Cant see anyone make this suggestion but if faw is active or they're spamming that send in fighters. 6x5 = 30 more targets and that's just deploying one wing. Sure they're gonna die fast but that's what they're there for, to get faw distributed amongst more targets thus decreasing the shots to you.
Lol. That's funny. Still, imagine wave after wave of scorpions and their high yields with photonics fleet and for added fun AA if kids...better yet elite interceptors instead of scorps. Nimbus distress call and lock em down.
If there's more than one cruiser and they are butt-huggin each other, just bring a couple of sci with AOE attacks. Preferably with enhanced battlecloak.
One with AoE hold like GW/sing jump and the other with AOE drain (TR), this will hold them in place and shut down their system power. Keep your finger over subnuc for when they try to escape. Scramble sensors and/or Antimatter Spread console will AOE confuse. If they stop BFaW you can drop some high-aux web mines with DPB and kill them quickly. AOE stun from Tricobalt and/or Photonic Shockwave could probably be used too, although the repel from Tricobalts is tricky and the torp will get shot down by BFaW if they arent disabled already.
Also, there are a couple of options for cloaking. The KHG set has MEF which works with cloaking skill (doesnt work without it), and there is the Photonic Displacement console that will give you a fake warp shadow with cloak. But honestly you should be using B'rel or T'varo for this.
You know, it's funny. It really is. It seems every 2-4 months a skill, boff, doff or whatever will be denounced as op; the cries for nerf become numerous, and eventually something is done about it. This topic came up at least twice today in opvp, and there's been threads on it throughout the past several weeks.
I've been playing this game for almost 2 years, and I've slowly, ever so slowly, dipped my toe into the pvp field. Which, btw, TD channel is awesome; best matches I've ever had
For the longest time, ppl would cry that the sci's and engies can't hold their own in pvp, except for those in highly specialized builds. Cruisers were only welcomed in pre-mades as a highly specialized healer or de-buffer. Escorts ruled the roosts (and many crowed about it).
For someone entering the ques, inexperienced and sporting their bestest pve gear, pvp is insta-death; we all know that. It took me forever of grinding and farming to be able to afford decent stuff, not giving in to the griefers and just kept swinging/pew pewing away.
With all these combinations, there are only a few things cruiser-jocks can do to not only survive in pvp in a Star Trek environment, but have some fun as well.
Now, it seems to me the escort pilots want to take it and nerf it down. This is only my opinion; I may very well be wrong and misinformed (won't be the first time).
I do think threads such as this one....are great. Don't like the tactics/skills your opponent is using? Find a way to counter it. Cruiser pilots had to learn to overcome their deficiencies for wanting to control a flying brick and adapt - same should be said for everyone.
Once again, only my opinion. Not trolling nor trying to start interwebz fights
You know, it's funny. It really is. It seems every 2-4 months a skill, boff, doff or whatever will be denounced as op...
I've mentioned this a few times, I guess it's my schtick so to speak...but it really shouldn't be a surprise (although I think the blame is oft misplaced).
Every 2-4 months is around the cycle that Cryptic will introduce some new thing that when used in conjunction with something else or with a few pieces...does create issues. The issues (imho) are not usually with the target of the complaints. That's just the figurehead that's been boosted to such a level by other things that have been introduced.
Unfortunately, this can lead to the "figurehead" being nerfed in some fashion and to get any sort of reliable return out of it - well, you need all the extra stuff (which oft means a financial gain for Cryptic). Yeah, yeah - need to put the tinfoil hat away...but it's a funny observation I keep coming to time and time again.
Heck, consider the revenue from people doing respecs to keep up, eh? Damn tinfoil hat.
So, the counter might be just to wait until the cycle swings back around to something you have...maybe hit up TD matches or the like in the interim...wait it out doing other things in the game. There's plenty of grind introduced too.
Speaking of aceton as wel.... all the faw sort of makes me hope the aceton console ends up in the next lockbox.
