Most of the Ship classes have some kind of specialty attached...
Sci ships get a second deflector soon
Cruisers have the Cruiser abilities
Raiders can flank
Up until recently, I would have said that the specialties of Escorts and Destroyers, were the abilities to mount Dual- and Dual-heavy cannons, however, more and more ships outside these classes get that ability (something that I am not opposing).
However, that makes me wonder, if said ship-classes will eventually get their own trade-mark effect, that will set them significantly apart.
I am rather happy with my ship (yes, an escort), and I don't mind not getting anything special for it.. After all, it's my ship and I chose it for a reason with or without special abilities of any sorts.
What are you guys thoughts? Is it a reasonable prospective for said ship types? If it were, what could be relevant for them, and if not, what thoughts are behind that reasoning?
Don't look silly... Don't call it the "Z-Store/Zen Store"...
I think the distinguishing factors are high maneuverability and high weapon power, at the cost of lower hull and lower shields.
It's a quick strike, hit and run system.
I considered this too... However, those premises are countered, for example by cruisers having significantly heavier hull and slower turn-rate, and the average shields.
Also, Raiders have the same qualities attached to them by design, so I need to you elaborate on how that factors in?
I am looking for that Unique factor... That little thing that is nowhere else to be found, if it exists.
Don't look silly... Don't call it the "Z-Store/Zen Store"...
commander tac, and high turnrate with moderate hull and shields...raiders are only more specialized escorts, that compensate their paper thin hull with increased flanking dmg.
many escorts loosing usefulness anyway due to more specialized escorts which have something additionaly (5 forward weapons, ...)
commander tac, and high turnrate with moderate hull and shields...raiders are only more specialized escorts, that compensate their paper thin hull with increased flanking dmg.
Yea, but it's not really unique now is it? Cruisers have a Cmdr Eng, Sci ships have a Cmdr Science slot... Basically, they just give slots based on their class.
It sounds to me, like you guys are saying there isn't anything unique to them... Again, something that's fine... But somehow I can't help but feel that I am missing something.
People have been saying that for about a year now...
It's on tribble.
I think they didn't want to improve escort, because for a while STO was escort online. Now that's not true anymore, and it's "beams online", but if you improve the escort, you'll have some backlash.
I think they should start to improve the cannons. That's the real escort unique ability, to be able to use cannons. Sure some other ships can do that, but that's truly something important for escort. being able to use DHC on a vesta is more the vesta cool feature than anything else. Just like the adapted cruiser (I think ?) using sensor scan.
Currently, beams and DBB are arguably better than cannons, thanks to BFAW3 and SS3, and they don't require a special ship to be used.
I think they didn't want to improve escort, because for a while STO was escort online. Now that's not true anymore, and it's "beams online", but if you improve the escort, you'll have some backlash.
I think they should start to improve the cannons. That's the real escort unique ability, to be able to use cannons. Sure some other ships can do that, but that's truly something important for escort.
Currently, beams and DBB are arguably better than cannons, thanks to BFAW3 and SS3, and they don't require a special ship to be used.
Personally, I have no clue what the equivalent of Cruiser commands or secondary deflectors would be... Hence why I am diggin in the first place.
I doubt they will do anything about cannons... After all, they cut their output in half a while ago, so it dosen't make sense to dial them back up... Unless of cause it is on a ship-basis rather than the cannons itself...
Don't look silly... Don't call it the "Z-Store/Zen Store"...
Yea, but it's not really unique now is it? Cruisers have a Cmdr Eng, Sci ships have a Cmdr Science slot... Basically, they just give slots based on their class.
It sounds to me, like you guys are saying there isn't anything unique to them... Again, something that's fine... But somehow I can't help but feel that I am missing something.
Yea well... It's not theory anymore... It's on tribble right now.
no what i meant was commander TAC > commander anything else...i thought it was blatantly obvious that the commander TAC abilities are so much more powerful that this can be considered a special feature.
no what i meant was commander TAC > commander anything else...i thought it was blatantly obvious that the commander TAC abilities are so much more powerful that this can be considered a special feature.
Well that's one point I disagree on... While yes, they do add an extra benefit, so does the Commander Eng abilities or Sci abilities...
If you know how to use them of cause.
Don't look silly... Don't call it the "Z-Store/Zen Store"...
no what i meant was commander TAC > commander anything else...i thought it was blatantly obvious that the commander TAC abilities are so much more powerful that this can be considered a special feature.
