Assault Cruiser Budget Build

tarrennis · February 2013

I'm a new player and could use help with an Assualt Cruiser build on a budget. My character is level 46 & I need a better ship to get to level 50 and then go after the rarer items such as MACO. I play PVE. My goals are to increase shields, turning ability, weapons damage.

Deflector: Positron Deflector Array Mk XI [shds] [em] rare
Engines: Combat Impulse Engines [spd] [turn] rare
Shields: Shield Array Mk XI [cap] x 2 rare
Engineering (4 slots): RCS Accelerator Mk X uncommon, EPS Flow Regulator Mk X rare, Field Emitter Mk XI common, Ablative Hull Armor Mk XI uncommon (not sure)
Science (2 slots): Emitter Array XI uncommon, ______________
Tactical (2 slots): something to increase specific beam damage, ______________
Devices (4 slots): 20 batteries each for shields, weapons, auxilliary, engines
Fore Weapons (4 slots): 3 beam array, 1 torpedo
Aft Weapons (4 slots): 3 beam array, 1 torpedo

The weapons are a problem, because they are very expensive. I am considering using Mk X over Mk XI to save money. Also, I am concerned about powering 6 beam arrays. My Captain has Efficient Captain & I have 1 BOFF w/ Efficient. I am leaning towards Tetryon Beams. Is there a better choice?

Which torpedoes are best for their cost?

Would Turets, Beam Banks, or Mines be useful?

smokeybacon90 · February 2013

If you are worried about beam arrays, fear not, as there are plenty available for free (near enough).

Play mission "Boldly they Rode", on each completion you can get a free Dominion Polaron Beam Array.
"Everything old is New" for rare Mk XI Phasers, or the Retro Phasers
"Past Imperfect" for Plasma/Disruptor Hybrid
"The New Link" for Polarized Tetryons

jadensecura · February 2013

You really can get remarkably well set up from the episodes. There are also Blue [Acc]x2 Plasma arrays from Project Nightingale in the Romulan Front, and a green [Acc] Tetryon from Trapped, and I don't know how many others. For torps you can go for the green [Acc] quantum from Diplomatic Orders on Klingon Front, and I'm sure there are more options. It's a bit of work to search through all the descriptions, but you can end up very well set up. Also check out the shield from the Jem set that you can get from Boldly They Rode, it's a nice general purpose one if you can't get one of the STF sets yet. For your empty slots, use another damage type console for tac, and for sci, maybe just another Emitter Array. I'm also not wild about your eng console choices, RCS is ok if you want it, just make sure you test with and without it (the lower the turn rate of the ship the less an RCS does, so for a cruiser it's not too powerful), but the others are poor choices. EPS doesn't do anything except for power transfer, so it's usually not worth bothering with. The Field Emitter is a little weak, only adds 3 power or something, which isn't very significant, but ok if you have nothing better to do. The Ablative is just too specific and doesn't do anything for kinetic damage, so replace that with the Neutronium from A Light in the Dark. You can run two Neutroniums, or you can go with what you've got and replace them with universal consoles as you get them.

tarrennis · February 2013

What other engingeering consoles would be good to use with the neutronium?

mustafatennick · February 2013

Most of your engineering consoles there are pretty much useless unfortunately

Stack as many neutroniums as you can afford regardless of quality MK X if need be

tarrennis · February 2013

This is my updated ship build. It is working better now. Any other suggestions?

Does anyone use the Satellite devices?

Deflector: Positron Deflector Array XI [shds] [em]
Engines: Combat Impulse Engines XII [aux] [full] [spd]
Shields: Shield Array XII [cap]x2 [tet]
Engineering (4 slots): Diburnium IX (uc), Diburnium IX, Diburnium X, Diburnium X
Science (2 slots): Emitter Array X, Emitter Array X
Tactical (3 slots): Pulse Generator XI, Pulse Generator XI, Zero Point Quantum Chamber XI (uc)
Devices (4 slots): 20 batteries each for shields, weapons, auxilliary, engines
Fore Weapons (4 slots): Tetryon Beam Array XI, Dual Tetryon Beam Bank XI [acc], Tetryon Cannon XI [crtH]x2, Quantum Torpedo Launcher XI
Aft Weapons (4 slots): Tetryon Beam Array X, Tetryon Beam Array X, Tetryon Beam Array XI
Quantum Torpedo Launcher X

Unknown · February 2013

This content has been removed.

jadensecura · February 2013

unikon wrote: »

EPS Flow Regulator isn't useless IMHO. Power transfer means all power. When weapons discharge it takes a brief period to return the power. If your power is drained it also means a longer wait for weapons to return to peak.

Some are going to disagree with this but I suggest something like this if you can:

EPS Flow Regulator, SIF Generator, Plasma Distribution Manifold, Neutronium Hull Plating

PDM will give you the boost to 125 Weapon Power, SIF will help with hull repair, EPS will help with keeping power regeneration efficient.

