I've been wandering up and down this forum for a few days now, and I have noticed that the Oddy doesn't get much love. Plenty of hate, as you guys can easily see by just typing in Odessey in the search box, but not much really giving positive or even really useful feedback (I may or may not be wrong here, don't burn me for stating what I see).
So I decided to put this up. What do you guys think of the Odessey Class Cruiser and it's C-store variants? If you like it, say so, and provide a good build to go with it (I could really use some help there lol), and if you don't like it, don't flame it, just say why you don't like it and provide an alternative.
Personally I have always been a tank player in all the games I play. League of Legends, BSGO, WoW, and a few other MMOs, I am always the tank, the guy who takes the damage so the DPS can do their jobs. So I picked engineer and started doin cruisers. So I am lookin for a good build to go with the Oddy, tanky as balls, but still able to give some damage. So please, help me out here guys. And if you don't think I should use the Oddy (hence why I said if you don't like it), then give me an alternative.
Thanks!
P.S. I will add on to this that I am only really asking about PVE, since I am fully aware that the Regent and heck even the Sovereign are much MUCH better for PVP.
It is said the best weapon is one that is never fired. I disagree. The best weapon is one you only have to fire... once.
It was extremely boring to use that ship, but its only my personal view.
For a build, I would suggest:
Fore: 2 phaser beams, tricobalt device, quantum torp.
Rear: 3 beams, torp.
As basis, tactical odessey is better for dps.
__________________
[Combat (Self)] You lose 6549 (7572) Cold from the torment of the underworld.
if built right (Lt. CMDR Science) the tactical oddy is tolerable as a tank although I advise using 8 beams on it to make full use of it's horrible turn rate as someone else said "warp-capable brick" this also frees up at least 1 engineering console slot, it's not the worst ship in the game (that title is reserved for the light cruiser you start out with) but 90% of the ships in the game are better/more enjoyable.
just to give you an idea of how bad the oddy can be, i used a grade 41 tactical character in the excelsior retrofit using Mk VII/VIII equipment/weapons and destroyed a grade 50 tactical character in an oddy who had bought the full oddy set
Ok. I have a sci ody and love it, but it is a warp capable brick. It doesn't turn well and tends to have low DPS compared to an Escort, the regent class, Dreadnought or excelsior.
The strength of the Oddy is the Lt.Cmdr Universal Slot, swapping out the Lt.Cmdr engineer most people keep there for a tac officer or a sci officer can really change your play-style/experience. Make no mistake, the oddy has the ability to be the toughest cruiser on the block but the fun part is to be nearly that tough and throwing out gravity wells or Beam Overload 3s.
As for a PVE tanking build, check out the dragon build thread. The concept of EPtS and EPtW cycling is the basis for most good cruiser builds, just try to remember you have team mates that would appreciate the occasional heal. TT:1 is amazing for both PVP and PVE, you should always have at least one on your ship to be used as a self buff or "save the idiot that won't balance their shields" power. This is even more true doing the new fleet stuff where distributing the shields on the starbase can make or break a team. Beam:FAW is a good agg button but will cost you your TRIBBLE in PVP with klinks spamming Aceton Assimilators.
With the lack of a taunt power PVP tanking in a cruiser is a joke, you are there to be an "anchor" to heal the team mates that stay within a few KM of you, shoot what ever target is convenient and survive when some sci officer in an escort Sub Nucs you to get rid of the party heals or a klink de-cloaks with the beam overload, high yield torpedo combo.
If you want to take advantage of that Lt.Cmdr universal seat I recommend three Damage Control Doffs. With blues and purples you can hit something like 90% up time on EPtW and EPtS cycling.
P.S. I'd advise most people against using 8 beam arrays, it's boring and that's a lot of power drain. If you don't keep your weapon power at 125 it's actually less damage than having less beam arrays. At 100 power, 7 beam arrays is better, at 75 power 5 beam arrays is better, that's a big jump. Cryptic says 4 to 6 Beam arrays is the sweet spot for a reason. If you can and will keep your power at 125 most of the time go ahead and use 8 if you want but the lack of torpedoes, mines or DBBs will make the ship seem boring.
Please remove your survey from my thread. And as for your comment about it being a warp capable brick, can you perhaps offer an alternative instead of just bashing the ship? That was kind of the point of the thread.
It is said the best weapon is one that is never fired. I disagree. The best weapon is one you only have to fire... once.
... it's not the worst ship in the game (that title is reserved for the light cruiser you start out with) but 90% of the ships in the game are better/more enjoyable.
What alternative would you suggest?
