There is not a single post on these forums that has a positive tone toward the game or the direction it is going. If you insist on still playing then my advice is stop caring about the game the company that runs it and their supporters dont give a hoot about you and never will.
This is not true at all.
many people enjoy PvP and STO.
On forums yes the whiners and complainers prevail, but that is like that on any game forums.
You should see BF4 forums, lol
Should I stop hoping for Engineer's Online? I mean they should have their day in the sun too.
I sort of getting tired to hearing endless complaining of A2B builds. Why does people want to nerf something that sort of levels the playing field ships wise. For the most case, it makes cruisers competitive but not over powered. Right now I see more ship varieties in the ques...instead of just escorts. That's a good thing. Certainly way better than the days of escorts online. I remember many a time during those days when people warp out if they saw cruisers in STFs. Why? Because they were so underpowered dps wise.
In pve, some escort pilots are getting upset that they are no longer getting the top overall DPS. The overall dps is not necessarily indicative of effectiveness. With A2B/FAW, you are going to get elevated dps but it is not effective dps. The escort with their cannons are still the more efficient killers and exert more effective dps. Unfortunately the combat log parsers out there do not capture effective dps. Probably it is better to look at number of kills as opposed to overall dps.
This is even more evident in pvp where the targets actually heal themselves. A lone A2B/FAW cruiser regardless of its vaulted overall dps is not going to get much kills alone as targets will simply outheal the pressure damage. That's the reason I only use FAW for spam control and use Beam overload to get kills. In PvP, spike damage is way more important. So I don't understand why people are saying A2B builds are OP. Currently I'm flying a non-A2B escort and loving how fast it can kill targets.
However about escorts using A2B builds? I say it is overkill and unnecessary. Most escort already have more than enough tactical stations to be effective.
In conclusion, A2B makes ships more efficient and competitive but it certainly is not the end-all and be all of ship builds. Currently its not even the top dps build. Lot of the top dpsers have moved away from A2B to utilize the Aux dependent Offense nukara reputation trait for greater dps. It allows ships with "inferior" layouts (mainly cruisers) to remain competitive.
I understand the reason why people complain about A2B is mainly due to discrepancy between the performance of tech doffs versus doffs that decrease cooldowns. Perhaps a solution to this disparity is the make the other doffs so that it is no longer chance based but automatically decrease cooldown like the tech doffs. As Drunk said, it will "marginize" A2B builds if there are other ways to decrease cooldowns. So people can pick and choose which abilities to decrease cooldown. For example, you can decrease cooldown for attack patterns and cannon abilities without loss of aux. This would yield more dps than A2B builds.
Therefore with other good build options available, people will move away from A2B builds.
However about escorts using A2B builds? I say it is overkill and unnecessary. Most escort already have more than enough tactical stations to be effective.
this^^
i don't think many playrs care about a2b cruisers.. but they do care about a2b escorts
problem is... there is escorts with *2 LtCom eng...(again with the patrol escort) so make the a2b ability LtCom won't solve it
Let's start to say that i respect you as player darramouss1, a lot of good matches with you but.... but... i really don't understand this kind of attitude. Really, now your 1st world problem is a2b ships?
Then man, you just don't play at all , considering the amount of players using a2b. Yesterday you left an arena with me and a friend in, we had to finish that match vs 5 because:
-you don't play vs/with a2b ships (in that occasion 2 of them were on the other team)
-another one stayed cloaked
-last guy left because he died (a lot of ppl like this lately in pug Qs )
Wtf guys? It's PvP, someone has to die at the end (cit.) The solution is COUNTER them, NUKE them and SPIKE them over and over and over again... who cares if they use a2b builds? Play and have fun, if someone does something odd to you, adapt and kill him the next time.
Just play... seriously... 'cause the next time you leave, and you do this repeatedly, someone could report you and would be right
I think that the ability is OP for any ship type, not just escorts.
Everything about it is OP. Compare one copy of Aux2BS 1 with tech DOFFs to Photonic Officer 3 with the appropriate DOFFs. Here you have a Lieutenant ability blowing a Commander ability out of the water. How can anyone justify this unless they're afraid of losing their crutch?
Besides Tech DOFFs and Photonic DOFFs there are no other DOFFs that allow the reduction of cooldowns except for Energy Weapon DOFFs. Thing is, they only give a chance of reducing cooldowns. How can anyone justify this unless they're afraid of losing their crutch?
Without Aux2BS the only way to have abilities guaranteed on global is to stock multiple copies and have 2 DOFFs each for Tac Team, Sci Team and Eng Team. That would result in...
