tips for starting a science toon.

skullblits

hello all.

we are getting another bonus xp next weekend and I'm going to start a science person. on federation.

so as long time pc players please share your tips and advice on starting one.

thanks for any advice

davefenestrator

Ground: Nanite Health Monitor is great, cast it ahead of time and it heals as needed. Sonic Pulse is nice if you're up against enemies using melee like Klingons or Borg.

Space: Gravity Well is fun. I like to pair it with Scramble Sensors so they shoot each other and stop shooting you, and a torp spread to try to get some warp core explosions. A neutronic, gravimetric, Sunrise quantum phase or crafted/exchangle plasma emission torp adds to the fun.

skullblits

interesting. would you say it's a harder class?

davefenestrator

Hmm, maybe in that you need to pay more attention to your ship, build and power set. A space magic or <dolby> SCIENCE! </dolby> ship is less about point-and-shoot and more about making your magic hit really hard. Depending on how you buff it gravity well does exotic damage, crowd control, or both. You can also add a doff that gives a good chance of "aftershock" gravity wells a few seconds later so the fun continues.

odinforever20000

I Loooove my space magic. Actually..I felt content was easier with my sci toon than my Tac..Or perhaps my play style is better suited for science magic..Ships build types usually fall under:

Drain (Nasty shutdown builds), Exotic Damage (DPS) or Control types (these are your Mega Gravwell/support/Dps guys).

For specific science (Ship) builds click the link in my sig. We at the science Chanel love to help other understand the subtlties of sci magics :P

Long and short of it is..Debuff debuff debuff then MAGIC!! Or in the case of a sci toon..Let them Buff BUFF BUFF and then Subnuke..and if they got more (and your in a scryer) Subnuke Carrierwave to remove those nasty buffs :P

Typical Weapons loadout is Torpedos..and Tac consoles are full of Universals..You could throw 3 weapon sets on a sci ship that way..3 beams 3 torpedos (Delta,Quantum Phase and 1 other) for Lolz.

All Research sci consoles are common as they Increase 2 different science areas (EPG and Drain for example)..

sierra078

pick up electro-static field and exothermic induction to hold enemies in place and set them on fire. I also carry medical tricorder and triage for team heals. In space I've tried a drain build with energy siphyon and tachyon beam but those are only really good against single targets. I tend to stick with GW3 to pull enemies in a tight spot then unleash BFAW (Beam fire at will) and TS (Torpedo Spread) to wipe them out.

davefenestrator

On PCs where it can be crafted, the Exotic Particle Generator is a decent choice for a console slot since it's a combined particle generator console and shield hitpoints generator in one.

You're on console though, right? So for now you'd need to use plain Particle Generators to buff gravity well.

If you have the temporal story arc The Sunrise and Stormbound episodes include nice science-themed weapon and space sets.

skullblits

hmm sounds like a challenge. should be fun.

any recommendations on a science ship?

I was think about getting the voyager ship

davefenestrator

The Paradox for lobi (or EC on the exchange) is a very strong ship aside from a low-ish turn rate.

The Scryer is very nimble, great for keeping nose-on for torps, and has command Intel seating so you can add Intel space magic to your Science space magic.

Neither of those looks very Federation though. My Scryer is (in my RPing) a Federation-Tholian tech hybrid and the build uses the Nukara weapons and space set.

I don't have the T6 Pathfinder but it looks like a decent ship on paper: http://sto.gamepedia.com/Pathfinder_Long_Range_Science_Vessel

skullblits

ah. I was thinking the armoured voyager.

have you used it?

davefenestrator

The T5 Intrepid? - http://sto.gamepedia.com/Long_Range_Science_Vessel_Retrofit

If you wait a little while you might be able to buy the T6 instead.

skullblits

yea your probably right. although don't feel like paying an extra 1000 zen for voyager interior lol. I'll just end up getting the ship

thanks for advice

gavinruneblade

if it is your first science captain and first science ship then my best advice is burn respecs and don't het trapped into one build or one ship too soon.

the big advantage sci captaims and sci ships have is flexibility. there are so many different builds. try them.

torpedo bomber, aoe exotic damage, hold'n'spike, drain, shield tank, hybrid beams n magic, master of pets, etc. there is no single way to do science.

even on the ground you can be right behind tac with melee, you can tank, you can control, you can aoe damage, you can heal/support, and more.

don't be afraid to experiment. Try everything until you know what you like best. And hope you don't end up a serial altoholic like me with one of each 'cause they're all fun. ^.^

tiberious

skullblits#4627 wrote: »

ah. I was thinking the armoured voyager.

have you used it?