It is said the best weapon is one that is never fired. I disagree. The best weapon is one you only have to fire... once.
I would suggest for a start the Excelsior retrofit as an alternative cruiser or maybe some of the science ships at RA/VA but I know that set up right the Excelsior beats the oddy
I used a grade 41 tactical character in the excelsior retrofit using Mk VII/VIII equipment/weapons and destroyed a grade 50 tactical character in an oddy who had bought the full oddy set
The Fleet Star Cuiser looks to be a near indestructible tank and handles better then the oddy, plus you can buy the Fleet modules with EC and get the ship without spending real money.
only really good for is the tour the galaxy event every so often. full borg set with consoles to boost engine power. fastest i've gotten is with an oddy @ warp 40.40 with quantum slipstream engaged.
I've been wandering up and down this forum for a few days now, and I have noticed that the Oddy doesn't get much love. Plenty of hate, as you guys can easily see by just typing in Odessey in the search box, but not much really giving positive or even really useful feedback (I may or may not be wrong here, don't burn me for stating what I see).
So I decided to put this up. What do you guys think of the Odessey Class Cruiser and it's C-store variants? If you like it, say so, and provide a good build to go with it (I could really use some help there lol), and if you don't like it, don't flame it, just say why you don't like it and provide an alternative.
Personally I have always been a tank player in all the games I play. League of Legends, BSGO, WoW, and a few other MMOs, I am always the tank, the guy who takes the damage so the DPS can do their jobs. So I picked engineer and started doin cruisers. So I am lookin for a good build to go with the Oddy, tanky as balls, but still able to give some damage. So please, help me out here guys. And if you don't think I should use the Oddy (hence why I said if you don't like it), then give me an alternative.
Thanks!
P.S. I will add on to this that I am only really asking about PVE, since I am fully aware that the Regent and heck even the Sovereign are much MUCH better for PVP.
The Odyssey actually does not receive nearly as much hate as it did when it was first introduced. There were many raging over it, even though it was free. However, there were soon many, many Odysseys flying around. And there still are, only the population of the original Odysseys has diminished greatly since the introduction of the C-Store Ody (and presumably because the freebie was only around for a limited time).
Frankly I am having a bit of difficulty deciding which to use at the moment - the Odyssey or the Regent - on my tactical as my main cruiser (don't care too much for escorts). Both have their advantages and disadvantages. The Regent is winning due to newness but I can't say it'll stay that way, as the Ody makes a good tactical cruiser.
Each Odyssey offers different capabilities so you'll have to think and choose carefully.
The tactical Odyssey has the best short-term damage output, and has its power optimized for battle. The Aquarius, however, although some swear by it, is IMO kind of a joke in STFs - it rarely survives for very long and doesn't put out much DPS while doing so.
The Operations Ody is IMO the most useless one. Its power allocation is a waste (+5 for engines isn't gonna do much on an Odyssey), and with diminishing returns, the armor consoles being shoved into its engineering slots will only get you so far. However, it is an optimal tank due to this. The saucer separation console is also IMO by far the best console "extra," as it gives you the limited ability to become a much faster cruiser with some slightly escort-like properties. Please note that the saucer's role in combat is to get shot. It is a common mistake to think that saucer separation is about getting a little helper. It is not. It is about getting RID of the saucer. The crew aboard are just too stupid to get away from the fight.
The Science Odyssey is best for shields. Its Sensor Analysis ability also means you'll be pumping high DPS into enemies. However, if you want to use SA, you're going to have to stop helping others and focus just on a single target until it does. Breaking target lock risks losing the SA bonus. The Workbees are a so-so bonus, IMO, but they can give you a bit of extra hull (in effect, due to the repairs), and can provide some survivability to the Aquarius or Saucer, in addition to helping out teammates, if you have them.
The full three-pack is probably the best buy of the bunch. You can experiment with which one you want and you can get all three consoles. HOWEVER, even this option has its own weaknesses - with the full Odyssey set you have turned your 10-console cruiser into a 7-console cruiser. This will force some VERY difficult decisions - in fact it's enough for me not to particularly want to use the Odyssey in some ways, because it feels like it's forcing me to not get the "full effect" of the ship if I want a decent console setup.
IMO, if money is no object, if you want the best (or second best, ignoring the Fleet Exploration Cruiser) tank in the game, pick up the three pack, and use the Tac or Science Odyssey (Science sounds like it would fit you best) with the whole set stuck on it, or at least the Work Bees and Saucer sep if you don't care about the set bonuses. Although its damage output will suck for a while, since it only has two tactical console slots, if you can stick to a single target for a while the damage will add up. It's up to you whether or not that's worth it though.