Sci Team, Tac Team and Eng Team with appropriate DOFFs
4 abilities stocked twice each to reduce their cooldown
1 ability left over, most likely the Commnader ability.
That gives you 7 abilities on global, one not on global and no DOFF slots left over.
Aux2BS gives you 10 abilities on global (including the Commander ability) with 3 DOFF slots left over. How can anyone justify this unless they're afraid of losing their crutch?
I think that the ability is OP for any ship type, not just escorts.
Everything about it is OP. Compare one copy of Aux2BS 1 with tech DOFFs to Photonic Officer 3 with the appropriate DOFFs. Here you have a Lieutenant ability blowing a Commander ability out of the water. How can anyone justify this unless they're afraid of losing their crutch?
Besides Tech DOFFs and Photonic DOFFs there are no other DOFFs that allow the reduction of cooldowns except for Energy Weapon DOFFs. Thing is, they only give a chance of reducing cooldowns. How can anyone justify this unless they're afraid of losing their crutch?
Without Aux2BS the only way to have abilities guaranteed on global is to stock multiple copies and have 2 DOFFs each for Tac Team, Sci Team and Eng Team. That would result in...
Sci Team, Tac Team and Eng Team with appropriate DOFFs
4 abilities stocked twice each to reduce their cooldown
1 ability left over, most likely the Commnader ability.
That gives you 7 abilities on global, one not on global and no DOFF slots left over.
Aux2BS gives you 10 abilities on global (including the Commander ability) with 3 DOFF slots left over. How can anyone justify this unless they're afraid of losing their crutch?
all true ..
but any "correction" to a2b has to include "correction" to some cruisers
bcs there is some cruises that will be really lame without a2b..
UNLESS the dev will decide that NOT ANY ship SUPPOSED to participate in pvp
like....cruisers... there is another content other than pvp to use cruisers
imho balance is achieved when ur on "competitive level" with any ship that u have in ur hangar
[sarcasm]
Whenever I see a lockbox ship in teh Q's now, I'll leave. Bugships, Nicors, Hunters, Galors, Monboshs, S'golths, Recluses, Tal Shiar Battlecruisers.. they are all OP and I cannot hope to compete with that p2w TRIBBLE.
[/sarcasm]
The Mobius can use a2b but it kinda sucks hardcore.
As to the OP, I can see your point as to frustration levels facing cookie cutters, but I had that same frustration facing the majority of escort pilots a year or more ago while flying my supposedly "tactical" oriented cruisers.
I agree that a2b needs a change, and prior to that cruisers need a balance pass. But leaving queue matches? Why bother to queue at all if you are probably going to leave anyway? Just keep killing'em.
PS, although I don't have the time to keep in practice these days, I have dropped all my A2B builds as of last week, for the sake of trying some new things. It's been fun, and I strongly recommend doing it if you've been relying on A2B for a long while. It's a nice change.
My guess is "hope" keeps people not playing but posting on the forums. For others, its a path of sad realization and closure. Grieving takes time. The worst "haters" here love the game, or did at some point.
The Mobius can use a2b but it kinda sucks hardcore.
I know that. I was joking, .
--
Anyway, OP: I've stopped caring about A2B. The truely OP thing in Arena is target calling and people responding to it. A2B or not, people will die if they don't get heals. And lately, I've been having good pugs. Zone in, ask 'Anyone calling targets?', and you usually get a response.
I've started calling out when my Subnuc's are ready, and I've had people - whom I've never met in the queues before - respond on when their alpha's are ready. It's been totally magical. I might have cried a little.
It doesn't matter if they have RSP up 33% of the time. It doesn't matter if they have ST or ET up every 15. What matters is teamwork. Team effort to take them down. Does it work in every pug? Hell no. Lots of pugs are total flustercucks where everyone Kirks it and no one uses chat. But the times where you zone in and everyone in the pug says 'Hi' - totally worth it.
And, like I said in the other thread: If the other team runs a FaW A2B boat, they're a major asset. With scramble sensors, they wont just hit you and your spam, but they'll clear the enemies spam too! And, since I run KDF, I just slot my trusty little Aceton Assimilator and watch people damage themselves.
But, this said, I don't have a lot of problem with A2B, apart from something Husanak already pointed out: ~40 doffs in 3. And still, for me it somehow doesn't quite 'feel' that way. It doesn't 'feel' totally overpowered. It doesn't have the same feel like TIF, nukes, stuns, etc.
Not that I mean those are overpowered, but those set you up to be killed. A2B stops people being killed easily. They have little effect on you directly. And, I find, the things that affect you, are what kill you.
