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Seeking clarity on a few skills
deleroux
Member Posts: 478 Arc User
Recently returned, feeling like I could probably do with a respec, but I have some questions regarding a few skills I'm not entirely certain about.
Driver Coil: I understand what this does, but I'm not sure about the optimal point break down. Is 6 points a pretty good general investment here?
Maneuvers and Targeting Systems: I used to PvP primarily and these were both considered must-max, but these days, PvP is seemingly abandoned, and I'm not entirely sure if they're as useful to max in a PvE setting. Surely you'd still want at least 6 in them, right? But is 9 overkill?
WC Potential and Efficiency: I previously would fine tune investment in these via the SS power calculator, but that doesn't seem to be as accurate these days from what I can tell. So, I'm not sure if anything more than 6 points in each of these would be worth it.
Subsystem Repair: I guess this is pretty useless overall? Especially considering how there's now a lot of gear out there that has passive/active abilities for bringing subsystems back online.
Power Insulators and Inertial Dampeners: Again, when I used to PvP, these were fairly useful, but I'm not sure how well they translate into PvE. IDs seem like they're probably not all that necessary in PvE, unless I'm overlooking something? I'm not entirely sure about PIs though. Borg shield drain can be a real pita, for instance, but to what degree would PI investment really mitigate against that is what I'm uncertain about.
Threat Control: I used to run 3 points in this standard, simply for the extra resistance bonuses, but I'm suspecting in a PvE environment, this is probably generating much more aggro than I'm comfortable with, effectively negating what little extra mitigation it provides. I'm thinking of putting no points in this at all.
Hull Repair/Shield Emitters vs. Structural Integrity/Shield Subsystems: I'm not really clear on what gives more bang for your buck here. I wouldn't want to put 9 in all of these, but I'd consider putting 9 in one or two if it was worth it, just not sure which 1 or 2 is worth it.
I generally like to keep a somewhat all-around build because I don't want to have to respec very frequently, but I also don't like feeling like I have wasted or inefficient points in my builds either. And I'm also a KDF Science captain who likes to make use of at least some space magic from time to time (e.g. GW, DRB, EWP, etc.).
Driver Coil: I understand what this does, but I'm not sure about the optimal point break down. Is 6 points a pretty good general investment here?
Maneuvers and Targeting Systems: I used to PvP primarily and these were both considered must-max, but these days, PvP is seemingly abandoned, and I'm not entirely sure if they're as useful to max in a PvE setting. Surely you'd still want at least 6 in them, right? But is 9 overkill?
WC Potential and Efficiency: I previously would fine tune investment in these via the SS power calculator, but that doesn't seem to be as accurate these days from what I can tell. So, I'm not sure if anything more than 6 points in each of these would be worth it.
Subsystem Repair: I guess this is pretty useless overall? Especially considering how there's now a lot of gear out there that has passive/active abilities for bringing subsystems back online.
Power Insulators and Inertial Dampeners: Again, when I used to PvP, these were fairly useful, but I'm not sure how well they translate into PvE. IDs seem like they're probably not all that necessary in PvE, unless I'm overlooking something? I'm not entirely sure about PIs though. Borg shield drain can be a real pita, for instance, but to what degree would PI investment really mitigate against that is what I'm uncertain about.
Threat Control: I used to run 3 points in this standard, simply for the extra resistance bonuses, but I'm suspecting in a PvE environment, this is probably generating much more aggro than I'm comfortable with, effectively negating what little extra mitigation it provides. I'm thinking of putting no points in this at all.
Hull Repair/Shield Emitters vs. Structural Integrity/Shield Subsystems: I'm not really clear on what gives more bang for your buck here. I wouldn't want to put 9 in all of these, but I'd consider putting 9 in one or two if it was worth it, just not sure which 1 or 2 is worth it.
I generally like to keep a somewhat all-around build because I don't want to have to respec very frequently, but I also don't like feeling like I have wasted or inefficient points in my builds either. And I'm also a KDF Science captain who likes to make use of at least some space magic from time to time (e.g. GW, DRB, EWP, etc.).
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http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/?build=ryanstosfleetpatrol_0
http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/?build=feliscimdr3_8835
I will add this about Threat Control:
I've held 60% plus hits in while in ISA with someone doing 3.45 times my tank's DPS with just 3 points in threat control and 1 mk XIV -TH embassy science console. I can attest that 3 points in threat control does an awful lot of threat increase. Unless you want to be the tank or have heaps and bucket-loads of DPS, I do not recommend putting points into the threat control skill for PvE play.
Unless you're doing alot of sector space travel, I wouldn't worry. Or perhaps 3 points max (which gives 50% skill investment)
Yeah 6 each is good I think these days until PvP gets revamp or you start PvPing more.
