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Tactical with an Odyessy Star Cruiser needing help

dragonogredragonogre Member Posts: 70 Arc User
edited September 2014 in The Academy
I just came back to the game after a few years away and got to 50 recently. I earned the Odyessy Star Cruiser during my last stint in the game in the 2012 event. What would be the best load out for ship equipment and skills for me to use if I wanted to do higher end PVE and some PVP. Were I would not get me butt handed to me because of an improper build.
Elemental Evil is the best module ever it fixed all the bugs!
Post edited by dragonogre on

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    cbrjwrrcbrjwrr Member Posts: 2,782 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Here's what happened when I brought up the Mirror Star Cruiser: (note, basically the same as yours beside visuals)

    http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=1177071


    It is worth noting that most of the people who posted in it are actually damn good PvPers, so don't do what I did (but don't do anymore) by being stubborn sticking to bad ideas.
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    dsarisdsaris Member Posts: 369 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    I'll say this once.

    With very few exceptions...

    Tac = Escort
    Engineer = Cruiser
    Sci = anything

    Nothing bothers me more than warping into some PvE event and seeing a Tac in a big ol bulky cruiser sitting beside me.

    Tac in a cruiser is wasting all the skill points you (should) have in attack patterns, and it's wasting your Tactical Initiative ability as cruisers don't generally have more than 3 tactical powers available, with one of those being reserved for TT.

    If you had the Tactical Odyssey, the Regent Class or the Avenger it would be a different story, but the old Oddy Star Cruiser... just no.

    If you need a decent high tier escort and don't have money to spend get yourself a Mirror Universe one from the Exchange, they're cheap and not terrible.
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    dragonogredragonogre Member Posts: 70 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    All I have right now is the cruiser for tier 5 tying to do the best i can with what I have. Didn't even know you could buy a ship on the exchange just the gear for it.
    Elemental Evil is the best module ever it fixed all the bugs!
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    quistraquistra Member Posts: 214 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Hi, tac in an Odyssey tactical cruiser here.

    Your best bet is to use your ship's inherent huge tankiness to your advantage by statting into damage, and by that I mean you should look to jack up your critical hit stats. Zero-Point Energy Conduit and Assimilated Module are practically required. If you've got access to a T3 fleet spire, stacking Vulnerability Locators in your tac slots is a great idea. For weapons, you want Mk XII antiproton beams because the more you crit, the more damage you'll get out of these bad boys. Go for three beams fore and three beams aft. For torpedo armament, a quantum torpedo on each end is a good starting choice; you'll use them as an attack of opportunity, since the Odyssey isn't all that much for turning and you'll mostly want to broadside with your beams.

    Take a tactical boff in your LTC universal seat. Carry Fire at Will II and Attack Pattern Beta II. Your tac LT can carry Beam Overload II. That'll allow you to easily alternate between strong AOE damage and strong damage against one target at a time. Have your eng boff carry Emergency Power to Weapons II. Use it to keep your weapons power up when you broadside.

    Alternately, A2B build.
    The artist formerly known as PlanetofHats.
    Actual join date: Open beta, 2009ish.
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    dsarisdsaris Member Posts: 369 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Yep... you sure can. Search under Reward Packs, Rare, "Escort" and you'll have a couple of choices. They're generally 100,000ec or so... cheap. Heck, if you ask around in game some nice player might even just give you one.
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    dsarisdsaris Member Posts: 369 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    quistra wrote: »
    Hi, tac in an Odyssey tactical cruiser here.

    Your best bet is to use your ship's inherent huge tankiness to your advantage by statting into damage, and by that I mean you should look to jack up your critical hit stats. Zero-Point Energy Conduit and Assimilated Module are practically required. If you've got access to a T3 fleet spire, stacking Vulnerability Locators in your tac slots is a great idea. For weapons, you want Mk XII antiproton beams because the more you crit, the more damage you'll get out of these bad boys. Go for three beams fore and three beams aft. For torpedo armament, a quantum torpedo on each end is a good starting choice; you'll use them as an attack of opportunity, since the Odyssey isn't all that much for turning and you'll mostly want to broadside with your beams.

    Take a tactical boff in your LTC universal seat. Carry Fire at Will II and Attack Pattern Beta II. Your tac LT can carry Beam Overload II. That'll allow you to easily alternate between strong AOE damage and strong damage against one target at a time. Have your eng boff carry Emergency Power to Weapons II. Use it to keep your weapons power up when you broadside.

    Alternately, A2B build.