Anyway, I might be rambling. I might be wrong or misguided. I might've not ran into the right A2B users. Just a puggers 2ec.
Isaac the Adequate - Level 70 Oath of Devotion Paladin
The Mobius can use a2b but it kinda sucks hardcore.
As to the OP, I can see your point as to frustration levels facing cookie cutters, but I had that same frustration facing the majority of escort pilots a year or more ago while flying my supposedly "tactical" oriented cruisers.
I agree that a2b needs a change, and prior to that cruisers need a balance pass. But leaving queue matches? Why bother to queue at all if you are probably going to leave anyway? Just keep killing'em.
PS, although I don't have the time to keep in practice these days, I have dropped all my A2B builds as of last week, for the sake of trying some new things. It's been fun, and I strongly recommend doing it if you've been relying on A2B for a long while. It's a nice change.
I totally with you. I've been trying out other builds and been have lots of fun. Isn't that the main reason we're playing this game for fun? Who cares for max dps...of course it is fun to totally annihilate your opponents once in the while...but even that can get tedious. Try different things and have fun.
To those who run Aux2BS builds, I'm looking forward to not having to run against your exploitative builds. Also, how about you try to use your imagination and utilise some original thought rather than follow a no-brainer cookie cutter build recipe?
It will be better if you do not go to pvp at all.
If you do you think a2b build is so OP , why do not you play power drain ? Well played powerdrain can beat a2b in nine out of ten cases. I have 4 characters, escort a2b , a2b cruiser , cheese and sci eng tank. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, escort and science have a huge problem with the Romulan vapery who is able to destroy in one second . It is perhaps the reason I walked away or called for disabling beam overload doff ? Look at the best teams in pvp , they usually do not 2B , what would it be ?
Here 's how to beat the FAW a2b high dps team who dominate pve. Btw one of the best games i ever seen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PF3I5LXP_Q
I'm one of those that is dead against Aux2BS for a number of reasons, the biggest being that it gives you access to 10 abilites, all at or near the global cooldown, for the cost of 2 BOFF abilities and 3 Tech DOFFs. Nothing ever comes close. (As antoniosalieri pointed out in another thread, those 3 Tech DOFFs are the virtual equivalent of over 40 other DOFFs, all wrapped in to 3.)
As such, whenever I come across a match that has 2 or more Aux2BS builds, I'm warping out. I don't care whose team they're on, mine, the opposition or a mix in between, but I'm out of there.
I know that this will peeve a lot of people off, but I fundamentally disagree with this ridiculous ability and I will not bend my principles on this matter any longer. I will link to this forum post in the chat window and then warp out. If you agree with this stance then I invite you to do the same.
Given the sometimes huge wait time for PvP matches this may mean that a match that people have been waiting for for up to 10 minutes might become a farce. I'm sorry, but matches with 2 or more no-imagination cookie-cutter Aux2BS builds are a farce anyway.
If you wish to provide negative feedback regarding my choice to warp out then feel free to do so. That is your right. Negative feedback won't stop me from doing it. Even if there was a leaver penalty I wouldn't be dissuaded from leaving. (With the 20 hour cooldown on the PvP missions a leaver penalty would be worthless anyway.)
To those who fundamentally disagree with Aux2BS like I do, I ask you to leave matches like I do. If enough people do this we may hopefully instigate some change.
To those who run Aux2BS builds, I'm looking forward to not having to run against your exploitative builds. Also, how about you try to use your imagination and utilise some original thought rather than follow a no-brainer cookie cutter build recipe?
I've never used an A2B build; but honestly, in ANY MMO that has PvP, you have 3 choices when encountering losses:
1) Adapt
2) Live with it
3) Quit
lastly, given how little Cryptic cares about PvP in general in STO, I'm amazed you bother posting anything as it's not like real PvP changes or balancing will even be put on STO's developer schedule.
Formerly known as Armsman from June 2008 to June 20, 2012 PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
The solution: don't PvP in PvE biased F2P MMOs. It's TRIBBLE. Kinda like trying to slam a square peg into a round hole. Come PvP in a PvP oriented game. Join me in DOTA2.
I did try to PvP in STO the last couple nights, couldn't even get a match to warp out of. Pretty pathetic when the stated wait time for an Arena match on a Saturday evening pacific time was almost ten minutes and after 15 minutes still nothing. STO PvP is deader than dead. There's a few stragglers hanging on, the same ten dudes that post in this forum over and over plus about 40-50 other people tops. That's it. After waiting forever I just logged off and played a game where I could get a match.
lastly, given how little Cryptic cares about PvP in general in STO, I'm amazed you bother posting anything as it's not like real PvP changes or balancing will even be put on STO's developer schedule.
