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Trying to understand Tac defenses
pilotab1
Member Posts: 0 Arc User
Hi all. I just recently leveled my first alt in the game to 50. My main is an engineering captain. In space combat, I have gotten pretty used to having a lot of defensive abilities to choose from and can seem to survive quite well (with the exception of the crystaline entity when I have a lot of aggro due to dps). However, after running a few estf's with my newly minted tac captain, I seemed to blow up a lot (being more than twice per stf). No one said anything to me about it and we still won the stf with optionals, but when I look at my own performance, I know I can do better.
What I'm trying to figure out is beside Eng team I and II, APO, and evasive maneuvers, what other defensive and health recovering abilities are there? As an engineer I have those abilities plus miracle worker, engineering fleet, and emergency power to shields. Maybe I just need to play a few more stf's to get used to it.
A little background about my alt, I have been running in a cannon build klingon raptor, which I very similar to my main which runs a fed hec. Also I leveled my alt to 50 just doing doff missions so I'm still learning the ins and outs of my character. Anyway, thanks in advance for any feedback.
What I'm trying to figure out is beside Eng team I and II, APO, and evasive maneuvers, what other defensive and health recovering abilities are there? As an engineer I have those abilities plus miracle worker, engineering fleet, and emergency power to shields. Maybe I just need to play a few more stf's to get used to it.
A little background about my alt, I have been running in a cannon build klingon raptor, which I very similar to my main which runs a fed hec. Also I leveled my alt to 50 just doing doff missions so I'm still learning the ins and outs of my character. Anyway, thanks in advance for any feedback.
Post edited by pilotab1 on
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Comments
And, as r-bomb mentioned, running away.
Resists are just as important as heals. Also, even if you don't run completely out of range, keep moving to boost defense rating, or you'll be critted left and right.
You forgot Transfer shield strength, it provides a shield resistance with a slow but good shield heal, and science team which clears science debuffs and grants a large instant shield heal. Unfortunately all skills with team in them share a cd when activated so be advised.
Praetor of the -RTS- Romulan Tal Shiar fleet!
2x Tac Team (or 1x with A2B or Doffs)
2x EPtS (or 1x with A2B or Doffs)
HE, TSS
You will hardly ever see me without those. Depending on the Boff layout of the ship and whether I'm running an A2B build, I may have room for RSP or ET. But those things above are always present.
As mentioned, defense rating and resist are huge. Keep moving, full throttle if possible to maximize the bonus defense you get from movement. Use Resilient Shields (like MACO, or an Elite Fleet Resilient) because they have less bleedthrough. You have little hull in an escort, so bleedthrough is not a good thing for you. Also, shoot down the heavy torpedoes. I realize sometimes the graphics bug and you can't see them, but to the extent that you can see them, shoot them down. Using AoE attacks like Cannon Scatter Volley and Torpedo Spread will help with that since they will automatically take out the heavy torpedoes as long as they are within your firing arc.
It is very possible to run an ESTF with an escort, never die, and never be forced to retreat. I do it frequently. You just have to adjust your survival strategy from "soak it up and heal it off" to "don't take the damage in the first place". You can play the "yo-yo" game with enemies, where you bounce back and forth in forward and reverse while keeping your nose (and therefore cannons) pointed at them, but if you start taking damage it's time to jam the throttle and get a move on. With gateways and Tac Cubes, I wouldn't even wait to start taking damage. Keep an eye on their status, and as soon as they target you, get moving.
Usually 2x EPtS is a good enough shield booster/hardener that TSS isn't needed (EPtS hardens shields twice - once with the ability itself and again by boosting shield power). I typically run Polarize Hull and Hazard Emitters, but TSS is high on the list of abilities to slot into an extra sci slot, if I have one available, for the simple reason that TSS can be used on others. Cross-healing ftw.
I almost never need Sci Team. I have a Boff trained in it should the need arise but those times are very few and far between. And when I do get hit with something needing ST to clear (Breen/Hirogen subnuc), killing the ship that hit you with it ends the debuff. But ST is the largest shield heal in the game, so there's that.
But you're right, I should have listed them out (especially TSS - duh). Thanks.
Hazard Emitters and Aux to Structural Integrity Field are your main hull heals. Engineering Team can be nice(especially if your enemy has subsystem disables) if you can spare the 'team' cooldown between your Tactical Team(s). Polarize Hull can work nicely as a pre-emptive hull hardener and also provides tractor beam/hold immunity.
Otherwise, yes, you are going to be a bit more squishy as a Tactical - their captain abilities are designed around stacking damage output, not mitigating incoming damage.
My PvE/PvP hybrid skill tree
^^ This is almost word for word what I would say and what I do... sound advice!
I actually have a tact build but i also have more than enough defensive abilities, you have consoles and special devices that can help you a lot, bt you have the pirate distress call xD, or when you are below 50% , the "call a heavy frigate to aid you" ability. For example. Or the eject plasma skill.. etc
Dont forget the tactical battle patterns. Omega, Delta, etc. Some abilities are not defensive, but can mix both defensive and offensive power. The omega, for example, gives your firepower but also gives you more turning speed (and of course, more defense in the process i suposse).
And yes xD. I have an escort build and i rarely need to retreat more than once, the thing is to use every defensive ability in a good timing, and to be aware that some of em will disable others when used.
Its important to fight the enemies according with their patterns. Romulans high-end ships need to be fighting at distance, or its probably you will be dead in seconds and you will be wonder (what the hell happened?). Tractor turrets + charged plasma torpedoes = bad news.
If you fight this style of ship (tractor turrets + charged plasma torpedoes) at distance, you will not have the necessity of retreat, since the enemy will no longer launch tractor turrets and their torpedoes will be easily to see and to avoid / destroy. The problem is, sometimes u dont realize how to fight an enemy and you keep dying or using retreat too much because you are using the wrong strategies.
Well, maybe i said something stupid, dunno, i ve been playing for about 2 months now, but i think i picked the hard basics of the game. The problem is, this game is so BIG...