    I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that as a returning player he's broke as a joke... no millions to spend on expensive fancy builds. Also, his free Oddy Star Cruiser doesn't have the same layout as the Z-store Oddys.
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    gavinrunebladegavinruneblade Member Posts: 3,894 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    dragonogre wrote: »
    I just came back to the game after a few years away and got to 50 recently. I earned the Odyessy Star Cruiser during my last stint in the game in the 2012 event. What would be the best load out for ship equipment and skills for me to use if I wanted to do higher end PVE and some PVP. Were I would not get me butt handed to me because of an improper build.

    Depends how patient you are. October will see the delta rising expansion that will include mark 13+ gear. Right now spending any etc, dip, or zen on currently top end stuff is not the best investment. Unless you have lots and don't like to wait, then it could totally be worth it.

    My recommendation is to follow the main guidelines in the linked thread, (that is a great thread) but don't buy anything that costs dip or fleet marks or zen and don't buy anything stronger than mark 11 blues.
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    dragonogredragonogre Member Posts: 70 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    I am not broke I have about 300k energy to spend on things since I have come back. Quistra I have been using the weapons mode for my Odyessy and the odyessy shield frequency ability combo so far it has been working but still a hard fight most of the time.
    I have 2 antiproton XI from the episodes can't afford the XII I have seen on the exchange.
    Elemental Evil is the best module ever it fixed all the bugs!
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    gavinrunebladegavinruneblade Member Posts: 3,894 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    dragonogre wrote: »
    I am not broke I have about 300k energy to spend on things since I have come back. Quistra I have been using the weapons mode for my Odyessy and the odyessy shield frequency ability combo so far it has been working but still a hard fight most of the time.

    300k is not enough to buy a single purple tactical console. And tats not counting guns. Even disruptor or plasma blues will cost 100k+ each slot.

    Consider running the Borg and solonae arcs to get free blue quality antiproton or disruptor or phaser weapons (varies per mission, pick and repeat the one that works for you).
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    dsarisdsaris Member Posts: 369 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    In the new economy 300k is broke.

    That being said if you don't mind grinding episodes you can get decent Mk XI gear for nothing but your time. With the right build you don't need anything better than that for PvE.
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    dragonogredragonogre Member Posts: 70 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    300k is not enough to buy a single purple tactical console. And tats not counting guns. Even disruptor or plasma blues will cost 100k+ each slot.

    Consider running the Borg and solonae arcs to get free blue quality antiproton or disruptor or phaser weapons (varies per mission, pick and repeat the one that works for you).

    I got my antiprotons from the Borg missions. I was not sure if I should go full antiproton or keep my XI phasers and use the two antiproton banks I got.
    Elemental Evil is the best module ever it fixed all the bugs!
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    gavinrunebladegavinruneblade Member Posts: 3,894 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    dragonogre wrote: »
    I got my antiprotons from the Borg missions. I was not sure if I should go full antiproton or keep my XI phasers and use the two antiproton banks I got.

    Well solonae has a really nice 360degree antiproton beam for one you rear slot. So that is an option if you have seven ap weapons for the rest. Green consoles only cost 10kish.

    Phasers you can buy some neat polarized or bio versions on the ah, or get some free from leveling undine reputation. So either one works, just depends what you prefer. If you can stack crit then ap is better damage.
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    theanothernametheanothername Member Posts: 1,504 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    dragonogre wrote: »
    I just came back to the game after a few years away and got to 50 recently. I earned the Odyessy Star Cruiser during my last stint in the game in the 2012 event. What would be the best load out for ship equipment and skills for me to use if I wanted to do higher end PVE and some PVP. Were I would not get me butt handed to me because of an improper build.

    Totally doable & a very solid ship. http://skillplanner.stoacademy.com/?build=oddydiscounterclass_0

    Its not the ultimate killer build. Most weapons and other systems are mission rewards from replays (like the AP beams or the solanae stuff). But with a bit training this should be able to get you to all current content without headache.

    Consider that with the upcoming "Delta Rising" X-Pack MK14 items are introduced. So don't go on shopping spree for expensive MK 12 stuff.

    dsaris wrote: »
    I'll say this once.

    With very few exceptions...

    Tac = Escort
    Engineer = Cruiser
    Sci = anything

    Nothing bothers me more than warping into some PvE event and seeing a Tac in a big ol bulky cruiser sitting beside me.

    Tac in a cruiser is wasting all the skill points you (should) have in attack patterns, and it's wasting your Tactical Initiative ability as cruisers don't generally have more than 3 tactical powers available, with one of those being reserved for TT.

