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Tactical Escort
fluffydoorman
Member Posts: 26 Arc User
I've attempted to read as much as humanly possible on the forums and I'm left actually more confused than ever. So I figured it's time to post and try to get a bit of understanding and help.
Currently I'm running a lvl 30 Tac Officer. I just got the Tactical Escort as my upgrade because I honestly wanted to run it. Now attempting to find a good setup for an escort is easy...if your lvl 50 and have access to all the latest and greatest fleet gear. My concern isn't lvl 50 it's lvl 30 and lvl 40. So what should I run?
Here's what I've learned and I still can't tell you if it's all correct or not.
1. Rainbows suck. I get that I should keep everything the same type. But which type? Is one better than the other or do they all even out in the end?
2. Beams suck. Or don't. Or not sure. Honestly I can't figure out what the deal is with beams. I know that cannons can be absolutely devestating but Beams? should I have them? What about turrents? These are the problems I can't figure out.
3. Torpedoes. I should have one. Or two. Or all Torps. This again get's confusing. I know the KDF higher end stuff can run a full torp ship but what about Fed. Should it ever? Should I even have torps.
I'm less concerned with Boffs and Doffs because I can figure that part out. I just need some basics and what I should be looking to run now and what I should be thinking about for lvl 40. I figure I'll hit 40 in a week, maybe two depending on my free time so I want to prepare now.
thank you for any help.
Currently I'm running a lvl 30 Tac Officer. I just got the Tactical Escort as my upgrade because I honestly wanted to run it. Now attempting to find a good setup for an escort is easy...if your lvl 50 and have access to all the latest and greatest fleet gear. My concern isn't lvl 50 it's lvl 30 and lvl 40. So what should I run?
Here's what I've learned and I still can't tell you if it's all correct or not.
1. Rainbows suck. I get that I should keep everything the same type. But which type? Is one better than the other or do they all even out in the end?
2. Beams suck. Or don't. Or not sure. Honestly I can't figure out what the deal is with beams. I know that cannons can be absolutely devestating but Beams? should I have them? What about turrents? These are the problems I can't figure out.
3. Torpedoes. I should have one. Or two. Or all Torps. This again get's confusing. I know the KDF higher end stuff can run a full torp ship but what about Fed. Should it ever? Should I even have torps.
I'm less concerned with Boffs and Doffs because I can figure that part out. I just need some basics and what I should be looking to run now and what I should be thinking about for lvl 40. I figure I'll hit 40 in a week, maybe two depending on my free time so I want to prepare now.
thank you for any help.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
If you have energy-specific special items (like Quad Phasers, Quad Disruptors, or Phaser point defense, etc.) then use obviously that energy type.
Dual Heavy Cannons deal the most DPS in the game, that's why you mount those if your ship can use them and turn fast enough to be able to get weapons on target. Since your DHCs fire 45 degrees fore, you put turrets on the aft so that all your weapons can cover that kill zone. They benefit from the same bridge officer abilities that affect cannons.
Beam Arrays deal considerably less damage at almost all ranges compared to Dual Heavy Cannons, but have a 250 degree firing arc - so fore and aft beams overlap at 70 degrees port and starboard. They're for cruisers who can't mount DHCs and turn slowly.
You should have all turrets aft. Fore you should have either all DHCs or one torp launcher and the rest DHCs. At 50, switch one of the aft turrets with a Kinetic Cutting Beam.
Using two Quantum torpedo launchers is a specific build requiring two purple Projectile Officer DOffs, allowing you to fire a near-constant stream of Quantum torpedoes.
Usually only science ships go all torps - since torps don't require weapon power they can put it all into Aux. DHCs offer the best DPS, so you try to use those whenever possible.
You can still Do a dbb/3dhc/2turret setup, 1Torp/3dhc/2turret setup or an 4dhc/2turret setup
Since Beam overload 3 is cheap on the exchange and ApO3 is captain trainable when spec'ed into Attack patterns (lt level skill tree) and crf/csv can be trained at the boff trainer the tac boffs should be taken care of. The Sci and eng boffs are the same as any upper escort.
