Phaser + Photon/Quantum Build

steaen

I'd like to set up a traditional Trek build for my ship, by which I mean Phaser beam arrays and either Photon or Quantum torpedoes (or a combination of both), but I'd like some advice on how to get the best types of the aforementioned weapons.

I'm not obsessed by mega DPS but I like my ships to be solid and capable at the very least, so I'd be interested to hear whether I should be aiming for Reputation weapons, Fleet weapons or some other source.

All help appreciated.

roborobin96

I'm actually flying such a build, and I'm using the Advanced Fleet Phasers. I also had an advanced fleet Quantum Torpedo Launcher, but I replaced that with the Neutronic Torpedo Launcher from the Delta reputation. It is a Quantum torpedo, but much stronger. I'd say go for fleet or reputation weapons. Also, you should get damage boosting consoles, in which case you should go for the Vulnerability Locator consoles from the Fleet Spire, as they provide a nice bonus.

steaen

roborobin96 wrote: »

I'm actually flying such a build, and I'm using the Advanced Fleet Phasers. I also had an advanced fleet Quantum Torpedo Launcher, but I replaced that with the Neutronic Torpedo Launcher from the Delta reputation. It is a Quantum torpedo, but much stronger. I'd say go for fleet or reputation weapons. Also, you should get damage boosting consoles, in which case you should go for the Vulnerability Locator consoles from the Fleet Spire, as they provide a nice bonus.

Makes sense, thank you.

Vulnerability Locators are definitely on the 'shopping list' too - I use plasma ones in my current build so I know how advantageous they are. Thanks for the tip on the Neutronic torp, that definitely sounds like it will be worth investigating.

baudl

advanced fleet phasers are nice, be sure to avoid the ACC mod though, since for PVE the ACC you get from skills and other sources is sufficent and if you use beam fire at will it is a wasted mod because the crth and crtd overflow does not function properly with that boff ability. dmg mod is a pretty solid choice for beams
another photon torp option is the one from the dyson reputation, if combined with the console from the same reputation for the 3% crtH set bonus.
phasers also have a few sets that boost them quite a bit. It is aquired from a mission in the dyson sphere episode arc (undine mission + counter command reputation). those 2 consoles give quite a significant boost to phasers and disruptors...and i think photon torpedos.

http://sto.gamepedia.com/Counter-Command_Ordnance

http://sto.gamepedia.com/Protonic_Arsenal

http://sto.gamepedia.com/Quantum_Phase_Catalysts

steaen

baudl wrote: »

advanced fleet phasers are nice, be sure to avoid the ACC mod though, since for PVE the ACC you get from skills and other sources is sufficent and if you use beam fire at will it is a wasted mod because the crth and crtd overflow does not function properly with that boff ability. dmg mod is a pretty solid choice for beams
another photon torp option is the one from the dyson reputation, if combined with the console from the same reputation for the 3% crtH set bonus.
phasers also have a few sets that boost them quite a bit. It is aquired from a mission in the dyson sphere episode arc (undine mission + counter command reputation). those 2 consoles give quite a significant boost to phasers and disruptors...and i think photon torpedos.

http://sto.gamepedia.com/Counter-Command_Ordnance

http://sto.gamepedia.com/Protonic_Arsenal

http://sto.gamepedia.com/Quantum_Phase_Catalysts

Thanks - I'm going to re-run Sunrise and get the console from the Quantum Phase Catalysts set as I already have the Quantum Phase torpedo and had planned to use it as part of this build anyway, so that will slot in quite nicely I think. I may also re-run the mission again to get a Quantum Phase beam array as the 3pc would give me the Quantum Destabilizing Beam as well.

