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Which way to go?

annemarie30annemarie30 Member Posts: 2,745 Arc User
edited November 2012 in Federation Discussion
I want to get one of the c store ships. I cannot decide if i want the odyssey pack, the vesta pack, or maybe get the regent and either the carrier or the nebula. I do want to be able to use it across all three officers, sci eng and tact.

What are the pros and cons for each?

Oh and i have the chimera already if that matters.
We Want Vic Fontaine
Post edited by annemarie30 on

Comments

  • adamkafeiadamkafei Member Posts: 6,539 Arc User
    edited November 2012
    Why does everyone ignore the Excelsior?

    Oddy
    Biggest cruiser around
    Pros:
    Is hard to kill
    Uni boff slots
    Console slots

    Cons:
    Doesn't move (negates it's higher hull)


    Regent
    New tac cruiser
    Pros:
    Torp launcher
    Uni boffs
    Turns well

    Cons:
    Flimsy (Outperformed in my exp by it's predecessor)
    Console can backfire (If your opponent knows how)

    Vesta
    Latest production
    Pros:
    Shields
    Consoles
    Turn rate
    Boff layout

    Cons:
    Low hull

    Excelsior
    The older tac cruiser
    Pros:
    Moves well
    Boff layout (Aside from ensign eng, I'd rather have sci)
    Console layout
    Harder to kill than the Regent (While putting out similar DPS)
    Transwarp
    Cheaper than all the rest

    Cons:
    Is a little weaker (defensively) with a tactical captain (Can do a lot of damage in that time)
    Eng lack some of the offence boost that tacs bring (Can last longer and prop up DPS for longer)
    (I can't speak for sci, my sci hasn't flown one)
    Console comes with the CMDR version (though by VA it's not useful)

    I can't speak for the others
    ZiOfChe.png?1
  • edited November 2012
    This content has been removed.
  • annemarie30annemarie30 Member Posts: 2,745 Arc User
    edited November 2012
    I get you guys.. i just don't LIKE the excelsior. looks ugly to me
    We Want Vic Fontaine
  • leoll2leoll2 Member Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited November 2012
    Vesta is fantastic, trust me, you can make it unkillable!
    P2W means Play To Win

    Archimede - Leader and Founder of "Raiders of Starfleet"
    ...and 21 other characters!
  • baelogventurebaelogventure Member Posts: 1,002 Arc User
    edited November 2012
    I have flown both the Excelsior and the Regent, and I prefer the Regent for its BOFF layout and power distribution.

    Considering it has a LT Uni, you could slot another Tac or Engi further tilts the Regent in my favor.

    I have never had the Riker Manuever backfire on me, even if I end up trailing a cloud of exploding gas from an AOE (Friendly or not) it does not seem to have a detremental effect on my ship.

    Just like my Regent and my Excelsior are equally hard to kill, I cannot see how the Regent is anymore fragile.
  • andoriansrusandoriansrus Member Posts: 4 Arc User
    edited November 2012
    I love my Vesta ( I got the 3pack )

    prior to the vesta I used the Fleet Deep Space Science Vesel and prior to that was the Fleet Advanced Research vessel (Nebula) and prior to that was the Advanced Research Vessel Retrofit (nebula)...

    but then again im a science captain so my ship choice was just a logical progression... Nebula did one thing... the Fleet Nebula did that better, then the Fleet DSSV did the nebula's job better and ALSO opened me up for other fun things to play with.... and the Vesta is just at this time the best of the bunch.... I could even live without the flight deck....and cannons since I dont use them anyway.....

    my vote is for the vesta as you can use it for Tac, Engi, or Science captains well and competently
    Major Xi'Zzin
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  • k022#6452 k022 Member Posts: 300 Arc User
    edited November 2012
    I like my Vesta, I have the Aventine [Tac], and if you use power siphon, then spike your Aux power and fire the quantum focus phaser, you can melt Tac Cubes in seconds. The Vesta has an exelent shield system. She can also produce a whole lot of DPS with the right consoles. The single downside, the hull, but thats just there to make shure you dont take on the whole universe...
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • shar487ashar487a Member Posts: 1,292 Arc User
    edited November 2012
    The Vesta series also has two additional advantages:
    1) hangar bays
    2) access to dual (heavy) cannons, with the turn rate to use them effectively

    The hangars are quite good when using Danube Runabouts due to their tractor beams.