Its got better hull and shields than any other cruiser and is the only c-store ship with 10 consoles, plus 2(!) universal boff slots give it more possible layouts than any other ship but a BoP or a Bug. Loses 1 point of turn rating compared to the Assault or Star cruisers or the Regent, but really who expected a cruiser to turn to begin with? I think a lot of people just get mad because its not a killing machine, and because its unfortunately popular with people who don't know as much about tactics as many vocal board users do. Used with an eye to its strengths, versatility and durability, it does the job quite well.
Used with an eye to its strengths, versatility and durability, it does the job quite well.
That being said, how would you recommend it be built? And since you seem to have an open mind to it, you and the previous poster, do you see any potential to pvp? I really would like to know, since I have been considering getting one almost since I started XD.
Btw, I disagree with the previous poster saying the operations is useless, but that's a to each their own kind of deal.
It is said the best weapon is one that is never fired. I disagree. The best weapon is one you only have to fire... once.
in my experience it can be good for 1 on 1 pvp I used its uni lt. CMDR station for a science officer with science tanking abilities I also used 8 tetryon beams, the combination of tetryon beams, EPS power transfer, EPtW1, nadion inversion, tac team 1, RSP 1 and FBP2 was enough to a lot of damage to an unsuspecting assailant. throw in FAW aswell and you can rip enemy player ships to shreds if they aren't ready for you
You do like your tetryon beams dontcha XD. I was actually considering running polaron or phasers because the polaron would randomly whack their systems and reduce their effectiveness whilst phasers would just kill the systems outright. But I was also thinking an expensive alternative would be to throw a wide angle torpedo launcher on the front for some "Oh look, your shields are down, let's ruin your day" kinds of things. Combine that with a tractor beam (assimilated one if they omega out of the first one) and you can do some nasty things.
It is said the best weapon is one that is never fired. I disagree. The best weapon is one you only have to fire... once.
I do like my tetryon on my cruisers however both my escorts run polaron and yes they do damage (lots of it) and as chance to proc stacks it would probably be more effective on an 8beam cruiser
I know that it depends on a personal taste but I never liked the looks of the Odyssey class. To me it's out of balance - especially when you look at it from the side. I think there were at least a few better designs. I liked the one which ended in third place. Other designs are now difficult to find.
That being said, how would you recommend it be built? And since you seem to have an open mind to it, you and the previous poster, do you see any potential to pvp? I really would like to know, since I have been considering getting one almost since I started XD.
Btw, I disagree with the previous poster saying the operations is useless, but that's a to each their own kind of deal.
First off, please allow me to explain why I said that the Ops was useless.
It is perhaps too extreme to say that, as it is indeed a viable ship. However, the reason is that I do not believe its abilities are used to the best potential possible. Given its handling characteristics, a +5 boost to engines is of minimal effect. Further, 5 engineering consoles are typically loaded up with armor. Armor is one of the only types (THE only type?) of console that has diminishing returns, so loading up a fourth console of armor is not going to be nearly so helpful as another type of console. Granted, there are other types of consoles that can go into an engineering slot, but in my experience, at endgame, most Engineering consoles will go to armor, although some cruiser commanders (including myself) will toss some types of cruisers an RCS to make them a little more peppy. (For reasons similar to the ineffectiveness of +5 engine power I would recommend against an RCS for an Ody, BTW)
I should note though that if I was going to purchase only one, I'd pick the Ops, and that's for saucer separation, which IMO is by far the most important console in the Ody set.
Now, as for loadout, what I typically use is:
Science or Tactical Ody
- 3 beam arrays, 1 torp, front and aft
- Borg set (shields, deflector, engine)
- 2 Neutronium, 2 Ody set
- 2 Field Emitters, 1 Ody set
- Tac consoles are filled with energy type specific consoles
I should note that I am not sure what's getting the boot should the Assimilated Console come into play if I use the tactical cruiser. It almost certainly will come into play with the shield replaced with the MACO shield, but that'll be decided once I get it.
Furthermore, some would argue that you should get 7 or even 8 Beam Arrays. IIRC this is not a great idea - while an engineer can do things to mitigate some of the energy drain, IMO those are a bit too unreliable and/or have too long on cooldown (e.g. Nadion Inversion's cooldown) to really be able to depend on them for consistent DPS. That said, if you want to try this, it's still a perfectly viable build, just IMO suboptimal.
The energy type is of your choice, although if you want to cripple the enemy for others to take advantage of the situation, disruptors or tetryons seem to be best IMO. I favor phasers and antiprotons myself, so YMMV.
