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Galaxy X vs Excelsior
miscent
Member Posts: 0 Arc User
Hi everyone,
I am Rounding up my builds + ships for my characters and I am stuck with my last character (PVE builds).
I've got an Klingon tact. with a DHC A2B MU Vorcha.
And a Fed Sci that is going to have a Vesta soon with some torpedo's on it (nebula was an option, but the Vesta is just better imo).
Now I am looking for a beamboat A2B.
Like the title says, the 2 ships I am looking at are the Galaxy X (the retro just is to bad), and the Excelsior.
If you look at the pross and conns.
The Gal X has more crew/hull/the lance.
The Excelsior has better turnrate/inertia/is cheaper.
When I was looking for a possible build, the Gal X loses an Bfaw3 and gets a Bfaw1, but it gains an EWP1 over an ET1.
This is what my Boffs would look like on a Gal X.
Lt tac: TT1, APB1
En tac: BFAW1
Com eng: EptW1, A2B1, RSP2, DEM3
LtC eng: EptS1, A2B1, EWP1
Lt Sci: HE1, TSS2
This is the Excel.
LtC tac: TT1, APB1, BFAW3
Com eng: EptW1, A2B1, RSP2, DEM3
LtC eng: EptS1, A2B1
En eng: Et1
Lt Sci: HE1, TSS2
I don't know if the difference between Bfaw 1 and 3 is that big.
I do know that EWP1 is alot more usefull than ET1 when you are allready cycling TT1.
But with the Excel I may be able to get a fleet version in some time, and buying the normal 1 saves my buying some fleetmodules if I'm right.
I like the looks of both (like the normal Galaxy even more, but don't need to start the discussion of that ship here;)).
Your opinions on the ships would be nice, since I have no experience playing anyone of them.
Thanks in advance!
I am Rounding up my builds + ships for my characters and I am stuck with my last character (PVE builds).
I've got an Klingon tact. with a DHC A2B MU Vorcha.
And a Fed Sci that is going to have a Vesta soon with some torpedo's on it (nebula was an option, but the Vesta is just better imo).
Now I am looking for a beamboat A2B.
Like the title says, the 2 ships I am looking at are the Galaxy X (the retro just is to bad), and the Excelsior.
If you look at the pross and conns.
The Gal X has more crew/hull/the lance.
The Excelsior has better turnrate/inertia/is cheaper.
When I was looking for a possible build, the Gal X loses an Bfaw3 and gets a Bfaw1, but it gains an EWP1 over an ET1.
This is what my Boffs would look like on a Gal X.
Lt tac: TT1, APB1
En tac: BFAW1
Com eng: EptW1, A2B1, RSP2, DEM3
LtC eng: EptS1, A2B1, EWP1
Lt Sci: HE1, TSS2
This is the Excel.
LtC tac: TT1, APB1, BFAW3
Com eng: EptW1, A2B1, RSP2, DEM3
LtC eng: EptS1, A2B1
En eng: Et1
Lt Sci: HE1, TSS2
I don't know if the difference between Bfaw 1 and 3 is that big.
I do know that EWP1 is alot more usefull than ET1 when you are allready cycling TT1.
But with the Excel I may be able to get a fleet version in some time, and buying the normal 1 saves my buying some fleetmodules if I'm right.
I like the looks of both (like the normal Galaxy even more, but don't need to start the discussion of that ship here;)).
Your opinions on the ships would be nice, since I have no experience playing anyone of them.
Thanks in advance!
Miscent
Post edited by miscent on
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Comments
It comes with Commander Eng, Lt Eng, Lt.Com Tac, Ens Tac & a Uni Lt.
You could run the Excelsior build but replace the Ens with a Torpedo skill (remember you'll get a quantum that can broardside) or a Beam overload.
The only flaw in your ship design is the lack of a way out of Tractor Beams. Also are you running Marion? If not DEM may not be worth running.
As for the Gal X, try out the Mirror Assault (very cheap to get) and remember the Gal X turns worse and is kind of locked to Phasers (The Phaser Lance).
Owning a T5 ship gets you a 3 module discount on it's Fleet version.
I feel the Normal Assault is better than the Gal X, and every T5 Cruiser is better than the Gal R. Since you have a Klingon you probably don't have a desperate desire for a cloaking device on a fed ship.
If I ask you a question it is not an insult but a genuine attempt to understand why.
When I insult you I won't be discreet about it, I will be precise and to the point stupid.
One thing to consider is the higher turn rate and lt.com tac allows the use of cannon abilities like CSV2. for STFs plasma single cannons do a hell of a lot of damage with turrets aft, KCB aft for the set bonus.
