The Dancing Avenger

sgtstarfall

So this is my latest build for the Fleet Avenger. I've been testing it for a bit and it seems to hold out quite well.

Doffs:
3 VR Technicians
1 Conn Officer
1 ...anything else

Build: http://skillplanner.stoacademy.com/?build=runningavenger_0

Notes:

> Beam Target Engines can be swapped out for Beam Overload (preference and based on whether it's PvE or PvP).
> It is also possible to swap the places of EPtS and EPtE

Thoughts, comments, critique!

*Prepares tin foil hat* :P

mustafatennick

sgtstarfall wrote: »

So this is my latest build for the Fleet Avenger. I've been testing it for a bit and it seems to hold out quite well.

Doffs:
3 VR Technicians
1 Conn Officer
1 ...anything else

Build: http://skillplanner.stoacademy.com/?build=runningavenger_0

Notes:

> Beam Target Engines can be swapped out for Beam Overload (preference and based on whether it's PvE or PvP).
> It is also possible to swap the places of EPtS and EPtE

Thoughts, comments, critique!

*Prepares tin foil hat* :P

Your missing out on masses of damage potential not using dhc but if you prefer those for the procs than that's fine

I'd have another BOFF setup with attack pattern beta if I were you for when you pve it

I'd also use double aux to bat to get those cool downs down

These are just how I fly my fleet Acr so obviously my opinion

cidstorm

The name needs to be more extravagant. You should call it the elliptical entundra avenger.

sgtstarfall

cidstorm wrote: »

The name needs to be more extravagant. You should call it the elliptical entundra avenger.

lol I had 10 seconds to think of a name

mustafatennick wrote: »

Your missing out on masses of damage potential not using dhc but if you prefer those for the procs than that's fine

I'd have another BOFF setup with attack pattern beta if I were you for when you pve it

I'd also use double aux to bat to get those cool downs down

These are just how I fly my fleet Acr so obviously my opinion

I'm quite certain that DCs and DHCs have the same DPS overall, but DHCs have better burst. I chose DCs overall for the proc's. As for getting APB, I've definitely considered it. It gives a nice spike in damage and given an A2B build, APB would be up 100% of the time. I do like setting up for PvP though.

I too used to run an ACR with double A2B. Without going into too much detail though, I'll just say there's definitely + and - of single/double A2B.

On another note though, I've also tried swapping out the dual beam for the Rommy Torpedo launcher with T:HY. It was certainly interesting with a lot of bleedthrough damage.

Thanks for the reviews so far.

rodentmaster

It was old thinking that said the DCs proc'd more than DHCs. Turns out more recent test show they proc per cycle, not per shot. So Proc is the exact same. What isn't is that the cycle is much longer, thus the drain on weapons power lasts much longer. DHCs have a shorter cycle, so the power rebounds, thus better damage output WHEN they fire, even with a slight pause between cycles. That's including the extra 2 power drain.

Overall the results are the DHCs will eek out more damage than DCs, all other things being equal.

IMO the -2 extra drain doesn't reduce damage output because power rebounds faster, AND it's a fair tradeoff for +10 crit without losing a bonus proc.

That aside, here are my random thoughts about your build, in no particular order. Heed or discard them however you like.

I know you've got 2 turrets in the aft, but I would suggest replacing one of those with KCB. Even though it does not benefit from the polaron bonus consoles, it still has the power output closer to a beam array, and acts like a turret with 360-degree fire. It's a step up in firepower, even though it's the wrong type. Run the borg console with it and you get the omega damage modifier which applies to ALL weapons types (2pc set bonus) and even further enhances your damage.

For your boff setup: You have TR and ES. I've been using ES on my sci for a while now and I'm at the point where I find it utterly useless. It gives VERY little boost to your power levels, has a fixed time, and even at MAX aux power (which my sci runs) it is never helpful.

However, what I *am* finding surprisingly helpful in a myriad of PvE settings is TBR1. I've been running that on my oddy lately. Spec into graviton and particle gen at least a few points and you'll boost the kinetic damage it does. Use it on big things that don't move (borg cubes, gates, transformers, etc) for a major DPS boost, or use it on smaller things to get tactical advantages (moving tholians away from rom ships in Azure Nebula Rescue, or pushing ships from transports in fleet blockade, etc). Just be careful how you use it. Use it at the wrong time and you push targets out of the way of people that can actually help you, or you push probes INTO the vortex instead of away, etc. Takes a little common sense, but is very helpful.

From what I'm told, Beam: Target XYZ does NOT, repeat NOT work for cannons. You have to be running BAs or DBBs to even use that. You have a couple of options... IMO ditch APO and just run polarize hull plating -- you have enough sci slots for it. If you're using web mines you get more damage the more mines surround any target, so I might suggest running dispersal pattern beta in one of your tac slots. You could drop the DHCs and run DBBs to better take advantage of those ENS-level skill slots. Run your BO or FAW there and use the LT/Lt.CDR for APB/APB or APB/DPB2 or something.