I just bought the T6 Pathfinder on the PS4. Nice looking ship. Haven't given't it a test run yet as gearing it up and setting my Science captain skills for this and future ships.

FYI, not much difference between any of the captains when it comes to building a ship. All three captain types get the same set of skills and traits to pick from. Difference as how a ship works is with the gear you put in it as well as the boffs to crew it.


As for the science class being harder. Not really. I have 3 Fed captains, Tac, Science and Eng and basically you point and shoot at things on the ground. Ground skills can be the same for all three. Slight difference with healing and kits where you have to make minor adjustments as to how you play but that is it.

I don't have the poster's handle but below is what was posted as difference for a science captain. 7 items. Everything else is the same between all the captains. That harder part in the game is building out a ship with space magic. You need to scope things out before you start building both for gear and abilities used by the boffs. Understand how power flows, what uses weapon power and what uses utility power. Have to think about the space skills you want to give your captain, be it a tactic, engineering or science one. They all can support a science build pretty much the same. I could all three the exact same set of skills but I also have to think about how I want to use them in the future. You can always reset for $5 but prefer to get it set up correct for how I want to play up front.

_________________________________________
So what are those unique powers and personal traits that actually matter to a science captain?
#1 photonic capacitor. this lets you summon photonic ships slightly more often. The min maxers say it is not enough benefit compared to other options. I say photonic fleet is one of my favorite things about being a science captain, so more is totally better. Every single one of my science captains takes this trait.

#2 Conservation of Energy. If the enemy shoots you, your ship's science powers do more damage. If the enemy doesn't shoot you, this trait does absolutely nothing at all. Keep this part in mind.

And the active powers:
1. photonic fleet. Summon three warships to harass your enemies. This is not a highh damage ability, and not a good way to dump aggro, but it is a little bit of both and a lot of fun.

2. subneucleonic beam. Mostly a pvp power. Strips away all buffs and slow down enemy powe recharge times. Mostly used on bosses becuse no one else has powers worth slowing down.

3. scattering field. An AoE damage reduction power. Protects you and nearby allies. Synergistically makes heals last longer by reducing damage etc.

4. Sensor scan. The power with the shortest recharge so you'll use it most. A short duration AoE resistance debuff. Great for torpedo spread or gravity well combos. Works with both space magic and weapons. Helps your whole team do more damage against a whole lot of enemies.

5. Science Team. Gives you and your whole team up to 36% reduced damage to shields, big buff to shield healing/regeneration, and drain expertise which both increases ability to drain power from enemies and protects against being drained yourself.

n7ltrobbiesan

Thanks for asking OP, and all the replies. Looking at picking up a Science vessel myself, and all of this will help.

skullblits

indeed I'm excited

jaguarskx

For ground my science captains generally use the following kit modules. The kit frame I am using is a Romulan kit from the mission Uneasy Allies which gives a bonus to plasma damage, critical chance and critical severity (all my captains use this kit frame). I swap between #5a and #5b for the moment, but I will likely drop #5a entirely and #5b will be a permanent kit. This setup is specifically designed for Miner Instabilities Elite. I use large hyposprays to supplement the Medical Tricoder.

#1 - Medical Tricoder
#2 - Tachyon Harmonic - Basically used to damage shields but also has a chance to knock down opponents. I sometime use it on non-shielded opponents just for the chance to knock 'em down; AOE attack
#3 - Sonic Disruption - From the Summer Event store. Similar to sonic pulse, but this fires forward; AOE attack.
#4 - Mass Gravimetric Detonation - Universal Kit (anyone can use it) - Creates 3 detonations randomly around the target; AOE attack
#5a - Nanite Health Monitor
#5b - Cold Flash Fusion - Cold damage and root / chance to hold; AOE attack

For weapons, I primarily use a Plasma Wide Beam Rifle which I purchased from the Romulan Vendor in the Dyson Sphere as a MK I and upgraded it to ultra rare Mk XIV. My secondary weapon is a Withering Disruptor Split Beam Rifle Mk XII upgraded to Mk XIV which as a random drop from a Terran box from the Terran reputation.

============================================

As for space, that is a much more complex issue due to the wide variety and combinations of ships, gear and abilities. Generally speaking though, most people (like myself) focus on doing Exotic Damage. That means you want to as many Exotic Particle Generators (EPG) as possible as well as an Exotic Particle Field Exciter which is a special type of EPG that not only increases your shield capacity, but it can have a single modifier when upgraded to ultra rare quality. Upgrading to epic quality does not grant another modifier, it only makes the console more effective. It is a crafted item which can be sold / purchased from the Exchange. Only one Field Exciter can be installed. The most desirable mod on this console is [EPG] and those can cost over 100m EC on the Exchange. I typically get the [CrtlX] mod, it does not increase exotic damage like [EPG], but it does make the area effect of gravity wells larger.