    If you had the Tactical Odyssey, the Regent Class or the Avenger it would be a different story, but the old Oddy Star Cruiser... just no.

    If you need a decent high tier escort and don't have money to spend get yourself a Mirror Universe one from the Exchange, they're cheap and not terrible.

    Boooooooring :P Besides the old OSC has 5 Tac Skills if you use the universal.
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    dragonogredragonogre Member Posts: 70 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    quistra wrote: »
    Hi, tac in an Odyssey tactical cruiser here.

    Your best bet is to use your ship's inherent huge tankiness to your advantage by statting into damage, and by that I mean you should look to jack up your critical hit stats. Zero-Point Energy Conduit and Assimilated Module are practically required. If you've got access to a T3 fleet spire, stacking Vulnerability Locators in your tac slots is a great idea. For weapons, you want Mk XII antiproton beams because the more you crit, the more damage you'll get out of these bad boys. Go for three beams fore and three beams aft. For torpedo armament, a quantum torpedo on each end is a good starting choice; you'll use them as an attack of opportunity, since the Odyssey isn't all that much for turning and you'll mostly want to broadside with your beams.

    Take a tactical boff in your LTC universal seat. Carry Fire at Will II and Attack Pattern Beta II. Your tac LT can carry Beam Overload II. That'll allow you to easily alternate between strong AOE damage and strong damage against one target at a time. Have your eng boff carry Emergency Power to Weapons II. Use it to keep your weapons power up when you broadside.

    Alternately, A2B build.

    Been doing some of that already my highest tac Boff is in the Uni spot I carry XI quantums one froward one aft I have all my AP available to me on my skill bar. The fire at will and emergency power to weapons I don't know if I have them but will check. Always try and keep broadside when possible. I will look into the conduit and modules. I don't have enough fleet credits yet to buy squat.
    Elemental Evil is the best module ever it fixed all the bugs!
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    cbrjwrrcbrjwrr Member Posts: 2,782 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    dsaris wrote: »
    Tac in a cruiser is wasting all the skill points you (should) have in attack patterns, and it's wasting your Tactical Initiative ability as cruisers don't generally have more than 3 tactical powers available, with one of those being reserved for TT.

    If you had the Tactical Odyssey, the Regent Class or the Avenger it would be a different story, but the old Oddy Star Cruiser... just no.
    .

    Lt. Cm. Universal set to Tac solves most of that. Damn, someone else mentioned it first... (forgot it earlier...)
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    gavinrunebladegavinruneblade Member Posts: 3,894 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    dsaris wrote: »
    I'll say this once.

    With very few exceptions...

    Tac = Escort
    Engineer = Cruiser
    Sci = anything.

    This is only mediocre advice outside of very high end builds. For casuals its not so helpful.

    Science captains do great in escorts because their captain powers are all bursty and the escort damage and tactical boffs can take advantage of -25% to -48% resistance better than a cruiser or science ship ever will.

    Engineers have two power boosting abilities that work better on science ships than cruisers which don't have the aux-based powers to benefit fully from it. Also the power and heal abilities that engineer captains get makes shield tanking in a sci ship work better by far than the sci captains shield resist power.

    While a tactical captain in an aux to bat build will do great in a cruiser. Sure the engineer does have his power boosts to keep everything pumped, but a solid build does that anyway and the tactical has his own buffs to help against single tough enemies, and a cool down power for when your doffs don't process (especially common on a budget or without the borgified technician from colonization doffing)

    Its a good rule of thumb sure, but I think there are more than a few exceptions.
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    dragonogredragonogre Member Posts: 70 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    edalgo wrote: »
    This is one of the worst comments I have ever seen!

    Please do Not listen to anything this person has to say

    Figured them a troll so wasn't going to give them much thought.
    Elemental Evil is the best module ever it fixed all the bugs!
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    cbrjwrrcbrjwrr Member Posts: 2,782 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    edalgo wrote: »
    This is one of the worst comments I have ever seen!

    Please do Not listen to anything this person has to say

    It was vaguely accurate back in Escorts Online, but todays Feedback Pulse/Escorts/Warbirds/A2B Cruisers/Lobi and Lockbox ships Online it is irrelevant.
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    theanothernametheanothername Member Posts: 1,504 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    dragonogre wrote: »
    Figured them a troll so wasn't going to give them much thought.

    Hes right on that there are some solid Mirror ships on the exchange which are not that expensive & those are still better for some straight forward dual heavy cannon action; at least easier to squeeze out more dps.