OP, as an option, you could log onto Tribble and play with both to test it yourself. Numbers are just a part of the equation, experience is another. I have experience with the Excelsior and the Sovereign and *I* think the Excelsior is better ... but only by ->.<- that much. So, if the Excelsior beats the Sovvy, then it sure beats the Galaxy (in any form) ... imo.
So that 1 drops.
I have the klingon cruiser to play with cannons, and want this cruiser to use beams.
Single cannons do work in STF's on the excel indeed, but its not the way I want to use it.
Didn't think about being locked to phasers with the Gal X because of the lance, thats a real drawback IMO.
I have a Mirror assault cruiser ATM, don't like the looks, but got it working pretty good.
I also intend to get marion to get the DEM working.
Going to need some EC for it first...
In PVE you can get out of tractor beams with evasive manouvers.
If I ever decide to pvp I'll make the SCI PH1, HE2.
it's ugly, it's console is in essence eject warp plasma and the torp alone isn't worht the price. the thing is too expensive.
I'm waiting for a Sovie retrofit with saucer sep.
the second bit, you're still in the tractor but you get turning/moving fast enough it's not as much of a problem
Egads ... please, no. Heck, I don't know why the Gal-X is wanted to have one either.
Back on topic: I totally forgot that the Excelsior not only turns great, it's the most maneuverable in the galaxy ... literally.
I agrre that GalX shouldn't have it. I beieve it gave that up for lance. but the sovie is capable
of saucer sep.
I'm leaning towards the Excelsior at the moment.
If that Ensign was uni it would have been awesome;).
The Sovy refit would have been my choise if i wanted to use a torpedo.
Now 3 tactical ability's are enough with an A2B.
Someone said the Ambassador.
Its not that bad, vs the GalX it loses the EWP1 and gains a PH1/TB1 and the HE+TSS go up a level.
So it takes away a hold but gains a ability to get rid of TB's.
EWP comes in handy when you have a bad pug and you need to slow some raptors or sphere's down to save the optional.
I'm on my way with the zengrind, so I have a bit of time left to make my final decision.
Look around here and you'll find some really good builds for the T5 Ambassador.
However the romulan experimental beam does not drain power so its an option instead of torpedos but only it only does its max damage when boosted by plasma consoles, wich would be useless for the lance on the Gal-X.
Drain becomes very apperent when you do 7 or 8 beams. Actually in most cases 7 beams is better than 8. I still recomend 6 because its only marginaly less damage than youd do with 7 beams and your energy recover is faster so overall youll do same or more damage. id put in torps. I use the wide angle torp in front and another quantum in the rear.
Those are very fast so you can use a shield gap very efficiently. combined with torpspread 2 or 3 its devastating against groups of targets.
And to get high dps out of beamboats youll want to use attacks that do damage to multiple targets.
Youll want high rate of fire combined with multiple target abilities and a high crit rate.
That wil push your dps into the stratosphere.
If you can use an Auxilliary to battery built combined with 3 technitian doffs. That cuts your cooldown alot and youll have high speed , strong shields and high weaponspower plus doubled Boff abilities.
But if you do that the Galaxy looses out compared to the Excelsior.
The Excelsior gives you a Lt Cmdr Tac.
And in an Excelsior with 2 abilities bound to the A2B abilities that 3rd ensign can be of some use. I use EPtS, EPtW and ET1. Sure ET1 chares cooldown with TT1 but its good if combined with RSP to recover.
So imho its more usefull than another tac ensign on the regent.
Most will tell you TT1, FAW2,APO is the way to go but i disagree. TT1,TS2,FAW3 will do more damage and does it constantly.
The ability to break tractors is not bad but Polarize hull can do that to as well as evasive manouvers and deuterium surplus.
You have a cruiser wich can take RSP3 with reduced cooldown so you can tank those few seconds your tractored.
On the Regent you can do TT1, APB1(orAPD1),FAW3 plus TS1. But APB is only ussefull against single targets (wich contradicts the most efficient BOFF abilities for a beamboat) and APD is only usefull in crowd contole wich is a good combination but uptime is low and upping TS1 to TS2 is more usefull.
The Tac ensign on the Regent might be used for BO1 or attacking subsystems but beam overload drains weapons energy alot so its only usefull for finishing off someone but BO1 is rather too weak to to that.
So Excelsior is better than the Regent imho. And far better than the Galaxy X.
The Galaxy X is best used as a first strike weapon or a simple beamboat tank with the occasional beam lance attack.