In terms of the BOff layout, for an eng, I would recommend one of three approaches.
- If you want to emphasize DPS a lot and are willing to be a fair bit squishier for it, put a Tac in Lt. Cmdr and an Eng in Ensign.
- If you want to have a bit better tactical ability, replicate the Assault Cruiser layout (Tac in Ensign, Eng in Lt. Cmdr).
- If you want to go maximum engineering, Eng in Lt. Cmdr and Ensign. I recommend against this because Engineering ensign slots do not have a very wide selection of abilities.
I would strongly recommend, for you, picking the AC layout. General strategy I use involves chaining EPtS2/3 (two copies), EPtW1 (two copies), TT1 (two copies, or one if you have the super-expensive DOffs to reduce cooldown), Aux2SIF3. Stick in a BFaW2 and you'll get enemy attention, especially if you spec into Threat Control. In terms of support, Engineering Team and Transfer Shield Strength are viable. For speed, Aux2SIF (EDIT: Aux to Dampeners is what helps with agility, Aux2SIF is for repairs/resistance boosts) is also viable. Other good powers are Hazard Emitters, Polarize Hull and Transfer Shield Strength. This brings up an IMPORTANT consideration, though, in terms of which Ody to choose - if you plan on doing a lot of support work the Science Odyssey is not for you unless you're after it for the extra science console and/or alternate power bonuses. Sensor Analysis, its DPS boost, does NOT stick reliably (and often at all) if you drop target lock for even a few seconds to repair a teammate. It also takes a long time for it to really build up, so it may not be worth it for you.
Possible DOffs include Conn officers to reduce Evasive Maneuvers cooldown, Conn officers for TT cooldown (if you want to use only one copy), Warp Core Engineers for power bonuses, and Shield Distribution officers to give you a decent chance of shield repair on Brace for Impact.
The Ody is, however, a very versatile beast. I have seen her used both effectively and ineffectively as everything from a cannon blasting ship to a heavy support ship. Ultimately this is a starting point, and while it's close to what I use, and fairly close to what would be considered "standard," you're going to need to figure out precisely what fits you. However, this should get you started and give you a decent chance at helping your group out while you learn. Good luck!
Now THAT is quite a reply XD. What you said is basically what I WAS considering doing, but unfortunately my fleetmates have discouraged me from getting one (something about disowning me forever XD). But I probably will get one anyways just to give them the virtual finger >:D.
However what you suggested was basically what I was considering, with a few minor tweaks here and there. Thanks!
It is said the best weapon is one that is never fired. I disagree. The best weapon is one you only have to fire... once.
my fleetmates have discouraged me from getting one (something about disowning me forever XD)
Well if your fleet is that bad send me a message in-game and I can invite you to a fleet that doesn't care what your ship is or what it's capable of so long as you enjoy playing it
Personally I have always been a tank player in all the games I play...
P.S. I will add on to this that I am only really asking about PVE.
You can safely ignore most of the things people tell you about the Odyssey with regards to it being a bad choice.
Their opinion is mostly colored by their experience with terrible players who are terrible all of the time, regardless of ship but for some reason seem to flock to the Odyssey.
For PvE play, tanking, healing or damage output the Odyssey class is easily one of the top Federation cruisers available, if not the best.
There is no other Federation cruiser with the flexibility to switch from a full on healboat, to a full on offense focused tank with just a BOFF switch or two.
List of benefits in no particular order:
Meets or exceeds the hull, shielding and number of console slots available to nearly every FLEET Cruiser (only the Gal-R has more hull). This means it easily surpasses every non-fleet Federation Cruiser.
Is competitive with Lockbox ships. In areas where they excel over the Odyssey, the Odyssey has areas it excels over them - it's a wash basically.
Saucer separation let's you match, or nearly match, the maneuverability of any other Federation RA, T5 Cstore or Fleet Cruiser.
In general you want to stick to the Tactical or Science Odysseys, the Ops is not "bad" but in comparison these two have much greater advantages over the Ops version - that being said the Ops version comes with Saucer Separation - I don't use it often but it can be very useful for specific things.
The Tactical if you tend to switch targets often, the Science if you are focusing on healing or you tend to deal with single hard targets for extended duration fights (i.e. any situation where you will fire on the same target for about 30s).
Here's an example of an offense focused tank that no other Fed cruiser has an answer for:
I've been wandering up and down this forum for a few days now, and I have noticed that the Oddy doesn't get much love. Plenty of hate, as you guys can easily see by just typing in Odessey in the search box, but not much really giving positive or even really useful feedback (I may or may not be wrong here, don't burn me for stating what I see).