    I tried thr aux cannons but couldn't optimize them as well as conventional DHC's.

    Subsystem targetting and sensor anaysis combined with everything else really makes the Vesta stand out, not to mention its universal boff stations.
  • unangbangkayunangbangkay Member Posts: 10 Arc User
    edited November 2012
    I want to get one of the c store ships. I cannot decide if i want the odyssey pack, the vesta pack, or maybe get the regent and either the carrier or the nebula. I do want to be able to use it across all three officers, sci eng and tact.

    What are the pros and cons for each?

    Oh and i have the chimera already if that matters.

    Adamkafei has good info, and here's some more stuff in case you've yet to make your decision:

    Odyssey Pack
    Pros:
    - Base model provides a definitive "space whale" cruiser experience.
    - It's HUGE
    - It's the next Enterprise
    - Custom bridge
    - Saucer separation on the Eng Ody is ace

    Cons:
    - It's a space whale
    - The 3-console set bonus is kind of junky compared to the Vesta's
    - Can't deploy the saucer and Aquarius at the same time
    - All 3 models look identical so you're essentially buying diff. console layouts and gimmicks

    Vesta Pack
    Pros:
    - Extremely versatile thanks to universal boffs and layout
    - Very high shields
    - Hangars!
    - Cool gimmicks, 3 different skins, and useful console set bonuses (compared with odyssey)
    - Can equip cannons. With the right build it can push Escort-level DPS
    - Special Aux DHCs and the turn rate to use them effectively

    Cons:
    - Can do almost anything...except hull tank
    - Aux DHCs can be difficult to optimize for can't be used on any other ship type
    - Tactical gimmick not too useful unless you're specced right
    - No special bridge
    - Canon nerds look down upon people who like the Destiny novels
    - The hangars are slow

    Regent
    Pro:
    - Guaranteed to get a Fleet version sooner or later, so you're buying into a future discount if that's your thing.
    - Cool new look (not everyone agrees, though)
    - wide-angle torp launcher can be used on any ship (great to combo with broadside beam boats) or other slow turners.
    - Metreon gas gimmick is very pretty
    - Boff layout brings it more in lilne with the Excelsior's viability (finally)

    Con:
    - Performance difference not as dramatic, calls value to question
    - Can be flimsy if you go all-tac with the Boff slots and don't have Eng or Sci powers to compensate
    - Metreon gas not so useful, tends to get popped early
    - Some people hate forward-swept pylons

    Excelsior
    Pro:
    - Still very viable, arguably the best "tactical cruiser" in the game
    - Cheap
    - Classic design
    - Native transwarp gimmick useful for getting around

    Con:
    - VERY OLD, lore-wise, so much so that it sticks out like a sore thumb because it's still quite good. I think that's the reason a lot of folks ignore it. It's like taking WW1 weapons into a future-warfare shooter and finding they're still just as effective.
    - You need to buy both versions to access both skins, and neither skin looks especially different from the other

    Atrox
    Pro:
    - Biggest ship in the game!
    - Very pretty, unique appearance for a Fed boat. Almost looks like the Andromeda ship.
    - Stalker fighters
    - The only pure Fed carrier
    - A unique gameplay experience compared to the standard Fed Cruiser/Escort/SV trinity.

    Con:
    - Can't turn!
    - It's bigger than an Ody but doesn't have the hull to match
    - No gimmick (unless you count the fighters)
    - No fleet version
    - No unique bridge
    - Depending on your graphical settings, the base material can be almost invisible in Sector Space or low-lighting areas. Good or bad depending on your outlook.
    - Stalker fighters aren't actually that great, and are restricted to the Atrox
    - Can't use Frigate/BoP pets (though nobody on Fed side can)
    - Arguably the least effective dedicated carrier (though it's not as if you have a choice, unless you have millions of EC or hundreds of Lobi to blow on a Tholian Recluse)
    - At the base price of 2.5k Zen, it's arguably the lowest value-for-money C-store ship