It's worth noting the cannons (escort special weapons) BOFF abilities (CRf and CSV) need to have a commander slot to work at their highest rank. While it's not true for beams abilities.
I think that's why they have a commander tac, because otherwise they couldn't run their "special" weapon at full potential.
Don't cruiser and Sci ships have similar modifiers?
Crew? We have Crew?
The answer is no to both.
Okay, but only the first one is entirely serious.
Escorts have a specific bonus other ships don't get, which is in addition to speed bonuses and the like.
Escorts, Destroyers and Raiders share high turn rate, ability to use DHCs, bonus weapon power, bonus defense. Raiders have flanking bonuses on top of that.
Destroyers to me seemed a kind of "hybrid" between another class and Escorts, but ... It seems not entirely consistent how this "hybridity" is arrived at.
Star Trek Online Advancement: You start with lowbie gear, you end with Lobi gear.
Escorts, Destroyers and Raiders share high turn rate, ability to use DHCs, bonus weapon power, bonus defense. Raiders have flanking bonuses on top of that.
Bonus turn rate is less and less useful every day. Considering the new non escort ship with high turn rate that are more and more common. Not to mention the increasing number of passive turn rate increase (traits, rep trait, pilot spec, passive bonus on top of various console...).
Same for bonus weapon power. Having +15 weapon power is pretty much the same than +15shield power in the end, but nonetheless, with the increasing access to stuff like plasmonic leech console and power level bonus universal console, the bonus is less and less useful.
What's left is the DHC, which are, to me, what makes the escort truly unique. Unfortunately, as I've said, they are less and less useful, and sto is already beams online. Several reason, and we all know them. From better use of the power level, lower BOFF rank for top tier skill, better synergy with numerous DOFFS, passive and abilities like surgical strike....
I wish they'd buff cannons, especially when they are used on an escort or a destroyer.... hey, here's an idea:
Escorts gain 3 special Firing modes available to their Turrets, Cannons, Dual Cannons, and Dual Heavy Cannons. Let's call them "targeting modules."
1.) Passive Energy Modulation: When selecting this mode, your cannon and turret shots gain 10% shield penetration, but drain an additional -10 energy while firing.
2.) Overcharged Energy Modulation: When selecting this mode, your cannon and turret shots gain +5% chance to score a critical hit, and an additional +15% critical severity. This reduces the speed and turn rate of your ship by 25%.
3.) Efficient Energy Modulation (available only to escorts): When selecting this mode, your ship's flight speed and turn rate are increased by 35%, and your weapons drain 10% less power when firing. All outgoing damage is reduced by 5%.
3.) Rending Energy Modulation (available only to destroyers): When selecting this mode, your cannon and turret shots reduce the target's defenses by 10% for every five seconds of sustained fire. Stacks up to 50%. This reduces your defenses by 10%.
Sardak (Science Officer): Captain of a 23k DPS R'Mor Temporal Science Vessel, R.R.W. Vathos Odan Brota (Science Officer): Captain of a 28k DPS Scryer Intel Science Vessel, U.S.S. Kepler Patiently waiting for a Romulan Science Vessel
I wish they'd buff cannons, especially when they are used on an escort or a destroyer.... hey, here's an idea:
Escorts gain 3 special Firing modes available to their Turrets, Cannons, Dual Cannons, and Dual Heavy Cannons. Let's call them "targeting modules."
1.) Passive Energy Modulation: When selecting this mode, your cannon and turret shots gain 10% shield penetration, but drain an additional -10 energy while firing.
2.) Overcharged Energy Modulation: When selecting this mode, your cannon and turret shots gain +5% chance to score a critical hit, and an additional +15% critical severity. This reduces the speed and turn rate of your ship by 25%.
3.) Efficient Energy Modulation (available only to escorts): When selecting this mode, your ship's flight speed and turn rate are increased by 35%, and your weapons drain 10% less power when firing. All outgoing damage is reduced by 5%.
3.) Rending Energy Modulation (available only to destroyers): When selecting this mode, your cannon and turret shots reduce the target's defenses by 10% for every five seconds of sustained fire. Stacks up to 50%. This reduces your defenses by 10%.
Originally, cannons had almost twice the raw DPS they have now, and that was reduced, something that I supported and still do... They were just too powerful.