But you only have 9 console and 1 is taken by the cloak if you want most alpha power. Its turnrate is low and its layout contradicts its most usefull tactics.
It can be made to work in a rather specialized way and it can excell in that role but its far from what the Excelsior can do.
The Mirror AC is very different from the AC and the Regent... it's basically the Star Cruiser. More Science and less Tactical.
SCE ADVISORY NOTICE: Improper Impulse Engine maintenance can result in REAR THRUSTER LEAKAGE. ALWAYS have your work inspected by another qualified officer.
It also has one of the MOST useful abilities that No other ship has. It can Transwarp almost ANYWHERE; if it can't Transwarp there, it'll get you one sector away.
Get an Astrometric DOff to reduce the Transwarp cooldown and you'll speed up you travels whether it's grinding for Dilithium, DOffing, Episode replay or whatever...
If you're in a fleet, or maybe someday you will be, you can get the Fleet version cheaper. That one has 4 tactical console slots!
It's my goto ship.
SCE ADVISORY NOTICE: Improper Impulse Engine maintenance can result in REAR THRUSTER LEAKAGE. ALWAYS have your work inspected by another qualified officer.
If you're just doing PvE I'd actually recommend the Sovvy refit over the excelsior for the following reasons:-
1. No likely redundant third ensign engineer power.
2. An extra ensign tac slot for another tactical team. That means you won't have to use conn doffs so you can cycle tactical team.
3. The Lt Universal gives you some flexibility. It also means you can put more tac powers on it, with 3x rom tac boffs, each having the crit trait. This is even effective in ESTFs, as long as the rest of you're build is sturdy and you're using 2x borg set (heal proc).
4. The Excelsior's turnrate isn't needed in PvE.
5. The ships innate power bonuses are more tactically focused.
However if you were to PvP then the Excelsior is the best choice due to it's turnrate.
Daizen - Lvl 60 Tactical - Eclipse
Selia - Lvl 60 Tactical - Eclipse
Best of all, I put this build together entirely through grinding EC/converting Dil, so it's not some exotic load out that will cost you real money to assemble. I'm now grinding more EC to help my son grab his 5th FSM so he can get his own "Enterprise B" to fly.
Here's my build:
http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/?build=rcktacfahcrevp_0
Definitely the best ship I've flown so far as a Tac officer. BFAW3 is just awesome on this platform.
RCK
The console isn't great at all, mine is sitting in my bank gathering cobwebs. I agree with you there. For taking up a console slot, I was expecting it to do way more than it actually does.
The q-torp launcher though is excellent. Wide-angle lets it be part of broadsiding, and it's only slightly less damaging than a regular purple. Is it worth the price alone? No.
What IS worth the price is the better boff seats than the Excelsior. An ensign tac and a universal LT slot > ensign eng and science LT. Even if 9 times out of 10 you use that uni LT for a sci boff, that's still better because uni boff spots promote flexibility. This, in conjunction with the q-torp launcher, makes the Regent better than the Excelsior IMO. But these advantages are slight, and the Excelsior has a slightly better turn rate, and more t-warp destinations (not that I care about that though).
I've got both btw, but I fly the Regent.
The mirror assault was what i used to use before getting the Regent, compared the regent or fleet assault is like the mirror assault on steroids having a better BOFF layout and far more hull. So if you enjoyed the mirror assault or normal assault it is the next best upgrade.
The Torp that comes with the regent is great because of its broadside ability and actualy does more DPS than an MK XII purple off the exchange since you spend most of the time broadside. The console... novelty and amusing if you go use it on the random lvl 10 klink encounters in sirius sector, against anything lvl 50ish its rather useless. But then again netting a cloaked ship with it then making the gas explode can cause some damage, like enough to make them laugh.
The excelsior would be a good consideration, has a good BOFF layout for an AUX2BAT build, really better han the regent/fleet assault for that build. So if you are going for AUX2BAT it might be the best choice plus the transwarp is very usefull for getting to places faster.
As for the galaxy and its variants.. theres a 100+ page thread about how bad it is and all the wishes for making it good. I would seriously reconsider the ship with that many people complaining. A fleet mate says it turns like a beached whale and sucks for PvP lol.
*Edit
My build:
http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/index.php?build=lizette1_4343
Not finished yet, halfway through T5 rom and omega rep and only 1 aux2bat so its not that build. PvE only so reverse shield polarity is quite usefull having the NPC's heal the shields when they shoot you.
