While many players use Phasers in PvP, the PvE player with access to log parses generally avoids them.
Thing is, this thread is chock full of adjectives, but sparse on parses.
As others have pointed out, all energy weapons are the same, and it's the proc (or additional process) triggered where the value is seen.
I'd say consoles and set bonuses play a bigger role than process actions. Polarons being a fine example of how the Jem'Hadar set bonus is a bigger factor than the Polaron proc in Polarons having more damage potential than Phasers.
Thing is, this thread is chock full of adjectives, but sparse on parses.
I no longer take the time or effort to post parses or direct comparisons. Depending on the audience, the responses run from 'thank you' to 'you made that up, cause my _____ is leet'.
You're right on the consoles pre 50, but once you're maxed level with Spire 31.5% tac consoles, you're now almost exclusively talking proc again - Dmg vs CrtD as an example, and the conversation starts all over again.
'OMG I wish I has bought CtrD vs ACC with my Romulan Plasma' and so on.
Personally it's not the weapon or the console or the ship. Don't get me wrong they all contribute, but in the end it's the player. I've seen too many examples of bad players in great builds that can barely break 1K, let alone complete an elite STF within the time.
Thats not the whole case, though. Plasma damage can be further buffed with embassy sci consoles, has nothing to do with the proc. AP can be buffed with crit chance, no proc involved. Then when you look at the actual proc, you have disruptors and polarons making targets take greater damage (by weakening resists, in different ways). Phasers can make the target take greater damage if the proc disables shields, so basically 2.5% chance divided by 4. Only thing worse is Tetryon.
Pretty much.
There's really only one good reason to use them, and thats if you have ship-based phaser gear that you cant get rid of for some reason (lance, or quads, or PDS, etc).
They really need a passive buff to [acc] or [crth] or something
I was thinking a built in [acc] because, like I said in my post, phasers were known in the show to be a very stable, reliable and accurate weapon. A very no frills, reliable and straightforward beam that could act with scalpel precision depending on a Captains need. The phasers in STO are the exact opposite; clumsy and unreliable. Haphazardly disabling different systems at random. Just imagine what the shows would have been like if phasers were like that. A captain would order the disabling of a targets engines and end up hitting the warp core instead. :eek:
Well, then, in pve, i really own with my phaser - quantum boat. Something really weird is going on.. lol. :P
I mean, they are maybe worst than any other weapons.. but seriously?? if they were so terrible, nobody will use em cuz they wont be able to kill anything with em..
And i tell you again. I kick TRIBBLE in pve with my phasers. No matter if my enemy is romulan, breen or borg.
Well, then, in pve, you can really own with anything. That doesn't mean that they aren't sub par or in need of improvement. Though I suppose to be fair there are players on these forums that have expressed irritation at matches being over in 5 minutes. To players such as those, phasers must be the best beam in the game because no other beam excels at dragging on the duration of fleet actions like phasers do.
Personally it's not the weapon or the console or the ship. Don't get me wrong they all contribute, but in the end it's the player. I've seen too many examples of bad players in great builds that can barely break 1K, let alone complete an elite STF within the time.
Now that's a topic for a whole other thread!
But yeah. That plays a difference. And always will. That's how I used to get higher parses on my monk back in EQ. I just knew where to stand and had my rotation tight out of practice practice practice. And I made gear choices reflective of playstyle and stat choices based on damage and playstyle. So I could parse better in worse weapons.
It's a bit less complex here, but yeah player experience comes in handy quite a bit.
Sorry to veer off course. Back on course, Phasers are what they are. I think if the Undine set rumors are true, they'll get a little bump that should help. If not, then maybe next time out they'll get a set to boost them. Either way, I think if people like something other than phasers, just have at it and enjoy those beams instead. APs, Disruptors, whatevs.
There are multiple factors that currently relegate phasers below most other STO energy types:
1) Phasers used to have unrestricted proc stacking. With enough luck, phaser users could disable multiple subsystems on any opposing ship. Cryptic decided that this was too much, so the nerf hammer fell, and phaser procs got capped to once every 5 seconds. This effectively ended chain subsystem disables, thus making phasers far less reliable at crippling targets.