One fix for all the faw... aceton assimilators all over the place. lol
Aceton assimilator is not the console it once was. It can be easily destroyed by kinetic damage. 2-3 hits from my KCB kills one. Guess who runs with KCB these days? That's right. Everybody and their granma.
I can't believe I'm actually going to give advice in this forum, oh well.
First off the current flavor of the month FAW spam is a response to the current meta more than anything else. Shields are extremely difficult to crack, burst has been nerfed, hull resistances have more opportunity cost to keep high, and a lack of co-ordination within a team are the main reasons. With that out of the way let us look at potential counter play concepts.
FaW+APB+DEM
The offensive aspect works well at smashing a target's hull by tanking it's resistance and ignoring to some degree it's primary form of defense, the shields.
First off, what is the hull resistance on most ships these days even before APB tanks it? How many people still run a pair of Neut resistance consoles along with a nice Aux2Strut and/or PH to boost it up? Keep in mind kinetic is no longer that great of a threat it is time to get some serious hull resistance back onto your ship and here are a few ideas to that end.
- Drop the fleet shield, pick up HG. The durability for your shields themselves are nearly the same but Honor Guard has it's always useful placate proc when the enemy unloads into you.
- Get two Neut armors.
- Polarize Hull, Aux2Strut, Aux2Damp+Doff, APD, APO and so on can preserve your resistance even with APB on you.
- Save the TT for after the first application of APB and it will outlast it.
- FBP, Scramble Sensors, SubNuke, duck behind or just out of range. FaW only has 50% uptime.
- SPAM the field, each shot at anything other than you is a shot not at you so to speak.
- 3pc Omega secondary set. The proc is stupid strong for staying alive.
For the longest time everyone has ignored their hull resistance because shield strength was what mattered, times have changed. Oh and +defense is always good for staying alive. Lastly FaW cannot help you 'focus fire' down a single target which really messes with the meta everyone is used to. Target gets focused, healer keeps it alive, etc. Now everyone is a target and needs to bring it's own survival while focusing down the FaW boats one or two at a time.
Aux2Batt
- Polaron weapons. Seriously. No Aux no Aux2Batt no CDR no abilities.
- Subsystem Targeting AUX.
Killing Them
These ships are primarily defensively designed to stay alive by killing it's target first. Bring APD, a subnuke or two, get close to their tail and unload.
In the End
The FaW boats work so well because they don't require co-ordination to be highly effective. I promise you if a group of 5 highly co-ordinated players took 5 escorts with a detailed plan and twinked to the gills into the eSTFs they would beat the current 'speed records'. At the same time a group of co-ordinated players would laugh at the FaW ball as they tore them to pieces. Now in some settings (TD for example) anything that excels without co-ordination is going to be stronger for that meta but that does not mean their is something inherently wrong with it. Just like some champions in LoL are stronger in solo queue than they are in tournament play.
PS Edit: If anything is OP that would be the romulan experimental beam array. It is hands down the strongest weapon in the game. It has all bonuses with no downsides unlike the KCB. Oh and attack pattern beta but every single time I bring that up the PvP community has always claimed it to be useless in PvP and of no concern. Just saying.
in the pursuit of max DPS, i find these cruisers sacrifice a LOT of survivability, allowing for spike to be very effective against them. with the direct to hull punishment these days, people need to run more hull heals. people think they can slot HE 1 and be fine, lol no. the armor from the mine holding, get some, boosting 2 different things makes them more then worth our eng console slots. maybe you need to unslot those crit consoles, with their pittance of crit boosting, if you cant hang in 10 range of a cruiser these days.
FBP can work... smart players will stop using faw... which I guess is a win.
Aceton is interesting... its pretty pointless as its cleared by hazards. That's the main issue I see with it. (cool down is fine on an atb build funny enough)
Perhaps if Cryptic really is going to stand by working as intended for Beam Overcapping.
What we need to do is Pressure them into changing Aceton up.