+1
Moreover, it is weird that since the game launch did not added any new pvp map , although pvp players usually pay much more real money than casual pve players.
I would like to be battle in the Neutral Zone, Bassen Rift , Mutara nebula or any else amazing location from ST, but I still watch the same boring cracked moon.
The solution: don't PvP in PvE biased F2P MMOs. It's TRIBBLE. Kinda like trying to slam a square peg into a round hole. Come PvP in a PvP oriented game. Join me in DOTA2.
I did try to PvP in STO the last couple nights, couldn't even get a match to warp out of. Pretty pathetic when the stated wait time for an Arena match on a Saturday evening pacific time was almost ten minutes and after 15 minutes still nothing. STO PvP is deader than dead. There's a few stragglers hanging on, the same ten dudes that post in this forum over and over plus about 40-50 other people tops. That's it. After waiting forever I just logged off and played a game where I could get a match.
I wrote most of it off to folks doing a combination of prep work in farming resources for S9.5 as well as loading up on stuff to convert for the Dil weekend coming in a couple of weeks...as well as just trying to get their daily Dil to buy weapons before the prices go up with S9.5...
...course, that could just be what I've been doing.
I'm looking forward to seeing A2B FAW boats after the amazing crafting revamp that will totally save PvP, guys.
That Aegis 3pc set bonus, right?
Them looking at bumping the R&D Beam trait to 30s from 20s so folks can FAW, eh?
Some UR Mk XII [Acc]x2[CrtD]x2 Disruptors to go with the 2pc Ordnance set bonus.
Obviously the Eng R&D trait for the damage reduction.
And well, can't forget the EIC letting KDF/KDF-aligned players take Weapon Power to 135...
S9.5...PvP is going to rock! Rawk? Hawk? Hock? Hack? Hack up a loogie!
The only issue I see with this course of action is that a2b isn't the only problematic build out there. And if we have to warp out every time something in the queue displeases us, then by all means cryptic should just remove the PvP code from sto.
You just called him/her a coward a moments ago dude/tte. Sigh...
Ive seen a2b faw fbp cruisers that can pretty much kill 4-5 escorts at the same time in just few seconds (with or without rsp since they use dem)...I guess thats not problematic and Im a nOOb and those cruisers have pretty skilled people behind them.And Im not talking about that "only scimitars can do it" bs .You can tell that to geko or other people who never played the game.
Aegis S9.5 Covariant Shield Array
+5.2 Kinetic DRR
+5.2 All Energy DRR
+2.5 Shield Power
When hit: Chance to increase resistance against incoming damage type for a short time. Stacks up to 5 times per energy type.
Aegis Technological Research S9.5
2pc: Energy Negation
Negates all damage for .1 sec once every 30 seconds.
3pc: Energy Feedback Conductor
Targets Self; 2 min recharge
+100 Energy Damage Resistance
Reduces Damage to Shields by 30%
When hit by Energy Damage: +2% Bonus Energy Damage. Effect can apply once per sec, max 10 stacks.
FAW is only OP if there are 3 or more ships useing it at once, then it becomes a force multiplier. otherwise it just scatters shots everywhere, throwing up big DPS numbers, most of which amount to nothing with just simple shield and hull regeneration tics. its still dumb that 1 of the 2 skills this trait will effect, is incompatible with it.
I'll probably increase the time at which you're allowed to refresh your stack up to 30 seconds from 20.
The UR Mk XII Bit
The odds of getting four mods that you want is not going to be that great. Have to keep in mind they're not just competing with [Acc][CrtD][CrtH][Dmg]...they've got new mods in there as well.
[Over] - upgrades the next beam attack to be an overload.
[Rapid] - increases the number of shots fired by each volley.
[PvP Res] - whatever that is...
[PvP Dmg] - whatever that is...
[Snare] - which gives the target -4.8% turn/speed.
[Thrust] - meh, couldn't get this one to show; believe it's the inverse of Snare for yourself (don't quote me though!)
[Pen] - which gives -10 damage resistance (or does it ignore 10...needs clarification, like most of the S9.5 things - far too "Cryptic").
Forgot about the [Pen] one...yeah, [Acc]x2[CrtD][Pen]...hello? Pretty please? Lol...RNG will be spiteful, I know it!