    Steamrunner:
    Pro:
    - Stats-wise, the 2nd best escort in the game, following the Jem'Hadar Bug
    - Interesting Boff setup
    - Popular design
    - Cool gimmick
    - Buying it also gets you some good early-level gear and the best Tier 0 ship in the game
    - 10 consoles!
    - During the temporary sale, was less than 50% the cost of any other C-store ship

    Con:
    - Still inferior to the Bug (but that's hardly a knock against it)
    - No alternate skins
    - No universal Boff stations
    - Needs a kinda roundabout way to purchase (must buy "Steam Starter Pack" via Steam, then redeem the code on PWE site)
    - I don't like that the Deflector is hanging in its "TRIBBLE"
  • kylesal24kylesal24 Member Posts: 312
    edited November 2012
    Adamkafei has good info, and here's some more stuff in case you've yet to make your decision:

    Odyssey Pack
    Pros:
    - Base model provides a definitive "space whale" cruiser experience.
    - It's HUGE
    - It's the next Enterprise
    - Custom bridge
    - Saucer separation on the Eng Ody is ace

    Cons:
    - It's a space whale
    - The 3-console set bonus is kind of junky compared to the Vesta's
    - Can't deploy the saucer and Aquarius at the same time
    - All 3 models look identical so you're essentially buying diff. console layouts and gimmicks

    Vesta Pack
    Pros:
    - Extremely versatile thanks to universal boffs and layout
    - Very high shields
    - Hangars!
    - Cool gimmicks, 3 different skins, and useful console set bonuses (compared with odyssey)
    - Can equip cannons. With the right build it can push Escort-level DPS
    - Special Aux DHCs and the turn rate to use them effectively

    Cons:
    - Can do almost anything...except hull tank
    - Aux DHCs can be difficult to optimize for can't be used on any other ship type
    - Tactical gimmick not too useful unless you're specced right
    - No special bridge
    - Canon nerds look down upon people who like the Destiny novels
    - The hangars are slow

    Regent
    Pro:
    - Guaranteed to get a Fleet version sooner or later, so you're buying into a future discount if that's your thing.
    - Cool new look (not everyone agrees, though)
    - wide-angle torp launcher can be used on any ship (great to combo with broadside beam boats) or other slow turners.
    - Metreon gas gimmick is very pretty
    - Boff layout brings it more in lilne with the Excelsior's viability (finally)

    Con:
    - Performance difference not as dramatic, calls value to question
    - Can be flimsy if you go all-tac with the Boff slots and don't have Eng or Sci powers to compensate
    - Metreon gas not so useful, tends to get popped early
    - Some people hate forward-swept pylons

    Excelsior
    Pro:
    - Still very viable, arguably the best "tactical cruiser" in the game
    - Cheap
    - Classic design
    - Native transwarp gimmick useful for getting around

    Con:
    - VERY OLD, lore-wise, so much so that it sticks out like a sore thumb because it's still quite good. I think that's the reason a lot of folks ignore it. It's like taking WW1 weapons into a future-warfare shooter and finding they're still just as effective.
    - You need to buy both versions to access both skins, and neither skin looks especially different from the other

    Atrox
    Pro:
    - Biggest ship in the game!
    - Very pretty, unique appearance for a Fed boat. Almost looks like the Andromeda ship.
    - Stalker fighters
    - The only pure Fed carrier
    - A unique gameplay experience compared to the standard Fed Cruiser/Escort/SV trinity.

    Con:
    - Can't turn!
    - It's bigger than an Ody but doesn't have the hull to match
    - No gimmick (unless you count the fighters)
    - No fleet version
    - No unique bridge
    - Depending on your graphical settings, the base material can be almost invisible in Sector Space or low-lighting areas. Good or bad depending on your outlook.
    - Stalker fighters aren't actually that great, and are restricted to the Atrox
    - Can't use Frigate/BoP pets (though nobody on Fed side can)
    - Arguably the least effective dedicated carrier (though it's not as if you have a choice, unless you have millions of EC or hundreds of Lobi to blow on a Tholian Recluse)
    - At the base price of 2.5k Zen, it's arguably the lowest value-for-money C-store ship

    Steamrunner:
    Pro:
    - Stats-wise, the 2nd best escort in the game, following the Jem'Hadar Bug
    - Interesting Boff setup
    - Popular design
    - Cool gimmick
    - Buying it also gets you some good early-level gear and the best Tier 0 ship in the game
    - 10 consoles!
    - During the temporary sale, was less than 50% the cost of any other C-store ship

