Request: Advice on Torpedos

asmodeus451

after doing pretty darn abysmally against the Crystalline Entity with my entirely energy-weapon loadout, i now know i need to get some Torps, if only for that particular PVE.

thing is, i've done a ton of research on energy-based weaponry, but know almost nothing about torpedos. i found some older guides: http://www.freemmoguides.com/star-trek-online/star-trek-online-ship-weapons-guide/#projectile-weapons

but they dont take into account the cooldown reducing DOffs and other such things, and the math is a bit complicated for my poor noggin.

i currently have 2 DOffs that have a "chance to reduce the recharge time of torpedoes," one white, one purpple

i already know i'm gonna need at least 2 torps loaded out front, but with my setup, what's gonna be the most efficient DPS?

i know that without the DOffs, my best bet would be 2 Photon Torps and leave it there, so how much of a factor are the DOffs? could i go with Quantum and still get the "every 3 seconds" efficiency?

szerontzur

In a nutshell:

2 Photon Launchers will cycle perfectly without projectile doffs. This setup with a pair of alternating torpedo spreads will function similarly to a scatter volley build and is probably the best place to start with a kinetic build. It's low requirements also means it can work on just about any ship in the game. Obviously, it can synergize with energy weapon builds fairly easily.

3 Quantum Launchers will cycle with about 1 second of waste every three shots. With Projectile boffs, you can drop this down to 2 (or even 1) launchers, but it's quite unpredictable/unreliable. Quantum boats are about the best you're going to do with a 'traditional' setup. When you combine it with quantum mines and time them properly, you can single-handedly drop elite cubes in about 5~10 seconds(up to about 30 seconds for terri-bad luck/shield cycling).

It's ultimately up to you, Photons really aren't that much worse than Quantums. It's more a question of whether you want stability or like to gamble. Or, you could just grab a single Omega launcher and break all the rules.

Other launchers/damage types generally aren't worth traditional builds because they either don't do enough damage, or the alternate route is simply much more efficient.


Now, proper Torpedo Boats operate quite differently from other ships in the game. They employ specialty launchers that don't share cooldowns with each other. With the current weapon availability, there are three basic setups: Plasma, Transphasic, and 'Exotic'. The former doesn't really need projectile doffs(cycle speed is fast enough and the omega catches any dead-time), but the latter two will greatly benefit from having some.

Plasma Torpedo-boats are probably the most expensive, time-consuming, and difficult to set up(and learn). The idea behind them is to bypass cooldowns by using the Omega, Hyper, and a standard Plasma launcher up front. This will provide a continous stream of plasma death at targets, but it has a very distinct playstyle and highly favors Science Ships(or a ship capable of at least fitting Gravity Well 1 and tractor repulsors). Additionally, the more tactical slots to fit torpedo spreads and high yields, the better. The gameplay style requires a bit more patience and careful calculation to play well. Ideally, you want to use Gravity Well and time your high yield for an Omega Plasma Bolt to inflict massive damage on everything at once while pummeling them down with everything else. When ships are out of a gravity well, you'll generally be better off throwing out torpedo spreads(better against faster targets, cannot miss, and spread plasma fire to multiple targets at once). The goal is complete, plasma fire saturation; the more stacks you have on everything, the more the battlefield just melts in your presence. The one huge caveat of this build is that you must absolutely maintain a distance from potential targets - you can easily kill yourself in record time with the all the splash damage(even a tiny enemy fighter zipping across your bow at the wrong time can put you in a world of hurt). As a side note, the Vesta is a remarkable tool for the setup with it's high number of science and tactical slots, in addition to having a fighter bay for point-defense and a high shield mod that fully takes advantage of the high shield power you'll have with a non-energy weapon build.

Transphasic builds are probably the cheapest to set up and fastest to get rolling. The idea behind them is to use the cluster launcher, rapid-fire torpedos, and the Breen or Adapted MACO/KHG set(for the massive transphasic/kinetic damage set bonus). This means you can almost entirely equip them by just running the Breen missions a couple times. The Cluster Launcher will do fantastic damage that can insta-gib a lot of small and medium-sized ships, but has a long recast and is the main reason you'll want Projectile doffs. While the setup doesn't really require many tactical slots(just a pair of torpedo spreads is all you really 'need'), I find having the extra weapon slots and turn rate of a destroyer/escort is really useful. Having access to Attack Pattern Omega and/or Dispersal Pattern Beta 3(mines) will also help the build exponentially. While this build can kill ships outright with their shields still almost entirely intact, it's not going to be quite as potent as other kinetic builds against structures or other super-hulled targets(not that the damage is bad, quantums will simply tear down structures faster).