2) Phasers are devoid of any set support that boost their damage. Polarons get the Dominion Space Set. Antiprotons get the Obelisk Ancient Technologies Set. Plasma gets the Romulan Singularity Harness. Disruptors have the Elachi Weapons Set. Tetryons get both the Nukara Space Munitions and Hirogen Weapons set. Phasers get .... squat.
Both of the above considerations make one thing clear: If you want to maximize weapon damage output, select any energy type EXCEPT phaser.
The phaser proc alone is pretty much meh, even with 20 or so MI ships pounding on me it was only a tiny annoyance every 15secs or so, phasers themselves are not really any worse or better as an energy type.
I was thinking a built in [acc] because, like I said in my post, phasers were known in the show to be a very stable, reliable and accurate weapon. A very no frills, reliable and straightforward beam that could act with scalpel precision depending on a Captains need. The phasers in STO are the exact opposite; clumsy and unreliable. Haphazardly disabling different systems at random. Just imagine what the shows would have been like if phasers were like that. A captain would order the disabling of a targets engines and end up hitting the warp core instead. :eek:
Hmm accurate . . . that's a thought--give phasers an inherent +10% ACC bonus (if in addition to their current proc, or +20% if replacing the current proc). ^_^
Primarily I can live with the current proc type, if they would just do away with the 10sec. lockout so it can possibly proc every 5secs, and not every 15secs.
Phasers don't suck. Only people who use them and think they suck do.
and that's it. I think it's been unmentioned thus far, but obviously some skill point tweaking would determine if your weapons suck. If the alt with the blast happy polarons is specced for dps skillwise, while the phaser captain is all sci skill/eng skill heavy with no dps, then they suck. If the power settings have weapons power under 50 and your running all beams, then they suck.
The OP had no information to help determine why they had that opinion.
My only input on this topic is that I can own Elite STF's with no issue, and I'm still using phasers because it was what I had when I switched over from a different ship.
phaser proc is not effective against most everything you face
phasers have nothing to boost there damage like plasma has
7.6 damage from the plasma hyperflux set
9.6 damage from a embassy science console that stacks
The bonus defense from the elite phasers is totally a waste and unnessary in pve
So to wrap up...............phasers are last place weapons for PvE
Jellico....Engineer ground.....Da'val Romulan space Sci
Saphire.. Science ground......Ko'el Romulan space Tac
Leva........Tactical ground.....Koj Romulan space Eng
JJ-Verse will never be Canon or considered Lore...It will always be JJ-Verse
phaser proc is not effective against most everything you face
Just a point of order ... PvE encompasses a lot more than the borg STFs.
"Most everything you face" in PvE has shields, and is moving. Meaning the phaser proc is effective against it. Wether it's Tholians in the Crystaline Entity, Voth Palisade Frigates in Storming the Spire, any of the enemies in NWS or Fleet Starbase Defense or the Klingons in Starbase 24 or even probes and assimilated raptors and Donatra in the borg STFs.
Phaser proc doesn't help as much against stationary objects that have no shields. Gateways and Generators.
But "most everything you face" in PvE are ships flying around with shields. PvE encompasses so much more than just three borg STFs. Heck, you could be doing the Defera Dailies out of boredom (it's still an ok payout on Dil if you've got the time) or getting an exploration daily in the B'Tran, and the phaser proc will be useful in space combat there.
I'm not arguing anything other than I feel your perception of "most everything you face" in PvE is kind of backwards. I face a lot of flying ships in PvE every day. Who have shields. And can have their combat affected by any of the procs that a phaser does. Though the Aux proc is really minimal, the other three will do something to a Palisade Frigate/Neg'Vahr/Raptor/Chel Gret for a tic or two at the very least. How useful THAT is, is really more what this thread is about.
But nah, PvE has a lot of ships affected by the proc.
Think of it this way. Borg STFs take 3 to 5 minutes a piece, right? So on a bad day, I can clear them out in 30 or so minutes. What I do in PvE for the rest of the time I'm online? Loot-O-Matic? Starbase Defense? NWS? Defera Daily? Maybe the Undine Space Combat Zone when it goes live?
