.......for themselvs.
I see ppl on the forums always asking for the best pvp build. I have an answer for you. It is the build that fits your playstyle best. Most of us who do well in pvp have tried many skill point builds, BO officer skills and such.
You ppl who do not figure stuff out for yourselvs only hurt yourselvs. If a build works good for player X it does not mean that same build will work for player Y. Most of the players asking for help don't even give us any info that might help us help you.
The best pvpers take the time to figure something out. They see what works best and does not for them.
I have also seen many ppl with solid builds do horrable in pvp. Pvp is not just a matter of build it is a matter
of knowing what to do at the right time and what not to do.
Good example. Many are crying that thier escort got over nerfed. Hmm, after trying stuff, tweeking this and that i am doing fine and so are many other escort pilots in my fleet.
Ppl if you want to be good at pvp i will give you some tips.
1- First off..... NEVER judge if stuff is working for you if you are in a PUG! Hard to judge if stuff is good when you have others doing stupid stuff. Find a group that is doing good and stick with them for a bit.
2- Don't judge a build until you have tried it for a bit. A new build can take some time to get used to.
3- DON'T be stupid. I see ppl run into 5 on the other side and wonder why did i die in no time at all, this build sucks.
4- REMEMBER.... the ship does not make the pilot the pilot makes the ship. All a good build can do is make a great pilot awsome and a poor pilot a bit better.
3- Practice, practice, practice. Go into PVE maps like in B'tran and get used to your new build. Then pvp once you have gotten used to where your skills are on the keyboard and used to how they work.
4- If you get nuked by something find out what it was, how to avoid or fix it. Also, never be afriad to run away and come back after what is messing you up is gone.
5- Learn to fly the ship itself. THIS is a big one. If you can't fly the ship you are dead meat.........!!!!!!!!
You will not always be the top dog in score. If you die 20 times in a pvp match look at yourself before you say others are OP. Learn and learn more.
If you that think just cuz you have a good build and you get owned that stuff is OP, insted you may want to say either... that person was good or that team knows how to work together. Look at what a pilot may have done that got you in trouble. Learn to counter it and ALSO see if you can figure out how to do that yourself

Last point, most battles will not be 1v1. Learn to work as a team player. If the team you are on sucks find a group that does not. A good fleet that likes to pvp is a good start.
Did not write this to offend anyone. All of us are willing to help those willing to help themselvs, but we can't fly the ship for you.
Much is up to you.
Almost forgot this point added after reading another post. Do not change a ton of stuff on your build at once. Change 1 or 2 things then test it. If something does not work change it back or try something else. By changing to much at one time you really can not tell what helped/hurt you.
/peace
Comments
I do however think the Klinks are still a bit OP.....but i can say this impartially because i also have a Klink i play and notice i rip through most feds i encounter. Then again if they werent OP then no one would play them since they have no content of their own....yet. I dont play her that much though because i just cant bring myself to play against the Feds all that often. I was raised on Star Trek and Feds were always good and Klinks were always bad. (Grew up on TOS). I always wanted to be the good guy. Occasionally though its kinda fun being a tad bad...lol
It's not a perfect test, but since most non-playables are pretty consistant, it at least gives somewhat of a baseline test.
Escorts and any cannon based ship are trickier to fly than either a cruiser or a science ship. Sure you can do a balls to the wall strafing run on someone but after that you must re-align yourself to do anymore real dps. I see a lot of escorts finish their strafe and then stop right behind the ship they were shooting at instead of maneuvering properly. A sure fire way of getting dead quick.
Perhaps it is merely the fed players that are lacking
I play almost 100% Klink now... the bottom line there is nothing to do on the klink side but PvP. You don't run into any non PvP biuilds on the Klink side of things. Anyone playing Klingon right now enjoys PvP more then anything else and uses there skill spend and sets their ship up to compete.
On my Fed Escort I can do right around the same amount of damage on a Fed Vs Fed... I find the Klingon players are for the most part more rigged to counter and heal for PvP.
For me working out the best, ship, build and tactics is why I love PvP. I am always trying to get better. If I change something and it doesn't work, I will change it back. And then try something new. I just love it when it finally comes together and I have a build that works for me.
Only thing I would disagree with the OP is that if you mainly PUG then you should test in a PUG. A build might work when you have good support but fail totally when you are on your own.
Why am I so much more successful playing my Klingon characters as opposed to when I am playing my Federation characters?
Everyone starts out as fed, not everyone decides to switch to kdf. There's a lot of pve only fed admirals out there that may decide one weekend to pvp. Elite diff pve might prepare you for burst damage, but not the unpredictability of a human opponent.
More experience > better preparation > better BO skills + equipment choices.
All klingon generals have at some point in time experienced the difference between live enemies and computer drones.
I agree with what you're saying, although even the least pvp exerienced person will eventually learn the ropes. Only takes a few hundred deaths and you soon ask the peeps that killed you some advice on why they are dying so much.
Exactly, but if someone's in a pug and that guy's still learning the ropes, that's an automatic handicap for that team and that match. His teammates might never see him again, but it'll be further ingrained in their minds the notion that fed players suck and klingons are just better.
If you've got more people than the other faction, there's going to be more people learning (sucking) at any given match.
That said, I think people should just stop taking pvp too seriously. I've been in winning matches and losing matches, either by 1200 to 0 or very very close calls. It's fun either way for me.