So I decided to put this up. What do you guys think of the Odessey Class Cruiser and it's C-store variants? If you like it, say so, and provide a good build to go with it (I could really use some help there lol), and if you don't like it, don't flame it, just say why you don't like it and provide an alternative.
Personally I have always been a tank player in all the games I play. League of Legends, BSGO, WoW, and a few other MMOs, I am always the tank, the guy who takes the damage so the DPS can do their jobs. So I picked engineer and started doin cruisers. So I am lookin for a good build to go with the Oddy, tanky as balls, but still able to give some damage. So please, help me out here guys. And if you don't think I should use the Oddy (hence why I said if you don't like it), then give me an alternative.
Thanks!
P.S. I will add on to this that I am only really asking about PVE, since I am fully aware that the Regent and heck even the Sovereign are much MUCH better for PVP.
i am a tac officer, but i like cruisers. i got the oddy set and really like all 3 ships. my sci oddy is great. armed with 6 polaron beams and 2 cannons (i prefer cannon volley over rapid fire). i tend to like field / shield emitters and neutronium.
my tac oddy runs the same set up, but with phasers. on the ops oddy i use antiproton and use the oddy set on this ship.
i use my tac oddy in pvp and do very well with it.
edit: i failed to mention i am sold on the 3 piece borg set with maco 12 shields. it is the only way to go on any ship.
You can safely ignore most of the things people tell you about the Odyssey with regards to it being a bad choice.
Their opinion is mostly colored by their experience with terrible players who are terrible all of the time, regardless of ship but for some reason seem to flock to the Odyssey.
Unfortunately for the next few days after I put this post up, I have seen some beyond terrible Oddys XD. I also saw one amazing oddy that not only cleared his side in a Khitomer faster than the escort on the other transformer, but also took then took out donatra almost solo. (Only reason he was solo was because we had leavers as soon as they saw the oddy, and also the other two guys, myself included, were dead).
This Oddy restored my faith in that ship lol...
But thanks for the ideas on the build, I will be sure to try them out in the event I acquire one.
But I do ask, do you have any actual item builds that you use that work well? Cuz don't get me wrong, the BOff and DOff recommendations are great, but I also would like to know your console, weapons, shields, deflector, engines, etc...
Thanks!
It is said the best weapon is one that is never fired. I disagree. The best weapon is one you only have to fire... once.
But I do ask, do you have any actual item builds that you use that work well? Cuz don't get me wrong, the BOff and DOff recommendations are great, but I also would like to know your console, weapons, shields, deflector, engines, etc...
Thanks!
Weapons
7x Beam Arrays
1x Trico Mine
Gear
MACO Shield
Borg Deflector
Borg Engine
Devices
Red Matter Capacitor
Subspace Field Emitter
Aux Batts
Shield Batts
I've been driving an Odyssey Ops for a while now. Built with 6x MK XII antiproton beams, 2x MK XII quantum torpedos, tac consoles are antiproton mag generators. I don't have access to the ship right now, but engineering and science consoles are pretty standard fare defensive MK XI and XII.
I pug STFs and Fleet a few hours a week in it and log all the combats. My DPS is consistently in the 2100-2400 range. I'm almost always #1 or #2 in DPS even when everything else is an escort. Granted a top escort driver will come in and throw out 3000+ DPS, but there are only a few of those guys around and I might see that once or twice out of 10 fights. Which isn't bad when you also throw in that as an engineer I'm also almost the top every time with healing out.
The thing does turn like the Queen Mary, but in STF's/Fleet events evasion isn't really a tactic you have to worry about the other side using on you, the NPC's just fly up and death circle with you. I probably wouldn't use it in PVP if I ever played, but for PVE it works just fine.
Comments
For a build, I would suggest:
Fore: 2 phaser beams, tricobalt device, quantum torp.
Rear: 3 beams, torp.
As basis, tactical odessey is better for dps.
[Combat (Self)] You lose 6549 (7572) Cold from the torment of the underworld.
In-game handle @Janetza
just to give you an idea of how bad the oddy can be, i used a grade 41 tactical character in the excelsior retrofit using Mk VII/VIII equipment/weapons and destroyed a grade 50 tactical character in an oddy who had bought the full oddy set
The strength of the Oddy is the Lt.Cmdr Universal Slot, swapping out the Lt.Cmdr engineer most people keep there for a tac officer or a sci officer can really change your play-style/experience. Make no mistake, the oddy has the ability to be the toughest cruiser on the block but the fun part is to be nearly that tough and throwing out gravity wells or Beam Overload 3s.