The ENG skills I can understand what you're doing but I don't think A2Bat builds work with just 1 A2Bat. You really need to chain them together to get the best cooldown rates. That's a problem with this setup. Either you lose the hull heal and run 2 EPT skills and 2 A2Bat skills, to boost power to shields and weapons at a nonstop rate, or you have to switch your uni boff to ENG and run your hull heals there. You lose some sci skills that way, so it's a toss up as to how you may want to proceed.


Random and disjointed food for thought...

sgtstarfall

For me, power drain was never an issue. It was mostly about getting those proc's. If what you say is true about the procs being per cycle rather than per hit, then I'll definitely be better off with DHCs. I'll have to check up on that.

It's pretty much the reason why I didn't throw on a KCB. If I'm aiming for more damage though, I'll definitely consider it.

I've been experimenting with a Tyken's Rift/Energy Siphon combo for awhile now. It works well in PvE, and I've had some mixed results with PvP. I suppose its effectiveness really depends on timing and such. Beam Target Engines coupled with Energy Siphon is supposed to act as a momentary "hold" while Tyken's Rift takes its toll (via power). I prefer this combo because no amount of APO or Polarize Hull can get you out if your engines are dead.

Um...on a side note, do I not have a DBB on my build? I'm quite sure the Phased Polaron Dual Beam Bank is a beam. :P

Dispersal pattern beta definitely did come up in my thought process - definitely compatible with this build. However, the damage factor did not occur to me until I tested it in PvP - I was only trying it out as a hold (alternative to Tractor Mines).

The overarching strategy of this build was to do this: drain enough power to disable engines and cripple shields. Following which, I'll have all my weapons pouring out damage while the proc's continue to disable subsystems. However, should I decide to dump the drainage power of this build, I can always vie for this alternative Sci setup:

Sci Lt 1: Tractor Beam, TSS2
Sci Lt 2: Polarize Hull, HE2

The above would give me crowd control resistance and I would be free to throw away APO1 for Dispersal Pattern Beta 2 (or perhaps keep APO to be unstoppable ). On a side note, I'm also tempted to try Sci Team (15s cooldown shield heal!) and throw away Tact Team for something else. (Tin foil hat save me!! :eek: )

As for the single A2B build....you really have to try it out yourself to understand it (I've had my doubts at first too). I've been running a single A2B build on my JHEC for several months now, so I'm used to it. I won't lie and say it was an easy transition though - With only 1 A2B, your timing has to be spot on or else your skills may suffer.

maliusnight

Get an elite fleet shield, (I recommend ResB), Swap out at least one of those RCS for Neutronium you can get +turn one those if you must. That should make it a harder target. The DBB w/ beam overload works in pvp but isn't that great for pve, though ether way you really want Marion to make that build work.

coffeemike

I would say choose between cannons or beams. I use Adv Fleet Antiproton beams arrays and dual beam banks because I have the Temporal set. I do well on PvE and ESTFs but I don't PvP so I really don't care.

Based on the feedback I received on the Fleet Avenger thread I posted here, I did enhanced my Plasmonic Leech abilities by getting a MK XII Romulan Flow Capacitor. If you go with full cannons/turrets, get rid of Subsystem Target Engines and get another Tac Team. And use the MK XII Romulan Flow Capacitors for the extra goodies they can pack. I use 1 of them for the hull heal and neg threat generation. They have diff versions in the Embassy that can fit your needs (hull heal, plasma DOT, shield heal) if you belong in a fleet. And I'd just use 1 Enhanced MK XII RCS console and get the Assimilated Module from the Omega Rep system. That console works for any build.

Speaking of the rep systems, how far along are you in the Romulan, Omega, and Nukara tracks? The passive skills for ground and space are nice: either go tanky or go pew pew.

sgtstarfall

I've finished both the Romulan and Borg tracks. T4 for Nukara (Offensive). The only reason I have a Subsystem target was to fill in that last Ensign slot. I really have no reason to double stack any skill (Tact Team's cooldown is at max already).

I've been using average consoles because I need to absolutely be sure of what I'm doing before I commit dilithium and fleet credits into a build. I personally prefer more turn rate because the innate Engineering skills are tanky enough to keep me alive in many scenarios.

As for my latest tests and build, it happens I've moved past draining - it was good against bigger ships, but it has a tougher time against escorts - Beam Target Engines + Energy Siphon helps a bit, but not enough for a Tyken's to land.

I've currently swapped places of EPtS and EPtE and changed DEM3 for EWP3. I also have DHCs now, since I'm not aiming for DEM or drain procs anymore. Furthermore, I've decided to maximize the damage output with my web mines. I now have a tractor beam and Polarize Hull at the Ensign level and moved up TSS and HE to the Lt. spots. It is currently a bit slower, but much tankier and can devastate ships with 6 web mines (Dispersal Pattern Beta 2 in place of APO).

So now it's like the Farting Avenger :P