What if Aceton....
Was cleared by Engi Team instead of Hazards.
Had a 45s Cool down.
and Had a 15s Effect time.
And to top it off... Drop it down at least one rank.... perhaps even all the way to Ensign.
Aceton 1 - Ensign (25% dmg reduction... small Rad dmg)
Aceton 2 - Lt (33% dmg reduction... medium Rad dmg)
Aceton 3 - Lt Cmd (50% dmg reduction... large Rad Dmg)
I think this would be a nice boost to cruisers... give us another usable ensign skill.
I absolutely support this. However, this would (in programming terms) be in the same lines as creating a new skill...at least for Aceton Beam 1 since it doesn't currently exist at the Ensign level.
If they are willing to do something of this caliber, it wouldn't be too far off the mark to implement additional BOff skills altogether. It would require some reprogramming of the random BOff skill assignment.
__________________________________________________
All hands! Prepare the popcorn and tinfoil hats!
... the armor from the mine holding, get some, boosting 2 different things makes them more then worth our eng console slots. maybe you need to unslot those crit consoles, with their pittance of crit boosting, if you cant hang in 10 range of a cruiser these days.
I was talking to a guy who was dying a lot in a STF and I said I run two mine neutroniums. He then asked where I put my universal consoles because he was using all of his science slots for embassy plasma consoles and proceeded to call me a noob. I had to /facepalm because if you're dying you're not doing any DPS lol.
I love the mine consoles. The Mk X ones are really cheap and still give a great bonus.
For countering FAW boats? I've been doing well with EPtE and going in for a fast kill. The scimitar is great because you still have shields while in the cloaking/decloaking process and the avenger can spike well, while still being able to take a beating
Could you give me a set up for the most outrageously powerful faw a2b fleet excel??
Or would there be a better Fed cruiser for it??
I thought fleet assault, that way you have the aggro aura if you want it in pve. I don't see a big advantage over the avenger if you intend a FAW A2B build.
PvE Jem'Hadar motto:Participation Ribbonsare life.
I have never tried the A2B FAW build, but it just seems that my heals are not as important as more dps. I have a heavy healer and will lead in heals, but we still lose, and the biggest difference I see is my dps is pathetic. I have tried a moderate heal/attack combo, but it seems that the dillution of the heals and the inadequecy of the dps is even worse. I think the DEM+AtB+FAW is the way to maximize the cruiser that makes other builds obsolete.
Has anyone had sustained success with a non-A2B Engineer cruiser?
PvE Jem'Hadar motto:Participation Ribbonsare life.
That is exactly what I suggested in the thread which is now on page 2 - the QQing from kdf players calling my thread a troll thread was getting so bad I just don't respond to it anymore - but feel free if you want.
Since the KDF got such a lousy deal on last cross faction lockbox console and many previous ones, if you really wanted to be fair to the KDF you would have suggested trading something like magnometric generator for TDF, but no, you just want to take all the coolest best stuff from the KDF so you don't have to play your KDF characters anymore beyond doing contrband runs, then you can log onto your Fed Rom and use all the KDF toys on it.
Its obvious you were one of the main posters that got leech stolen from the KDF, and I wouldn't be suprised if you were asking for KDF battlecruisers to be given to Feds before also.
So don't be suprised if KDF players aren't too receptive of any of your suggestions anymore. The KDF is a faction just like the Feds are and not something that just exists to test your toys out that you ask for in lockboxes and something to let you farm contraband on.
Hmm....
So what I'm getting here so far is to boost hull resist(Neuts, AtS, AtD, PH, APD)/defense, use scramble/FBP judiciously, and Hit&run. APD sounds like it may be an excellent tactic against multiple FaW users, since it would apply itself like crazy.
Filling the area with targets would also help, as will placates. Drain/disable as an offensive strategy sounds like it would work, too.
For tacs, the go-to would be cloaking spike hit&run, while spiking resist every time out of cloak.