All of that has enemies affected however minimally by a phaser proc. (This also applies to the old Tetryon debate since all of those enemies have shields).
In general I think people fret way too much about the procs. And need to focus way more on power management, set bonuses, console distribution, and tactical buffs. Those all have much more weight on damage potential than a proc does.
Phasers have the lowest DPS and the most lackluster proc
Phasers have no supporting damage increase is why
So in ALL content they are the worst choice as my plasma example demonstrates
and sitll the worst proc because it does not affect anything you hit it with in any signifignt way compared to the other procs
Phasers are the worst weapon for Damage and proc in the game....period
Jellico....Engineer ground.....Da'val Romulan space Sci
Saphire.. Science ground......Ko'el Romulan space Tac
Leva........Tactical ground.....Koj Romulan space Eng
JJ-Verse will never be Canon or considered Lore...It will always be JJ-Verse
Just to divert all power to your weapons to help that weapon out if you need more power. Or use the Weapon Battery along with it. There are several consoles items you can use to boost weapons power. I don't use phasers on the ship I do use that cool retro phaser rifle level X from The Night of the Comet. Since the Borg and Breen go now more than using antiproton beam.
? Phasers have the same DPS as all the other energy types at the same level. Base DPS? All that does change when you add in, say, the set bonus from the Jem'Hadar set while running Polarons. But like fleet tactical consoles exist for phasers just as much for any other energy type. Attack Pattern Beta works with phasers just as much as with tetryons.
People see 7.6% or 9.6% and they math it out wrong.
In practice, the 7.6% from the jem set is often not worth losing another set bonus to get. Just like tactical consoles, it is your base damage, before skills, energy, other consoles, etc. In other words, overrated.
The +plasma proc from the embassy consoles can quite often provide more damage than the +plasma damage does, if you use those consoles with non-plamsa, dual proc weapons. I have had my plasma procs do 1.5K all by themselves, using refracting tets.
So many opinions, so little parsing...
I once again match my character. Behold the power of PINK!
Fleet Admiral Space Orphidian Possiblities Wizard
People see 7.6% or 9.6% and they math it out wrong.
In practice, the 7.6% from the jem set is often not worth losing another set bonus to get. Just like tactical consoles, it is your base damage, before skills, energy, other consoles, etc. In other words, overrated.
The +plasma proc from the embassy consoles can quite often provide more damage than the +plasma damage does, if you use those consoles with non-plamsa, dual proc weapons. I have had my plasma procs do 1.5K all by themselves, using refracting tets.
So many opinions, so little parsing...
Well i'm not sitting on my desk calculating things just put it on and shoot :P
But that's because I don't understand what to calculate !!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"Coffee: the finest organic suspension ever devised. It's got me through the worst of the last three years. I beat the Borg with it."
People see 7.6% or 9.6% and they math it out wrong.
In practice, the 7.6% from the jem set is often not worth losing another set bonus to get. Just like tactical consoles, it is your base damage, before skills, energy, other consoles, etc. In other words, overrated.
The +plasma proc from the embassy consoles can quite often provide more damage than the +plasma damage does, if you use those consoles with non-plamsa, dual proc weapons. I have had my plasma procs do 1.5K all by themselves, using refracting tets.
So many opinions, so little parsing...
Don't criticize people for not parsing and then do the exact same thing. Please provide more parsing in your answer and less adjectives and adverbs.