I go 9 in each of these. Each point spent sees tangable returns in power levels across the board.
However when it comes to the four starship weapons/shield/aux/engine "performance" categories, only put in 6 max each. The last 3 points in each only return a whole 1 point of extra power on that sub system, not worth the points.
This and power insulators is where I spend my remaining points that I don't know what to do with. Some PvE mobs can disable you often and for long times if you've nothing to counter them constantly. 3 points for this and insulators is fine.
I tank, and I've never really felt the need to put anything into IDs, so 0 for that skill imo.
Power insulators per previous paragraph. With the borg shield drain being so strong, and the only enemy to really have a good drain ability, chucking your extra spare points into here is handy. Up to 3 imo.
Unless you are tanking, don't spec into it. Proper tanks will want the aggo to do their job and if you're wanting it for the resistances, its actually pretty small (with diminishing returns) benefit for the large draw back of everything firing at you.
0 points if not tanking, 3-6 if tanking scaling with your DPS, 6 if <10k, 3 if >25k dps.
These depend entirely on your play style I suppose. I tank so it's 9 in each of them. Honestly with advanced and elite queues these days though, I always have 9 in each even in escorts, but I hate exploding.
If only two for max, if you go escorts a lot, I'd go max in structural integrity and shield systems to boost HP of both, letting your flimsy craft survive the harder hits.
Sci/carriers, maybe max healing, or max hull HP and max hull repair.
Cruisers (or if you jump around ships alot) go 6 in each imo.
6 at least into particle generators then for those abilities. Maybe 3 in graviton generators too for GW and dabble with tractor repulsors as well.
Driver coil is only useful if you are impatient and/or not an engineer. Limiting the drain from full impulse so you can get into the fight quicker seems useful but in practice a well placed battery plus an eptx skill works faster. Great place to drop extra points or take them away for something else. I use driver coils on most of my characters (6 max) for faster sector space travel. Just a matter of taste.
Maneuvers and Targeting Systems I like to max. Defense is useful for reciprocity trait and getting missed is always nice. I'm not sure how well acc overflow is working these days but when shooting fighters and the like It's nice to have some ACC. I don't know if less is that noticeable. I would like to hear from a more experienced builder on this.
WC Potential and Efficiency....well efficiency gives power when below 75. This is useful if you run a subsystem low on purpose (to make it up with doffs and eptx skills) and your doff doesn't proc. You will get a little bit. WC potential I think up to 6 you get some added to all systems but 7 and 8 get you nothing. And, 9 only gets you 1 more power than having 6 points. At least thats the way I remember it. Subsystem power is easy to come by these days and these could potentially be lowered or skipped.
Subsystem Repair is almost useless. Yeah fighting iconians you can have subsystems offline but thats due to a skill being used on you and not a direct shutdown. It doesn't seem to help vs anything except tholians and they like to shutdown weapons. I use eptW a lot and that clears it. So, this skill is of no use to me.
Power Insulators and Inertial Dampeners. Not too sure on these. I normally don't invest heavily into either. PI at max and a shipload of PI consoles and other gear with PI doesn't even put a dent in the borg shield drain. With the borg just hull tank. Nothing else I can think of drains anything in PVE that you need to be worried about. Dampeners helps a little when you are stuck in a tractor beam. Thats why I spend a couple of points on it.
Threat Control is totally worthless. I have never even heard of this skill being recommended for anything. The only thing I have heard is do not use. I think 1 embassy console that is +threat is worth more than 9 in this skill.
Hull Repair/Shield Emitters vs. Structural Integrity/Shield Subsystems. This is a 'flavor' type question. If you had a toon that was only running squishy ships going repair/emitters makes sense. The hull/shield HP skills won't add that much to an escort but to a cruiser it may make more sense. I like to add a little to all of these because I like to play all kinds of ships on all of my characters. Also, it doesn't seem these skill really make much of a difference. I have run around and done well without a point in any of the 4. The idea these days is DPS and power creep allows for us to kill so fast that healing and HP does not need a boost. And traits have good heals too and some are dependent on your DPS to heal you.
I hope this helps and hopefully an expert will drop by and correct anything I got wrong or add to this. If only skills had an actual description that was descriptive in a meaningful way.
1. So first figure out what you want to do - sound like part gen damage and weapon damage of type?
Sci can work with energy, torps or a mix, if you mix allocating points between weapon system will become a balancing act.
2 Cost
What points your existing/default gear will give you for free and what gear you might want to get the changes those a points - quite a lot of gear has extra inertial dampers, more gear now has turn rate boost, lots have a bit more power for some system or other.
Hint 1. the free solonae space set has a delector with high part gen and the set as a whole is decent for tanking; contriction anchor universal console availbe from the exchange has a nice exotic damage/part gen boost and is not too expensive.
