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Is a tetryon-weapon build ever worth taking?
hydraface
Member Posts: 41 Arc User
I like the look of the survivability-boosting nukara dish, engine, core set, but it looks like you'd really be missing out on a big bonus the set provides unless you're packing tetryon weapons.
I'm trying out various weapon types at the moment on my beam-boat scimitar (fed aligned scientist) and am set on polaron right now. I know tetryon is generally considered an unfavourable energy type, but is there a 'flavour' of tetryon beam array which is significantly more effective in-game, and has anyone used tets effectively in PvP or elite difficulty end-game situations?
the alternative is dominion polaron but i'd really like to give that nukara set a whirl.
I'm trying out various weapon types at the moment on my beam-boat scimitar (fed aligned scientist) and am set on polaron right now. I know tetryon is generally considered an unfavourable energy type, but is there a 'flavour' of tetryon beam array which is significantly more effective in-game, and has anyone used tets effectively in PvP or elite difficulty end-game situations?
the alternative is dominion polaron but i'd really like to give that nukara set a whirl.
Post edited by hydraface on
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To me, tetryon is a weapon that's great for torp boat users.
You could try the polarized tetryons from the episode "new link". They have a 10% chance to remove some shield strength. However, I do not know, if that actually works as described. Did someone test them and can confirm the 10% chance?
Piercing tetryon from Nimbus seem strong, too, again based on their description. Same here, can someone confirm, if they work as described?
Don't forget the Nukara 2 piece (the Console set) = +8.5% Tetryon damage AND +17 flow capacitors (shield drain).
I'll just leave this here in case it may help (or not). I'm not asking the same questions, but I am still working it out in my head.
It only works on shields.
And 99% of the enemies in STO have pretty bad shields andd high hull. Theres some exceptions like the Voth Citadel Cruiser which have massive shields and shield regen.
But compared to all other energy types, those work on both shields and hull (Antiproton, Phased Biomatter etc), or completly bypass the shields (Protonic Polaron, Plasma etc) so that makes tetryon come out kinda... halfassed in the end.
Doesn't really matter if proc chance is 2.5% or 10%, once shields are down, they're not doing anything special.
i may go with antiproton though after all's said and done. As a rommy, I can't get a set that boosts the base damage of the beams, which is a shame, but then, I'll be free to get another great set anyway (likely adapted borg) and it seems AP does a good job of draining shields anyway because it hits so flipping hard anyway, amd that works on hull too.
Alas, tetryon looks great, and I'd love to use the nukara set, it looks funky, but in the debate of AP vs Tet, I can see more in favour of going full AP...
The TET proc is tied to flow caps. If your ship does not have huge flow caps, the infrequent procs that only work when shields are up do far less shield damage. In a flow cap ship you can break 800, might even touch 1000 per proc with tet. In a dps ship without massive flow caps you get half that.
The best shield drainer is to use the tet glider proc from 2 pieces of borg gear. Which also requires high flow caps to make any difference. You can use that with any weapon type at the cost of using a low end shield.
Roms CAN use the AP set if you use a non-rom ship from box or lobi. But the AP set does not matter much --- an amped warp core is just as good at endgame. The ap core allows you to run a cheap core while gearing up, and it works without big power levels, but in the long run, it will be replaced. AP or plasma is the way to go for roms. I prefer AP.
Combine it with a Plasmonic Leech and good Flow Capacitors and you're looking at some fun times.
Bout freekin time. Upgraded pol-tet keeps it's 10% proc ?
Squeeeeee !!
Awoken Dead
Now shaddup about the queues, it's a BUG
2) Tetryons are GREAT for a High-End Budget build. (Is that a contradiction? lol)
Disruptor can also double-dip with 8472 Counter-Command Ordinance and Elachi Lobi set. The Counter-Command set on it's own comes out ahead of both Tet sets combined in damage boost, as it's end-of-calculation instead of base (depending on your stats and gear it can come out as big a difference as adding a Mk XII UR Tac console [or possibly higher with Mk XIV gear]). Elachi Lobi set is only 7.6% base, but the console is very nice (Crtical damage and hull strength boost) and the Crescent cannon is nice on slower turning cannon boats (not run the torp from the set). Elachi set pieces scale very well with mark and rarity, with just the free upgrade to Mk XII blue giving a decent bump in stats.
Also, while it can't multi-dip set bonuses, Plasma has the option of using Sci consoles as basically mini-Tac consoles via the [Pla] Embassy consoles. At Mk XII UR each console is just under par with each Tet set, but they are upgradable and the Plasma damage scales with mark and rarity of the console.
FYI...
Be aware also that certain energy weapon types have additional options for boosting weapon power that the rest do not. e.g., Plasma gets the most, it can get additional power boost from Romulan sets and from Fleet Plasma-Infused Sci consoles. Tetryon also get boosts from Nukara set. Disruptors from the Elachi Lobi set, possibly other sets. Polarons from the Jem'hedar set.