? Phasers have the same DPS as all the other energy types at the same level. Base DPS? All that does change when you add in, say, the set bonus from the Jem'Hadar set while running Polarons. But like fleet tactical consoles exist for phasers just as much for any other energy type. Attack Pattern Beta works with phasers just as much as with tetryons.
again
Phasers get no support bonus to damage such as plasma energy weapons do so phaser have lower dps
plasma hyper flux set bonus 7.6% energy wepon damage
Romulan science consoles mk-XI 9.6 % plasm energy weapon damage most ships can have 2 of these and they stack even on a parser
Romulan plasma repuitation weapons get the disurptor proc and plasm proc
Tac consoles attack patterns ....anycone can use those as well those are not the issue and never were just smoke from you to confuse the issue which you are avoiding
phasers finish last every time
Jellico....Engineer ground.....Da'val Romulan space Sci
Saphire.. Science ground......Ko'el Romulan space Tac
Leva........Tactical ground.....Koj Romulan space Eng
JJ-Verse will never be Canon or considered Lore...It will always be JJ-Verse
I'm partially disagree with this. Against average opponents they are suxxx. (altrought refracting tetryon can make a huge difference in this question) I can give you this. But when you are facing the borg queen in Hive onslaught or The scimitar in Kitho vortex what you really want to have in your side is a shield buster tetryon build.
FED ENG Minonian@Minonian / FED SCI Lucindia@Minonian Fleet Temporal Integrity Comission ROM FED TAC Verix@Minonian / ROM FED ENG Cayly@Minonian Fleet Temporal Integrity Comission KLING TAC Csi'kasz@MinonianFleet; House Of temporal Integrity
Sontaaar, HA!!! (Explosion)
Phasers don't suck. Only people who use them and think they suck do.
A skilled player with phasers will trounce a scrub with romulan plasma. Then again, a skilled player with phasers will still be trounced by a skilled player with romulan plasma though. The beams just aren't equal. Why hold them back?
I'm seeing a lot of a hive mind belief here where there is simply no point in trying to get everything from beams to ships that suck to be brought up to par with the rest of the game because the PvE part is easy enough that none of your choices matter. But should we accept that? Really? If you ask me the content should be made tougher and the items should be balanced to the point where your choice has an impact on success. Because if this is the state of the game we're left with, what is even the point to gearing up? What is the point in trying to make our ships better? An mmo with no incentive to improve your character is an mmo with almost no purpose. It sounds like none of our choices matter. Maybe if some of it does matter someday some of you will reconsider keeping phasers in their current mediocre state.
I'm seeing a lot of a hive mind belief here where there is simply no point in trying to get everything from beams to ships to that blow to be brought up to par with the rest of the game because the PvE part is easy enough that none of your choices matter.
That's not it at all.
Most of us already realize that Phasers will get a set bonus. With some new reputation that isn't in the game currently. And then things will change.
Until then most of the ideas for boosting phasers are either not mechanically possible, not something the devs are likely to do, or are essentially not going to help phasers at all anyways.
Case in point, I've read multiple posters suggest Phasers get an inherent accuracy bonus. And yet, one of the most consistent discussions about phaser damage potential has to do with PVE performance. Accuracy is less of an issue in PVE. Only recently have the devs coded ships to actually use speed boosts which create the need for more accuracy. Currently a lot of PVErs are dumping accuracy for CritH and CritD. Also there's a ton of accuracy boosts from other sources outside of the weapon itself. So on the face of it, adding an ACC boost to just phasers seems like a great idea, but in practice (in PVE at least) it's right back to the same old problem. That phasers are giving a boost that isn't all that helpful overall.
Another suggestion I've seen is shield bypass. That's something the devs aren't likely to do since they've given that capability to protonic energy. Also that's not really in flavor with phasers. In the shows they don't bypass shields.
So I don't know. I think if we just wait a bit, we'll get a rep set that boosts phaser damage. And then it'll be back to really just picking whichever color you think is prettiest.
Comments
Thing is, this thread is chock full of adjectives, but sparse on parses.
I'd say consoles and set bonuses play a bigger role than process actions. Polarons being a fine example of how the Jem'Hadar set bonus is a bigger factor than the Polaron proc in Polarons having more damage potential than Phasers.
Doesn't the Solnae set already do this?
I no longer take the time or effort to post parses or direct comparisons. Depending on the audience, the responses run from 'thank you' to 'you made that up, cause my _____ is leet'.
You're right on the consoles pre 50, but once you're maxed level with Spire 31.5% tac consoles, you're now almost exclusively talking proc again - Dmg vs CrtD as an example, and the conversation starts all over again.