For science, maybe a Field Generator in addition to the Emitter Array. Capacity and regen. Two emitters might run into diminishing returns. I need to test that theory however.

You're forgetting that they've separated power regeneration and power transfer. I absolutely agree that power regeneration is an issue, but an EPS Flow Regulator will do nothing to help with it. That's why no one suggests it on builds. And of course to confuse the issue further, the skill Starship EPS actually does help with regeneration, but an EPS Flow Regulator will only boost power transfer rate and not that skill.

The Plasma Distribution Manifold also isn't really worth it. It's only 3.5 power, which is pretty insignificant. I guess it's marginally better than leaving the slot empty, but that's about the best that can be said for it.

I'm also pretty sure that they've removed diminishing returns from everything now, with the exception of armor consoles, which don't truly have diminishing returns, they do boost your armor rating by the same amount each, but are affected by the diminishing returns inherent in the damage resistance formula (which is designed to asymptotically approach some set maximum as you add more and more armor rating).

mustafatennick · February 2013

Plasma distribution manifolds are not the thing to use and the eps transfer units don't help with power levels they assist power distribution and again aren't very good armour is much better

momaw · February 2013

Well, EPS *is* kind of useful for a cruiser because it lets you more quickly divert power through your engines to have a turning radius smaller than a modest star system. If you can go full power to engines in the course of 3 or 4 seconds, it's very practical to do this to come about.

But definitely you need at least 3 layers of neutronium. If power allocation shenanigans don't appeal, you might consider Monotanium for the 4th layer of armor if you fight lots of borg. Borg kill with their unholy torpedoes more than anything else, and 3 neutronium + monotanium can push your kinetic resist past 40%.

shadowwraith77 · February 2013

Lol I use no hull plating other than my natural skill bonuses, even fully decked out with mkxii purple hull plating it never seemed to make any real differences to me in stf's. I survive just as easily without them, but RCS accelerators help out with turning issues. Just fit as many as needed to make turning liveable (for me it took 2 blue mkxi) and not overboard trying to turn a bus size cruiser likes it's a compact car. Sci consoles that boost shield total percentage and boost to shield repairs are very helpful. Tac consoles you are better off focusing in on whatever energy weapon type is being used and fill it to the brim, as torpedos do good enough dmg with very little return on dmg gains from tac consoles as torpedos don't fire as often as your energy weapons might. A good typical cruiser with 4x4 weapon slots is 1 for & aft torpedo launcher, 2 for DBB's+1 BA, 1-3 aft BA's as you might want to mix in a turret or 2 up to you, but try and retain at least 1 BA aft side for a good BO shot to help knock some str out of enemy shields, hull, whichever so your aft torpedo by that time swings into play. At regular impulse speeds if you are getting at least 10-12 degrees of turning radius it is useful enough to deal with most any pve enemy outside of small craft like fighters.

snoggymack22 · February 2013

tarrennis wrote: »

The weapons are a problem, because they are very expensive. I am considering using Mk X over Mk XI to save money. Also, I am concerned about powering 6 beam arrays. My Captain has Efficient Captain & I have 1 BOFF w/ Efficient.

Higher weapons power will help you keep the beam arrays powered long enough to regenerate. A cruiser can handle 6 beams. It's 7 and then 8 beams that get tricky and draining.

I am leaning towards Tetryon Beams. Is there a better choice?

For the most part it's personal preference. What color do you like best? The procs each beam has are a very tiny part of what they do. You could go phasers like me because you feel it's a federation starship and thus needs phasers. Or Tetryons cause you like the color blue. It's not really going to affect your performance enough to matter.

Which torpedoes are best for their cost?

Depends on your BOFF skills. Photons are cheaper than Quantums usually and fire faster. But Plasma Torps if used correctly can hit very very hard.

Would Turets, Beam Banks, or Mines be useful?

Turrets are expensive. Beam Banks in a Sovvy are meh because you don't turn that great. And Mines are really just a toy/distraction.

snoggymack22 · February 2013

shadowwraith77 wrote: »

but RCS accelerators help out with turning issues.

The weapons setup the OP has shouldn't have turning issues. 3 beams fore, 1 torp fore. 3 beams aft, 1 torp aft. This is a pretty standard beam boat that has a weapons setup that compensates for a slow turn rate. The beams when going direct at a target keep up the pressure and have a torpedo at their disposal. When broadside, it's the 250 degree arc on the beams that now come into play slicing away with 4 to 5 beams at once. And then when facing the ship's rear, it's back to 3 beams and a torpedo. This setup basically lets the cruiser not have to turn well but still keep a consistent stream of damage output from the weapons it has.

It doesn't need to turn fast except in short bursts, which every captain has Evasive Manuevers to do that with.

The beam boat weapons output is as dangerous as it can get from any angle, and because of that, it doesn't have the pressure other weapons setups have, to turn fast.

tarrennis · February 2013

This is is my latest build. I'm only Tier 1 for the New Romulans and Omega.

There are definitely diminishing returns after the 1st Neutronium Alloy. Common and Uncommon offer the same bonus.