I've also just checked my bank and I already have the Neutronic torpedo suggested by roborobin96, so that's another slot filled in.

leemwatson

As mentioned, the Sunrise set is worth getting. I use Agony Phasers in my builds too.

hanover2

My favorite type of build at the moment is Phaser/Disruptor + photon, because of all the Rep set bonuses you can mash into it. If you want to include Quantums, rather than displacing one of the photon launchers I would suggest getting the T6 Defiant for the clicky torpedo console, flying it long enough to unlock the Scatter Volley ship trait, then moving up to the Fleet T6 Defiant. Buy the T4 Defiant refit for the quad cannons, and the T5 Defiant for the cloak console, and you can build yourself a T6 Feddie torp boat with a battle cloak. I say the Defiant was finally established as mainly a torpedo boat starting at T6, so I'm even willing to run an aft torp launcher much of the time.

Alternately, I sacrifice the battle cloak and run with Disruptors so I can get the Secondary Torpedo launchers Mirror rep clicky. If I get bored with that, I'll give up the Mirror photon, move the Dyson Grav torp aft, and run that Kelvin torp launcher up front. With the right duty officers and consoles, you can achieve a near-constant fire rate with that Kelvin torp.

zerokillcf2011

The weapon set bonus from Undine rep (I run the Enhanced Bio-Molecular Photon Torpedo Launcher and Console - Universal - Hydrodynamics Compensator) which gives a 7.5% Phaser damage boost. The weapon set from Dyson Rep I run (Gravimetric Photon Torpedo Launcher, and Console - Universal - Proton Particle Stabilizer) which gives a +22.9% photon torpedo damage, +3% Criticial Hit, and +3 Weapon Power setting. The Sunrise set is nice, but the crucial component is the Console - Universal – Quantum Phase Converter Mk XII which has a +20% phaser damage. Use superior upgrades on all three items to get to level XIV and you get another 3-5% phaser damage boost as the consoles level. Sounds like you are going cruiser, which is my setup as well, so if you are building a canon ship, use beam arrays 3 fore 3 aft. 1 torp front, 1 aft. Don't waste consoles on RCS as most cruisers are going to benefit as much from that as from armor, or uni consoles. Make sure all your tact consoles are Phaser Relays (as good as you can buy/craft) Search for "Dragon Build" in the forums, good plan for a cruiser to maximize boffs, The cruiser will inherently be more able to just take punches (esp in PVE), so run your power levels in the max power to weapons setting. The Nukara space set and Dyson space set are good all around impulse, shield, deflector sets (Dyson also had warp core). There ARE better rep sets for DPS, or Tanking, or Healing, but on a cruiser in my experience those are the two most well rounded. For the FREE sets you get, skip the Breen (unless you want the shields for a visual slot), the Jem'Hadar set, and I'm not a fan of the Solanae or Kobali sets. The SOL Defense set from "Midnight" is nice, the Quantum Phase set from "Stormbound" is actually not bad for cruisers.

steaen

Thanks all.

I am indeed targeting all this towards a cruiser, ideally that nice new T6 Sovereign class that I hear is coming soon. That being the case, I've been using my T5U Sovvy as a test bed (not a flying one as yet, at least not until I get all the slots filled up) to give me an idea of what I need based on a presumed 4/4 weapons layout - the T5U has a 5 Eng/2 Sci/4 Tac console layout which probably won't be a million miles from what any new T6 Sovvy would have and so will at least point me the right way. I tend to prefer a two beam/two torp set-up both fore and aft, but I may well tweak that if necessary.

Currently, this is what I have based on equipment I already owned and a few things purchased from my Fleet store:

FORE WEAPONS:

- Advanced Fleet Dual Phaser Beam Bank Mark XII [CrtD] [Dmg]x3
- Advanced Fleet Dual Phaser Beam Bank Mark XII [CrtH] [Dmg]x3
- Quantum Phase Torpedo Mark XIV
- Neutronic Torpedo Launcher Mark XII

AFT WEAPONS:

-
- Quantum Phase Beam Array Mark XII
- Wide Angle Quantum Torpedo Launcher Mark XII [Acc] [Arc] [CrtH]
- Kelvin Timeline Photon Torpedo Launcher Mark XII [CrtD] [CrtH] [Reload]

DEFLECTOR:

- Iconian Resistance Deflector Array Mark XIV

SHIELDS:

- Iconian Resistance Resilient Shield Array Mark XIV [Reg]