Not sure if there are others. Think somebody was making a list...but those are just Energy Weapon mods, anyway. There's going to be the Projectile mods as well as mods on other gear as well. Fun stuff, right? As well as some unique items, etc, etc, etc - one of those head on over to Tribble for quick peak...eh?
Enhanced Induction Coils:
---No longer shares a cooldown with Batteries.
---Now effects Auxiliary subsystems in the same manner as existing Weapons/Engines bonuses.
---Now grants Immunity to Weapons, Engines and Aux offline for full duration.
---Now grants +10 Maximum Weapon, Engines and Aux power for full duration.
---Increased base power bonus from 33 to 50, and gains additional benefit from the Starship Batteries skill.
---Base duration reduced from 20 seconds to 15 seconds, but now gains more benefit from Starship Batteries skill.
---Enhanced Induction Coils AND Enhanced Plasma Manifold:
Boosts to max power do not stack with the passive bonuses supplied by Warp Cores.
Only the higher will apply.
Well played powerdrain can beat a2b in nine out of ten cases.
To those that are curious, this would involve an over the top drain involving:
1) Aux Subsystem Targeting 3
2) Energy Siphon 2
3) Tyken's Rift 3
4) Plasmonic Leech console
5) Aceton console (only available to Voth ships)
The problem is, in PvP situations, it's very effective against Romulans in Romulan ships and not so well for others. Most aux2bat ships I drain have enough ways to clear debuffs that only 1, 4, and 5 are very effective. 2 and 3 get cleared very quickly by most aux2bat users.
That being said, 2 heavy drain ships both draining an aux2bat ship and with the help of a couple of high DPS dealers can bring down an aux2bat ship.
Note - I don't like aux2bat either and dial aux2bat builds are getting extra Aux power they shouldn't really have access to.
Dang OP, if you're going to quit PVP matches from the presence of too many A2B ships, you'll never play unless you agree into some sort of gentlemen's rules kind of match. More and more ships in the Cruiser and even in Escort / Warbird lineup are exceedingly A2B friendly. Hell, the Feds' latest toy, the Tempest, and even the Risian Cruiser are A2B bait.
been weeks since i looked at the 9.5 stuff, just saved me some trouble. sorry about getting that beam trait fixed for FAW guys, i immediately regretted it :rolleyes:
been weeks since i looked at the 9.5 stuff, just saved me some trouble. sorry about getting that beam trait fixed for FAW guys, i immediately regretted it :rolleyes:
I don't think I've queued since S9.5 hit Tribble...and I've only even hit up Ker'rat a couple of times. Some of the stuff coming with R&D...what's it for? The nuclear grenades tossed into a barrel of goldfish for PvE wasn't enough already? So it's a case of looking at the PvP angle...and meh, I thoroughly enjoy dying in a massive explosion more than is probably healthy...but it just doesn't look like it's going to be much fun after S9.5 hits.
Folks running their SWDs...say hello to [Pen] Phasers with potentially better mods - available in Beams and Cannons. Folks running AP...add some [Pen] and have a blast!
Meh, guess I'm just in that Doooooooooooooooooooom! group now...been able to wiggle my way out of the doom over the years, but I guess I'm wearing down.
Comments
This is not true at all.
many people enjoy PvP and STO.
On forums yes the whiners and complainers prevail, but that is like that on any game forums.
You should see BF4 forums, lol
Super SpecialStar Trek Online Review
SpecialTemporal PUG 100K DPS Build
We are Travelers
I sort of getting tired to hearing endless complaining of A2B builds. Why does people want to nerf something that sort of levels the playing field ships wise. For the most case, it makes cruisers competitive but not over powered. Right now I see more ship varieties in the ques...instead of just escorts. That's a good thing. Certainly way better than the days of escorts online. I remember many a time during those days when people warp out if they saw cruisers in STFs. Why? Because they were so underpowered dps wise.
In pve, some escort pilots are getting upset that they are no longer getting the top overall DPS. The overall dps is not necessarily indicative of effectiveness. With A2B/FAW, you are going to get elevated dps but it is not effective dps. The escort with their cannons are still the more efficient killers and exert more effective dps. Unfortunately the combat log parsers out there do not capture effective dps. Probably it is better to look at number of kills as opposed to overall dps.
This is even more evident in pvp where the targets actually heal themselves. A lone A2B/FAW cruiser regardless of its vaulted overall dps is not going to get much kills alone as targets will simply outheal the pressure damage. That's the reason I only use FAW for spam control and use Beam overload to get kills. In PvP, spike damage is way more important. So I don't understand why people are saying A2B builds are OP. Currently I'm flying a non-A2B escort and loving how fast it can kill targets.
