I'm a newbie but at the moment I just enjoy flying cruisers, because I'm the Enterprise type of guy (who isnt lol). I'm flying the Ambassador ship, but I've bought a Mirror Universe Advanced Escorto for 30k credits on the Exchange just in case. From what I'm reading, looks like you need some nice gear in order to make Cruisers competitive endgame?
I'm a newbie but at the moment I just enjoy flying cruisers, because I'm the Enterprise type of guy (who isnt lol). I'm flying the Ambassador ship, but I've bought a Mirror Universe Advanced Escorto for 30k credits on the Exchange just in case. From what I'm reading, looks like you need some nice gear in order to make Cruisers competitive endgame?
You will need nice gear for any ship you fly to remain competitive, and having both the cruiser and an escort in endgame means you can be more versatile. admitadly buying gear for a cruiser is more expensive on the exchange as beam arrays cost more than dual cannons until you get to heavy duals wich cost about the same.
If you do run an escort and a beam boat do yourself a favor and use the same energy type and swap the tactical console over when you swap ships. then get the MK XII in very rare such as if you use polaron you will want the top tier http://sto.gamepedia.com/Console_-_Tactical_-_Polaron_Phase_Modulator in each slot. So you save some EC by only using polaron or whatever on each ship.
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"I'm drunk, whats your excuse for being an idiot?" - Unknown drunk man. :eek:
Frankly, I'd say Eng-Escort is probably the best sustainable dps approach in the game. Your crit rate won't be high (not that it has to be), and the raw dps itself will be lower than a tac, but built properly you should survive pretty much any encounter in the game while not being a detriment to your team. Pure tac escorts can max out alpha striking, sure, but anything that survives the alpha strike will send them to respawnland in short order.
Or in numerical terms, a well-geared Eng-Escort should be able to sustain 6k dps no problem, while keeping itself in the game. 8k if in a cannon-capable carrier (jem dread is probably best for this). A well-geared tac escort should be able to alpha strike past 10k no problem, but will have a ***** of a time staying alive long enough in PvE, particularly eSTF's, to amount to much over the total span of the encounter.
Pure tac escorts can max out alpha striking, sure, but anything that survives the alpha strike will send them to respawnland in short order.
That's the theory but the only decent thing tank-wise which an Eng would have up on them is RSF and MW with the new trait. I don't think that's worth losing the Alpha strike. Since we are in DHC territory, EPSPT and NI are not required anyway, especially with stuff like Marion Frances Dulmur and Aux2Bat.
That's the theory but the only decent thing tank-wise which an Eng would have up on them is RSF and MW with the new trait. I don't think that's worth losing the Alpha strike. Since we are in DHC territory, EPSPT and NI are not required anyway, especially with stuff like Marion Frances Dulmur and Aux2Bat.
Those can make an engineer cruiser even more powerful at the same time. While not the absolute best for PVP, I have a fleet assault cruiser that can do really good damage in STFS with beams and the aux2bat build.
NERF CANNONS - THEY NEED A 50% NERF
CRUISERS NEED A 206% HULL BUFF
What I have learnt in this game is that when someone asks for damage advise, they always lead up to saying 'tactical + escort + cannons = dps god
I really do hope that the devs do indeed make the difference between them minimal when it comes to dps output, but make them do it in different ways.
Its like, if I wanted to do the most damage possible, I would have to be a tactical, in a escort, using cannons, the problem is, I HATE cannons, I mean, some ships just don't look like they should be using cannons, like for example, the Prometheus, the Akira and so on, while the Defiant, B'rel and so on, look better with cannons.
I have played with the tactical officer, but I feel like I should do something different, but like all mmos I have played, I have HATED tanking and healing.
Escorts are and will remain overwhelmingly superior for all solo PvE and almost all group PvE. The only place for cruisers and sci ships in this game is PvP, No-Win Scenario, and possibly Hive Space Elite. Fortunately, Engi/scort can actually be a very rewarding PvE setup, as your increased survivability is worth more in solo play where you don't have other people watching your back with heals.
I disagree; you, my friend, are badly mistaken.
Escorts are only "superior" because they deal a high base level of damage, and are generally easier to configure. A well-built cruiser (Galor, Fleet Excelsior, Fleet Assault, Adapted Battle Cruiser, Odyssey Tactical Cruiser, etc) can perform just as well, if not better then, an equivalent escort. I've seen Cannon-loaded Excelsiors deal more damage then Bugships in some STFs. In fact, the fastest ESTF-KASE I ever ran was with one Fleet Excelsior, one Galaxy Dreadnought, two Odysseys, and a stock Assault Cruiser.
Just because something is easier to use does not make it default "superior".
Escorts are only "superior" because they deal a high base level of damage, and are generally easier to configure. A well-built cruiser (Galor, Fleet Excelsior, Fleet Assault, Adapted Battle Cruiser, Odyssey Tactical Cruiser, etc) can perform just as well, if not better then, an equivalent escort. I've seen Cannon-loaded Excelsiors deal more damage then Bugships in some STFs. In fact, the fastest ESTF-KASE I ever ran was with one Fleet Excelsior, one Galaxy Dreadnought, two Odysseys, and a stock Assault Cruiser.
