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What to do with the Pathfinder?
errab
Member Posts: 1,434 Arc User
Greetings All,
On a whim I decided to pick up the Pathfinder (Limited time deals always seem to get me) :P
Now that I have it I really don't know what to do with it.
I'm currently running a EC bought Particle Generator Build with just a hair under 300 in particle Generators and I'm running Tractor Beam Repulsors 3 and 1 w/ Pull Doff and one Copy of GW1.
My TBR 3 are getting about 2200k (not including Crit) Damage per second during its activation and my TBR1 is getting about 1170k (not including Crit) Damage per second.
I've heard many say that I should run GW3 with TBR2 and TBR1 but I think the damage that I get from TBR3 will far outdo anything GW3 can bring to the table.
I'm trying to find an optimal build for the pathfinder
Thanks for your time
On a whim I decided to pick up the Pathfinder (Limited time deals always seem to get me) :P
Now that I have it I really don't know what to do with it.
I'm currently running a EC bought Particle Generator Build with just a hair under 300 in particle Generators and I'm running Tractor Beam Repulsors 3 and 1 w/ Pull Doff and one Copy of GW1.
My TBR 3 are getting about 2200k (not including Crit) Damage per second during its activation and my TBR1 is getting about 1170k (not including Crit) Damage per second.
I've heard many say that I should run GW3 with TBR2 and TBR1 but I think the damage that I get from TBR3 will far outdo anything GW3 can bring to the table.
I'm trying to find an optimal build for the pathfinder
Thanks for your time
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Post edited by errab on
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I had this build adapted for a scryer, which basically is the same as the pathfinder, and it always was solid over 10k in STFs and Skyrocket to 15k+ in CCA. Works really well and can hold of enemies for eternity, so failing an STF other than HSA/E is pretty much impossible.
Especially the combo of singularity manipulation (Romulus rep T5 skill)+OSS+Sensor Scan+GW3 is quite impressive.
The problem in your analysis is that you focus on singular points (powers) but neglect synergies. TBR with pull-doff might work great in some situations, but is unsuited for saving ships, as you can only pull the three closest ships to yourself, and only with much piloting a whole group. A undoffed tbr however just pushed anything away that is closest to it, so saving a transformer from nanite spheres are much easier. GW also works against multiple targets and with Partgen and aux maxed is very powerful. It also harmonizes with torpedospreads and effects of used torpedos (plasma cloud and gravimetric rift are AoE too, Mines affect anything in a certain range too, so its also AoE, and AoE+GW is a very powerful combo). It also greaty harmonizes with spatial launcher and isometric (both AoE). And lastly, the dmg-gap between GW1 and 3 is quite big.
So, well, synergies are more important than singularities.
My two build are:
tt1, apb1
faw1, ts2
epts1, eptw1
he1 tss2, tbr2, gw3
he1, st2, tbr2
and
tt1, ts2
epts1, eptw1
OSS1, IT1
he1 tss2, tbr2, gw3
he1, st2, tbr2
In both builds I'm using 3 damage control engineers and 1 tbr pull doff. I'm also using the Neutronic Torpedo with TS2 in both builds but if you don't like torpedoes you can change. It's just that the radiation damage on those torpedoes are amazing, like 20k per hit amazing.
In the second build I have Overide Subsystem Safties (OSS), that allows power to be raised to about 160. It really buffs the GW damage if used right. Just be ready to use ET or a shield battery if you have them when it's finished or you may lose your shields for 4 seconds. You can also use the Enhanced Plasma Manifold console from the oberth as it will keep you from losing your shields while activated.
It also uses Ionic Turbulence (IT). IT slows, slightly disables, and gives -25 damage resistance so it's kind of like AoE APB but a little better. I like to GW, IT, Sensor scan, and TS2 with the neutronic torpedoes and it can do some crazy good damage.
Its an adapted version of my Tac Vesta build in my sig below
http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/?build=joinedtrillengpathfinder_99
Essentially i loaded it up with CC abilities and everything possible to reduce or multiply how many grav wells it can let loose (deflector officer & gravimetric officer - both purples). This is only on a Tac toon (my sci toon is not leveled enough yet) and I does pretty well.