Hint 2. crafted items: particle field exciter and conductive rcs are very nice for a returning player or newly levelled toon, great boost in themselves but also can be had in ultra rare grade for another skill boost, some skills are uber uber expensive( EPS, part gen), others cheap as a cheap thing( stealth); somethimes with the exchange you get lucky, right now as I type this there is a conductive rcs with +4.2 EP for 100k.
3. Check out important syngeries - partgen trait from R&D, battery power for engineers eps trait, eps skill for ep2x abilities.... If a synergy exists for your toon spec accordingly, this will maximize the aspects of your build and toon that make it different from some average. Example lots of people use the rom set engine for extra attack pattern on their tac toons.
Hint 1 + hint 2 + 3 = part gen damage on a scale way beyond a little incidental damage from doing crowd control that you'd have seen back in the day.
Do a rough version on http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/ remembering that a tiny change in one thing will not be perceivable during play, only from looking at parses of many runs, so don't get too anal about it. Also 'best gear' might change an re-write your skill spec.
Also as a returning player also look at other crafted gear, free mission drop traits and consoles, plus T5U or T6 ships with 11 console slots, expect a free ship in the winter event in a couple of months. KDF sci has not been well serviced with ships, they dont make money so don't get made.
Now to clear up these "mysterious" skills. They work just like damage resistance and scales the same way, except they resist other things. Power insulator protects against power/shield drain, and inertial dampeners for hold, disable, knock, and slow effects. Yes, only the Breen, Voth, and Tholians use the drain skills in PvE, and not that well. I really have to try and test the Borg Sphere shield drain. I know what it takes to pull shields down the way they do (Max flow caps and solanae 2nd deflector and 135 Aux) and it seems excessive or that skill doesn't take resistance into consideration.
This is the new build candidate I'm looking at right now, I still haven't committed to a respec quite yet:
http://skillplanner.stoacademy.com/?build=newkdfsciscortbuildcandidate_0
I'm still flying a Hegh'ta at the moment, mainly due to lack of alternatives. I actually have a sci boff in a commander slot, running GWIII and DRB II. My two Tacs are running TTs/FAWs and an APO (mainly used in conjunction with GW). Probably not standard, but I kinda like it.
I'm nearly at T4 in Dyson, Delta, Undine, and Iconian reps. Just been stuck behind time gates on these. I came back when the Elachi weekend started a couple weeks ago, so I banked a ton of marks, and when I previously left I had New Rom was the last Rep that had been released--I have Omega, Nukara, and New Rom reps all maxed, as well as Assimilated set, and Nukara shields. As I understand it, 3-4 pc Iconian is supposed to be pretty good, so I've just been biding my time to wait for access to that. Aside from that I'm running the Kinetic Beam + Assimilated console and the 2pc Preserver Resonant Tech (via Resonant Disruptor Beam + Harmonic Relay console). I plan to get the Bio-molecular disruptors once I have access to them to fill out my weapons, until then I'm just using whatever I get my hands on that's decent enough--I'm not sure if there are any good lockbox disruptors worth consideration, maybe the Elachi or Polarized disruptors are worth a look). I also have one Fleet plasma science console equipped at the moment (nullifier/flow).
As for crafting, I just started grinding that. I'm only at Rank 7 for Science and Engineering, so still a ways to go before I get access to the respective consoles/traits from those. Yay, more time gating.
When I came back, I naturally had 6 points in PI, and 1 drain beam from any borg would take all of my shields away. It's not so bad though--I don't even usually have to hull tank--I just wait for the beam to finish, and then pop a shield heal. The real problem is when I'm tanking multiple Borg and they train the drain on me. Then I'm usually kinda screwed.
I'm not really sure about the drain capabilities of other mob types--I haven't noticed anything significant in this area from any but the Borg. I would imagine Leech does a decent enough job of mitigating against general drain?
T6 B'Rel coming that may be sci friendly, 11 consoles vs 9 is a no-brainer
Normally people go Iconian 3 pc and flt core.
Back to basics, the energy types are a mismatch so look at that, these days fairly good beams are only 25-35k on the exchange, with so much flt and rep gear and upgrading going on the lvl 50 has much more affordable decent stop gap gear. Honnestly I wouldn't worry about a respec until you've got back into the swing of things and have really assessed what ship to fly, how to fly it and what gear it will have. One tip dmg mod been greatly improved.
Those borg stfs have jumped in difficulty, I'd expect it to be tricky in a fragile ship. Leech still standard for those that have it, feds no paying 80m+ for one. Extra console slot and you can have some armour.
There are high dps low cost spec ship builds based on epwx2 and faw, its probably worth search of those and seeing what you can adapt. For example
http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/?build=cheapdeepsdefiant_7227
Not sure what you mean. Where's the mismatch?
