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Build advice for Tac/Fleet Escort
crazy01010
Member Posts: 0 Arc User
So, I'm currently at Cmdr24 now, trying to plan my build ahead of time, and just want to ask a couple questions.
My tac officers, right now, are set up for TT 1/THY 2/CRF 2, and TT 1/APB 1/APO 1/ CRF 3.
EDIT: This is all for PVE action
- Are full-energy builds viable, or should I still have some sort of torpedo weaponry in there?
- Is APO I/CRF III or APO III/CRF II better for your DPS?
- As a fleet 'scort, would I be going 2xEPtS I/ASiF I in the engineering department, for best effect, or should I use RSP? (keep in mind, I have my Sci BOff set to PH I/HE II)
- Is it worth putting any significant points into the Science Systems branch, to help my self-support abilities? (specifically, 6 at the Capt level).
My tac officers, right now, are set up for TT 1/THY 2/CRF 2, and TT 1/APB 1/APO 1/ CRF 3.
EDIT: This is all for PVE action
Post edited by crazy01010 on
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Is what I use.
1. Yes, but if you plan on doing STFs there are a lot of unshielded targets and having a torp on hand really boost your dps.
2. Omega 3 or Beta 3 is preferred.
3. What I use works great, I can tank a Tac Cube in an Elite STF, indefinitely if I can avoid the insta-kill torp.
4. I don't remember the how or why of my skill set up. But it works, for me. I haven't even used all my skill points. I honestly have no advice.
The best PvP escorts generally run all-energy setups, and there's a reason for that in a world where raw DPS is king.
2. You're best off running at least one APO, simply for the tractor resist, which is vital in STFs. You can either go APO 3 / 2x CRF 2, or Beta 3 / RF 2 / APO 1, or Beta 3 / 2x CRF 2.
3. If you're careful in STFs, you should never really need RSP, allowing you to put Aux2Sif in there as a hull heal, or even Extend Shields 1 if you feel like being a team player or helping out the transport ships in starbase defense missions.
4. Escorts generally need very few science abilities.
Here's an example build designed for STFs in a Patrol Escort: http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/index.php?build=STFFleet_967
Here was the best guide to Escorts.
http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=244532
All my answer are in red
E'Mc2 : Science Reman torp T'Varo, deadly annoyance :P
Kunmal: Tactical fed Klingon, ground specialist, USS Kanewaga
Ka -tet Tier 5 fleet fully completed Starbase and fleet property
http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/index.php?build=crazy10101Fleetscort_242
I did mean inertial damps by the 6 at Cpt level, emitters and shield systems are definite 9s.
RSP was one that I was thinking of, but I used to keep on hearing that it'd been nerfed to hell (around seasons 2/3).
I use CSV a lot because, first you do as much damage to 3 target as you do on a single without crf. Second when you go face on against a cube it nice to kill those torpedos, thats why I keep 2 and also if there is more than one target in cone of fire. And CSV 3 does more damage to 3 target simultaneously dans crf 1 does to one. And if someone put a Gravity Well on your target, you can kill 3 almost as fast as you would 1 target with crf going constantly. DPS x3 in best circumstances.
Inertial dampener are nice, I don't have any buffs against tractor beam with my cruisers, supposed to be able to tank damage, save torp that crit on me. I use 6 on inertial and use a Mk XII blue inertial dampener on them and it does help a lot.
RSP has been a life saver for me a couple time 2 min cd, I keep it as a last resort when I have no more shield buffs availlable.
I use 3 piece borg set with Maco Shield, the borg set save my but a few time, be it hull heal or shield resist, usually gives me the time for another heal to become available. And when you get agro wich I almost always do.
As for pulling agro my best defence is to destroy everything before they do it to me
E'Mc2 : Science Reman torp T'Varo, deadly annoyance :P
Kunmal: Tactical fed Klingon, ground specialist, USS Kanewaga
Ka -tet Tier 5 fleet fully completed Starbase and fleet property
1. Very much so, I would even argue an all-cannon (4 DHCs/3 Turrets or 4 DCs/3 Turrets) build to be optimal.
2. Stricto senso, APO III + CRF II> APO I+CRF III, but remember the recast timers are different (30s for CRF, 60s for APO) so if you have other Attack Patterns (on an all-cannon build, you do), CRF III will give you more mileage in the long run.