However about escorts using A2B builds? I say it is overkill and unnecessary. Most escort already have more than enough tactical stations to be effective.
In conclusion, A2B makes ships more efficient and competitive but it certainly is not the end-all and be all of ship builds. Currently its not even the top dps build. Lot of the top dpsers have moved away from A2B to utilize the Aux dependent Offense nukara reputation trait for greater dps. It allows ships with "inferior" layouts (mainly cruisers) to remain competitive.
I understand the reason why people complain about A2B is mainly due to discrepancy between the performance of tech doffs versus doffs that decrease cooldowns. Perhaps a solution to this disparity is the make the other doffs so that it is no longer chance based but automatically decrease cooldown like the tech doffs. As Drunk said, it will "marginize" A2B builds if there are other ways to decrease cooldowns. So people can pick and choose which abilities to decrease cooldown. For example, you can decrease cooldown for attack patterns and cannon abilities without loss of aux. This would yield more dps than A2B builds.
Therefore with other good build options available, people will move away from A2B builds.
My apologies for the wall of text.
this^^
i don't think many playrs care about a2b cruisers.. but they do care about a2b escorts
problem is... there is escorts with *2 LtCom eng...(again with the patrol escort) so make the a2b ability LtCom won't solve it
Let's start to say that i respect you as player darramouss1, a lot of good matches with you but.... but... i really don't understand this kind of attitude. Really, now your 1st world problem is a2b ships?
Then man, you just don't play at all
-you don't play vs/with a2b ships (in that occasion 2 of them were on the other team)
-another one stayed cloaked
-last guy left because he died (a lot of ppl like this lately in pug Qs
Wtf guys? It's PvP, someone has to die at the end (cit.) The solution is COUNTER them, NUKE them and SPIKE them over and over and over again... who cares if they use a2b builds? Play and have fun, if someone does something odd to you, adapt and kill him the next time.
Just play... seriously... 'cause the next time you leave, and you do this repeatedly, someone could report you and would be right
That is the ultimate dooooooom............................:eek::eek:
Everything about it is OP. Compare one copy of Aux2BS 1 with tech DOFFs to Photonic Officer 3 with the appropriate DOFFs. Here you have a Lieutenant ability blowing a Commander ability out of the water. How can anyone justify this unless they're afraid of losing their crutch?
Here antoniosalieri shows how the Tech DOFF, a DOFF used exclusively for Aux2BS, is the GOD amongst DOFFs. How can anyone justify this unless they're afraid of losing their crutch?
Besides Tech DOFFs and Photonic DOFFs there are no other DOFFs that allow the reduction of cooldowns except for Energy Weapon DOFFs. Thing is, they only give a chance of reducing cooldowns. How can anyone justify this unless they're afraid of losing their crutch?
Without Aux2BS the only way to have abilities guaranteed on global is to stock multiple copies and have 2 DOFFs each for Tac Team, Sci Team and Eng Team. That would result in...
Sci Team, Tac Team and Eng Team with appropriate DOFFs
4 abilities stocked twice each to reduce their cooldown
1 ability left over, most likely the Commnader ability.
That gives you 7 abilities on global, one not on global and no DOFF slots left over.
Aux2BS gives you 10 abilities on global (including the Commander ability) with 3 DOFF slots left over. How can anyone justify this unless they're afraid of losing their crutch?
all true ..
but any "correction" to a2b has to include "correction" to some cruisers
bcs there is some cruises that will be really lame without a2b..
UNLESS the dev will decide that NOT ANY ship SUPPOSED to participate in pvp
like....cruisers... there is another content other than pvp to use cruisers
imho balance is achieved when ur on "competitive level" with any ship that u have in ur hangar
Whenever I see a lockbox ship in teh Q's now, I'll leave. Bugships, Nicors, Hunters, Galors, Monboshs, S'golths, Recluses, Tal Shiar Battlecruisers.. they are all OP and I cannot hope to compete with that p2w TRIBBLE.
[/sarcasm]
:rolleyes:
The Mobius can use a2b but it kinda sucks hardcore.
As to the OP, I can see your point as to frustration levels facing cookie cutters, but I had that same frustration facing the majority of escort pilots a year or more ago while flying my supposedly "tactical" oriented cruisers.
I agree that a2b needs a change, and prior to that cruisers need a balance pass. But leaving queue matches? Why bother to queue at all if you are probably going to leave anyway? Just keep killing'em.
PS, although I don't have the time to keep in practice these days, I have dropped all my A2B builds as of last week, for the sake of trying some new things. It's been fun, and I strongly recommend doing it if you've been relying on A2B for a long while. It's a nice change.
