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Fleet Excelsior - Tactical "Support" PvP Build
jornado
Member Posts: 918 Arc User
First, let me preface this build with a few points as to it's function, purpose, and the use of "pay to win" console(s).
This build is not an "oh my god, this guy is a metagaming genius!" build, it exists to fill a role that is currently seldom filled.
In STO one might view a tactical captain in a support role as a bit of an oxymoron, but this is a limited view of the word "support". Support is not simply healing and targeted debuffing - it is simply the act of furthering the competitive edge of your team and counteracting that of the opposing force. This build excels (get it, excelsior, excels?!1one!) in this aspect, and provides a tac captain with a platform that allows for significant DPS in a team or solo situation with extreme durability and a role aside from pure alpha spike potential.
As to the "pay to win" debate, there are only two consoles in this build that are lobi only. The rest are reputation gear. The ship itself may considered pay to win, however given the relatively inexpensive availability of fleet ship modules on the exchange, I do not consider this to be the case. I will provide alternative consoles for those not fortunate enough to have lobi to burn, as well as cheaper alternatives to other components where possible.
The function of this build is to
a) provide reasonable DPS - the current single beam overcap situation makes this especially viable
b) eliminate pet spam - whist FAW "meatgrinder" setups are somewhat maligned when used for a full team in a premade, this quite frequently will be the difference with PUGs in the PvP queue between victory and defeat.
c) provide a very durable tank and the ability to support your team with debuffs and at least mediocre healing potential
Weapon Loadout:
Fore: 3 Polarized Disruptor Beam Array MK XII [Acc]x2, 180 degree quantum launcher ( can use Omega for set bonus, or other of your preference - however since you are broadsiding, the Regent launcher works best)
Aft: 3 Polarized Disruptor Beam Array MK XII [Acc]x2, Kinetic Cutting Beam
Polarized disruptors are going up in price very steadily right now - although they are perfect for this build, you can also use (in order of preference) Tholian reputation Tetryon, standard or fleet Polaron, Dominion Polaron beams (Dominion FE reward), standard or Fleet tetryon.
Consoles:
Engineering: Rule 62 console (can substitute an EPS console), Tachyokinetic Converter (can sub an RCS or Fleet RCS console), Plasmonic Leech, Zero Point Energy Conduit
Science: Borg console, and EITHER a Field Generator console (more tanky) or Theta Radiation Vents, or another universal of you choice (Subspace Jump can be nice). If I am facing someone with a transphasic or other bleed-based build, I will substitute in an embassy Flow Caps console with hull heal.
Ship gear:
Omega Force Tachyon Deflector Array
Omega Force Hyper-Impulse Engines
Elite Fleet Adaptive Resilient Shield Array Mk XII [Cap]x2 [ResA/B] [Adapt]
Warp core is a more personal choice - I use Hyper Injection Warp Core Mk X [Rep] [E->W] [ECap]. S->W would add a bit more weapons power, but I haven't been able to find one similar in a reasonable price range.
Devices: Shields Battery, Weapons Battery, Aux Battery, Subspace Field Modulator
Boff Stations (all romulan are preferable):
Ltc Tac: TT1, BFAW2, APO or APB (swap depending on what you are facing)
Cmdr Eng: EPtS1, A2Batt1, DEM2, RSP3 (can swap DEM and RSP positions)
Lt. Eng: EPtW1, A2Batt1
Ens Eng: ET1
Lt. Sci: HE1, TSS2 or TSS1, HE2, or TB1, HE2
Doffs:
2 purple technicians (3 is overkill IMO)
1 Exocomp for battery buffs
1 DEM doff (Marion Francis Delmar iirc)
1 Quartermaster battery recharge doffs
Skill build is common sense - check the Hilbert guide and customize to your own preference - however, 6 points in flow caps is mandatory, maxed flow caps is advised.
With Aux2Batt, your power levels should sit at or near 125 - at all times. With EPtW + Aux2Batt, my weapons power is currently overcapped to approximately 160ish. It will drop below 125 at times when I am being drained, but otherwise, even with 6 beams and KCB it NEVER drops below 125.
This build will clear out shield drone spam, runabout tractor spam, mine spam, photonic fleet spam, and every other pet spam out there - as am added benefit, with high FAW uptime, transphasic cluster torpedos almost never find their mark, not to mention various high yield types.
The Tetryon Glider, Polaron, Disruptor, and Leech procs will all fire off FAW hits, and its not uncommon to have the ENTIRE OPPOSING TEAM hit with at least one stack of every proc after 2 FAW cycles. Even though these may seem like small inconveniences, against most teams, that is all it takes to tip the balance.
Against single targets, not using FAW, you will push near-escort level pressure (no real spike capability alas) when using DEM, thanks to the current overcap mechanic. This build takes down above average players shockingly fast 1v1, and with maxed flow caps, you will see any opponent take quite a pounding from your many drain procs.