'OMG I wish I has bought CtrD vs ACC with my Romulan Plasma' and so on.
Personally it's not the weapon or the console or the ship. Don't get me wrong they all contribute, but in the end it's the player. I've seen too many examples of bad players in great builds that can barely break 1K, let alone complete an elite STF within the time.
I was thinking a built in [acc] because, like I said in my post, phasers were known in the show to be a very stable, reliable and accurate weapon. A very no frills, reliable and straightforward beam that could act with scalpel precision depending on a Captains need. The phasers in STO are the exact opposite; clumsy and unreliable. Haphazardly disabling different systems at random. Just imagine what the shows would have been like if phasers were like that. A captain would order the disabling of a targets engines and end up hitting the warp core instead. :eek:
Well, then, in pve, you can really own with anything. That doesn't mean that they aren't sub par or in need of improvement. Though I suppose to be fair there are players on these forums that have expressed irritation at matches being over in 5 minutes. To players such as those, phasers must be the best beam in the game because no other beam excels at dragging on the duration of fleet actions like phasers do.
Now that's a topic for a whole other thread!
But yeah. That plays a difference. And always will. That's how I used to get higher parses on my monk back in EQ. I just knew where to stand and had my rotation tight out of practice practice practice. And I made gear choices reflective of playstyle and stat choices based on damage and playstyle. So I could parse better in worse weapons.
It's a bit less complex here, but yeah player experience comes in handy quite a bit.
Sorry to veer off course. Back on course, Phasers are what they are. I think if the Undine set rumors are true, they'll get a little bump that should help. If not, then maybe next time out they'll get a set to boost them. Either way, I think if people like something other than phasers, just have at it and enjoy those beams instead. APs, Disruptors, whatevs.
1) Phasers used to have unrestricted proc stacking. With enough luck, phaser users could disable multiple subsystems on any opposing ship. Cryptic decided that this was too much, so the nerf hammer fell, and phaser procs got capped to once every 5 seconds. This effectively ended chain subsystem disables, thus making phasers far less reliable at crippling targets.
2) Phasers are devoid of any set support that boost their damage. Polarons get the Dominion Space Set. Antiprotons get the Obelisk Ancient Technologies Set. Plasma gets the Romulan Singularity Harness. Disruptors have the Elachi Weapons Set. Tetryons get both the Nukara Space Munitions and Hirogen Weapons set. Phasers get .... squat.
Both of the above considerations make one thing clear: If you want to maximize weapon damage output, select any energy type EXCEPT phaser.
Yes, STO Phasers do suck TRIBBLE$.
Praetor of the -RTS- Romulan Tal Shiar fleet!
Hmm accurate . . . that's a thought--give phasers an inherent +10% ACC bonus (if in addition to their current proc, or +20% if replacing the current proc). ^_^
Praetor of the -RTS- Romulan Tal Shiar fleet!
and that's it. I think it's been unmentioned thus far, but obviously some skill point tweaking would determine if your weapons suck. If the alt with the blast happy polarons is specced for dps skillwise, while the phaser captain is all sci skill/eng skill heavy with no dps, then they suck. If the power settings have weapons power under 50 and your running all beams, then they suck.
The OP had no information to help determine why they had that opinion.
My only input on this topic is that I can own Elite STF's with no issue, and I'm still using phasers because it was what I had when I switched over from a different ship.
I thought WoW's forums had angry elitist snobs, but I never could have imagined the level STO forums has.
Defending The Galaxy By Breaking One Starfleet Regulation After The Next.
But if you are saying you are using retrofit phasers...
Then, yeah, *YOUR* phasers DO suck
Fleet Admiral Space Orphidian Possiblities Wizard
phaser proc is not effective against most everything you face
phasers have nothing to boost there damage like plasma has
7.6 damage from the plasma hyperflux set
9.6 damage from a embassy science console that stacks
The bonus defense from the elite phasers is totally a waste and unnessary in pve
So to wrap up...............phasers are last place weapons for PvE
Saphire.. Science ground......Ko'el Romulan space Tac
Leva........Tactical ground.....Koj Romulan space Eng
JJ-Verse will never be Canon or considered Lore...It will always be JJ-Verse
Phasers suck, buff me! I need to kill better than I already do!