As far as weapon choices are concerned all the same energy type is the key. same goes for tac consoles. The mk value and quality make the difference. On a new toon with almost no funds may choose to use common items so they can resell them once they are finnished. You may also want to hold onto higher quality items for the next rank. If you have the luxury of a account bank you can hold onto account bound items of blue or purple quality for your next toon. (Since romulans will be out in may it is definitely worth looking into.)
Sci consoles are a bit trickier since there are no field generators. Usually any console with emitter or a biofunction monitor will be the only ones worth anything at that rank.
Eng console would be best with the armor.
A positron deflector is still the best choice for an escort. even if it is white and a rank lower. Combat engines for the lower power levels. As far as shields are concerned I prefer to get a green quality with and energy based modifier of the enemy. So if you are on the romulan front then I would choose [pla]
It's lower DPS since it's one less weapon affected by cannon abilities, and especially as a Tac you don't have much ways to off-set the power drain unless you're popping batteries. I'd rather grab a torp ability.
It's not that great for STFs either, I think it's more for damage spikes in PvP.
On the other hand, cannons require you to be at around 3km to get the most out of them, and if you stay at long ranges most of the time you end up with more DPS by slotting in a DBB. Especially true with a lot of distances between enemies.
On my main (science officer) when I selected the Defiant at level 30, I went with two DHC's, a dual cannon, quantum torpedo launcher fore, and two turrets aft -- tetryon all around. At level 50 with my advanced escort, I run two DHC's, a dual beam bank (allows for overload, which makes an excellent finisher/opener with DBB's, and TS:S), chroniton torpedoes fore, and three turrets aft -- polaron all around.
Spock's Brain.
1. Some types are definitely better than others. Generally procs that add damage are preferred so I believe Antiproton and Disruptor are at the top. Plasma and Tetryon can also be considered but have drawbacks.
However that also affects their price. I use Tetryon myself because they are much cheaper on the market.
2. DHC up front and turrets at the back. You can make other setups work but DHC and turrets sets the standard.
3. 0 or 1 torps up front. I use 1 because without torp Boff skills I don't know what I'd put in their place. Quantum Torpedo's are pretty standard.
Bo3 with a dbb can kill most ships in PvE and since most mob groups consist of 1 or 2 large ships with a few smaller one that rarely ever use tac team. An alpha when aproaching with crf/csv when up close will make short work.
All missions scale to your level, so you can play the episodes at 50 for better rewards/loots to get you ready to start regular STFs.
Universal consoles from the exchange are a nice choice for those slots, if one has the spare change. Especially Isometrics or (point-defense for KDF) are quite powerful at low levels.
It's not that big a deal; just don't use overload right before or during a cannon power, and match EPtW/Aux2Bat use to match power loss instead of frontloading damage (since once you're in combat, you're cycling them and the difference is academic). Sure, if you use overload in the middle of CRF/CSV your power will absolutely tank, but sparing that it's eminently manageable.
Spock's Brain.
1. Any type, actually just get the cheapest u can fin @ the exchange. U can worry about the type when u reach lvl 50.
2. U do not need beams or beams banks. Make turrets on the back side. Dueal heavy cannons fore.
3. Yes, u should have one torpedo, fore.
4. Torpedo Spread, Scatter Volley, Tactical Team.
Crazy ppl:
The highest dmg u can get in pve is with plasma, not antiproton. And yes, there is no antiproton for lvl 30 <.<
Bottom line is to not sweat it.
STO Forum member since before February 2010.
STO Academy's excellent skill planner here: Link
I actually avoid success entirely. It doesn't get me what I want, and the consequences for failure are slim. -- markhawman
This.
Also forget about torps. Pish posh, who needs em. Save your points. Either 4 Dual Heavy cannons front, or 3 and a Dual beam array (for Beam overload) and 3 turrets of the same type rear.