Lastly, there is the 'Exotic Launcher' build. It doesn't do quite as much damage as the other two, but it is a solid setup that has been around a long time. Basically, rather than sticking to a single damage type, you're mounting general torpedo damage consoles and bypassing long cooldown launchers by mixing them together. Specifically, you'll be running the Hargh'Peng, Breen Cluster Launcher, a Tricobalt and/or Bio-Neural Warhead. It was/is originally used on Vo'Quvs, so you can use it on pretty much any ship if you want to. Most of the launchers you're using here cannot be modified by torpedo skills, so it really doesn't need much in the way of tactical bridge slots. You will, however, want to stack the best Projectile doffs you can afford because they're all long cooldown weapons that substantially benefit from reductions. This is also the only build that can really draw out of the full potential of the Hargh'Peng - which has one of the fastest projectile velocities in the game.

dahminus

In an even smaller nut shell:

Rom hyper + omega, designate hyper to fire first.

Get three doffs.

Use torp spread but only with the hyper

Have fun.

What are your doffs? How far into a torp boat are you going?

reginamala78

Much shorter version

With 2-3 purple torpedo doffs (you can get them free by colonizing the Khazan Cluster), a pair of quantum launchers will give you a steady stream of torpedoes slamming into your shieldless target (my personal record is 14 in a row before missing a proc). Add in torp spread and you can make a real mess, though without some good healing numbers to back it up, its difficult to take first place off of damage alone.

dahminus

What Regina mal a says his true. Healing playa an enormous part in ensuring a first place spot. It can done without though

hasukurobi

One note from me: Just because you may want a Torp does not mean you have to go crazy and invest everything in them. A SINGLE Torp Luancher (Especially Quantum or Romulan Hyper Torp) with either Torpedo Spread or Torpedo High Yield skills combined with the rest of your energy weapons will do a lot of damage and easily fill the needs of Torpedoes in pretty much any situation outside maybe siege warfare (except that the Romulan Hyper is AWESOME for that).

Really having more than one forward Torp or going full Torp Boat is a waste of damage dealing potential around 95% of the time compared to a proper hybrid build designed to eliminate shields with energy weapons (Beam Overload III FTW) and then eliminate hull with a massive Torp blast to bare hull (Torp High Yield or Spread III with a Fleet Quntaum FTW).

corelogik

Without doing any extensive research into the matter, only anecdotal from usage, my setup is as follows;

Federation:
Fore: 2x Quantum Mk XII
Aft: 1x Quantum Mk XII
Console: Zero Point Quantum Chamber Mk XII (+30%)


Klingon: Qin Heavy Raptor
Fore: 2x Chroniton Mk XII
Aft: 1x Chroniton Mk XII
Console: Chroniton Flux Modulator Console Mk XII (+30%)

Romulan:
Fore: 2x Bio-Molecular Torpedo (Enhanced Photon Torpedo)
Aft: 1x Bio-Molecular Torpedo
Console: Photon Detonation Assembly Mk XII (+30%)

I then have 2 purple doffs for projectile weapons cool downs. I may not have the best setup in the game, but I don't PvP at all and when in combat I have a pretty continuous stream of torpedos that appear to be fairly effective against enemies.

celticfistcoh

How well does the lobi store missile launcher interact with a torpedo build? Trying to figure out how to work a torpedo boat with my Rommie Science Capt.

dahminus

celticfistcoh wrote: »

How well does the lobi store missile launcher interact with a torpedo build? Trying to figure out how to work a torpedo boat with my Rommie Science Capt.

Would be decent as a resetter IF high yield and torp spread didn't affect it...totally wasted if you power it. pass it by

celticfistcoh

Does each time the launcher fire give a chance for projectile doff cool down trigger? I have heard it could mess up timing of trying to fire off a HY or Spread on another launcher.

dahminus

The trick to auto firing is priority setting...that said if you aren't paying attention, you could high yield the rapid fire which is weak

szerontzur

celticfistcoh wrote: »

How well does the lobi store missile launcher interact with a torpedo build? Trying to figure out how to work a torpedo boat with my Rommie Science Capt.

It would have potential to be a nice aft weapon on a kinetic ship, but with it being locked to fore weapon slots, it's really hard to justify.

While it can be fun use it with torpedo spread, all my attempts to make good use of it have just lead me to the conclusion that it's simply a flashy gimmick. It's not 'horrible' with the right setups(particularly 'exotic launcher' builds), but the situation is similar to mounting a turret in a fore weapon slot. There are so many better options.