The FAW+ATB+DEM is effective, but what clearly throws it over the top is the marion doff and now the new comm commands for cruisers+Omega weapon amp! :rolleyes:
A lot of Sci players try to stop my BFAW + DEM onslaught by using FBP. However, with enough armor and some carefully timed hull reinforcement/resist skills (SFM, PH), I've been able to tank the damage from almost every FBP I've encountered.
In fact, I often take the activation of FBP as a sign that the target is weak and is trying to keep me at bay while waiting on a heal or CD. And since my weapons are still doing damage, I instinctively close the distance and pour on everything I've got in terms of offensive buffs.
Net result is that, 9 times out of 10, I'll kill or seriously wound them before they've done enough damage to me to make me think about breaking-off.
Risky. Aggressive. But surprisingly effective against all but the most OP/experienced Sci captains...
That is exactly what I suggested in the thread which is now on page 2 - the QQing from kdf players calling my thread a troll thread was getting so bad I just don't respond to it anymore - but feel free if you want.
I'd actually think the Wide Angle Quantum Torpedo Launcher would be a more balanced trade. I was kind of surprised the KDF didn't get that in the box with the Bio-Neural Warhead Torpedo, which would have made it an any ship torpedo in exchange for an any ship torpedo. That would have made too much sense, though... and made KDF players far too happy. :P
With each passing day I wonder if I stepped into an alternate reality. The Cubs win the world series. Donald Trump is President. Britain leaves the EU. STO gets a dedicated PvP season. Engineers are "out of control" in STO.
A lot of Sci players try to stop my BFAW + DEM onslaught by using FBP. However, with enough armor and some carefully timed hull reinforcement/resist skills (SFM, PH), I've been able to tank the damage from almost every FBP I've encountered.
In fact, I often take the activation of FBP as a sign that the target is weak and is trying to keep me at bay while waiting on a heal or CD. And since my weapons are still doing damage, I instinctively close the distance and pour on everything I've got in terms of offensive buffs.
Net result is that, 9 times out of 10, I'll kill or seriously wound them before they've done enough damage to me to make me think about breaking-off.
Risky. Aggressive. But surprisingly effective against all but the most OP/experienced Sci captains...
RCK
Understandable, which is why FBP as a counter has to be stacked with resists as well - and with high Aux/partigens too. I've seen plenty of Science vessels with FBP that doesn't sting enough to hurt - in which case it's useless.
Understandable, which is why FBP as a counter has to be stacked with resists as well - and with high Aux/partigens too. I've seen plenty of Science vessels with FBP that doesn't sting enough to hurt - in which case it's useless.
I may have missed some discussion earlier, and it has a long cooldown, but just how well does dropping Scramble Sensors on a FAWker the moment you see the FAWking flag work? The auto-fire aspect makes it FAWking uninterruptable without Subnuke, right? Oh, and sorry about the FAWking jokes, my sense of humor got away from me.
With each passing day I wonder if I stepped into an alternate reality. The Cubs win the world series. Donald Trump is President. Britain leaves the EU. STO gets a dedicated PvP season. Engineers are "out of control" in STO.
Since the KDF got such a lousy deal on last cross faction lockbox console and many previous ones, if you really wanted to be fair to the KDF you would have suggested trading something like magnometric generator for TDF, but no, you just want to take all the coolest best stuff from the KDF so you don't have to play your KDF characters anymore beyond doing contrband runs, then you can log onto your Fed Rom and use all the KDF toys on it.
So.... much butthurtz over loosing out on superior console exclusivity? Because the KDF consoles are better overall, you DO realize that right? They also got generally better ships with the exception of fedscorts. This was all a while ago but once you accept the KDF was given some of the best stuff and still is best at getting Dil in a futil attempt to get it to grow the butthurtz will likely pass. Of course, you will want to rage at the Roms, they hold the spot the KDF held long ago. Lots of advantages, few or no downsides. At least the KDF ships had some balancing done on them, they paid for their cloaks, the Roms.... not so much and they get better cloaks and extra crit/def/cloak bonus duration. There, that's it in a nutshell, feel free to RAGEEEE at the devs for making the roms the new special snowflake,you may also want to RAGEEEE at the rom players because clearly they are the ones at fault for Cryptic being unable to make balanced stuff while still promoting sales.