My ship still has a tough time doing enough damage against Tholian ships.

Deflector: Positron Deflector Array XI [Shds] [Em]
Engines: Combat Impulse Engines XII [Aux] [Full] [Spd]
Shields: Shield Array XII [Cap]x2 [Tet]
Engineering (4 slots): Neutronium XI x 3, Monotanium XI
Science (2 slots): Emitter Array XI (uc) x 2
Tactical (3 slots): Pulse Generator XI (uc) x 3
Devices (4 slots): 20 batteries each for shields, weapons, auxilliary, engines
Fore Weapons (4 slots): Tetryon Beam Array XI [CrtH] x 3, Quantum Torpedo Launcher XI [CrtH]
Aft Weapons (4 slots): Tetryon Beam Array XI [CrtH] x 3, Quantum Torpedo Launcher XI [CrtH]

hereticknight085 · February 2013

That's how engi slots work. Diminishing returns all the way. I would recommend you drop one of the neutroniums and run another monotanium. NPC torps hurt. Also I would recommend you put a subspace field modulator in one of your device slots ("Skirmish", Klingon War Arc).

Also if possible, I would ditch tetryon, since it's proc is sub-par. If it were up to me, I would recommend you run disruptor or polaron (mk XI purple polaron weapons can be quite cruel). But other than that, looks fine.

But now we would want to know your BOff and DOff setup so you can maximize the effectiveness of your ship even more.

sirokk · February 2013

To get the FULL list of episode rewards, go to www.stowiki.org and search for "episode replay".

It'll show the episodes and their rewards that you can select from when the episode is completed.

This covers personal and ship items. You can outfit your BOffs and all your ships completely from the rewards.

johnsteward · February 2013

In the beginning you said you are lvl 46 and need a better ship to get to lvl 50.

While that doesnt solve your equipment problem just do patrol missions. They give good exp and with difficulty setting to normal they are quite easy to do.

I basically lvled entire chars mainly doing patrols;)

tarrennis · February 2013

My engineer is at Level 50 now.

Where are the various weapon procs detailed? I can only find some scattered information.

Duty Officers on Space Duty:
Reduce recharge time for emergency power to subsytem (uc) x 2
Chance to temporarily improve ship power when emergency power used (uc)
Chance to reduce recharge time of torpedoes (uc)

I just bought new Bridge Officers and had to dismiss the previous ones. This is the build I am planning on using:

Bridge Officer Skills Ambassador Retrofit

Lieutenant Tactical
Ensign - Torpedo High Yield I
Lt - Attack Pattern Beta

Ensign Tactical
Ensign -Tactical Team I

Commander Engineering
Ensign - Emergency Power To Shields I
Lt - Emergency Power To Weapons II
Lt Cmdr - Engineering Team III
Cmdr - Eject Warp Plasma II

Lieutenant Engineering
Ensign - Emergency Power To Shields I
Lt - Reverse Polarity To Shields I

Lieutenant Commander Science
Ensign - Polarize Hull I
Lt - Hazard Emitters II
Cmdr - Gravity Well I

arcademaster · February 2013

tarrennis wrote: »

My engineer is at Level 50 now.

Where are the various weapon procs detailed? I can only find some scattered information.

Tetryon: Chance to deal extra shield damage
Phaser: Chance to disable a subsystem (Weapons, Shields, Engine, Aux) for a few seconds
Polaron: Chance to drain power of the enemy ship
Disruptor: Chance to reduce enemy damage resistence
Antiproton: Extra Crit Severity (critical hits hit harder)
Plasma: Chance to apply a damage over time effect on the enemy

All of those except the Antiproton bonus have a 2.5% chance of occuring per attack. That's pretty rare, and as someone else mentioned, in this build probably not worth thinking too hard about. Pick a color you like the most

But DO pick one, and don't mix around, because tactical consoels that boost specific energy type damage are 50% more effective than general energy damage consoles. If you can't decide I'd recommend Disruptor to you.

hereticknight085 · February 2013

arcademaster wrote: »

Tetryon: Chance to deal extra shield damage
Phaser: Chance to disable a subsystem (Weapons, Shields, Engine, Aux) for a few seconds
Polaron: Chance to drain power of the enemy ship
Disruptor: Chance to reduce enemy damage resistence
Antiproton: Extra Crit Severity (critical hits hit harder)
Plasma: Chance to apply a damage over time effect on the enemy

All of those except the Antiproton bonus have a 2.5% chance of occuring per attack. That's pretty rare, and as someone else mentioned, in this build probably not worth thinking too hard about. Pick a color you like the most But DO pick one, and don't mix around, because tactical consoels that boost specific energy type damage are 50% more effective than general energy damage consoles. If you can't decide I'd recommend Disruptor to you.

Polarized Disruptor. Two procs, disruptor base. Wonderful weapons.

zeusima · February 2013

I believe the very last mission of the undine front rewards a rare neutronium MKXI console, you'll want these for the eng slots.

Assault Cruiser Budget Build

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