IMPULSE ENGINES:

- Iconian Resistance Hyper-Impulse Engines Mark XIV

WARP CORE:

- Iconian Resistance Hyper Injection Warp Core Mark XIV

ENGINEERING CONSOLES:

- Console - Universal - Plasmonic Leech
- Console - Universal - Mining Drill Laser Emitter (this is at least in part because I loved the Austin Powers films and imagine it as Dr Evil's "giant "laser" - it's an indulgence, but whatever)
- Console - Universal - Quantum Phase Converter Mark XII
- Console - Engineering - Enhanced Neutronium Alloy Mark XIV [HP]
- Console - Engineering - Trellium-D Plating Mark XIV

SCIENCE CONSOLES:

-
-

TACTICAL CONSOLES:

- Console - Tactical - Vulnerability Locator Mark XII [Phaser]
- Console - Tactical - Vulnerability Locator Mark XII [Phaser]
-
-

Obvious priorities in the first instance will be to get two more Vulnerability Locators to fill the remaining Tac slots, and a Fleet Phaser Beam Array for the remaining aft weapons slot - the frustration there is that I have Fleet marks coming out of my ears but the Fleet I'm in has no projects requiring them, which makes getting the necessary Fleet credits a case of 'so near, yet so far'. In due course, I will also be aiming to upgrade everything to Mark XIV and preferably Epic, but that will be as it will be in time.

Suggestions for the optimal consoles for the Sci slots are much appreciated.

hanover2

I wouldn't go so torp-heavy on a cruiser, myself.

baudl

"that nice new T6 Sovereign class that I hear is coming soon" yeah, I'm also going to get that one for my sovy captain. But here is the catch, or better the irony.
There is now a T5 version, a mirror T5 version, a T5-U version, a fleet T5 version, then there will be "soon" a T6 version and a fleet T6 version...seriously now, that rather long list of a single ship even looks effed up.

dirlewanger

I have run Phasers/Photons for a while now, and have been doing pretty well with this configuration on my Fleet Assault Cruiser Refit T5-U.

Set Piece identification and source locations are included for each item.


Forward Weapons:

(-) Elite Fleet Phaser Beam Array Mk XIV [Acc]x2 [Dmg] - Fleet Starbase
(-) Elite Fleet Phaser Beam Array Mk XIV [Acc]x2 [Dmg] - Fleet Starbase
(Q) Quantum Phase Beam Array Mk XIV - Mission: Sunrise
(P) Gravimetric Photon Torpedo Launcher Mk XIV - Dyson Rep

Ship Gear:

(S) M.A.C.O. Graviton Deflector Array Mk XIV - Omega Rep
(S) M.A.C.O. Impulse Engines Mk XIV - Omega Rep
(S) M.A.C.O. Resilient Shield Array Mk XIV - Omega Rep
(-) Elite Fleet Reinforced Warp Core Mk XIV [AMP] [S->W] [SCap] [SEP] [SST] - Fleet Dilithium Mine

Aft Weapons:

(-) Omni-Directional Phaser Beam Array Mk XIV [Acc]x2 [Arc] [Dmg] - Craft/Exchange
(P) Experimental Proton Weapon Mk XIV - Dyson Rep
(O) Kinetic Cutting Beam Mk XIV [Dmg]x3 - Omega Rep
(C) Enhanced Bio-Molecular Photon Torpedo Launcher Mk XIV - 8472 Rep

Engineering:

(O) Assimilated Module Mk XIV - Omega Rep
(C) Hydrodynamics Compensator Mk XIV - 8472 Rep
(P) Proton Particle Stabilizer Mk XIV - Dyson Rep
(Q) Quantum Phase Converter Mk XIV - Mission: Sunrise
(-) Tachyokinetic Converter Mk XIV - Lobi Store (200)

Science:

(-) Exotic Particle Field Exciter Mk XIV [ShHeal] - Fleet Embassy
(-) Plasma-Generating Weapon Signature Nullifier Mk XIV [ShHeal] - Fleet Embassy
(Adds Plasma Explosion Proc to Energy Weapons)