Actually I see the roms being OP as a sign from the devs acknowledging the mistakes made with the KDF and trying not to repeat them.
Hopefully the KDF balance pass will come soon and they will be made fairly powerful too in a very obvious way.
Also can we cut the c**p of KDF were given all the best toys exclusively. You had to and still have to pay Zen for them, when things appear in a lockbox most of the time you can get away with only paying ec for them. Some of the consoles are horrifyingly cheap too.
So.... much butthurtz over loosing out on superior console exclusivity? Because the KDF consoles are better overall, you DO realize that right? They also got generally better ships with the exception of fedscorts.
So much BS in one post. Feds have great consoles as well. The only difference is that they are exclusive to their T5 ships and Cryptic conveniently doesn't give those away in lockboxes. Furthermore not only fedscorts surpass KDF ships. The Vesta is a better scienceship than all scienceships the KDF has access to and the Avenger surpasses every Klingon battlecruiser. Frigates and Raiders are the only KDF exclusives now (plus the aceton assimilator), but it is most likely only a matter of time until Cryptic releases better Fed versions of those as well. To this day KDF hasn't even gotten her own version of an Escort carrier.
So much BS in one post. Feds have great consoles as well. The only difference is that they are exclusive to their T5 ships and Cryptic conveniently doesn't give those away in lockboxes. Furthermore not only fedscorts surpass KDF ships. The Vesta is a better scienceship than all scienceships the KDF has access to and the Avenger surpasses every Klingon battlecruiser. Frigates and Raiders are the only KDF exclusives now (plus the aceton assimilator), but it is most likely only a matter of time until Cryptic releases better Fed versions of those as well. To this day KDF hasn't even gotten her own version of an Escort carrier.
The Vesta is a better sci ship than anything the KDF has access to true, but the lowliest BoP is better than any raider the feds have access to, as in NONE. I ahve to ask, which T5 console is it that you want? Capable builds rarely use any of the T5 consoles due to the extremely long CDs.
Finally, notice I said that was all a while ago, before the avenger and fleet assault cruiser came into being. I realize for most players that's actually before their time in the game, but it should serve to show just how long the KDF had exclusive access to these better consoles.
@Bpharma: You complain that feds can now merely pay a few million EC for consoles the KDF has to pay zen for? Think of this, feds generally don't even think about the console they're getting with a ship because tehy're generally TRIBBLE. At best it'll be used once or twice for the sake of trying it out before getting thrown in the bank to never be seen again.
I would try to drain that sucker's power between a couple of heavy drain sci ships. From some other guy complaining, it seems using Tyken's Rift with a couple of other drains like ES3 and plasmonic leech is pretty effective.
Comments
I see we are taking tactics out of Zapp Brannigan's playbook now.
It is through repetition that we learn our weakness.
A master with a stone is better than a novice with a sword.
Has damage got out of control?
This is the last thing I will post.
One with AoE hold like GW/sing jump and the other with AOE drain (TR), this will hold them in place and shut down their system power. Keep your finger over subnuc for when they try to escape. Scramble sensors and/or Antimatter Spread console will AOE confuse. If they stop BFaW you can drop some high-aux web mines with DPB and kill them quickly. AOE stun from Tricobalt and/or Photonic Shockwave could probably be used too, although the repel from Tricobalts is tricky and the torp will get shot down by BFaW if they arent disabled already.
Also, there are a couple of options for cloaking. The KHG set has MEF which works with cloaking skill (doesnt work without it), and there is the Photonic Displacement console that will give you a fake warp shadow with cloak. But honestly you should be using B'rel or T'varo for this.