"I'm drunk, whats your excuse for being an idiot?" - Unknown drunk man. :eek:
Questions about your build philosophy (see my build a few messages back):
1. I get that you need to put something in the Ens. Tac slot, but why another BFAW and not a second TT? What kind of uptime are you getting on that skill overall with 2x Boff stations dedicated to it? Because with 3x Purple Tech doffs and 2x Aux2Bat, I'm getting 50% uptime or better on my Fleet AHCR.
Note: I say "or better" because the beam discharge period often overlaps with the global CD, cutting into the actual time between when I've stopped spamming and when I can hit the spam key again.
Frankly, the loss of the Ens. Engineering slot vs. the FAHCR would drive me nuts since I need 3x slots to run EPtS1 in tandem with my EPtW1 as part of their shared CD cycle and still have space for ET1 (see note below).
2. I understand the desire to get an "Elite" Fleet warp core, but in practice I've found a good Mark XI Overcharged core with the [W->A] modifier turns my FAHCR into an absolute tank of a ship.
Default power levels - pre-triggering of A2B - hover at 67 for Aux (set to 25), 61 for engines (again, set to 25), 81 for Shields (set to 50) and of course 125 for Weapons since I'm running the stock "Attack" profile. Then, when I trigger A2B, there's a whole bunch of Aux power to slam into those other systems, to the point where I rarely see any of the other three drop below "pegged" level during combat.
Add in the Leech and Fleet Polarons (same as yours - good choice) and there is a surplus of power flowing through every subsystem. It all translates into ridiculous damage potential, especially when you throw BFAW3 into the mix.
3. Everyone likes HE, but I've found TSS2 + PH1 to be the ideal combo in Sci. By alternating between TSS2 and the EPtS1 that's part of my key bind cycle, I very rarely find my shields below 60-75%. And if they do start to get low, there's the RSP2 "oh TRIBBLE" button to the rescue.
But, of course, I have the flexibility to slot ET1 into one of my Eng. slots for when I do need to break-off and heal - I just have to remember to pop an Aux battery first so that it has some juice to work with.
4. Why APO1? Wouldn't APB1 be more effective for a beam boat? Shield penetration and all.
Bottom Line: I think I'd end up pulling my hair out trying to configure the FACR to mimic my success with the FAHCR - at least as a pure beam boat. To be fair, the wide angle Quantum sounds like it would be fun in ESTFs - a nice "spike" to go along with the slow, steady grinding on my beams. But then it took me forever to grind enough FSMs to grab this boat + an upgrade to FTER for my Zen-bought Defiant - a ship I later mothballed because I couldn't stand the Boff layout. For me, the only viable escort is the Fleet Patrol.
RCK
Sovvie-R and Fleet Sovvie has a universal LT.
Well if you go APO1 instead of APB1, you have the freedom from tractor beams as well as increased turn rate and defence, plus the damage boost. The freedom from tractor beams and defence makes polarise hull unnecessary, and with the above point I made the Sovvie-R's universal LT can be a lot more flexible than you give it credit for. I'd argue it's way more flexible for an aux2batt build, IMO.
Incidently, you mention using ET1 in conjuction with popping an aux battery. Um, ET1 is not affected by aux power levels. You're thinking of Aux2SIF. ET1 and ES are some of the best heals in the game and AREN'T affected by aux power, which is what a lot of people seem to overlook when they say that aux2batt is a one-trick pony.
In conclusion, and answers bold in quote, I play PvE content and not PvP, my build would probably suck at PvP. In PvE I rarely die with this build and usaly when my sheilds drop i dont really worry as a cooldown is about to end. When i do die it is pure sh it bad luck to get hit by a crit when a shield facing is down when everything is in cooldown and thats ONLY during an ESTF with muliple enemies shield draining and lance/torping me. In a farm mission this build kills targets less than a second slower than my tac captain with his fleet tactical escort and all DHC's and turrets. It is a build that works for me but not everyone plays the same as i do so would not be best for everyone, I just submitted it as an example.
*edit,
@stofsk "I think he'd be better off putting TS1 in there with the wide-angle q-torpedo."
The wide angle torp is rarely used and the BFAW is always used except for certain circumstances when i want to concentrate on a single target. otherwise 90% of the time the wide angle is not equiped and sitting on the regent in the hanger along with some mines and the useless console. If the torp was always equipped then yes TS1 would be the ideal choice.
"I'm drunk, whats your excuse for being an idiot?" - Unknown drunk man. :eek:
I'd lean towards rom plasma (experimental array draws no power plus the extra disruptor debuff) but that looks like a good layout for an A2B build overall, I run a more typical dragon on mine(techs are expensive damn it) and she shines with either one