I know that. I was joking,
--
Anyway, OP: I've stopped caring about A2B. The truely OP thing in Arena is target calling and people responding to it. A2B or not, people will die if they don't get heals. And lately, I've been having good pugs. Zone in, ask 'Anyone calling targets?', and you usually get a response.
I've started calling out when my Subnuc's are ready, and I've had people - whom I've never met in the queues before - respond on when their alpha's are ready. It's been totally magical. I might have cried a little.
It doesn't matter if they have RSP up 33% of the time. It doesn't matter if they have ST or ET up every 15. What matters is teamwork. Team effort to take them down. Does it work in every pug? Hell no. Lots of pugs are total flustercucks where everyone Kirks it and no one uses chat. But the times where you zone in and everyone in the pug says 'Hi' - totally worth it.
And, like I said in the other thread: If the other team runs a FaW A2B boat, they're a major asset. With scramble sensors, they wont just hit you and your spam, but they'll clear the enemies spam too! And, since I run KDF, I just slot my trusty little Aceton Assimilator and watch people damage themselves.
But, this said, I don't have a lot of problem with A2B, apart from something Husanak already pointed out: ~40 doffs in 3. And still, for me it somehow doesn't quite 'feel' that way. It doesn't 'feel' totally overpowered. It doesn't have the same feel like TIF, nukes, stuns, etc.
Not that I mean those are overpowered, but those set you up to be killed. A2B stops people being killed easily. They have little effect on you directly. And, I find, the things that affect you, are what kill you.
Anyway, I might be rambling. I might be wrong or misguided. I might've not ran into the right A2B users. Just a puggers 2ec.
I totally with you. I've been trying out other builds and been have lots of fun. Isn't that the main reason we're playing this game for fun? Who cares for max dps...of course it is fun to totally annihilate your opponents once in the while...but even that can get tedious. Try different things and have fun.
It will be better if you do not go to pvp at all.
If you do you think a2b build is so OP , why do not you play power drain ? Well played powerdrain can beat a2b in nine out of ten cases. I have 4 characters, escort a2b , a2b cruiser , cheese and sci eng tank. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, escort and science have a huge problem with the Romulan vapery who is able to destroy in one second . It is perhaps the reason I walked away or called for disabling beam overload doff ? Look at the best teams in pvp , they usually do not 2B , what would it be ?
Here 's how to beat the FAW a2b high dps team who dominate pve. Btw one of the best games i ever seen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PF3I5LXP_Q
I've never used an A2B build; but honestly, in ANY MMO that has PvP, you have 3 choices when encountering losses:
1) Adapt
2) Live with it
3) Quit
lastly, given how little Cryptic cares about PvP in general in STO, I'm amazed you bother posting anything as it's not like real PvP changes or balancing will even be put on STO's developer schedule.
PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
I did try to PvP in STO the last couple nights, couldn't even get a match to warp out of. Pretty pathetic when the stated wait time for an Arena match on a Saturday evening pacific time was almost ten minutes and after 15 minutes still nothing. STO PvP is deader than dead. There's a few stragglers hanging on, the same ten dudes that post in this forum over and over plus about 40-50 other people tops. That's it. After waiting forever I just logged off and played a game where I could get a match.
Moreover, it is weird that since the game launch did not added any new pvp map , although pvp players usually pay much more real money than casual pve players.
I would like to be battle in the Neutral Zone, Bassen Rift , Mutara nebula or any else amazing location from ST, but I still watch the same boring cracked moon.
I wrote most of it off to folks doing a combination of prep work in farming resources for S9.5 as well as loading up on stuff to convert for the Dil weekend coming in a couple of weeks...as well as just trying to get their daily Dil to buy weapons before the prices go up with S9.5...
...course, that could just be what I've been doing.
http://i.imgur.com/o3dusAq.gif
http://i.imgur.com/3H7L9ZF.png
http://i.imgur.com/KscfLHc.gif
That Aegis 3pc set bonus, right?
Them looking at bumping the R&D Beam trait to 30s from 20s so folks can FAW, eh?
Some UR Mk XII [Acc]x2[CrtD]x2 Disruptors to go with the 2pc Ordnance set bonus.
Obviously the Eng R&D trait for the damage reduction.
And well, can't forget the EIC letting KDF/KDF-aligned players take Weapon Power to 135...
S9.5...PvP is going to rock! Rawk? Hawk? Hock? Hack? Hack up a loogie!
