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Aux2SIF love?
hyouki
Member Posts: 0 Arc User
I'm just curious because I see a lot of talk about Aux2Batt builds and some mention of Aux2Dampeners for cruisers, but I never really considered them because I've always used Aux2SIF as my "band-aid" heal...with a 15 second cooldown, it's frequently available and quick to slap on someone (or myself) to help them survive long enough for a bigger heal to come off cooldown (the damage resist bonus is just icing on the cake). Am I the only one using this? Am I giving up something more valuable (either one of the other Aux2 or a different eng power)?
Post edited by hyouki on
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Having said that, I'm considering going with an Aux2Batt build so I'm wondering what if any changes I need to make with all my other engineering boff powers. (beyond obviously putting in Aux2Batt herp derp) Probably put in an EP2Aux1 and make do with only one copy of EP2S. From what I understand the Emergency Power to X chain of powers are getting nerfed in some fashion so this is one of the reasons why I'm considering an Aux2Batt build.
Not to mention it does not conflict with SCI Hazard Emitters, which it too is based on Aux Power for effectiveness. The 2 are a great combination.
Cruiser builds that rely on heavy usage of the other Aux2___ skills, negate ASIF as a means to heal. In other Cruiser builds, ASIF is almost always standing by, at the ready. Not so with something like A2B, and most especially so with Dual A2Batt builds.
You CAN still have ASIF use even with A2Batt builds, but the wonky nature of your Aux Power level with such a build forces heavy usage of Aux Batteries / Red Matter Capacitor before popping ASIF. And after you use that device, they all go into a lengthy cooldown. Again, this really narrows down the effectiveness of alot of healing abilities with the A2Batt build.
In short, something like A2Batt on a Cruiser forsakes ASIF as a reliable healing / defense ability. What the user for such a build is going for is increased power to the other subsystems, usually for more offensive strength and cutting down on BOFF skill cooldowns. But this kind of build negates the healing usefulness of ASIF and HE, unless the user pops in a battery / Red Matter Capacitor. If they want healing, they my need to look more at Engineering Team, which is not Aux Based, but will conflict with builds that cycle Tactical Team.
Aux2Batt is great and different for a Cruiser, but you will be giving up some nice things once you dig past the coolness of the build.
I also keep Aux to SIF 3 on it as well.
Now, yes, A2B will keep Aux to SIF on a cooldown, but what I've learned from my time using this build is that I simply can't spam A2B all the time. Instead what I need to do is hit it when I need it.
I've found that as long as I keep my shields up, most hull damage can be handled. Plus, if I need to, I can hit Hazards, because of one important thing HE can do:
It's HoT is based off your aux power when you hit HE, NOT your current Aux power.
Which means that, if I do 500 per tick at 50 aux (for sake of simplicity), then hit A2B, I will still be ticking for 500 hull for the rest of HE's duration. Plus HE's cooldown will be reduced as well.
(This does not apply for TSS, which is based off your current aux power per tick, so if you go to low aux, it will drop in effectiveness)
I save Aux to SIF 3 if I or a team mate needs it. If I use it, I understand I will have to deal with the shared cooldown, but it is what it is.
I've just found that, you simply have to be more strategic with using your BOFF abilities when using an A2B build. Aux to SIF can still have a place in that build, you just have to use it more sparingly.
It's a great skill in a pinch and is the perfect one two punch with my Engineering Team 3 (also on a 15 second cool down)
My 3 primary Hull Heals on most of my vessels are:
Engineering Team 3 (With 2 Very Rare Maintenance Doffs)
Aux2SIF 3 (If I can slot it)
Hazard Emitters 1
Mind that I fly a fleet excelsior, so, I'm betting more tactical/science ships may want to have epts or something else instead. But if you *can* use it, you WANT to use it. IMHO, of course.
Its rarely needed, en mk X MACO, rotating EPtS 3, TSS2 and TT, and covering bleedthrough with HE1, and slamming A2B to reduce all the cooldowns. If you really need to turtle up though, skip using the A2B and just run A2SIF3 every cooldown until you stabilize.
I can easily solo Terradome's space combat, in far from elite gear, for whatever that is worth. Plus it'll give you greater team prescence than a double A2B build.
Well, this thread is about aux2sif - but I could see aux2bat doing that. I don't like aux2bat on my cruiser since it takes away some of my best doffs and reduces my ability to heal through insanity. What aux2bat is *really* good at is doing insane damage output. With two copies of aux2bat and three purple technicians, a two minute boff skill cooldown is actually thirty *seconds* - think about that.
Do you or anyone else have a link for an Aux2Bat build? I'm curious enough to try it out.
http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/?build=jackofalltradesregent_0
Edit: I also have the fleet version but that *only* adds 1 tac console. Rest of the build stayed the same.
Here is my Auxiliary to Battery build for the Galaxy. The skill tree is set up to alternate between that and the Excelsior. The Galaxy isn't the best ship to use, but it's doing 6,000 sustained DPS in ISE and tanks very well in PvE.