Just because something is easier to use does not make it default "superior".
The thing he was getting at was that it's very easy and cheap to get tons of damage out of an escort, whereas getting tons of damage out of a cruiser requires lots of effort, planning, and execution. And compared to an escort is also very VERY expensive.
It is said the best weapon is one that is never fired. I disagree. The best weapon is one you only have to fire... once.
Escorts will allow you to 'complete the grind' faster, this is true. But think of it this way. If you don't enjoy the escort you will just be doing something you don't enjoy a little faster.
For myself, it is important to find a ship I enjoy the various PvE missions in. Not always the same ship either. Sometimes this takes a little role play etc to complete the fun. And variety.
Example, currently my Engineer is in an Atrox. It's super fun for now. However in the past month I have had him in a Defiant, Fleet Excelsior, Mirror Assault cruiser. Sometimes I will add a bit of backstory to rationalize the current ship.
Does not always have to be max efficient to be max fun
It is the Capt that is doing the dmage not the ship.that is why we have skill points.Engineers puting all thier skill points into Tac are only ruining thier toon.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Age StarTrek-Gamers Administrator
USS WARRIOR NCC 1720 Commanding Officer Star Trek Gamers
It is the Capt that is doing the dmage not the ship.that is why we have skill points.Engineers puting all thier skill points into Tac are only ruining thier toon.
Until you think about it long enough to realize: "Oh wait... Only DPS matters and I do not need very many SP's into tanking skills to tank effectively with the right setup."
Comments
You will need nice gear for any ship you fly to remain competitive, and having both the cruiser and an escort in endgame means you can be more versatile. admitadly buying gear for a cruiser is more expensive on the exchange as beam arrays cost more than dual cannons until you get to heavy duals wich cost about the same.
If you do run an escort and a beam boat do yourself a favor and use the same energy type and swap the tactical console over when you swap ships. then get the MK XII in very rare such as if you use polaron you will want the top tier http://sto.gamepedia.com/Console_-_Tactical_-_Polaron_Phase_Modulator in each slot. So you save some EC by only using polaron or whatever on each ship.
"I'm drunk, whats your excuse for being an idiot?" - Unknown drunk man. :eek:
Or in numerical terms, a well-geared Eng-Escort should be able to sustain 6k dps no problem, while keeping itself in the game. 8k if in a cannon-capable carrier (jem dread is probably best for this). A well-geared tac escort should be able to alpha strike past 10k no problem, but will have a ***** of a time staying alive long enough in PvE, particularly eSTF's, to amount to much over the total span of the encounter.
That's the theory but the only decent thing tank-wise which an Eng would have up on them is RSF and MW with the new trait. I don't think that's worth losing the Alpha strike. Since we are in DHC territory, EPSPT and NI are not required anyway, especially with stuff like Marion Frances Dulmur and Aux2Bat.
Those can make an engineer cruiser even more powerful at the same time. While not the absolute best for PVP, I have a fleet assault cruiser that can do really good damage in STFS with beams and the aux2bat build.
CRUISERS NEED A 206% HULL BUFF
I really do hope that the devs do indeed make the difference between them minimal when it comes to dps output, but make them do it in different ways.
Its like, if I wanted to do the most damage possible, I would have to be a tactical, in a escort, using cannons, the problem is, I HATE cannons, I mean, some ships just don't look like they should be using cannons, like for example, the Prometheus, the Akira and so on, while the Defiant, B'rel and so on, look better with cannons.
I have played with the tactical officer, but I feel like I should do something different, but like all mmos I have played, I have HATED tanking and healing.
I disagree; you, my friend, are badly mistaken.
Escorts are only "superior" because they deal a high base level of damage, and are generally easier to configure. A well-built cruiser (Galor, Fleet Excelsior, Fleet Assault, Adapted Battle Cruiser, Odyssey Tactical Cruiser, etc) can perform just as well, if not better then, an equivalent escort. I've seen Cannon-loaded Excelsiors deal more damage then Bugships in some STFs. In fact, the fastest ESTF-KASE I ever ran was with one Fleet Excelsior, one Galaxy Dreadnought, two Odysseys, and a stock Assault Cruiser.
Just because something is easier to use does not make it default "superior".
The thing he was getting at was that it's very easy and cheap to get tons of damage out of an escort, whereas getting tons of damage out of a cruiser requires lots of effort, planning, and execution. And compared to an escort is also very VERY expensive.
It is the Capt that is doing the dmage not the ship.that is why we have skill points.Engineers puting all thier skill points into Tac are only ruining thier toon.
USS WARRIOR NCC 1720 Commanding Officer
Star Trek Gamers
Until you think about it long enough to realize: "Oh wait... Only DPS matters and I do not need very many SP's into tanking skills to tank effectively with the right setup."