Ive seen a2b faw fbp cruisers that can pretty much kill 4-5 escorts at the same time in just few seconds (with or without rsp since they use dem)...I guess thats not problematic and Im a nOOb and those cruisers have pretty skilled people behind them.And Im not talking about that "only scimitars can do it" bs .You can tell that to geko or other people who never played the game.
I'm sure if you tell yourself that enough times you'll actually believe it.
http://i.imgur.com/o3dusAq.gif
http://i.imgur.com/3H7L9ZF.png
http://i.imgur.com/KscfLHc.gif
Which part?
The Aegis Bit
Aegis S9.5 Deflector Array
+5 Shield Power
+17.5 Shield Emitters
+26.2 Shield Systems
+26.2 Inertial Dampeners
+17.5 Power Insulators
Aegis S9.5 Hyper-Impulse Engine
+5% Defense
When moving: +5% Bonus Defense
Aegis S9.5 Covariant Shield Array
+5.2 Kinetic DRR
+5.2 All Energy DRR
+2.5 Shield Power
When hit: Chance to increase resistance against incoming damage type for a short time. Stacks up to 5 times per energy type.
Aegis Technological Research S9.5
2pc: Energy Negation
Negates all damage for .1 sec once every 30 seconds.
3pc: Energy Feedback Conductor
Targets Self; 2 min recharge
+100 Energy Damage Resistance
Reduces Damage to Shields by 30%
When hit by Energy Damage: +2% Bonus Energy Damage. Effect can apply once per sec, max 10 stacks.
The Beam R&D Trait Bit
The UR Mk XII Bit
The odds of getting four mods that you want is not going to be that great. Have to keep in mind they're not just competing with [Acc][CrtD][CrtH][Dmg]...they've got new mods in there as well.
[Over] - upgrades the next beam attack to be an overload.
[Rapid] - increases the number of shots fired by each volley.
[PvP Res] - whatever that is...
[PvP Dmg] - whatever that is...
[Snare] - which gives the target -4.8% turn/speed.
[Thrust] - meh, couldn't get this one to show; believe it's the inverse of Snare for yourself (don't quote me though!)
[Pen] - which gives -10 damage resistance (or does it ignore 10...needs clarification, like most of the S9.5 things - far too "Cryptic").
Forgot about the [Pen] one...yeah, [Acc]x2[CrtD][Pen]...hello? Pretty please? Lol...RNG will be spiteful, I know it!
Not sure if there are others. Think somebody was making a list...but those are just Energy Weapon mods, anyway. There's going to be the Projectile mods as well as mods on other gear as well. Fun stuff, right? As well as some unique items, etc, etc, etc - one of those head on over to Tribble for quick peak...eh?
The Eng School R&D Trait Bit
The various school traits can be read about in the following dev blog: http://www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/6001993-crafting-systems-part-2
The Enhanced Induction Coils Bit
From Tribble Maintenance and Release Notes - June 19, 2014:
To those that are curious, this would involve an over the top drain involving:
1) Aux Subsystem Targeting 3
2) Energy Siphon 2
3) Tyken's Rift 3
4) Plasmonic Leech console
5) Aceton console (only available to Voth ships)
The problem is, in PvP situations, it's very effective against Romulans in Romulan ships and not so well for others. Most aux2bat ships I drain have enough ways to clear debuffs that only 1, 4, and 5 are very effective. 2 and 3 get cleared very quickly by most aux2bat users.
That being said, 2 heavy drain ships both draining an aux2bat ship and with the help of a couple of high DPS dealers can bring down an aux2bat ship.
Note - I don't like aux2bat either and dial aux2bat builds are getting extra Aux power they shouldn't really have access to.
Heh, it's time for folks just to clear the queues...5x Sci Drain/Kinetic boats.
been weeks since i looked at the 9.5 stuff, just saved me some trouble. sorry about getting that beam trait fixed for FAW guys, i immediately regretted it :rolleyes:
I don't think I've queued since S9.5 hit Tribble...and I've only even hit up Ker'rat a couple of times. Some of the stuff coming with R&D...what's it for? The nuclear grenades tossed into a barrel of goldfish for PvE wasn't enough already? So it's a case of looking at the PvP angle...and meh, I thoroughly enjoy dying in a massive explosion more than is probably healthy...but it just doesn't look like it's going to be much fun after S9.5 hits.
Folks running their SWDs...say hello to [Pen] Phasers with potentially better mods - available in Beams and Cannons. Folks running AP...add some [Pen] and have a blast!
Meh, guess I'm just in that Doooooooooooooooooooom! group now...been able to wiggle my way out of the doom over the years, but I guess I'm wearing down.