I've been playing this game for almost 2 years, and I've slowly, ever so slowly, dipped my toe into the pvp field. Which, btw, TD channel is awesome; best matches I've ever had
For the longest time, ppl would cry that the sci's and engies can't hold their own in pvp, except for those in highly specialized builds. Cruisers were only welcomed in pre-mades as a highly specialized healer or de-buffer. Escorts ruled the roosts (and many crowed about it).
For someone entering the ques, inexperienced and sporting their bestest pve gear, pvp is insta-death; we all know that. It took me forever of grinding and farming to be able to afford decent stuff, not giving in to the griefers and just kept swinging/pew pewing away.
With all these combinations, there are only a few things cruiser-jocks can do to not only survive in pvp in a Star Trek environment, but have some fun as well.
Now, it seems to me the escort pilots want to take it and nerf it down. This is only my opinion; I may very well be wrong and misinformed (won't be the first time).
I do think threads such as this one....are great. Don't like the tactics/skills your opponent is using? Find a way to counter it. Cruiser pilots had to learn to overcome their deficiencies for wanting to control a flying brick and adapt - same should be said for everyone.
Once again, only my opinion. Not trolling nor trying to start interwebz fights
Hrmm, if PI didn't affect overcap at all...0% resist on the overcap....hrmm.
I've mentioned this a few times, I guess it's my schtick so to speak...but it really shouldn't be a surprise (although I think the blame is oft misplaced).
Every 2-4 months is around the cycle that Cryptic will introduce some new thing that when used in conjunction with something else or with a few pieces...does create issues. The issues (imho) are not usually with the target of the complaints. That's just the figurehead that's been boosted to such a level by other things that have been introduced.
Unfortunately, this can lead to the "figurehead" being nerfed in some fashion and to get any sort of reliable return out of it - well, you need all the extra stuff (which oft means a financial gain for Cryptic). Yeah, yeah - need to put the tinfoil hat away...but it's a funny observation I keep coming to time and time again.
Heck, consider the revenue from people doing respecs to keep up, eh? Damn tinfoil hat.
So, the counter might be just to wait until the cycle swings back around to something you have...maybe hit up TD matches or the like in the interim...wait it out doing other things in the game. There's plenty of grind introduced too.
Aceton assimilator is not the console it once was. It can be easily destroyed by kinetic damage. 2-3 hits from my KCB kills one. Guess who runs with KCB these days? That's right. Everybody and their granma.
Elite Defense Stovokor
First off the current flavor of the month FAW spam is a response to the current meta more than anything else. Shields are extremely difficult to crack, burst has been nerfed, hull resistances have more opportunity cost to keep high, and a lack of co-ordination within a team are the main reasons. With that out of the way let us look at potential counter play concepts.
FaW+APB+DEM
The offensive aspect works well at smashing a target's hull by tanking it's resistance and ignoring to some degree it's primary form of defense, the shields.
First off, what is the hull resistance on most ships these days even before APB tanks it? How many people still run a pair of Neut resistance consoles along with a nice Aux2Strut and/or PH to boost it up? Keep in mind kinetic is no longer that great of a threat it is time to get some serious hull resistance back onto your ship and here are a few ideas to that end.
- Drop the fleet shield, pick up HG. The durability for your shields themselves are nearly the same but Honor Guard has it's always useful placate proc when the enemy unloads into you.
- Get two Neut armors.
- Polarize Hull, Aux2Strut, Aux2Damp+Doff, APD, APO and so on can preserve your resistance even with APB on you.
- Save the TT for after the first application of APB and it will outlast it.
- FBP, Scramble Sensors, SubNuke, duck behind or just out of range. FaW only has 50% uptime.
- SPAM the field, each shot at anything other than you is a shot not at you so to speak.
- 3pc Omega secondary set. The proc is stupid strong for staying alive.