Speaking of gravity wells... that is the primary science ability for both crowd control and causing exotic damage. It is best to have both Gravity Well I & III because the 1st copy will have a 60 second cool down while the 2nd copy will have a 40 second cool down. That can be further reduced by slotting in very rare Deflector Officers; you may slot in as many as 3 of them. They each give you a 25% chance to reduce the normal cool down time by 50%.

Drain is another specialty of science captains, but I do not really focus on drain abilities

When it comes to the ship, on the Fed side I use the T6 Scryer. It is a pretty nimble ship with a good turn rate. It has 5 science console slots, 3 engineering slots, but only 2 tactical slots. It also has a Tactical/Intelligence and Science/Intelligence hybrid Boff stations that allows you to use Intelligence abilities if you wish. One thing I do not like about the Scryer is its aesthetics.... it looks like a flying donut to me. At the moment I do not use any Intelligence abilities on this ship.

As far as weapons are concerned... It is basically whatever you want to use. In the long run there is not much of a difference in terms of damage between difference energy weapon types. If you are not chasing every last single point of DPS you can get, then it does not really matter what energy type you use. Simply select one that you like (for whatever reason), and stick with it. On my Fed science captain, the Scryer is a pure torpedo ship. I set it up that way as a change of pace. Torpedo ships require more attention than beam ships though during combat. For example, pressing the space bar doe not trigger torpedoes to fire, you need to click the torpedo' icon. However, I traditionally use Polaron weapons for all science builds regardless of the faction.

odinforever20000

jaguarskx wrote: »

...I traditionally use Polaron weapons for all science builds regardless of the faction.

Meee too.

mustrumridcully0

skullblits#4627 wrote: »

hello all.

we are getting another bonus xp next weekend and I'm going to start a science person. on federation.

so as long time pc players please share your tips and advice on starting one.

thanks for any advice

Ground, I have usually one or two heals (Nanite Health Monitor usually one of them), and use Electro-Gravimetric Field and Exothermic Induction plus some other offensive power. (Of course, you will start with less than that).


In Space, remember you can fly whatever you want, you don't have to fly Science Vessels. In the beginning, Science Vessels and Cruisers play rather similar, since you don't have many powers.

Your friends are then the usual powers: Hazard Emitters, Emergency Power to Shields, Science Team, Beam Fire At Will, Tactical Tean, Emergency Power to Weapons. They are mostly bread & butter skills through your entire life on any character, any class and any ship.
If you're using escorts, you might want to replace Beam Fire at Will with Cannon Scatter Volley or Cannon Rapid Fire (assuming you use cannons.) Tachyon Beam can be a neat extra offensive power at lower levels.

Sticking to Science Vessels, around Commander Level things get more different - that's when you can use the first top tier skills like Gravity Well.

If you stay on that course, at level 50 and beyond your builds will look less and less like that of an Escort or Cruiser ship.
One popular and effective way to go is the torpedo/exotic damage route that can ditch weapon power almost entirely and mostly uses energy weapons to complete set bonus. Beware though that there will be some time to ramp this up, and you'll need to invest in a bit of gear to make torpedoes useful. Standard torpedoes won't really cut, you want the variety of specialty torpedoes that exist now. The cheapest to get might be the Quantum Phase Torpedo Set (Mission reward from Sunrise). Then there are several reputation torpedoes that are interesting: Gravimetric Torpedoes (Dyson), Neutronic Torpedoes (Delta), Withering Torpedoes (Terran) are probably the biggest ones. With Crafting, Plasma-Emission Torpedoes are also a potent option. Several of these come with bonus AoE damage or crowd control abilities, which is what makes them so interesting. The Quantum Phase Torpedo offers shield drain.

Gravity Well, Destabilizing Resonance Beam (a mission reward), Tractor Beam Repulsors (at least with the Duty Officer that turns the push into a pull) are all very good powers to ruin your enemies.