As for a PVE tanking build, check out the dragon build thread. The concept of EPtS and EPtW cycling is the basis for most good cruiser builds, just try to remember you have team mates that would appreciate the occasional heal. TT:1 is amazing for both PVP and PVE, you should always have at least one on your ship to be used as a self buff or "save the idiot that won't balance their shields" power. This is even more true doing the new fleet stuff where distributing the shields on the starbase can make or break a team. Beam:FAW is a good agg button but will cost you your TRIBBLE in PVP with klinks spamming Aceton Assimilators.
With the lack of a taunt power PVP tanking in a cruiser is a joke, you are there to be an "anchor" to heal the team mates that stay within a few KM of you, shoot what ever target is convenient and survive when some sci officer in an escort Sub Nucs you to get rid of the party heals or a klink de-cloaks with the beam overload, high yield torpedo combo.
If you want to take advantage of that Lt.Cmdr universal seat I recommend three Damage Control Doffs. With blues and purples you can hit something like 90% up time on EPtW and EPtS cycling.
P.S. I'd advise most people against using 8 beam arrays, it's boring and that's a lot of power drain. If you don't keep your weapon power at 125 it's actually less damage than having less beam arrays. At 100 power, 7 beam arrays is better, at 75 power 5 beam arrays is better, that's a big jump. Cryptic says 4 to 6 Beam arrays is the sweet spot for a reason. If you can and will keep your power at 125 most of the time go ahead and use 8 if you want but the lack of torpedoes, mines or DBBs will make the ship seem boring.
Please remove your survey from my thread. And as for your comment about it being a warp capable brick, can you perhaps offer an alternative instead of just bashing the ship? That was kind of the point of the thread.
What alternative would you suggest?
There's my reccomendation
http://www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/10052253
Why are you not rejoicing?
The Odyssey actually does not receive nearly as much hate as it did when it was first introduced. There were many raging over it, even though it was free. However, there were soon many, many Odysseys flying around. And there still are, only the population of the original Odysseys has diminished greatly since the introduction of the C-Store Ody (and presumably because the freebie was only around for a limited time).
Frankly I am having a bit of difficulty deciding which to use at the moment - the Odyssey or the Regent - on my tactical as my main cruiser (don't care too much for escorts). Both have their advantages and disadvantages. The Regent is winning due to newness but I can't say it'll stay that way, as the Ody makes a good tactical cruiser.
Each Odyssey offers different capabilities so you'll have to think and choose carefully.
The tactical Odyssey has the best short-term damage output, and has its power optimized for battle. The Aquarius, however, although some swear by it, is IMO kind of a joke in STFs - it rarely survives for very long and doesn't put out much DPS while doing so.
The Operations Ody is IMO the most useless one. Its power allocation is a waste (+5 for engines isn't gonna do much on an Odyssey), and with diminishing returns, the armor consoles being shoved into its engineering slots will only get you so far. However, it is an optimal tank due to this. The saucer separation console is also IMO by far the best console "extra," as it gives you the limited ability to become a much faster cruiser with some slightly escort-like properties. Please note that the saucer's role in combat is to get shot. It is a common mistake to think that saucer separation is about getting a little helper. It is not. It is about getting RID of the saucer. The crew aboard are just too stupid to get away from the fight.
The Science Odyssey is best for shields. Its Sensor Analysis ability also means you'll be pumping high DPS into enemies. However, if you want to use SA, you're going to have to stop helping others and focus just on a single target until it does. Breaking target lock risks losing the SA bonus. The Workbees are a so-so bonus, IMO, but they can give you a bit of extra hull (in effect, due to the repairs), and can provide some survivability to the Aquarius or Saucer, in addition to helping out teammates, if you have them.
The full three-pack is probably the best buy of the bunch. You can experiment with which one you want and you can get all three consoles. HOWEVER, even this option has its own weaknesses - with the full Odyssey set you have turned your 10-console cruiser into a 7-console cruiser. This will force some VERY difficult decisions - in fact it's enough for me not to particularly want to use the Odyssey in some ways, because it feels like it's forcing me to not get the "full effect" of the ship if I want a decent console setup.
IMO, if money is no object, if you want the best (or second best, ignoring the Fleet Exploration Cruiser) tank in the game, pick up the three pack, and use the Tac or Science Odyssey (Science sounds like it would fit you best) with the whole set stuck on it, or at least the Work Bees and Saucer sep if you don't care about the set bonuses. Although its damage output will suck for a while, since it only has two tactical console slots, if you can stick to a single target for a while the damage will add up. It's up to you whether or not that's worth it though.