    But cruisers are great and with the build above I put together for you you should have no problems.
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    dragonogredragonogre Member Posts: 70 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Hes right on that there are some solid Mirror ships on the exchange which are not that expensive & those are still better for some straight forward dual heavy cannon action; at least easier to squeeze out more dps.

    But cruisers are great and with the build above I put together for you you should have no problems.

    Going to be trying yours out need to collect some gear though so running the missions for the weapons.
    Elemental Evil is the best module ever it fixed all the bugs!
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    dragonogredragonogre Member Posts: 70 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    This is my current build I still have work to do and am rearaning the skills on the sci and eng.

    http://skillplanner.stoacademy.com/?build=crewman_0
    Elemental Evil is the best module ever it fixed all the bugs!
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    cbrjwrrcbrjwrr Member Posts: 2,782 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    dragonogre wrote: »
    This is my current build I still have work to do and am rearaning the skills on the sci and eng.

    http://skillplanner.stoacademy.com/?build=crewman_0

    Try:

    TT1, BFAW2, (APO1,)
    BFAW1, APD1, (APB2,)
    EPTS1, A2D1, EPTW3, A2SIF3,
    ST1, HE2,
    PH1,

    () - swap between depending on whether you are doing PvP/PvE - see Tac boff bit.


    It is an ok set up equipment wise, all things considered. Not good, but not bad either. I've seen worse...

    The real issues are A) your Boffs are all over the place, and you are running some that are essentially wastes of Boff slots, and B) you are hampered by lack of resources to make the ideal set ups.


    Sci - TSS1 and TB2 aren't the best for what is needed/waste of slot respectively - ST1 does what you need it to do better than TSS1, and HE2 is essential for debuff clearing, and is a not bad hull heal. PH1 is ok.

    TB essentially is a nice concept but doesn't work - its effect just isn't worth it unless it is fully specced into, and even then it is a very easy Boff power to resist.



    Tac - your highest Boff powers are being used on your objectively worst weapons, so we drop TS and HY so that BFAW can make more use of the AP arrays. Also, you lack TT, and APD isn't the best Attack Pattern to use in PvE, APB will perform better. In PvP, APD can stay, and add APO instead of the other APB.

    APO and APB - the above is a PvE/PvP compromise, as I assume you only have 2 Tac Boffs and therefore cant run 2 different Tac Boff sets - APB for PvE, APO for PvP. This is because any self respecting PvPer will clear APB PDQ making it worthless, but APB, especially when used with BFAW, increases everyone on your team's damage. Different skills for different uses. APD's main value is in its defensive buff, useful in both PvE and PvP - like APB, the Debuff is easily cleared in PvP, so APD isn't as useful as it can be in PvE.



    Eng - As you may know, you cycle EPTXs, Doffed EPTX means you can get 95.18% uptime on two EPTXs. Don't use EPTS as a shield heal - you use it for its over time benefits, if a cycle happens to coincide with needing a shield heal its a bonus.

    A2D and EPTW can be swapped around if you cant find an engineer to train EPTW3, but it is less effective that way.

    A2SIF is a resist boost plus hull heal - its timings will conflict with A2Ds, but it isn't significant as Doffed A2D (blue doffs aren't too pricy and you only need 1) lasts for quite some time, enough to cover overlap from A2SIF.

    EWP - essentially a waste of time. In PvE, you will never need it, and in PvP HE clears it and people are smart enough to avoid it. It can cause visual lag for some players, but making an opponent lag A) wont save you from the cloaked Vaper seeing a nice easy stationary kill and B) is cheating.
    Most importantly, EWP kills your mobility, and therefore, your defence. Both are to be avoided.




    Gear - First step is upping consoles to blue/Purple Mk XI/XII as you get EC to afford them, and Quantum Torpedoes up in stats, as green Mk X needs to become Blue Mk XI or better. Ideally, you want [acc] modifiers for PvP, and [CrtD] for PvE - I suggest choosing the former since you are on a budget and cant afford separate set ups.

    Second is C-store consoles, Fleet and Rep gearing your ship - these take a lot longer to get, particularly the first if you are grinding Dil to buy Zen.

    Due to the current issues surrounding the Delta Rising expansion, it isn't wise to spend the considerable resources required for these until we have more details - EC however, is fair game for spending as it is easy to get once you know what to do.


    Doffs - 2 TT cooldown reducers, 2 or more EPTX cooldown reducers, 1 A2D doff. (I presume you don't have the bonus doff Fleet purchase)


    Or, you can A2B it - in which case, see my linked thread earlier, as you would need to set the Lt. Cm. Uni to Eng to do it right, leaving you with a basic Star Cruiser.
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