Another benefit is that 9 times out of 10, as a tac in a small cruiser, the opposing team WILL ignore you. You can dish out damage and debuffs all while tossing ET at your wounded comrades. If they do get wise to you, RSP3 lasts more than long enough to save your bacon until your team cleans up the attackers.
Flying this build consists of keeping A2Batt running properly, keeping TT and EPtS+EPtW up, and basically keep your tac abilities on a continuous loop, while knowing when to kill FAW and toss heals around - there are other guides for A2Batt, and plenty of keybind advice out there, so I won't cover them here.
Any comments or questions are welcome - flames are welcome if they include advice on improvements.
Cheers!
This build is not an "oh my god, this guy is a metagaming genius!" build, it exists to fill a role that is currently seldom filled.
In STO one might view a tactical captain in a support role as a bit of an oxymoron, but this is a limited view of the word "support". Support is not simply healing and targeted debuffing - it is simply the act of furthering the competitive edge of your team and counteracting that of the opposing force. This build excels (get it, excelsior, excels?!1one!) in this aspect, and provides a tac captain with a platform that allows for significant DPS in a team or solo situation with extreme durability and a role aside from pure alpha spike potential.
As to the "pay to win" debate, there are only two consoles in this build that are lobi only. The rest are reputation gear. The ship itself may considered pay to win, however given the relatively inexpensive availability of fleet ship modules on the exchange, I do not consider this to be the case. I will provide alternative consoles for those not fortunate enough to have lobi to burn, as well as cheaper alternatives to other components where possible.
The function of this build is to
a) provide reasonable DPS - the current single beam overcap situation makes this especially viable
b) eliminate pet spam - whist FAW "meatgrinder" setups are somewhat maligned when used for a full team in a premade, this quite frequently will be the difference with PUGs in the PvP queue between victory and defeat.
c) provide a very durable tank and the ability to support your team with debuffs and at least mediocre healing potential
Weapon Loadout:
Fore: 3 Polarized Disruptor Beam Array MK XII [Acc]x2, 180 degree quantum launcher ( can use Omega for set bonus, or other of your preference - however since you are broadsiding, the Regent launcher works best)
Aft: 3 Polarized Disruptor Beam Array MK XII [Acc]x2, Kinetic Cutting Beam
Polarized disruptors are going up in price very steadily right now - although they are perfect for this build, you can also use (in order of preference) Tholian reputation Tetryon, standard or fleet Polaron, Dominion Polaron beams (Dominion FE reward), standard or Fleet tetryon.
Consoles:
Engineering: Rule 62 console (can substitute an EPS console), Tachyokinetic Converter (can sub an RCS or Fleet RCS console), Plasmonic Leech, Zero Point Energy Conduit
Science: Borg console, and EITHER a Field Generator console (more tanky) or Theta Radiation Vents, or another universal of you choice (Subspace Jump can be nice). If I am facing someone with a transphasic or other bleed-based build, I will substitute in an embassy Flow Caps console with hull heal.
Ship gear:
Omega Force Tachyon Deflector Array
Omega Force Hyper-Impulse Engines
Elite Fleet Adaptive Resilient Shield Array Mk XII [Cap]x2 [ResA/B] [Adapt]
Warp core is a more personal choice - I use Hyper Injection Warp Core Mk X [Rep] [E->W] [ECap]. S->W would add a bit more weapons power, but I haven't been able to find one similar in a reasonable price range.
Devices: Shields Battery, Weapons Battery, Aux Battery, Subspace Field Modulator
Boff Stations (all romulan are preferable):
Ltc Tac: TT1, BFAW2, APO or APB (swap depending on what you are facing)
Cmdr Eng: EPtS1, A2Batt1, DEM2, RSP3 (can swap DEM and RSP positions)
Lt. Eng: EPtW1, A2Batt1
Ens Eng: ET1
Lt. Sci: HE1, TSS2 or TSS1, HE2, or TB1, HE2
Doffs:
2 purple technicians (3 is overkill IMO)
1 Exocomp for battery buffs
1 DEM doff (Marion Francis Delmar iirc)
1 Quartermaster battery recharge doffs
Skill build is common sense - check the Hilbert guide and customize to your own preference - however, 6 points in flow caps is mandatory, maxed flow caps is advised.
With Aux2Batt, your power levels should sit at or near 125 - at all times. With EPtW + Aux2Batt, my weapons power is currently overcapped to approximately 160ish. It will drop below 125 at times when I am being drained, but otherwise, even with 6 beams and KCB it NEVER drops below 125.
This build will clear out shield drone spam, runabout tractor spam, mine spam, photonic fleet spam, and every other pet spam out there - as am added benefit, with high FAW uptime, transphasic cluster torpedos almost never find their mark, not to mention various high yield types.