However, some of these idea seems interesting.
Don't look silly... Don't call it the "Z-Store/Zen Store"...
Well I don't think Secondary deflectors or Flanking is either..?
I haven't used either of them, so couldn't say. I think the secondary deflectors are only currently enabled on the Dyson Ships (?) and the Raiders (with their flanking bonus) don't they have a higher damage dealt if attacking from the side or rear?
By default, if none of the features mentioned are all that impressive/effective, then what does it matter about what makes Escorts/Destroyers special? Inevitably none of the ships have that much a distinction compared to each other [if we believe that none of the existing features are worth merit]
By default, if none of the features mentioned are all that impressive/effective, then what does it matter about what makes Escorts/Destroyers special? Inevitably none of the ships have that much a distinction compared to each other [if we believe that none of the existing features are worth merit]
Curiosity on my part, as well as poking the discussion if it exists or should exist...
Mostly.
Don't look silly... Don't call it the "Z-Store/Zen Store"...
What about giving escorts a built in Arc mod? Even if it only applies to cannon weapons, it would make things easier for new escort captains and might have a knock on effect for CSV which would improve top end escort dps.
Or maybe something that gives escorts more effective HP, the whole point of Cruiser commands is to give cruisers more dps, secondary deflectors will do that for sci ships but escorts don't need that, they would benefit from more survivability.
I haven't used either of them, so couldn't say. I think the secondary deflectors are only currently enabled on the Dyson Ships (?) and the Raiders (with their flanking bonus) don't they have a higher damage dealt if attacking from the side or rear?
Secondary deflectors are also enabled on the T6 Sci ships atm.
I don't think anything makes a stock escort, destroyer or raptor special. I was always of the understanding that cruisers and science vessels needed the extra perks they have now to bring them in line with everything else.
These days of course it's not quite true, and now you mention it normal escorts are rare sights.
I wouldn't object to another perk just for escorts or nimbler craft. As for what they could be? Tough one. When you take the pilot spec and T5U ship traits into account, is there anything left for an escort to give them an edge?
Only thing I can think of is a speed boost or something along those lines.
The cmd tac station, turn rate, number of forward weapons, and number of tac consoles were and are the escort's advantage. Cryptic gave Cruisers and Sci ships perks as bribes to compensate for the fact that escorts are generally just better at DPS which is all Cryptic's current design requires. Even the sci and cruiser perks weren't enough so they had to give the top tier another escort feature (dhc) to keep them viable.
To put it another way, escorts are the baseline that every other ships is trying to equal.
The cmd tac station, turn rate, number of forward weapons, and number of tac consoles were and are the escort's advantage. Cryptic gave Cruisers and Sci ships perks as bribes to compensate for the fact that escorts are generally just better at DPS which is all Cryptic's current design requires. Even the sci and cruiser perks weren't enough so they had to give the top tier another escort feature (dhc) to keep them viable.
To put it another way, escorts are the baseline that every other ships is trying to equal.
Personally, in my experience, Sci ships are superior to the other classes...
Don't look silly... Don't call it the "Z-Store/Zen Store"...
Comments
It's a quick strike, hit and run system.
I considered this too... However, those premises are countered, for example by cruisers having significantly heavier hull and slower turn-rate, and the average shields.
Also, Raiders have the same qualities attached to them by design, so I need to you elaborate on how that factors in?
I am looking for that Unique factor... That little thing that is nowhere else to be found, if it exists.
many escorts loosing usefulness anyway due to more specialized escorts which have something additionaly (5 forward weapons, ...)
Yea, but it's not really unique now is it? Cruisers have a Cmdr Eng, Sci ships have a Cmdr Science slot... Basically, they just give slots based on their class.
It sounds to me, like you guys are saying there isn't anything unique to them... Again, something that's fine... But somehow I can't help but feel that I am missing something.
Yea well... It's not theory anymore... It's on tribble right now.
I think they didn't want to improve escort, because for a while STO was escort online. Now that's not true anymore, and it's "beams online", but if you improve the escort, you'll have some backlash.
I think they should start to improve the cannons. That's the real escort unique ability, to be able to use cannons. Sure some other ships can do that, but that's truly something important for escort. being able to use DHC on a vesta is more the vesta cool feature than anything else. Just like the adapted cruiser (I think ?) using sensor scan.