3. EPtS doesn't really enter the debate, as both other skills can only be put in the sole Lieutenant slot. Aux to SIF vs RSP, thus: personally, I go with Aux to SIF; both buy you some time when under heavy fire but Aux to SIF does so a lot more frequently.
4. Depends. Some Science Skills are universally good (Shield Emitters, Shield Systems), some offer resistance to Science debuffs and are more useful in PvP than PvE (Power Insulators, Sensors, Dampeners) some only affect abilities you don't even get access to in an Escort save for the MVAE/Fleet AE (Particle Generators, Subspace Decompiler...)
Here's my Tac/Escort build, for reference.
I believe that has been fixed and all-cannon power drain is no longer an issue. Not so sure about beam arrays (many beam-boat cruiser builds still put a torp up front), but that's neither here nor there.
Personally I prefer to put a torp up front, even if it's not "optimal", because I like torpedoes! Besides, on an Armitage there's an extra, minor incentive to use a torp (and 1 torp console), namely the Torpedo Point Defense System. With Spread Shot you can put out a ridiculous number of torpedoes in a pinch, which looks great. That said, when I transition to Elite STFs I may go full-cannons, if only because I'd rather not let a team down just because I like torpedoes.
2 and 3: On my Armitage (and a possible Patrol Escort) my Engi captain personally mounts:
CDR Tac: Torp Spread I, CSV I, APBII, CRFIII
LTCD Tac: TT I, CRF I
EN Tac: TT1
ENG: EPTS I, RSP I, EPTS III
SCI: TSS I, HE II
It's not ideal. I plan to drop TSSI, which is redundant considering how many shield boosters Engi captains get, and put in Polarize Hull to beat the tractors. I prefer APB to APO (if forced to choose) because the APB debuff is more team-supportive. When I make the transition to full cannons I'll probably find a way to throw in more scatter volley.
I prefer A2SIF for STFs; RSP just doesn't save often enough compared to the constant hull heals/resists A2SIF gives, and a couple of BFI doffs (Rolor Nebula) can provide a useful shield heal under fire in general. There are, however, PVE sites with much higher incoming energy damage (i.e. trying to win SB24) where RSP shines - keep both around
You can use CRF over CSV while learning if you're worried about aggro management (and is also very nice for shooting single large HP targets); APB3 is almost non-negotiable though due to its large benefits for everybody's damage. APD can also be useful (esp. with its defense bonus), but that takes a bit more management if someone else has aggression. I've been running 2x APB/2x CSV (with an emergency APO; PH takes up a slot that can be used for a team heal) in pve lately, but then I'm not as worried about tractors as I used to be (I might even drop that APO ...) >.>
Matthew/Shiduri@zekesulastin
http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/index.php?build=crazy10101Fleetscort_242 True, but speccing into torps reduces the pool for other skills. Plus they just don't give the same satisfaction as watching a Sphere melt in 2/3 volleys (have done it already). True, I do have a bunch of free BOff slots. Suppose it's just the points that are significant, can play around with BOffs quite a bit later on. PH might take up a team heal, but you are an escort. Plus, running APO would drop your main DPS skill down to rank 1 half the time, dropping overall DPS, not to mention TRIBBLE up the Attack Pattern cycle. PH just puts HE on cool-down, which in my case should be covered with ASiF. I might just try it though, see if the heals help me avoid getting ganked because everyone else died. Thanks.
EDIT: Speaking of which, could someone point me to the DPS monitor I read about all the time? Would be helpful in me trying to decide what BOffs to run with.
Take a look at this chart for an idea of how little you're gaining for moving from 6 to 9, at significant XP cost: http://home.comcast.net/~amicus/Skill%20Point%20Effects.htm
The build I linked on the previous page was developed with these diminishing returns in mind, and attempts to optimize overall performance; don't neglect the benefits of boosting aux power or weapons power either; 3 points in each means stronger heals, and more power to allocate to other systems. I personally have weapons power at 125/95, giving me 5 more points of power to put into say, shields.
I can very definitely advise you to not put warp core efficiency or warp core potential past six; you might gain 1 or 2 points of power for a skill investment that would be more wisely spent boosting subsystem repair to resist borg boarding parties or power insulators to resist their draining tractor beams.
I did look at that site and think about it a bit, shifted a couple of my points around - in engineering mostly. Same link.
