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Build advice - re. stripping shields
ravenmorpheus2k
Member Posts: 103 Arc User
in The Academy
Hey all
As a returning player, having last played in November of 2014 according to some stuff I've seen in-game, I am not entirely satisfied with my Sovereign class build.
I've been fighting the Breen, and their big warships and I'm finding that my Sovereign build doesn't strip shields as quickly as I'd like.
At the moment it's armed with Mk XII blue polaron beam arrays with CRTDx2 modifiers. It's got 5 of them. Then I've got fore Quantum torpedo launchers and a rear proton torpedo launcher, all again MK XII.
My tactical consoles are green MKXII Polaron Phase modulators x3.
I'm not sure why I built it last time with polaron beams, probably as an attempt to build something to fight the Borg with, but what can I do (with as little EC/Dil as possible and preferably no Zen) to make this ship more of a shield stripper so that I can get those torpedoes in there?
TIA
As a returning player, having last played in November of 2014 according to some stuff I've seen in-game, I am not entirely satisfied with my Sovereign class build.
I've been fighting the Breen, and their big warships and I'm finding that my Sovereign build doesn't strip shields as quickly as I'd like.
At the moment it's armed with Mk XII blue polaron beam arrays with CRTDx2 modifiers. It's got 5 of them. Then I've got fore Quantum torpedo launchers and a rear proton torpedo launcher, all again MK XII.
My tactical consoles are green MKXII Polaron Phase modulators x3.
I'm not sure why I built it last time with polaron beams, probably as an attempt to build something to fight the Borg with, but what can I do (with as little EC/Dil as possible and preferably no Zen) to make this ship more of a shield stripper so that I can get those torpedoes in there?
TIA
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If your crafting is any good, craft some new stuff at Mk II VR, then upgrade.
If it isn't, tell me what you want and I'll craft the Mk II stuff. Jacob@echatty is my ingame crafter.
At Rank III (Lieutenant Commander), it increases damage done to a target's shields by 30%, which, when combined with other effects (like Tetryon procs), destroys shields fairly handily, even at high level.
Agree with this statement. Polaron weapons are designed to generate a minor reduction in subsystem power across the board, while Tetryon weapons are designed to remove chunks of shields from all 4 facings per proc of their effect.
As such, Tetryons are the better shield strippers, but without the rest of the skills to back them up (like Tetryon beam in a Science slot, or the aforementioned endothermic beam), the overall effect will be relatively minor in the overall scheme of combat (to wit, I find that I need a full-on "drain" build to make my polarons become "effective" instead of just a mild nuisance, and the only time I really notice a tetryon drain effect is if there's a squadron of tetryon users in the STF, or I'm running an anti-shield build with anti-shield skills as well as anti-shield weapons.
To rob a line: [quote: Mariemaia Kushrenada] Forum Posting is much like an endless waltz. The three beats of war, peace and revolution continue on forever. However, opinions will change upon the reading of my post.[/quote]
That being said, go with 7 beam arrays of your choice and 1 torpedo launcher. Also, to maximize damage you can go with a full set of phasers and add the Quantum Phase set (beam array, torpedo and console) to the build. The extra console is not bound to a tactical slot so you would basically have 4 damage boosting consoles.
But... since you already have polaron weapons you can also get the Chronometric set from a mission which provides a beam array, an omni-beam array and a tactical bound console that boosts torpedo damage as well polaron damage. Using this set instead of the Quantum Phase set frees up that torpedo, allowing you to use any torpedo that you want like the Kelvin Timeline Photon torpedo or the Particle Emission torpedo... or any other torpedo of your choice.
I'll see if I can get some tetryon stuff instead.
Member Access Denied Armada!
My forum single-issue of rage: Make the Proton Experimental Weapon go for subsystem targetting!
A lot has changed since November 2014, though I am pretty sure you know that the level cap has been increased from level 50 to level 60. That means ships get tougher (stronger hull, stronger shield and weapons packs a punch) as you approach level 60. I generally do not notice any difference until I reach level 56.
Polaron weapons drain subsystem power, not shields directly. Additionally, based on what other players have experienced, enemy ships become more resistant to drain abilities as you approach level 60. For example, one player stated that he did not notice much of a difference against enemies when his science ship was using polaron weapons and 5 ultra rare Flow Capacitor consoles which augments drain. My science captains use polaron weapons, but mostly for the visual effects rather than the drain ability which I do not bother to augment with consoles.