At some point you'll see your enemies cooked in their own shields, completely helplessly stuck inside your Gravity Wells.

antonine3258

I like to add Engineering Team to the standard list - the three Teams and Hazard Emitters between them clear almost any debuff.

jasonyeefong

To be honest, Science characters are the most interesting to play. A little bit more difficult to play than the other classes in the beginning, but if you know what you are doing, you can compete at their level. I would put input to this matter, but it looks like everyone else said everything I would have already said so you are in good company here. And remember............ FOR SCIENCE!

fced

Hi,
Where have you seen the XP Bonus next week end ?
I do not see it, i see only Tholian Red Alert for the 22/23th October, and Mirror Invation for the 29/30th October... Or is it specific to STO PC ?

skullblits

it's next month. it's on the event calender

fced

Ok, but in a month you have largely the time to up a character to lv50, isn't it ?
Leveling is pretty quick on STO, (until you reach lv55) but that is my opinion...

gavinruneblade

I find it fast all the way. Even getting spec points past 60 is pretty quick.

As games go, sto is more casual friendly than most.

skullblits

you get extra space skill points while doing it on bonus event..

I did not read it correctly.

but as you level up quicker. you'll get higher ranked gear without having to replay as much missions

akaar2

My main toons are Sci. Remember that your Sci (aka magic) abilities require high amounts of power to aux, which is why many players choose torps as the don't require weapon power. . Also, left arrow redistributes shields make sure you are hitting that. Of course you can change that under 'options' key binds.

Don't forget about power redistribution (also under 'options' key binds) and batteries. For example I like Grav Well and Torp spread so I go in with full power to shields... pop my aux battery and launch grav well as the ships are dragged together I launch torp spread. then I switch to full power to weapons and hit BFAW and pop shield battery when available.

You've already got some great advice on ground... cold fusion is my new favorite.

As has been said try different things and find what you like, good luck have fun.
PS my bad on the info on torp launch the default is ctrl space bar. I always change it to down arrow. sry

thunderfoot

My first Science character was a Lethean member of the KDF. I had no idea at all what I was doing back then but I was having fun playing STO while getting smarter about the game at the same time.

In Ground combat, my two SciGuys are all about the AoE abilities. Why shoot just one Bad Guy when for a few EC more you can magik all of them? Couple this with a BOff who can gate in Turrets or a teammate who has Orbital Strike and laugh as the enemy hordes die by the score before they ever get into range.

In Space combat, I tend to go for Drain abilities and gear which helps with this. The Bad Guy ships can do nothing without power. Seeing an enemy ship sitting still with all the lights out while I maneuver for a shot with a white MK XII torp which I know will one-shot kill it is very satisfying. For some ideas about Drain Boats, please go check out the Protonic Kool Aid thread in these forums.

The learning curve for a SciGuy to be effective can be a little bit steeper than it is with a Tac. Science chars do not get all of the cool toys Engineers do. Science ship hulls tend to be soap bubbles while their shields are the hardest in the game. Don't limit yourself to flying just Science vessels. My Lethean SciGuy alternates back and forth between a cruiser and a tactical carrier. Try out ALL the ships! Use ALL the Things! You might surprise yourself by finding an effective ship and gear combo which is far removed from what you think a Science char ought to be flying.

Lastly, remember this game is supposed to be fun to play. Granted it is more fun when you are doing well in a ship you like. Takes time to become effective with a SciGuy. The payoff comes a little further down the road than it does with a Tac. Your going to make mistakes and do things wrong once in awhile. Don't get discouraged when this happens. Just put yer head down and keep diggin'.

One more thing: Next time you're in game. Look for and join The Science Channel in Chat. Lots of good people in there who are fun to play STO with and smart about playing SciGuys as well. Me? Not sure why they let me in. Unless I am the "Before" example, lol.

jaguarskx

fced wrote: »

Ok, but in a month you have largely the time to up a character to lv50, isn't it ?
Leveling is pretty quick on STO, (until you reach lv55) but that is my opinion...

For the most part I agree with leveling to 55 is pretty fast even without Double XP. Level 55 is also when I start to notice the difference in difficulty past the old level cap of 50.

akaar2 wrote: »

... On that, the info above on launching torps is in-accurate. The down arrow on your keyboard launches torps, like space bar fires energy weapons.

Huh.. I didn't know that.

skullblits

levelling up during a xp event is handy for getting better gear quicker. that's how I look at it.

akaar2

jaguarskx wrote: »

akaar2 wrote: »

... On that, the info above on launching torps is in-accurate. The down arrow on your keyboard launches torps, like space bar fires energy weapons.

Huh.. I didn't know that.

Sorry my bad on the Torp launch, the default is ctrl space bar to fire all torps. I always change it to down arrow on all my toons.
Options-- key binds. you can change them to what ever you want. Sorry again for the in accurate info