They are all right! They are the worst and need to be buffed!
/waits to be even more OP...
Fleet Admiral Space Orphidian Possiblities Wizard
Just a point of order ... PvE encompasses a lot more than the borg STFs.
"Most everything you face" in PvE has shields, and is moving. Meaning the phaser proc is effective against it. Wether it's Tholians in the Crystaline Entity, Voth Palisade Frigates in Storming the Spire, any of the enemies in NWS or Fleet Starbase Defense or the Klingons in Starbase 24 or even probes and assimilated raptors and Donatra in the borg STFs.
Phaser proc doesn't help as much against stationary objects that have no shields. Gateways and Generators.
But "most everything you face" in PvE are ships flying around with shields. PvE encompasses so much more than just three borg STFs. Heck, you could be doing the Defera Dailies out of boredom (it's still an ok payout on Dil if you've got the time) or getting an exploration daily in the B'Tran, and the phaser proc will be useful in space combat there.
I'm not arguing anything other than I feel your perception of "most everything you face" in PvE is kind of backwards. I face a lot of flying ships in PvE every day. Who have shields. And can have their combat affected by any of the procs that a phaser does. Though the Aux proc is really minimal, the other three will do something to a Palisade Frigate/Neg'Vahr/Raptor/Chel Gret for a tic or two at the very least. How useful THAT is, is really more what this thread is about.
But nah, PvE has a lot of ships affected by the proc.
Think of it this way. Borg STFs take 3 to 5 minutes a piece, right? So on a bad day, I can clear them out in 30 or so minutes. What I do in PvE for the rest of the time I'm online? Loot-O-Matic? Starbase Defense? NWS? Defera Daily? Maybe the Undine Space Combat Zone when it goes live?
All of that has enemies affected however minimally by a phaser proc. (This also applies to the old Tetryon debate since all of those enemies have shields).
In general I think people fret way too much about the procs. And need to focus way more on power management, set bonuses, console distribution, and tactical buffs. Those all have much more weight on damage potential than a proc does.
Phasers have the lowest DPS and the most lackluster proc
Phasers have no supporting damage increase is why
So in ALL content they are the worst choice as my plasma example demonstrates
and sitll the worst proc because it does not affect anything you hit it with in any signifignt way compared to the other procs
Phasers are the worst weapon for Damage and proc in the game....period
Saphire.. Science ground......Ko'el Romulan space Tac
Leva........Tactical ground.....Koj Romulan space Eng
JJ-Verse will never be Canon or considered Lore...It will always be JJ-Verse
Time will only tell!
? Phasers have the same DPS as all the other energy types at the same level. Base DPS? All that does change when you add in, say, the set bonus from the Jem'Hadar set while running Polarons. But like fleet tactical consoles exist for phasers just as much for any other energy type. Attack Pattern Beta works with phasers just as much as with tetryons.
http://skillplanner.stoacademy.com/?build=usssiskoold_0 Old Build
http://skillplanner.stoacademy.com/?build=usssisko_0 New Build
It works like a charm against the Voth and the Borg...
Edit : I must ad that this build sucks in PVP but that could also be because of the doff setting and captain skills ....
I'm not a pro I play just for the fun off it !!
"Coffee: the finest organic suspension ever devised. It's got me through the worst of the last three years. I beat the Borg with it."
In practice, the 7.6% from the jem set is often not worth losing another set bonus to get. Just like tactical consoles, it is your base damage, before skills, energy, other consoles, etc. In other words, overrated.
The +plasma proc from the embassy consoles can quite often provide more damage than the +plasma damage does, if you use those consoles with non-plamsa, dual proc weapons. I have had my plasma procs do 1.5K all by themselves, using refracting tets.
So many opinions, so little parsing...
Fleet Admiral Space Orphidian Possiblities Wizard
Well i'm not sitting on my desk calculating things just put it on and shoot :P
But that's because I don't understand what to calculate !!