For the longest time everyone has ignored their hull resistance because shield strength was what mattered, times have changed. Oh and +defense is always good for staying alive. Lastly FaW cannot help you 'focus fire' down a single target which really messes with the meta everyone is used to. Target gets focused, healer keeps it alive, etc. Now everyone is a target and needs to bring it's own survival while focusing down the FaW boats one or two at a time.
Aux2Batt
- Polaron weapons. Seriously. No Aux no Aux2Batt no CDR no abilities.
- Subsystem Targeting AUX.
Killing Them
These ships are primarily defensively designed to stay alive by killing it's target first. Bring APD, a subnuke or two, get close to their tail and unload.
In the End
The FaW boats work so well because they don't require co-ordination to be highly effective. I promise you if a group of 5 highly co-ordinated players took 5 escorts with a detailed plan and twinked to the gills into the eSTFs they would beat the current 'speed records'. At the same time a group of co-ordinated players would laugh at the FaW ball as they tore them to pieces. Now in some settings (TD for example) anything that excels without co-ordination is going to be stronger for that meta but that does not mean their is something inherently wrong with it. Just like some champions in LoL are stronger in solo queue than they are in tournament play.
PS Edit: If anything is OP that would be the romulan experimental beam array. It is hands down the strongest weapon in the game. It has all bonuses with no downsides unlike the KCB. Oh and attack pattern beta but every single time I bring that up the PvP community has always claimed it to be useless in PvP and of no concern. Just saying.
I absolutely support this. However, this would (in programming terms) be in the same lines as creating a new skill...at least for Aceton Beam 1 since it doesn't currently exist at the Ensign level.
If they are willing to do something of this caliber, it wouldn't be too far off the mark to implement additional BOff skills altogether.
All hands! Prepare the popcorn and tinfoil hats!
I was talking to a guy who was dying a lot in a STF and I said I run two mine neutroniums. He then asked where I put my universal consoles because he was using all of his science slots for embassy plasma consoles and proceeded to call me a noob. I had to /facepalm because if you're dying you're not doing any DPS lol.
I love the mine consoles. The Mk X ones are really cheap and still give a great bonus.
For countering FAW boats? I've been doing well with EPtE and going in for a fast kill. The scimitar is great because you still have shields while in the cloaking/decloaking process and the avenger can spike well, while still being able to take a beating
Could you give me a set up for the most outrageously powerful faw a2b fleet excel??
Or would there be a better Fed cruiser for it??
Avenger....
My PvE/PvP hybrid skill tree
I thought fleet assault, that way you have the aggro aura if you want it in pve. I don't see a big advantage over the avenger if you intend a FAW A2B build.
Has anyone had sustained success with a non-A2B Engineer cruiser?
Since the KDF got such a lousy deal on last cross faction lockbox console and many previous ones, if you really wanted to be fair to the KDF you would have suggested trading something like magnometric generator for TDF, but no, you just want to take all the coolest best stuff from the KDF so you don't have to play your KDF characters anymore beyond doing contrband runs, then you can log onto your Fed Rom and use all the KDF toys on it.
Its obvious you were one of the main posters that got leech stolen from the KDF, and I wouldn't be suprised if you were asking for KDF battlecruisers to be given to Feds before also.
So don't be suprised if KDF players aren't too receptive of any of your suggestions anymore. The KDF is a faction just like the Feds are and not something that just exists to test your toys out that you ask for in lockboxes and something to let you farm contraband on.
So what I'm getting here so far is to boost hull resist(Neuts, AtS, AtD, PH, APD)/defense, use scramble/FBP judiciously, and Hit&run. APD sounds like it may be an excellent tactic against multiple FaW users, since it would apply itself like crazy.
Filling the area with targets would also help, as will placates. Drain/disable as an offensive strategy sounds like it would work, too.
For tacs, the go-to would be cloaking spike hit&run, while spiking resist every time out of cloak.
Think I've summarized things right?
Praetor of the -RTS- Romulan Tal Shiar fleet!
