patch).
    D&D DM/Player since 1982 - all versions except the despised 4e
  • shimmerlessshimmerless Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited July 2012
    As the poster above me said, what happens is that the polaron debuff causes a kind of cascade failure. Because the victim is moving slower, he has less defense, meaning he's taking more damage (and often more polaron procs due to staying in the arc), while his shield resistance is starting to tank, etc. It's definitely a beast of a proc at the moment, even without speccing into or building around it.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    vids and guides and stuff

    [9:52] [Zone #11] Neal@trapper1532: im a omega force shadow oprative and a maoc elite camander and here i am taking water samples
  • shadowaxxshadowaxx Member Posts: 126 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    bitemepwe wrote: »
    All energy weapon Procs have been changed recently.
    Many are finding the Polarons quite powerful now. Especially if used on a Drain build.

    Polarons

    Thanks for that alternate polaron thread.

    I have been having some fun rolling alternate energy types. It's funny how when you switch things up, the grass can seem greener for a few days, then the "buzz" wears off.

    I'm still trying to find the perfect DPS/Heal build for my D'Kora as a Tac Captain, something which can be easily tweaked when dropping into a mission to protect freighters or another mission to just blow things up.

    I suppose, ideally, one could run any energy type and have fun and be successful.

    It's also probably easy to over look the impact of what the other pug players are running, and how that effects over all perceived performance of any build.

    I still like the animation of the polaron beams firing. They make me want to zoom in on my view. :)
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