The Tetryon Glider, Polaron, Disruptor, and Leech procs will all fire off FAW hits, and its not uncommon to have the ENTIRE OPPOSING TEAM hit with at least one stack of every proc after 2 FAW cycles. Even though these may seem like small inconveniences, against most teams, that is all it takes to tip the balance.
Against single targets, not using FAW, you will push near-escort level pressure (no real spike capability alas) when using DEM, thanks to the current overcap mechanic. This build takes down above average players shockingly fast 1v1, and with maxed flow caps, you will see any opponent take quite a pounding from your many drain procs.
Another benefit is that 9 times out of 10, as a tac in a small cruiser, the opposing team WILL ignore you. You can dish out damage and debuffs all while tossing ET at your wounded comrades. If they do get wise to you, RSP3 lasts more than long enough to save your bacon until your team cleans up the attackers.
Flying this build consists of keeping A2Batt running properly, keeping TT and EPtS+EPtW up, and basically keep your tac abilities on a continuous loop, while knowing when to kill FAW and toss heals around - there are other guides for A2Batt, and plenty of keybind advice out there, so I won't cover them here.
Any comments or questions are welcome - flames are welcome if they include advice on improvements.
Cheers!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
lored2death wrote: »My guess is "hope" keeps people not playing but posting on the forums. For others, its a path of sad realization and closure. Grieving takes time. The worst "haters" here love the game, or did at some point.
Post edited by jornado on
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Comments
Pretty standard fed cruiser build, above is just one of the many many thread with more or less the same build.
≡/\≡
This is designed as a tac drain boat and as support, much more so than the FAW-dependent DPS inflation build you linked to.
Again, you linked to a PvE build that does fundamentally different things, and does not function the same in the same circumstances.
Add that to the fact that there are relatively few successful tac cruiser builds in PvP today, while this one frankly rocks, and somehow I get the feeling that despite the topical similarities, the PvE build you linked simply doesn't cut the mustard for PvP.
Cheers!
Does it matter if Sci Captain is in the chair?
Since Tac initiative is a moot point with an A2B setup all you would be missing is APA and Go Down Fighting - GDF isn't really all that useful these days, and even without APA this should put out good DPS for a Sci provided you can keep the power levels up.
Cheers!
Not entirely sure what purpose an EPS console would serve as a substitute. They are borderline useless now as I understand it.
It a shame you couldnt find room for the new mine Fleet Engineering Consoles. A neutronium armor that also boosts turn? Yummy.
I'd pass on Theta radiation personally as well. A once every 4 minute ability is no match for an always on stat boost, and in my experience only irritates, and thus draws the fire of, the opposing team.
My final suggestion would be to go for an Elite Fleet Core, in the long run (obviously hard to get atm). The AMP proc gives a dmg bonus for every power level above 75.
Otherwise a pretty nice build.
Then please fill out my dissertation survey on feline attachment, it'd be a massive help (-:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/87XKSGH
Yeah, nukara console will be in there if I ever get off my butt and do some PvE.
EPS is to speed up aux recovery, with only 2 techs you have a decent amount of time to pop HE and actually have it do some real healing if you aux is recovering fast enough.
Mine consoles are in the future - we screwed up and ran the wrong upgrade project so I have to wait another 2 days for consoles.
And yeah, elite fleet core coming soon.
Cheers!
edit: The theta console is a 3 minute recharge, not 4, and believe me, if you are in a team where no one else has EWP or Theta, it can be a really help to snare healers away from their team if you just saw them use up their HE.
Everyone who owns her seems to be very impressed.
It's just.. when the Ambassador Refit was released, most of the players were crazy about that ship.
But when the Fleet Ambassador Yamaguchi hit the C-Store, I heard no one talking about her.
I love mine. I'm running a similar build to the OP, but without the FC console and with Fleet Polarons (Acc x2, Dmg x2) + the Omega Torp and KCB. For defense, I run the Adapted MACO 3-piece Mark 12 set + a Field Gen. Combined with Aux2Bat, EPtS, TTS and RSP, I can tank like crazy and dish out 8-10K DPS without breaking a sweat. In fact, in PvE, I out-DPS many escorts and can take down STF gates solo from near-point-blank range while still maintaining a good chunk of my hull.
Plus, it's just plain cool to fly the "Enterprise-B" around in STO.
RCK
Derrick - Fed Eng
Currently, beam single beams are benefitting from 2% damage per point of weapon power up to 150, hence why I have so much extra power dumped into it. Engines still hover at 127 to 130 right now anyway so I don't really need more engine power.
Cheers!
Please excuse my ignorance: "Fleet Excelsior"... Is that the Fleet Advanced Heavy Cruiser Retrofit? Only fleet ship with "Excelsior" associated to it that I could find.
Not a fan of the shows so I'm not familiar with class variants. Mea culpa.
Thanks.
I know its best to get the Aux to have 50 points in total.
You've got weapons to 100 so you can get the high overcap?