The diminishing returns are hardly a secret, they're listed in the Skill tree: points 1 to 3 give 18 "Skill Ranks" each, points 4 to 6 give 10, points 7 to 9 give 5.
But diminishing returns doesn't mean negligible returns.
Examining your published build:
1. Non-maxed Energy Weapon Spec:
Assuming a base 13% critrate and 80% crit severity (base+DHC+Purple Weapon):
6 points: 14.7% critrate, 101% crit severity, an overall 14.85% DPS increase.
9 points: 15% critrate, 105% crit severity, an overall 15.75% DPS increase.
A .9% difference in overall DPS might not seem like much, but I'd say it is quite significant.
Especially for a DD, it's your role in a group to eke out every last possible bit of DPS, so I can't see myself turning down an always-relevant passive .9% increase.
2. Threat Control on an Escort? Pretty suicidal.
Though I guess the thinking is "I'll end up tanking anyway so i might as well take the damage reduction". Ok.
3. Unmaxed Impulse Thrusters.
Personally, I'd max Impulse on any Ship, any Captain. (and I do)
- When you're flying from one target to another, your DPS is 0; a good DD/Escort should strive to reduce that time as much as possible.
- When you're flying from one target to another, you're not tanking anything; a good tank/Cruiser should strive to reduce that time as much as possible.
- When you're flying from one target to another, you're not controling any crowd; a good Science Vessel should strive to reduce that time as much as possible.
- When you're flying from one NPC to another, you're not healing/buffing anything; a good healer/buffer should strive to reduce that time as much as possible.
4. Driver Coils?
I guess it's for the FI bonuses, but really, FIing into a fight is a bad idea, regardless of Driver Coils or not; just slightly less so.
Instead of making FI slightly less punishing, one should strive to avoid using it as much as possible in combat situations and instead rely on Evasive, APO, manually switching to full Engines (if you have good EPS) and Deuterium.
5. Warp Core Potential:
6 Ranks into Potential means you're getting ~4 Power from it; so you're either at 124/95 and therefore not firing at full strength or 129/95 Weapons, thereby wasting the 6 Ranks you used.
Warp Core Efficiency is debatable, since it doesn't matter if the Powers you have at a low level are a round number or not, but Potential is nice to max since a nice round +5 (actually +4.95) is always useable.
6. Aux Power.
You're right, Aux is useful. It has a noticeable effect on Heals.
But your 6 Ranks into Aux Power (18k Skill Points) give you +8.4 Aux and could've been spent:
- Maxing Efficiency and Potential (10.5k Skill Points) for +2.25 Aux&Engines, +1.5 Shields, +.75 Weapons (see above for the relevance).
- Maxing Shield Emitters and Hull Repair (6k Skill Points) for +7.6% to all Heals, more than what 6 additional Aux Power gives (IIRC).
Result: better Heals, better Speed and Turn rate, better Shield resist and regen, better damage, 1.5k Skill Points left over.
As to having points in threat control; the damage reduction is nice, and if I get focus-fired more than I can handle, I just swap power levels a bit or ask nicely to have Extend Shields cast on me; my fleetmates generally oblige. The driver coils are there because I expect most players to die once or twice in STFs, and driver coils let you get back into the fight faster, since you don't have to wait as long for power levels to go back up.
As to the Power ranks; I personally don't put any ranks into Aux Power: I simply have a hotkey to swap to 100 aux and run an EPS flow regulator so I can switch power settings mid-combat easily. Most players can't be bothered to do that, so I try and make the build with that in mind, and 8.4 aux power will help more than the +5% to all heals (not 7.6%, compare 2690 to 2555 for aux2sif1) since it also boosts other science powers such as repulsors or feedback pulse that you might run; I tried to make that build very general. Checking the spreadsheet, you get +1 power to all systems for maxing potential; not worthwhile.
It's all a complex game of tradeoffs; you're describing a much more specialized build than what I provided. I actually make very similar choices to what you've described for my own ship, although I put 6 ranks in threat control, not 3, and skimp on the hull repair points because most of the time I run no self hull-heals, relying entirely on my teammates for that. I feel all warm and fuzzy with two copies of Extends on me, and know that I don't even need to ask for hull heals as a rule, letting me put those skill points into DPS-boosting skills.