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Forums > Home› Feedback› Klingon Discussion

i love my free Varanus!

omegaphallicomegaphallic Member Posts: 101 Arc User
edited September 2014 in Klingon Discussion
As said in the title.

I don't understand why people bash the Varanus, its moves nice, it seems descent at a basic level for sci, and best of all is the console which is tied with the point defence system as my favourite console. I just wish I could use it on any ship.

Serious do it right and the thing can produce repair drones for an endless amount of allies, they look cool as does the platform, and it looks cool when they heal your hull.

The console makes this ship fun by its self, everything else the Varanus offers is gravy.

My 3 favourite ships are now Fleet Corsair and Dyson Ships tied with Varanus for second.
Post edited by omegaphallic on

Comments

  • tarsudotarsudo Member Posts: 343 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    omegaphallic wrote: »
    As said in the title.

    I don't understand why people bash the Varanus, its moves nice, it seems descent at a basic level for sci, and best of all is the console which is tied with the point defence system as my favourite console. I just wish I could use it on any ship.

    Serious do it right and the thing can produce repair drones for an endless amount of allies, they look cool as does the platform, and it looks cool when they heal your hull.

    The console makes this ship fun by its self, everything else the Varanus offers is gravy.

    My 3 favourite ships are now Fleet Corsair and Dyson Ships tied with Varanus for second.


    People hate the Varanus because:
    - lower hull
    - only 6 weapons
    - low turn rate (11!!!)


    I play the varanus with my gorn sci... maybe if more people are interest we can create a channel call: varanus (similiar a VoQuv United)

    Qapla'
  • ursusmorologusursusmorologus Member Posts: 5,328 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Who hates it? Pointing out that its very mediocre is not hating.

    It has nothing really going for it, limited damage potential w/ only 3 tac consoles, poor turn, modest engineering for healing, defensive console that does not help you kill anything faster, ... It cant kill stuff fast and it cant be a tank/healer, all it can do is mid-line support.
    [img]http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x57/UrsusMorologus/MechWarrior Online/Catapult_K2 sig.jpg[/img]
  • tk79tk79 Member Posts: 1,020 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    The Varanus is by far my #1 favorite KDF-side ship. Mine performs very well in Elite STFs and that's all that matters.
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  • ryakidrysryakidrys Member Posts: 830 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    I admit that setting up a varanus for drains doesn't boost DPS, and it doesn't make it tank, so there isn't much you can directly attribute to the Varanus as making a case for it being effective.
    The combat log doesn't track power levels, debuffs, etc.
    While it's not getting 20k+ DPS like I get with a Tac toon in a Mogh, I currently get around 7-9k DPS in a drain build varanus in the Infected elite and Cure Elite PvE content. That's still enough to be tops in DPS in a lot of randomly joined STFs I get into, and about the same DPS I was getting in a B'Rel that was always running for it's life since it would get aggro way too often.
    Anyway, set up as a drain build, in Crystal Cataclysm, it's collecting the shards and Tholian ships, draining power from the crystal to make it's matter conversion beam less effective, and able to send some heals around. It's supporting the group in CC while still putting out 5k DPS. It's not the popular thing to do, support, but it can be helpful in the right situations.
    When it comes to PvP, I agree that it's too slow and just too easy of a target to take down.
    I feel it needs a battle cloak to get close to being effective in PvP, but that's wishful thinking.
  • shpoksshpoks Member Posts: 6,967 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Glad you're enjoying it. :) I always liked the Varanus, it's not the top-notch of science, however it's a very solid, usefull and fun ship overall, great choice for pure science on the KDF side and the console is also great IMO.
    HQroeLu.jpg
  • desertjetsdesertjets Member Posts: 207 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    I hate all the free Varanusi running around b/c I am no longer a unique snowflake flying around in my Fleet Varanus. Essentially it is the KDF equiv of the Recon Science vessel and the Hanom Guardian warbird.

    While sci ships in general don't fit in the larger DPS meta of the PVE game these days, if you have a half a brain and put together a decent build you'll be more than pulling your weight in a PUG match. FWIW from the moment I began reading about STO I have always wanted to play sci and play sci ships. I've done tac toons/builds but they have all ended up being deleted b/c I found that boring.
  • sthe91sthe91 Member Posts: 6,010 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    I would have gotten my free Varanus. If 1)I could have gotten to level 40, but because of a mission that did not give enough Skill points I was sunk. So enjoy your Varanus. Personally, I think that you should be able to claim these free ships and then when you are the level required, open a pack and unlock them. That is just me of course. :)
    Where there is a Will, there is a Way.
  • ryakidrysryakidrys Member Posts: 830 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Well, a little over a month ago I spent the zen for the same varanus we got for free. Ugh! A few weeks ago, since I liked it enough, I got the fleet version. Oh, well.
  • atlantraatlantra Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    The Varanus is why I joined KDF a few years ago... The ship is okay, but great for healing roles. The repair platform console heals allies/you when ship is under 75% HP.
    The dress is gold and white. Over 70% people says so. When viewed from a certain screen angle it appears blue and black. The dress displayed on amazon is a blue and black dress, but it's not the same dress in the picture. If you're seeing blue & black you're slightly colored blind. A normal upright screen = white and gold.
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  • jaguarskxjaguarskx Member Posts: 5,945 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    I claimed my free Varanus, however, I will definitely not use it with my Tactical in the near / medium future since the tactical stations are rather pathetic. I might give it a spin with my Engineer, but not anytime soon. If might decide to create a KDF Sci toon in the future, but only if that toon can claim the Varanus.