In fact, I often take the activation of FBP as a sign that the target is weak and is trying to keep me at bay while waiting on a heal or CD. And since my weapons are still doing damage, I instinctively close the distance and pour on everything I've got in terms of offensive buffs.
Net result is that, 9 times out of 10, I'll kill or seriously wound them before they've done enough damage to me to make me think about breaking-off.
Risky. Aggressive. But surprisingly effective against all but the most OP/experienced Sci captains...
RCK
I'd actually think the Wide Angle Quantum Torpedo Launcher would be a more balanced trade. I was kind of surprised the KDF didn't get that in the box with the Bio-Neural Warhead Torpedo, which would have made it an any ship torpedo in exchange for an any ship torpedo. That would have made too much sense, though... and made KDF players far too happy. :P
True, although I do see plenty of Scimitars doing this stuff nowadays. Should work nicely on those.
Understandable, which is why FBP as a counter has to be stacked with resists as well - and with high Aux/partigens too. I've seen plenty of Science vessels with FBP that doesn't sting enough to hurt - in which case it's useless.
I may have missed some discussion earlier, and it has a long cooldown, but just how well does dropping Scramble Sensors on a FAWker the moment you see the FAWking flag work? The auto-fire aspect makes it FAWking uninterruptable without Subnuke, right? Oh, and sorry about the FAWking jokes, my sense of humor got away from me.
So.... much butthurtz over loosing out on superior console exclusivity? Because the KDF consoles are better overall, you DO realize that right? They also got generally better ships with the exception of fedscorts. This was all a while ago but once you accept the KDF was given some of the best stuff and still is best at getting Dil in a futil attempt to get it to grow the butthurtz will likely pass. Of course, you will want to rage at the Roms, they hold the spot the KDF held long ago. Lots of advantages, few or no downsides. At least the KDF ships had some balancing done on them, they paid for their cloaks, the Roms.... not so much and they get better cloaks and extra crit/def/cloak bonus duration. There, that's it in a nutshell, feel free to RAGEEEE at the devs for making the roms the new special snowflake,you may also want to RAGEEEE at the rom players because clearly they are the ones at fault for Cryptic being unable to make balanced stuff while still promoting sales.
Hopefully the KDF balance pass will come soon and they will be made fairly powerful too in a very obvious way.
Also can we cut the c**p of KDF were given all the best toys exclusively. You had to and still have to pay Zen for them, when things appear in a lockbox most of the time you can get away with only paying ec for them. Some of the consoles are horrifyingly cheap too.
It is through repetition that we learn our weakness.
A master with a stone is better than a novice with a sword.
Has damage got out of control?
This is the last thing I will post.
So much BS in one post. Feds have great consoles as well. The only difference is that they are exclusive to their T5 ships and Cryptic conveniently doesn't give those away in lockboxes. Furthermore not only fedscorts surpass KDF ships. The Vesta is a better scienceship than all scienceships the KDF has access to and the Avenger surpasses every Klingon battlecruiser. Frigates and Raiders are the only KDF exclusives now (plus the aceton assimilator), but it is most likely only a matter of time until Cryptic releases better Fed versions of those as well. To this day KDF hasn't even gotten her own version of an Escort carrier.
The Vesta is a better sci ship than anything the KDF has access to true, but the lowliest BoP is better than any raider the feds have access to, as in NONE. I ahve to ask, which T5 console is it that you want? Capable builds rarely use any of the T5 consoles due to the extremely long CDs.
Finally, notice I said that was all a while ago, before the avenger and fleet assault cruiser came into being. I realize for most players that's actually before their time in the game, but it should serve to show just how long the KDF had exclusive access to these better consoles.
@Bpharma: You complain that feds can now merely pay a few million EC for consoles the KDF has to pay zen for? Think of this, feds generally don't even think about the console they're getting with a ship because tehy're generally TRIBBLE. At best it'll be used once or twice for the sake of trying it out before getting thrown in the bank to never be seen again.