1 beams and tac energy console type match, say disruptors with disruptor induction coil, or
2 use generic 'beam' tac console and mix beams as you see fit
With exchange gear the former is significantly better, however with fleet gear the difference shrinks to a percentile or two and frees up rainbow beam builds. Reasons for rainbow builds being: its pretty/wacky/fun and the player feels like it, plus it bugs pureists; its what the player has in their inventory and re-investing in one type is a pain; some cunning tactic based on procs, always better in theory; opens up multiple set bonuses otherwise unavailable, an approach that might work.
It does not seem that you've invested in DOFFs for your active duty space roster that reduce cooldowns, which is holding you back from making the Hegh'ta work well. Unless you have All hands on deck and reciprocity, you will rely on these DOFFs and similar ones for cooldown reductions a whole lot.
You've 2 tac team skills, when 2 purple conn officers that reduce tac team recharge would make it where you only need 1 tac team. While transfer shield strength is very powerful, it's got a long cooldown. Use 2 purple development lab scientists in the active duty roster so you can use a single science team, and use it much more often.
Lastly, 2 purple damage control engineers that reduce EPTx recharges will mean you can run that EPTS1 nearly constantly and get the heal every 30 seconds or so and a nearly constant shield resistance boost too.
I'd drop the DRB for a second GW unless you were spec'd for kinetics, which your captain skills do not seem to be set for.
I'm using disruptor beam weapons with +disruptor energy damage tac consoles, so I'm not seeing where there's a mismatch.
My current active space Doffs include 1x VR Conn officer (TT+Buff), 1x R Warp Core Engi (+Power on EPtX), 1x R Damage Control Engi (CD Reduction of EPtX), 1x R Deflector Officer (Deflector ability CD reduction), 1x R Gravimetric Sci (GW Aftershock).
I think the only other Conn officer Doff I have with the appropriate ability is an Uncommon, and the Dev Lab Scis I have are Rare. I have another Rare Damage Control Engi that I can swap in for my Warp Core Engi.
I thought DRB scaled with PartGen and Aux Power?
You are on your way to getting more abilities on (near) global cooldown using reduction from DOFFs. Good. Unfortunately, it's not complete. You can buy the remaining duty officers you need from the exchange, though it might be pricey. Along with that, reciprocity for Klingons is available in reward packs. It's a very good tactical ability reducer if you are getting the aggro.
If you want to go for the DOFFs, set smaller targets to make the grind not feel so bad. Since you already have 1 VR conn officer that reduces tactical team recharge, a blue one will do if currency is tight. Instead of taking the max of 15 seconds off of tac team's recharge, it takes 14 seconds off to bring it down to 16 seconds between activations.
The deflector officer you are using adds a chance to reduce GW or tykens recharge, and it isn't enough of a reduction when it does happen without piling on the abilities to proc them more often as well as using 2 or more of the DOFFs. Both DRB and GW have somewhat long cooldowns. I'd favor 2 grav wells over a GW + DRB combo with your current setup. I'd want to use more deflector DOFFs and more abilities like energy siphon, tractor beam, and tachyon beam to increase the reductions when using the DRB + GW combo. I guess it might come down to preference, though.
I'd also want 2 damage control engineers to keep EPTS going, and maybe add EPTW somehow as well for the weapon damage boost. Most people would say that DCE's aren't cheap, I'm in full agreement too, but their effect can be very powerful. Unfortunately, you'd potentially not have enough room for all of those DOFFs, so that will squeeze your build a bit.
I believe you are correct that DRB scales with aux power and part gens, but it's also a torp/ mine resistance reducer. If you aren't launching torps or mines, then you are missing out on some of the skill's ability, though other players might benefit from it. So, it's up to you to find out what works better for you.
I believe DRB's debuff applies to all damage resistance, not just physical/kinetic. It's a bit like a Science version of APB in that way, as I understand it.
I have switched out TSS with Science team, and swapped out my Warp Core Engi Doff with a Dev Lab Doff to try it out, and I'm thinking I like the change--the burst healing seems more useful in general, and it has a shorter CD, especially with the Doff, plus having a Science cleanse is also quite handy in many cases. So that was definitely a good call that I think I'll be sticking with.
I'll have to try out swapping out the Deflector Doff for either a Conn or Damage Control Doff to see how that feels. Though all my CD reduction going into my heals may be a bit of overkill. Will have to test some different combinations out to see how they feel.
The thing about reducing the CD on TT for the sake of only running one is that there isn't much else I'd really want to (or be able to) run in its place. Ensign Tac doesn't have a lot of interesting options to choose from. I suppose I could downgrade one of my BFAWs to the Ensign slot and replace it with another Attack Pattern, which I might look into if the CD reduction on TT is sufficient enough.