That being said, how would you recommend it be built? And since you seem to have an open mind to it, you and the previous poster, do you see any potential to pvp? I really would like to know, since I have been considering getting one almost since I started XD.
Btw, I disagree with the previous poster saying the operations is useless, but that's a to each their own kind of deal.
First off, please allow me to explain why I said that the Ops was useless.
It is perhaps too extreme to say that, as it is indeed a viable ship. However, the reason is that I do not believe its abilities are used to the best potential possible. Given its handling characteristics, a +5 boost to engines is of minimal effect. Further, 5 engineering consoles are typically loaded up with armor. Armor is one of the only types (THE only type?) of console that has diminishing returns, so loading up a fourth console of armor is not going to be nearly so helpful as another type of console. Granted, there are other types of consoles that can go into an engineering slot, but in my experience, at endgame, most Engineering consoles will go to armor, although some cruiser commanders (including myself) will toss some types of cruisers an RCS to make them a little more peppy. (For reasons similar to the ineffectiveness of +5 engine power I would recommend against an RCS for an Ody, BTW)
I should note though that if I was going to purchase only one, I'd pick the Ops, and that's for saucer separation, which IMO is by far the most important console in the Ody set.
Now, as for loadout, what I typically use is:
Science or Tactical Ody
- 3 beam arrays, 1 torp, front and aft
- Borg set (shields, deflector, engine)
- 2 Neutronium, 2 Ody set
- 2 Field Emitters, 1 Ody set
- Tac consoles are filled with energy type specific consoles
I should note that I am not sure what's getting the boot should the Assimilated Console come into play if I use the tactical cruiser. It almost certainly will come into play with the shield replaced with the MACO shield, but that'll be decided once I get it.
Furthermore, some would argue that you should get 7 or even 8 Beam Arrays. IIRC this is not a great idea - while an engineer can do things to mitigate some of the energy drain, IMO those are a bit too unreliable and/or have too long on cooldown (e.g. Nadion Inversion's cooldown) to really be able to depend on them for consistent DPS. That said, if you want to try this, it's still a perfectly viable build, just IMO suboptimal.
The energy type is of your choice, although if you want to cripple the enemy for others to take advantage of the situation, disruptors or tetryons seem to be best IMO. I favor phasers and antiprotons myself, so YMMV.
In terms of the BOff layout, for an eng, I would recommend one of three approaches.
- If you want to emphasize DPS a lot and are willing to be a fair bit squishier for it, put a Tac in Lt. Cmdr and an Eng in Ensign.
- If you want to have a bit better tactical ability, replicate the Assault Cruiser layout (Tac in Ensign, Eng in Lt. Cmdr).
- If you want to go maximum engineering, Eng in Lt. Cmdr and Ensign. I recommend against this because Engineering ensign slots do not have a very wide selection of abilities.
I would strongly recommend, for you, picking the AC layout. General strategy I use involves chaining EPtS2/3 (two copies), EPtW1 (two copies), TT1 (two copies, or one if you have the super-expensive DOffs to reduce cooldown), Aux2SIF3. Stick in a BFaW2 and you'll get enemy attention, especially if you spec into Threat Control. In terms of support, Engineering Team and Transfer Shield Strength are viable. For speed, Aux2SIF (EDIT: Aux to Dampeners is what helps with agility, Aux2SIF is for repairs/resistance boosts) is also viable. Other good powers are Hazard Emitters, Polarize Hull and Transfer Shield Strength. This brings up an IMPORTANT consideration, though, in terms of which Ody to choose - if you plan on doing a lot of support work the Science Odyssey is not for you unless you're after it for the extra science console and/or alternate power bonuses. Sensor Analysis, its DPS boost, does NOT stick reliably (and often at all) if you drop target lock for even a few seconds to repair a teammate. It also takes a long time for it to really build up, so it may not be worth it for you.
Possible DOffs include Conn officers to reduce Evasive Maneuvers cooldown, Conn officers for TT cooldown (if you want to use only one copy), Warp Core Engineers for power bonuses, and Shield Distribution officers to give you a decent chance of shield repair on Brace for Impact.
The Ody is, however, a very versatile beast. I have seen her used both effectively and ineffectively as everything from a cannon blasting ship to a heavy support ship. Ultimately this is a starting point, and while it's close to what I use, and fairly close to what would be considered "standard," you're going to need to figure out precisely what fits you. However, this should get you started and give you a decent chance at helping your group out while you learn. Good luck!
However what you suggested was basically what I was considering, with a few minor tweaks here and there. Thanks!