    There is nothing remarkable about the ship other than the repair console which I assume can be used on other ships. It would have been real nice if the KDF adapted that Gorn starship to have innate cloaking abilities. A turn rate of 11 means that it should be possible to increase the turn rate into the mid-20's with the right skills and gear.
  • generator88generator88 Member Posts: 698 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    I'm figuring I'll spec out a Varanus build for my Engineer, just to try it out, and see if Iike it. I never found a ship for him that I was 100% satisfied with, so here's to trying out the freebie.

    Point of curiosity, this Fleet version qualifies for the FSM discount, right?

    Generator
    =================

    I'm sure your DPS is great, but as Kahless said, "a petaQ with high system mastery is still a petaQ." (Well, he should have said it...!)
  • abaddon653abaddon653 Member Posts: 1,144 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    generator88 wrote: »

    Point of curiosity, this Fleet version qualifies for the FSM discount, right?

    Indeed it does, I checked that myself since not all KDF ships are, which is....well stupid. Seriously how hard is it to go into the game files and change the number of FSM needed when a ship is owned.
  • shpoksshpoks Member Posts: 6,967 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    abaddon653 wrote: »
    Indeed it does, I checked that myself since not all KDF ships are, which is....well stupid. Seriously how hard is it to go into the game files and change the number of FSM needed when a ship is owned.

    Only T5 C-Store ships get discounts for their respective fleet variants. The reason for most KDF ships not receiving a discount on FSMs is not a missing change in the game files or bad programming, but the simple sad fact that the KDF has very few C-Store ships at Tier 5, furthermore a number of those that are T5 don't have fleet versions. (Guramba, Marauder...) Why didn't Cryptic made fleet versions of those, while they made of lower tier ones, I'll never be able to understand, but it is what it is. A bad business practice and a weak executive decision if you ask me.
    Therefore most of the KDF fleet ships come from variants present at tiers lower than T5, so they don't get discounts.

    But yeah, luckily for generator88, the Varanus is one of those ships that provides the FSM discount.
    HQroeLu.jpg
  • ursusmorologusursusmorologus Member Posts: 5,328 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Fleet discount is equal to the zen cost of the base ship. By definition, only c-store ships have base zen cost. That is why you dont get discounts for dilithium and 200k FC ships.
    [img]http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x57/UrsusMorologus/MechWarrior Online/Catapult_K2 sig.jpg[/img]
  • omegaphallicomegaphallic Member Posts: 101 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    shpoks wrote: »
    Only T5 C-Store ships get discounts for their respective fleet variants. The reason for most KDF ships not receiving a discount on FSMs is not a missing change in the game files or bad programming, but the simple sad fact that the KDF has very few C-Store ships at Tier 5, furthermore a number of those that are T5 don't have fleet versions. (Guramba, Marauder...) Why didn't Cryptic made fleet versions of those, while they made of lower tier ones, I'll never be able to understand, but it is what it is. A bad business practice and a weak executive decision if you ask me.
    Therefore most of the KDF fleet ships come from variants present at tiers lower than T5, so they don't get discounts.

    But yeah, luckily for generator88, the Varanus is one of those ships that provides the FSM discount.

    In the case of the Grumba, they have delayed it because of some sort of problem, they picked the Corsair over the Maurader based on looks, the corsair is a much cooler looking while retaining themetic elements, and as such was a more popular ship then the space hippo (plus the Corsair was very popular with one of the devs, which is also why they get the Sci Lt. Com boff slot hecause that dev wanted the Fleet Corsair that way).

    a
  • generator88generator88 Member Posts: 698 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Well, here's a rough sketch of what I'm looking to do with the build:

    http://skillplanner.stoacademy.com/?build=haazekvaranus_5035

    A few notes:

    So far, all of the equipment is white/basic stuff except for the KCB, Assim module, plasmonic leech. I have the Bio-Neural Warhead, but didn't slot it yet, and after playing it, I might not bother; I think the 5th beam array is serving me better.

    Doffs are pretty basic, 2 Deflector Officers, 2 DCEs, 2 Tac Team Conn Officers.

    Perfectly cromulent ship, really, it performs as expected. :)

    Later on,
    Gen
    =================

    I'm sure your DPS is great, but as Kahless said, "a petaQ with high system mastery is still a petaQ." (Well, he should have said it...!)
  • coldicephoenixcoldicephoenix Member Posts: 344 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    I have the Fleet version. Its a good sci ship. Gives me top place on Crystalline Elite each time. Those drones really add up in points :D
    We still live!!!!! Hahahahahahahahaa! We live and we will conquer!!!!! Hahahahahaaha!

