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Skills Starting a Character

tardes13tardes13 Member Posts: 167 Arc User
edited March 2014 in The Academy
On the tin can you start a character with, all new Tac BOFFS have HY.

I never changed that, but wondering if something else would be more effective.

Considering FAW instead ... Other thoughts ?

Btw, the other skills I use are EPtS and HE.

For ship setup, I guess 1 fore torp, 1 dual beam, 1 array.
Post edited by tardes13 on

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    mandoknight89mandoknight89 Member Posts: 1,687 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    Torpedoes don't scale well at high levels against NPCs, but they do deal enough damage at low levels that I think HYT is the best power for you to start with. At levels 1-10 at least, if you get HYT1 in past the enemy shields, the enemy is dead, with the exception of the very few Battleships you'll face at that level.
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    flynn444flynn444 Member Posts: 36 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    I like, at a minimum, a dual beam bank and torpedo for weapons. BOFF skills would include tactical team, beam overload, and torpedo high yield. Hit beam overload to significant drop shields and follow up with torpedo high yield. (I switch them if the target is far away since the beam will hit as the torp is traveing). This is assuming you have a pretty maneuverable ship. Beam arrays are still best for cruisers.

    Hazard Emitters is great, though I might consider Engineering Team now that "team" skills of the three careers don't share cooldowns.

    I really like mines. For one, they're dirt cheap and they do really massive damage.
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    cowdoc0077cowdoc0077 Member Posts: 48 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    Sure, you can try out FAW1. Your setup is fairly standard for the Miranda. I'm sure someone else will say Skill X is .034% more dps, but to be honest, at the starter level, it really doesn't make a huge difference. It can be a time to play with ensign/Lt powers a bit and it won't get you instantly killed. Have some fun trying some different stuff out.
    Besides, with the level progression in this game, you'll be level 10 in 30 minutes; and if you play during the Bonus XP weekend here now, you'll probably be a Commander before you even finish rescuing the SS Azura
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    jaguarskxjaguarskx Member Posts: 5,945 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    I don't use torpedoes on my ship. I am basically an engineering captain flying a cruiser. I rely on phaser beam arrays since they are the traditional weapons for Starfleet. However, I do use a mine launcher which I prefer over torpedoes. I try get my enemies to fly into the mine I have launched. They are also a decent way to cover your rear.

    Mines automatically lock onto your enemies if they are close enough. They target enemy mines, plasma torpedoes, fighter crafts and other ships. They take a few seconds to activate after being launched and after a period of time idling they will self detonate.

    Mines can sometimes act as a distraction. I have seen many times where enemies were shooting at the mines I laid instead of me.

    For my tactical officers I primarily rely on Beam Overload and Damage to Engines. My ship has one Ensign and one Lieutenant slot.
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    tardes13tardes13 Member Posts: 167 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    People, keep in mind that 1 single skill is available, no room for more.

    Mines ... I kind of like them (preferably plasma), BUT I'm wondering if they don't slow me down. Long cooldown, don't work very well against more enemies and if enemy shields are up, chance is it's a wasted mine ...

    And with mines, I don't have the control to direct them at the enemy who currently has it's shields down. At least I don't see mines working with beam overload against multiple enemies.

    Yes, they're good for 1 single enemy, but that often is not the case.
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    jaguarskxjaguarskx Member Posts: 5,945 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    Yeah, I forgot to mention that by default there is a 20 second cool down for mines.

    I have been using mines for sometime now and I have worked them into my combat tactics. Mines can be pretty effective at low levels, but in higher levels no so much. For example, I have quantum mines installed on my Bird of Prey for my KDF toon. Currently at level 22 right now and I can pretty much take out a federation battleship without much difficulty most of the time. I basically sneak up on them drop out of cloak, activate Attack Pattern Alpha (??), and fire. The battleship would then put a tractor beam on me and fire off torpedoes. While I am firing, I also constantly transfer power to the forward shields. If everything works out properly the mines impact on the exposed hull of the battleship. It typically take two sets of mines to bring down a battleship on the higher levels. At lower levels I believe one set of mines is enough along with constant firing.

    Anywaste... mines work for me. However, sometimes I switch it out for a beam weapon.

    Maybe I'll tryout a torpedo ship (no energy weapons) with one of my lower tier federation ship. Just for the hell of it.
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    solemkofsolemkof Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    tardes13 wrote: »
    On the tin can you start a character with, all new Tac BOFFS have HY.

    I never changed that, but wondering if something else would be more effective.

    Considering FAW instead ... Other thoughts ?
    How about Torpedo:Spread? It can be great help against pesky pets/targetable projectiles (such as the Undine plasmatorp, I think) and other small stuff.
    Btw, the other skills I use are EPtS and HE.

    For ship setup, I guess 1 fore torp, 1 dual beam, 1 array.
    I think it'd be better to put a turret in the rear and keep your nose pointing at the enemy; then manually redistribute shields when needed (or mash the 'up-arrow' key to distribute shields to the forward facing)
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