Well if your fleet is that bad send me a message in-game and I can invite you to a fleet that doesn't care what your ship is or what it's capable of so long as you enjoy playing it
You can safely ignore most of the things people tell you about the Odyssey with regards to it being a bad choice.
Their opinion is mostly colored by their experience with terrible players who are terrible all of the time, regardless of ship but for some reason seem to flock to the Odyssey.
For PvE play, tanking, healing or damage output the Odyssey class is easily one of the top Federation cruisers available, if not the best.
There is no other Federation cruiser with the flexibility to switch from a full on healboat, to a full on offense focused tank with just a BOFF switch or two.
List of benefits in no particular order:
In general you want to stick to the Tactical or Science Odysseys, the Ops is not "bad" but in comparison these two have much greater advantages over the Ops version - that being said the Ops version comes with Saucer Separation - I don't use it often but it can be very useful for specific things.
The Tactical if you tend to switch targets often, the Science if you are focusing on healing or you tend to deal with single hard targets for extended duration fights (i.e. any situation where you will fire on the same target for about 30s).
Here's an example of an offense focused tank that no other Fed cruiser has an answer for:
Odyssey: Tactical or Sci
Lt Tac: BFAW 1 > APB 1
LtC Tac (Uni): BFAW 1 > APB 1 > APO 1
Ensign Tac: TT1
CMD Eng: EPTW 1 > EPTS 1 > EPTS 2 > Aux to SIF 3
Lt Sci: HE 1 > TSS 2
Requirements:
2x Purple Conn "Tac Team" DOFFs
3x Blue or higher Damage Control Engineers
Here's the opposite end of the spectrum for all-out survivability (and is usually overkill for all of this game's PvE content)
Lt Tac: TT 1 > BFAW 2
Ltc Eng: EPTW 1 > RSP 1 > EPTS 3
CMD Eng: EPTW 1 > Free Choice > EPTS 3 > Aux to SIF 3
Lt Sci: HE 1 > TSS 2
Ensign Uni:
- Optional 1: Tac TT 1 or BFAW 1
- Optional 2: Sci PH 1 or ST 1
DOFF Ideas (depends on ensign slot choice):
?# Purple Shield Distribution Officers
?# Purple Conn "Tac Team" DOFFs
?# Hazard Duty Officers
Just some ideas on the flexibility of this ship.
i am a tac officer, but i like cruisers. i got the oddy set and really like all 3 ships. my sci oddy is great. armed with 6 polaron beams and 2 cannons (i prefer cannon volley over rapid fire). i tend to like field / shield emitters and neutronium.
my tac oddy runs the same set up, but with phasers. on the ops oddy i use antiproton and use the oddy set on this ship.
i use my tac oddy in pvp and do very well with it.
edit: i failed to mention i am sold on the 3 piece borg set with maco 12 shields. it is the only way to go on any ship.
Unfortunately for the next few days after I put this post up, I have seen some beyond terrible Oddys XD. I also saw one amazing oddy that not only cleared his side in a Khitomer faster than the escort on the other transformer, but also took then took out donatra almost solo. (Only reason he was solo was because we had leavers as soon as they saw the oddy, and also the other two guys, myself included, were dead).
This Oddy restored my faith in that ship lol...
But thanks for the ideas on the build, I will be sure to try them out in the event I acquire one.
But I do ask, do you have any actual item builds that you use that work well? Cuz don't get me wrong, the BOff and DOff recommendations are great, but I also would like to know your console, weapons, shields, deflector, engines, etc...
Thanks!
Weapons
7x Beam Arrays
1x Trico Mine
Gear
MACO Shield
Borg Deflector
Borg Engine
Devices
Red Matter Capacitor
Subspace Field Emitter
Aux Batts
Shield Batts
Eng Consoles
2-3x Neutronium
Borg Console
Sci Consoles
3-4x Field Generators
Tac Consoles
2-3x Single Energy Type
I pug STFs and Fleet a few hours a week in it and log all the combats. My DPS is consistently in the 2100-2400 range. I'm almost always #1 or #2 in DPS even when everything else is an escort. Granted a top escort driver will come in and throw out 3000+ DPS, but there are only a few of those guys around and I might see that once or twice out of 10 fights. Which isn't bad when you also throw in that as an engineer I'm also almost the top every time with healing out.
The thing does turn like the Queen Mary, but in STF's/Fleet events evasion isn't really a tactic you have to worry about the other side using on you, the NPC's just fly up and death circle with you. I probably wouldn't use it in PVP if I ever played, but for PVE it works just fine.
tac Odyssey in action