Currently, beams and DBB are arguably better than cannons, thanks to BFAW3 and SS3, and they don't require a special ship to be used.
Personally, I have no clue what the equivalent of Cruiser commands or secondary deflectors would be... Hence why I am diggin in the first place.
I doubt they will do anything about cannons... After all, they cut their output in half a while ago, so it dosen't make sense to dial them back up... Unless of cause it is on a ship-basis rather than the cannons itself...
no what i meant was commander TAC > commander anything else...i thought it was blatantly obvious that the commander TAC abilities are so much more powerful that this can be considered a special feature.
Well that's one point I disagree on... While yes, they do add an extra benefit, so does the Commander Eng abilities or Sci abilities...
If you know how to use them of cause.
No worries... I also just found out about it just before I wrote this post...
It's what prompted this thread.
Don't cruiser and Sci ships have similar modifiers?
Crew? We have Crew?
I think that's why they have a commander tac, because otherwise they couldn't run their "special" weapon at full potential.
It's more a necessity than a feature.
Okay, but only the first one is entirely serious.
Escorts have a specific bonus other ships don't get, which is in addition to speed bonuses and the like.
Escorts, Destroyers and Raiders share high turn rate, ability to use DHCs, bonus weapon power, bonus defense. Raiders have flanking bonuses on top of that.
Destroyers to me seemed a kind of "hybrid" between another class and Escorts, but ... It seems not entirely consistent how this "hybridity" is arrived at.
Same for bonus weapon power. Having +15 weapon power is pretty much the same than +15shield power in the end, but nonetheless, with the increasing access to stuff like plasmonic leech console and power level bonus universal console, the bonus is less and less useful.
What's left is the DHC, which are, to me, what makes the escort truly unique. Unfortunately, as I've said, they are less and less useful, and sto is already beams online. Several reason, and we all know them. From better use of the power level, lower BOFF rank for top tier skill, better synergy with numerous DOFFS, passive and abilities like surgical strike....
Escorts gain 3 special Firing modes available to their Turrets, Cannons, Dual Cannons, and Dual Heavy Cannons. Let's call them "targeting modules."
1.) Passive Energy Modulation: When selecting this mode, your cannon and turret shots gain 10% shield penetration, but drain an additional -10 energy while firing.
2.) Overcharged Energy Modulation: When selecting this mode, your cannon and turret shots gain +5% chance to score a critical hit, and an additional +15% critical severity. This reduces the speed and turn rate of your ship by 25%.
3.) Efficient Energy Modulation (available only to escorts): When selecting this mode, your ship's flight speed and turn rate are increased by 35%, and your weapons drain 10% less power when firing. All outgoing damage is reduced by 5%.
3.) Rending Energy Modulation (available only to destroyers): When selecting this mode, your cannon and turret shots reduce the target's defenses by 10% for every five seconds of sustained fire. Stacks up to 50%. This reduces your defenses by 10%.
Odan Brota (Science Officer): Captain of a 28k DPS Scryer Intel Science Vessel, U.S.S. Kepler
Patiently waiting for a Romulan Science Vessel
Originally, cannons had almost twice the raw DPS they have now, and that was reduced, something that I supported and still do... They were just too powerful.
However, some of these idea seems interesting.
Well I don't think Secondary deflectors or Flanking is either..?
That is not the point though.
By default, if none of the features mentioned are all that impressive/effective, then what does it matter about what makes Escorts/Destroyers special? Inevitably none of the ships have that much a distinction compared to each other [if we believe that none of the existing features are worth merit]
Curiosity on my part, as well as poking the discussion if it exists or should exist...
Mostly.
Or maybe something that gives escorts more effective HP, the whole point of Cruiser commands is to give cruisers more dps, secondary deflectors will do that for sci ships but escorts don't need that, they would benefit from more survivability.
Secondary deflectors are also enabled on the T6 Sci ships atm.
Flanking bonus only applies to the rear arc.
These days of course it's not quite true, and now you mention it normal escorts are rare sights.
I wouldn't object to another perk just for escorts or nimbler craft. As for what they could be? Tough one. When you take the pilot spec and T5U ship traits into account, is there anything left for an escort to give them an edge?
Only thing I can think of is a speed boost or something along those lines.
Another thing thats not really noteably unique.
To put it another way, escorts are the baseline that every other ships is trying to equal.
Personally, in my experience, Sci ships are superior to the other classes...