    -Roach, when asked about Klingon extinction!
  • coldicephoenixcoldicephoenix Member Posts: 344 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    generator88 wrote: »
    Well, here's a rough sketch of what I'm looking to do with the build:

    http://skillplanner.stoacademy.com/?build=haazekvaranus_5035

    A few notes:

    So far, all of the equipment is white/basic stuff except for the KCB, Assim module, plasmonic leech. I have the Bio-Neural Warhead, but didn't slot it yet, and after playing it, I might not bother; I think the 5th beam array is serving me better.

    Doffs are pretty basic, 2 Deflector Officers, 2 DCEs, 2 Tac Team Conn Officers.

    Perfectly cromulent ship, really, it performs as expected. :)

    Later on,
    Gen

    Ever considered using the Solane/Dyson deflector.. Highest PartGen deflectors in game
    We still live!!!!! Hahahahahahahahaa! We live and we will conquer!!!!! Hahahahahaaha!

    -Roach, when asked about Klingon extinction!
  • generator88generator88 Member Posts: 698 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    coldicephoenix wrote: »
    Ever considered using the Solane/Dyson deflector.. Highest PartGen deflectors in game

    Sure. I'm certainly not married to the Aegis idea; I'm 2+ months of grind away from getting there anyway. :-\ I can easily run A Step Between Stars a few times for that.

    coldice, So you do in fact use the Repair Platforms console from the base Varanus? I haven't yet slotted them; I'll have to give them a go.

    Thanks for the feedback.
    =================

    I'm sure your DPS is great, but as Kahless said, "a petaQ with high system mastery is still a petaQ." (Well, he should have said it...!)
  • generator88generator88 Member Posts: 698 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    I tweaked the linked build some. Bioneural warhead is out, as expected, replaced with a beam array. The beams and consoles all switched to antiproton. Deflector/Engine/Shields are Solenae, and using a 2-piece Obelisk for the +AP damage.

    One place is love a bit of feedback is in the Rep traits. Anyone got any thoughts on which ones migt work well for this? This char's rep is very much still WIP (the only track that's finished is Omega).

    Later on,
    Gen
    =================

    I'm sure your DPS is great, but as Kahless said, "a petaQ with high system mastery is still a petaQ." (Well, he should have said it...!)
  • ryakidrysryakidrys Member Posts: 830 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    generator88 wrote: »
    One place is love a bit of feedback is in the Rep traits. Anyone got any thoughts on which ones migt work well for this? This char's rep is very much still WIP (the only track that's finished is Omega).

    Later on,
    Gen

    Tier 4 nukara rep gives you offensive and defensive traits based on aux power levels. with EPTA and energy siphon, you should have extremely high aux power to go with the two traits.

    Tier 5 romulan provides a nice overall science boost while giving you an ability to drop being targeted, which can be very handy.

    Tier 5 undine has a shield boost bubble that's really nice when you want to park and shoot or when you want to help a teammate or two that do the park and shoot thing.
  • generator88generator88 Member Posts: 698 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Good call, Nukara t4 is just about a no-brainer, thanks. Both t5s you mention go into the bucket for click-power rep traits, right? If so, that fills up half of each one; I'm sure I can "season to taste." :D

    Gen
    =================

    I'm sure your DPS is great, but as Kahless said, "a petaQ with high system mastery is still a petaQ." (Well, he should have said it...!)
  • burstorionburstorion Member Posts: 1,750 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    I've set up a varanus for 300kec (faw/polaron) and shes not a bad drain ship - so much shield healing (epts, tss, sci team) that tac team is pretty pointless (this is for pve) whilst capable of decent drainage abilities (plus grav well as its always useful)

    Those repair platforms though...they are an easier way to first in cce than the valdore console.

    Drop one in a group and it gives everyone drones over time, acting as a surprisingly effective anti-anti matter beam 'chaff'

    Plus the faux cloak of the platform can help hide you


    All in all the varanus is a gem of a ship and likely one of the few ships that I'd use with its native console
    (although admittedly I was an fdssv fan, so the fleet varanus might be a ship I'll snap up)
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  • coldicephoenixcoldicephoenix Member Posts: 344 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    generator88 wrote: »

    coldice, So you do in fact use the Repair Platforms console from the base Varanus? I haven't yet slotted them; I'll have to give them a go.

    Thanks for the feedback.
    I use them mainly for CE to "cheat " my way to the top lol. Otherwise I dont use them much. But of late I have noticed their healing AI improved (could be my imagination :P) . There were times when they used to just fly around you not healing.
    Normally if you or friendlies drop below 75% they start SIF'ing. And the effect is cool to have 3 drones healing and I then land a major heal at the same time getting back an ally to full health.

    Edit: maybe I should get my fleetmates into a no-win sometime.. with promises that I can heal :)
    We still live!!!!! Hahahahahahahahaa! We live and we will conquer!!!!! Hahahahahaaha!

    -Roach, when asked about Klingon extinction!
  • smeeinn1tsmeeinn1t Member Posts: 618 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Must admit I'm loving my Varanus, the only boat I use tetryons on. It's perfect for CCE with the platforms up, really does feel like a tank. I'll throw it through NWS later and see how it does. (Not with Tets tho)
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