It does struggle with DPS from it's weapons but I find the sheer amount of CC abilities I can slot mean i'm far from useless in an STF. Everyone else can worry about DPS, i'll save the missions from failure with some well timed CC action.
Plus I don't plan to get into any drawn out broadside battles or escort fights with it as that's not what it should be doing. I can sit back from the action and sling out CC's and heals to supplement what the rest of the team does.
I've only got 6 pts in partigens but I plan to slot an embassy sci console to add to that, plus the solanae deflector boosts it too.
Yeah, that's why I keep AUX at 100 with the 6 space doff slots targeted towards CC abilities cool down.
At this point, my eng can compensate with power drain and buffing power to all subsystems so DPS is never an issue. Making sure everyone is compacted together for BFAW & Torp Spread is.
Only thing I don't like about that though is that FAW can aggro things behind me that i'd rather ignore, which makes me much more vulnerable. With a Vesta you can swap FAW for CSV and have much more focused fire on your grav well for a similar outcome, without the unwanted aggro.
On this ship you can't do that unless you go for a single cannon build. Now I have considered playing with that idea, it would allow slotting of the counter-command heavy turret (together with the Hydrodynamic thingy) for the 2-pc phaser bonus damage. So that could possibly make up for the lower DPS of the single cannons. No idea really, i may try it with some cheap cannons of the exchange.
Edit: just looked at this in ESD orbit and the loss in DPS would be too much to make it worth the more focused firing.
I played around with for cheap MkXII's to see what my tooltips showed and the drop in DPS was not massive but is was significant for a ship that doesn't do much to start with.
Originally I had grav torp & 2x DBB fwd. Exp. Proton Weapon, KCB & Omni beam aft.
Swapped for 2x single cannons fwd. Hvy turret, elite fleet turret & Omni beam aft.
With the Counter-command 2pc bonus damage the cannons were still looking to do about 8 DPS less compared to the DBB's. Not much I suppose, considering a wider arc and faster rate of fire.
Plus this would have all the aft gun firing at the same time too, so that potentially would improve performance.
No idea really. Currently can't get into the game to check as there seems to be some server issue or something.
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You have no idea how wrong you are. Pathfinder can out-perform many of the current sci ships. It is just a matter of good build and synergy. You must dedicate yourself to make such a build and be rewarded with its success.
Here something to check: Pathfinder 17k dps. Check the images for full information on overall damage. Bo stations are beyond than perfect for "science" ship used for "science" with "science" captain not some sort of mixture.
I will add my build in this thread I linked tomorrow. I dont think it will amaze anyone but the results are on the line...
Since I got it I've succeeded in both of the runs on ISE I took it into, and you know why? Because I was the only one doing and CC in each run. So as far as I'm concerned it did well for me. If all it is good for is some massive crowd control or AOE damage then I see no problem there, a lot of the advanced queues need people playing that type of ship to succeed. If I can keep advanced queues from failing in a roughly constructed build on a tac toon then A fully spec'd sci captain can definately make this ship work.
Plus as a T6 ship it will get even better when a fleet version is out within 12 months. That's an extra console, better hull and better shields.
I've been tinkering around a bit with a couple of BOFF skills and I've settled on using GW3 with TBR 2 and 1 so my layout looks like this now:
Lt. Tactical: TT, FAW2
Lt. Engineering: ET1, EPTS2
Lt. Intel/Engineering: OSS1, Ionic Turbulence1
Commander Science: ST1, TBR1, TBR2, GW3
Lt. Commander Science: HE1, ES1, TSS3
I only lost about 500 damage per second by going with TBR2 over TBR3 and I gained about 720 Damage per second by going with GW3 over GW1.
I was running OSS1 and OSS2 but Ionic Turbulence 1 works really well with this build so I needed to give up OSS2 for it
lead off with Ionic Turbulence (for increased damage on targets) and then drop GW3 at the same time, hope for the Ionic Turbulence loose control proc and whether it does or not pop TBR2.
I still need to figure out which Energy Type weapons that I want to run with, right now I'm running the lockbox Tetryon Beam Arrays but they are kinda Craptastic on this build :P
Looks good to me. You have all of your bases covered. OSS and IT are amazing (a little too amazing if you ask me)
I would recommend disruptors for the proc or antiproton with the obelisk core.