"Coffee: the finest organic suspension ever devised. It's got me through the worst of the last three years. I beat the Borg with it."
Don't criticize people for not parsing and then do the exact same thing. Please provide more parsing in your answer and less adjectives and adverbs.
I have parses all over the forums, and care too little about the argument to dig them out. Have at it.
I've parsed this very argument, and don't care who gets it or not really, just the servers are down.
Like I said, I quit. I realize I've been doing this all wrong.
Phasers are UP, plz buff!
Fleet Admiral Space Orphidian Possiblities Wizard
again
Phasers get no support bonus to damage such as plasma energy weapons do so phaser have lower dps
plasma hyper flux set bonus 7.6% energy wepon damage
Romulan science consoles mk-XI 9.6 % plasm energy weapon damage most ships can have 2 of these and they stack even on a parser
Romulan plasma repuitation weapons get the disurptor proc and plasm proc
Tac consoles attack patterns ....anycone can use those as well those are not the issue and never were just smoke from you to confuse the issue which you are avoiding
phasers finish last every time
Saphire.. Science ground......Ko'el Romulan space Tac
Leva........Tactical ground.....Koj Romulan space Eng
JJ-Verse will never be Canon or considered Lore...It will always be JJ-Verse
I'm partially disagree with this. Against average opponents they are suxxx. (altrought refracting tetryon can make a huge difference in this question) I can give you this. But when you are facing the borg queen in Hive onslaught or The scimitar in Kitho vortex what you really want to have in your side is a shield buster tetryon build.
ROM FED TAC Verix@Minonian / ROM FED ENG Cayly@Minonian Fleet Temporal Integrity Comission
KLING TAC Csi'kasz@MinonianFleet; House Of temporal Integrity
Sontaaar, HA!!! (Explosion)
A skilled player with phasers will trounce a scrub with romulan plasma. Then again, a skilled player with phasers will still be trounced by a skilled player with romulan plasma though. The beams just aren't equal. Why hold them back?
I'm seeing a lot of a hive mind belief here where there is simply no point in trying to get everything from beams to ships that suck to be brought up to par with the rest of the game because the PvE part is easy enough that none of your choices matter. But should we accept that? Really? If you ask me the content should be made tougher and the items should be balanced to the point where your choice has an impact on success. Because if this is the state of the game we're left with, what is even the point to gearing up? What is the point in trying to make our ships better? An mmo with no incentive to improve your character is an mmo with almost no purpose. It sounds like none of our choices matter. Maybe if some of it does matter someday some of you will reconsider keeping phasers in their current mediocre state.
So all you're trying to say is you can stack more consoles to get more damage potential out of plasma?
Because you keep saying phasers finish last, but only compare them to plasma. Is this a phasers vs. plasma discussion we're having?
No. A Federation dyson science destroyer lol. I own with it with a phaser - quantum configuration. And phasers hit really hard.
That's not it at all.
Most of us already realize that Phasers will get a set bonus. With some new reputation that isn't in the game currently. And then things will change.
Until then most of the ideas for boosting phasers are either not mechanically possible, not something the devs are likely to do, or are essentially not going to help phasers at all anyways.
Case in point, I've read multiple posters suggest Phasers get an inherent accuracy bonus. And yet, one of the most consistent discussions about phaser damage potential has to do with PVE performance. Accuracy is less of an issue in PVE. Only recently have the devs coded ships to actually use speed boosts which create the need for more accuracy. Currently a lot of PVErs are dumping accuracy for CritH and CritD. Also there's a ton of accuracy boosts from other sources outside of the weapon itself. So on the face of it, adding an ACC boost to just phasers seems like a great idea, but in practice (in PVE at least) it's right back to the same old problem. That phasers are giving a boost that isn't all that helpful overall.
Another suggestion I've seen is shield bypass. That's something the devs aren't likely to do since they've given that capability to protonic energy. Also that's not really in flavor with phasers. In the shows they don't bypass shields.
So I don't know. I think if we just wait a bit, we'll get a rep set that boosts phaser damage. And then it'll be back to really just picking whichever color you think is prettiest.