The only matches that annoy me is when i myself do not perform to my expected amount. (Normally whilst having drunk a lot)
I think you may have read it wrong i stated...1- First off..... NEVER judge if stuff is working for you if you are in a PUG! Hard to judge if stuff is good when you have others doing stupid stuff. Find a group that is doing good and stick with them for a bit.
There will always be times you have to fight on your own, but. Testing stuff on your own is also something you should do. Being with a good group does help alot though. If you can get in a 1v1 or even a 1v2 testing on your own may be ok. The ppl who run in and try and fight 5 on thier own are just cannon fodder.
Now that being said if you are a tank and want to see how well you will hold up then go ahead. Just remember you may be hurting the team you are on by doing that.
Flying a cruiser atm if you know what you're doing and have a decent tank against a pug this isnt always as suicidal as you might think. Gives a chance for the more nervous amoungst your side to grow some and finally attack.
I get the same feeling at times, but then. when i'm on my klink, I'm supported/surrounded by people mostly achieving the same level of play. When on my fed... I just hope I put up a respectful performance, which usually winds me up with a faster demise next time..
Some ones sig makes me laugh.. and forgive me if I get the name wrong
Door, target him always and everytime. (something like that)
So i started asking him some other questions... all i can say is a ROLF with a sad note. He was tact escort... using beam overload 1 in both spots, no rappid fire AT ALL and to top it off he was all cannons and did not know that beam overload did not work with cannons!
PPL, PLZ PLZ learn to play as you lvl. I don't even know how the heck he made it to RA 5 doing even PVE.
Maybe he was playing on friends, brothers or someone elses account and did not even lvl that char himself.
As far as the Beam Overload with all cannons, ROFLLOLOLOL.
Because to achieve BG5 on the Klingon side you had to PvP extensively. To reach RA5 on the Fed side all you have to do is fly around in PvE and set a beer can down on the space bar and you win. Way too many Fed-side role-players and "Captain Kirk's" that waltz into PvP expecting the same experience as PvE and are sorely mistaken when they realize they need to wear the big boy pants to compete there.
Some groups will not accept anyone who admits to be a newcomer / first timer. They only want team mates they consider are almost as elite as they are :rolleyes: Its the old saw - I'm inexperienced but no-one will give me the chance to gain experience. It also depends on the experience of the fleet they belong to, if they even belong to a fleet. So there are many incentives for asking for other's ideas rather than working it out for themselves.
I like working things out. I started pvping on the Klingon side and now I'm experimenting on Fed side. I die a lot but I'm getting better at healing my team mates and I'm adjusting skills and gear. But then I have the time to do this and I don't mind dying while I learn. I like researching for myself and I don't trust what I'm told by another - because it might not suit my style of play.
So for a while that DSSV blowing up in the middle of the PVP map is probably me...but it is happening less and less
+1
Some guy wouldn't stop complaining how he couldn't take on a bop in pvp while in pve he could take on 3 cruisers at once.
Funny stuff.
Though, in all fairness, if he was complaining about not being able to take you in your BoP it's a special case.
Because you're evil.
This is a solid post...only 2 things i would like to add....make that 3.
1. PVE matches can be decent practice....but mostly impractical. even on the hardest pve settings it doesnt come close to pvp combat against another intellegent (in optimal circumstances) being. So even if you are getting beaten like a red-headed stepchild....it pays to be persistent...you can learn alot.
2. Pride....we all have issues with it...when you can learn to put your pride aside and congradulate your adversary and try to build repore with him you have now made an ally...with whom you can share information and theory-crafting....no im not talking about trying to intentionally spy on people...im talking about advancing ourselves as a community instead of individuals...I am friendly with quite a few people from quite a few different fleets and share information about builds...skills...tactics with them all the time openly...the more information we know the more we can advance ourselves...which creates a higher challenge....which is the whole point of pvp.
3. And this is the most important....The #1 most critical element to sucessful pvp combat is communication. Proper communication ensures proper tactical target selection, healing, manuvering, et cetera. If you are on the fringe of the pvp circle and want to really delve into it....i would HIGHLY suggest getting involved with a pvp fleet...that has some form of voice communication...Ventrillo, Teamspeak, or another form...This one element can absolutely make or break a pvp match.
Case in point....ive been on the recieving and distributing end of a good flogging in pvp matches when mine or the other teams vent accidentally crashes or drops for some reason...you would be extremely surprised how much we that are in existing pvp fleets use this form of communication both in matches andoutside them as well to review tactics, builds, skills, various teamwork aspects, and just giving each other TRIBBLE when we do something stupid or funny.
Love,
Xigent
/emote *double_facepalm* :rolleyes:
STOP MAKING FUN OF ME!!!!1!!!1!!!!one!!11!!!!!
Also it's never bad to listen to other experienced player's suggestions.
Even the greatest players such as myself might pick something up that was overlooked.
HAHAHA ok that was silly. I never overlook anything!
/peace
Maybe you did and just don't remember it?:p
Mainly though everybody else is right, PvP is just easier as a Klink.
too true.
Well in his defense, its not like STO has a really good game manual or much of any material to help the new players in learning how things work or where things are.
Its was a huge complaint in beta and what spawned the "where's Sulu" joke.
Given how easy things can be in STO, I have no problems imagining that some players have made it to endgame and still haven't seen half of what STO offers.
Still I would have spotted myself if it had happened to me.