    Con:
    - Still inferior to the Bug (but that's hardly a knock against it)
    - No alternate skins
    - No universal Boff stations
    - Needs a kinda roundabout way to purchase (must buy "Steam Starter Pack" via Steam, then redeem the code on PWE site)
    - I don't like that the Deflector is hanging in its "TRIBBLE"

    I would disagree with your take on the Atrox. As someone who has had it since it has come out. I use it over every other ship in the game. I can out DPS just about any other ship with my Tac DPS build, and have the hull of a cruiser, with the fire power of an escort, and the shields of a sci ship. Name another ship that can do that. If you have the ZEN then get the Atrox. Great tank, DPS, and healer. Just my 2 cents.

    Kyle
    Delta Fleet Command
  • unangbangkayunangbangkay Member Posts: 10 Arc User
    edited November 2012
    kylesal24 wrote: »
    I would disagree with your take on the Atrox. As someone who has had it since it has come out. I use it over every other ship in the game. I can out DPS just about any other ship with my Tac DPS build, and have the hull of a cruiser, with the fire power of an escort, and the shields of a sci ship. Name another ship that can do that. If you have the ZEN then get the Atrox. Great tank, DPS, and healer. Just my 2 cents.

    Kyle

    Could you tell me about your build? I just got the Atrox myself and am looking for an approach.

    That said, most of my "take" on the Atrox is based on the "what you get" argument, and it's really not much. A big ship with a unique pet that the majority (of forumgoers, at least) don't like.
    No unique gimmick, no frigate-size pets, 9 consoles, less hull than cruisers with the same tier/turn rate, static Boff stations, and no bridge, no fleet version, no alternate material choices (this might be a bug, but I've been unable to select anything other than the default space-blue color), and no sensor analysis. Compared to the Odyssey, Vesta, or even the Armitage, it's frankly an anemic package, feature-for-feature.

    I said it's "arguably" the least effective carrier because that's what a lot of folks argue. Granted, they're arguing from the perspective of having KDF ships and lockbox ships, but that's what they say at least, not necessarily that it's true. I can't make a definitive judgment either way.

    I'd love, absolutely love for you to prove me wrong, seeing as I just blew 2000z on an Atrox this week and want to be effective.
  • kylesal24kylesal24 Member Posts: 312
    edited November 2012
    I have been on a break for about a month now and I was thinking about getting back on. Now, this was before they nerfed the borg set and the weapons. (I do mainly STFs, because I needed the mk 12 MACO shield. And the Assm. Console.)

    Off the top of my head: I am a Tac Human with space ablities.
    Tac BOFF: TT1, CRF 1.
    Eng BOFF: EP2W 1, RSP 1, AUX2SIF 2. (I was messing around with the LT slot, so that is a free slot in the build. I use RSP because of the really good tanking skill I have and this is a great saving move.)
    Sci BOFF: HE 1, TT 2, TR 2. (Was going to change TR to something else, but never got around to it.)
    Sci BOFF: HE 1, PH 2, TT 3, GW 3. ( PH was just for fun to see if it worked, I like and I may keep it.)

    Equipment:

    Sheild: mk 11 MACO.
    Engine and Deflector Borg. May change this now, but not sure to what.
    2x Pregrine fighters. Best DPS that I could find, and tractor beams don't help against non-moving targets.
    2x Phser Relay. 2x Shield Generators, 2x Shield emitters, 3x Newtornium Armor. I don't have enough Dil to buy 2 more Generators, hence the emitters.

    Weapons. THis is where I am a little different than most people. Please remember that this is not a PVP build, I do not PVP, I may once they fix it.

    Forward: 2x Phaser DHC, 1x Quantum Torpedo. Tried all different mixes, and this was the best. I am not skilled in torpedoes if I remember right, but it still does a ton.

    Aft: 3x Phaser Turrets. Right now I have a tachyon as the 3rd, doing that to get the damage accolade.

    That should be everything. When I was playing a month ago my DPS was on par with any escort I saw and I was blowing up like they were.
    If you have any other questions just ask!

    Kyle
    Delta Fleet Command
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