Tactical:

(-) Vulnerability Locator Mk XIV [Phaser] - Fleet Spire
(-) Vulnerability Locator Mk XIV [Phaser] - Fleet Spire
(-) Vulnerability Locator Mk XIV [Phaser] - Fleet Spire
(C) Counter-Command Multi-Conduit Energy Relay Mk XIV - Mission: Surface Tension


Set Bonuses:

(S) 3/3 Starfleet Elite Force
+5% Power Recharge Speed
+17.8% Starship Drain Expertise
+Heavy Graviton Beam
-(Disables Weapons, Engines, Auxillary for 3.8 seconds)

(P) 3/3 Protonic Arsenal
+26.6% Photon Projectile Weapon Damage
+3% Critical Chance
+10% Critical Chance with Photon Projectile Weapons
+10% Critical Severity

(C) 3/4 Counter Command Ordnance
+7.5% Bonus Phaser Energy Damage
+2% increased chance for Bio-Molecular weapons to apply their incubation buff

(O) 2/3 Omega Adapted Borg Technology
2.5% Chance: apply to self: Omega Weapon Amplifier
-(+10 Current Weapon Power)
-(+500 Current Weapon Power Resistance Rating for 3 seconds)
-(+500 Maximum Weapon Power Resistance Rating for 3 seconds)

(Q) 2/3 Quantum Phase Catalysts
+15% Accuracy
Doubles potentcy of Quantum Phase Weapons shield drain

theraven2378

all my fed ships have phasers and photons

foxman00

hanover2 wrote: »

I wouldn't go so torp-heavy on a cruiser, myself.

I agree somewhat with this. Unless your specialising heavy into kinetic damage, maybe have a torpedo fore and aft, and the otehr weapon slots beam arrays.

The sunrise set is very good to, especially for phaser builds. If possible, get another console from the Kelvin timeline ships. Because i believe the two piece bonus boosts phaser damage as well.

(Please correct me if i am wrong, about to head out)

theraven2378

foxman00 wrote: »

hanover2 wrote: »

I wouldn't go so torp-heavy on a cruiser, myself.

I agree somewhat with this. Unless your specialising heavy into kinetic damage, maybe have a torpedo fore and aft, and the otehr weapon slots beam arrays.

The sunrise set is very good to, especially for phaser builds. If possible, get another console from the Kelvin timeline ships. Because i believe the two piece bonus boosts phaser damage as well.

(Please correct me if i am wrong, about to head out)

Escorts are much better choices as phaser cannon and torpedo boats

salazarraze

A single forward firing torpedo is sufficient. For the most effective "quantum" use the Neutronic. If you don't like the purple look, use the Quantum phase. I wouldn't use the Wide-Angle Quantum these days considering there's at least 6 or 7 torpedo launchers that are better. If you don't mind the non-starfleet weaponry, use the standard borg 2 piece with the KCB and console for the power boost. For the beams, as others have said, the advanced fleet with CrtD+Dmgx3 is an easy and cheap option.

angrytarg

If you want a "Trek flavour" build you are limited to Agony/Vanilla/Fleet phasers, as all other phasers have a different colour. Some of my ships use Type-6 and Andorian phasers (which are vanilla in effect, but blue). That might also work, at least n my headcanon it does (phaser evolution). My Vulcan ships use the 8472 rep phasers since Vulcan ships were shown firing green particle beams.​​

smokebailey

the Tholian meshweaver can be a phaser beast if done right.

steaen

foxman00 wrote: »

If possible, get another console from the Kelvin timeline ships. Because i believe the two piece bonus boosts phaser damage as well.

I just so happen to have the Proton Charge console in my bank, so I thought I'd slot it and take a look at the 2pc bonus:

+25% Kinetic Damage For Photon Torpedoes And Mines
+25% Phaser Damage For Directed Energy Weapons

Thanks for the tip - definitely one to make use of I think.

Thanks all for your various pieces of advice too, I really do appreciate it all.