As stated by others, tetyron weapons are used to explicitly drain shields. While the tetryon pulse generator consoles will increase the energy damage, you need to install flow capacitors into the science slot to improve your drain ability which would drain more shields.
Have you taken a look at your captain skill tree? It was overhauled a few months ago.
When you get a bit more invested the research consoles offer 2 mods (primary and secondary science points) for less than the Embassy consoles. Embassy ones have the Plasma explosion but cost a bit to aquire...
Heavy Polaron User here. I make use of the Drain Mechanic in PVP and PVE (-70 to 80 all subsystems proc is nothing to scoff at)
Tho Ive gone to Polarised Disrputors for the debuff and Drain..
Rouge Sto Wiki Editor.
Polaron, Tetryon, Phaser, Anti-Proton, Plasma, Disruptor. It doesn't really matter. Pick one, stick to it.
4 Quantum Torpedoes might simply be superfluous. Consider adding more beams instead. If you wish to stick to them, consider (re)running the mission "Sunrise" in the "Future Proof" arc and get the Quantum Phase Torpedo, ideally the entire set. The Torpedo has a shield drain effect on top of the usual quantum torpedo stats.
Have you maxed out your weapon power yet? Remember, the maximum value is not 100, it's 125, and on top of that there is overcapping (e.g. numerically boosts to your weapon power level would bring you over 125, but those points only help you staying at a high power level when you suffer energy drain - which you will if you have more than one energy weapon)
Emergency Power to Weapons, various skill nodes in the skill tree, and plasma distribution manifolds and a variety of special consoles can boost your weapon power.
Are you using the Weapon System Efficiency Cruiser Command? You want that to lower the drain your weapons cause, thus maintaining a higher level of weapon power.
Then, add some damage buffs. BFAW is the gold standard, but there are others that also help, directly or indirectly. (Endothermic Inhibitor Beam was mentioned, Attack Pattern Omega buffs damage directly, Attack Pattern Beta only against the hull, test which works best
Is it possible that I just haven't made it that far in the story missions? I last played before Future Proof was released. Or is it greyed out because I'm only level 56 and it requires you to be level 60?
Rouge Sto Wiki Editor.
I just invested a million or so EC in 6 rare (blue) Mk XII Phaser Beam arrays with ctrdx2 and Phaser tactical consoles and...
...the big E E, sorry big Y E, is back!
I just did the Aiding Defari daily and I was making mincemeat of the Breen frigates and the Chel Grett's were a lot easier than they were with polaron beams...
All I need to do now is speed up my torpedo loading, increase their damage (be nice if I could do some damage with them but, especially for that final blow, but they don't seem to do a lot, the phasers do more of the work), speed up my ships turn rate and find a way of cancelling tractor beams (I always get caught in them!)...
I might replace my fore Quantum torpedo launcher with a dual phaser beam bank (preferably omni directional if possible) seeing as the torpedoes don't seem to do much, the other one I have is one of those transphasic ones' the Breen use at Mk XII with 40% shield penetration.
Wish they had broadside firing torpedo launchers - I spend most of my time broadside...
The Quantum Phase torpedo is a great at shield stripping and it can also do considerable damage when the shields are down. However, while it is faster than most torpedos it cannot match the Kelvin Photon torpedo in terms of both travel speed and reload. If you are already good at keeping the enemy's shields down then the Kelvin torpedo may be a better option. Its faster travel speed allows it to reach its targets before the shields go back up... and if those shields do go back up you quickly get another chance thanks to the shorter cooldown.
If you still find it hard to do considerable damage with these two torpedos then the Particle Emission torpedo is your best option among these three torpedos. Yes, it is slower but it does considerable damage to the target whether its shields are up or not. The plasma clouds the torpedo leaves behind slows down faster targets for you as well, making it easier for you to plan your next move.
Going full beams is fine but you will find that you can still do considerably more damage with a torpedo and combination of Fire at Will + Torpedo Spread or Beam Overload + Torpedo Yield.
They are rare weapons (blue) and in addition to the 2.5% chance to drain shields, there also a 2.5% chance for 50% of attack to ignore shields. Meaning if the weapons does 400 points of damage, 200 points will bypass the shields and hit the hull. Of the remaining 200 points only 5% (for resilient shields) or 10% (all other shields) will hit the hull if shields are up.