Do Antiproton get any boosts from any sets? EDIT: Antiproton can get a boost from the Obelisk/AP 360 degree beam set.
Phaser... none, AFAIK, not even from Fleet. Besides Phaser Relays and some odd reputation consoles. None.
Plasma and Disruptors get the best proc that affects the hulls. Antiproton just get the better inherent mods.
SCE ADVISORY NOTICE: Improper Impulse Engine maintenance can result in REAR THRUSTER LEAKAGE. ALWAYS have your work inspected by another qualified officer.
AP get a boost from every item that adds crit and crit-D, set or not -- including some ships that now get upgraded passives to those stats! The AP set has issues.... its a reactor, so you can't double dip amped with it. Some of the other sets involve reactors as well though, I think, fuzzy memory right now. Anything that needs a reactor for the damage bonus is a problem if there are any others.
Values are also in question. JH upgrade set for example gives a lot more pol damage than the XI. Unknown (?) -- does upgrading the beam and reactor give even more for AP (the ap bonus is also odd since its a postmultiplier unlike most others). Same for other sets .. some upgrade, but do we know yet the final % bonus of gold sets (if different)?
Other damage types may have extra perks after the shields go down, but Tetryon does take the shields down a bit faster so you're doing direct damage to the hull faster.
As many have pointed out recently shield melting isn't as important as it used to be because of the buffed hull points on the DR baddies. People are killing in the advanced and elite queues without taking the enemy shields down. Sounds weird, but peeps I respect are saying this so as much as I love shield melting I think it's time to let go and look for more ways to bleed-thru shield instead of stripping them.
Awoken Dead
Now shaddup about the queues, it's a BUG
A build running a bunch of refracting tetryon, with the tetryon glider buff, could be awesome. Not sure how you'd put it all together though.
Odan Brota (Science Officer): Captain of a 28k DPS Scryer Intel Science Vessel, U.S.S. Kepler
Patiently waiting for a Romulan Science Vessel
Refracting Tetryon is one of those gimmicks that sounds great at first glance, but then winds up being quite useless in actual practice. The extra "plink" that the refraction (intermittently!) does to something you're not actively applying either spike or pressure damage to has very little purpose or advantage to it. I mean, it's not as if that extra little "plink" of damage isn't going to get regenerated while you continue engaging a completely different target. Indeed, the only time that Refracting Tetryon MIGHT deliver on its promise of extra damage throughput in a useful/meaningful manner involves use of Gravity Well and/or Tractor Beam "Attractors" to clump a group of hostiles together and then use Beam Fire At Will on them to "light them up" with refracting blue. The rest of the time, it's just wasted damage.
No, the real problem with Refracting Tetryon is that the chance to proc a refraction is too low, and the refraction is only POSSIBLY useful if you're engaging 2+ hostiles ... and even then, the refraction merely "tickles" the extra ship.
In other words, there's better uses for your Dilithium than buying Refracting Tetryons.
Protonic Kool-Aid Down The Drain Cruiser
Immortal BOff Skills combo for Ground
For grinding 50+, in PvE it's the least effective damage-wise. I've spent 100's of millions trying to get them to be as least as effective as say phasers. For my money, post 50 Polaron, disrupters, romulan plasma and AP are more 'effective'.
In PvP, they can be.... wait. Cryptic doesn't support PvP here.
[/end of conversation]
While true for cannon builds, for faw spam it does have some usefulness. I agree that the 2.5% chance of proc is really low to be worth a mod, but you can run a tet build with nukara set and get unstable tetryon lattice to stack on the tetyron cascade with faw spamming and a little boost from the refracting beams does better that way. Still not the best setup but it builds on FAW really well.
My current setup is very much a W.I.P. but so far I've managed to achieve the following on this ship
Bonus Accuracy - 26.9% Not really useful in PvE, I know but still helps a little.
Critical Hit - 16.9% Working on seeing just how much I can improve this with what is currently available in game.
Critical Severity - 101.9% Pretty good but I think I can do better
For Max dps people are going Plasma or AP. AP has that brutal always on 20% critd and I have to admit it is the best even though I have all plasma sets....
So far it's doing okay ... since I'm effectively using 7 beams and with a broadside can intermittently drop target shields in PvE between the Plasmonic Leech and the Energy Siphon stacking for sufficient power drain. This build pretty much peaks out at around 500-ish power to all four subsystems (ie. 125+ to all) rather than at 380-ish power like I was seeing with an Aux to Battery build like I'd been using previously. Having the EPS Manifold Trait as an Engineering Captain certainly helps in this regard. It takes a few volleys to get the power REALLY flowing through this build, but once it does it is ALL SYSTEMS GO against PvE Foes. :cool:
Protonic Kool-Aid Down The Drain Cruiser
Immortal BOff Skills combo for Ground