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Ground Builds... for Tactical?
westmetals
Member Posts: 8,479 Arc User
in The Academy
Looking for some advice here... I've just never really understood what to do with a ground build on a tactical captain.
I mean, on science and engineering captains, you have a lot of kits that directly cause damage (exothermic, turret fabrication, etc) and for best performance you want kit frames that enhance kit abilities. Weapons usage is often a secondary priority to that, and armor/shield/etc are often chosen more for survivability stats than anything else (or more kit enhancement).
But that doesn't seem to be a viable path for tactical as there just aren't that many damage-dealing kits.... and the ones there are aren't that good. So what are people doing instead? What's good and why?
I mean, on science and engineering captains, you have a lot of kits that directly cause damage (exothermic, turret fabrication, etc) and for best performance you want kit frames that enhance kit abilities. Weapons usage is often a secondary priority to that, and armor/shield/etc are often chosen more for survivability stats than anything else (or more kit enhancement).
But that doesn't seem to be a viable path for tactical as there just aren't that many damage-dealing kits.... and the ones there are aren't that good. So what are people doing instead? What's good and why?
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But there are so man universal modules from the boxes, events, and even some of the rep modules that its hard to say there is one strategy. None of my characters are built quite the same on the ground, though my sci captains often come close.
I think if you want to do a weapon focused build, though, you'll want to be running commando spec, and I think there's a trait to lower secondary fire CD too. That of course is where most of the weapon damage comes from. The covert assault drone and trajectory bending modules seem really good for weapon focus as well.
So here is the most optimal setup for what I use on many tactical ground characters. First Stabilized Folded-Space Transporter, Trajectory Bending, Rally Cry, Photonic Overcharge, and Ambush(using all of the ambush related doffs which there are three of them I believe. Ambush doffs are Security Officer for defense boost, Security Officer for double damage as a DoT, and then Assault squad officer that has a chance to re-apply ambush on your next attack. So that is what I have as a critical severity build you'll get close to or reach the cap on it which I assume because I can never hit 500% that the 495% I've gotten up to must be the hard cap on it. Which this is super amazing with dranuur colony ground gear because of the bonuses from critical severity that they provide as well as the weapons that proc healing so you are healing yourself this way through damage.
Now the other build is more strategic but again you use the same thing Intel primary and whatever else secondary. The difference is you need Hammer and Anvil, Sonic Suppression Field, Trajectory Bending, Stabilized Folded-Space Transporter, and stealth module. This is the tactical flanking setup that I use which is pretty much the most damage I've seen of any setup out there because of how much more damage you can do with flanking so once you are able to learn how to maintain position and rotate the trajectory bending so that you have flanking damage almost 100% of the time you are just going to vaporize anything you attack. For this setup use the terran rep ground set and elite fleet weapons from starbase so you can get that vaporize proc which comes in handy and then either full auto or split beam anything else is pretty much garbage to use with this build. Anyways the only doff for this one you really need is the stealth module one to increase the time by 6 seconds but all of those things together stack up on flanking damage output.
Here's a link to a Level 100 Sompek build for a tactical toon.
https://www.arcgames.com/en/forums/startrekonline#/discussion/1237466/house-of-sompek-round-100-victor-tactical-ground-build
I'm sure you'll find some pointers in there.
When you're not going full space-wizard with Universal/lockbox modules, Suppressing Fire is great for AoE weapons(there is a craftable permanent version of it); Motion Accelerator is useful for a lot of scenarios; Battle Strategies is good for for almost every setup(It's basically your ground version of Attack Pattern Alpha); you've also got stealth ambush melee options if you want to go that route too.
Traitwise, Molt(personal - lockbox) is probably one of my favorites/must-haves - it gives tactical captains an automatic self-heal right when you need it(which is something Tacs can struggle with). Disabling Strikes(crits cause knockdown) is a pretty useful Rep Trait for most characters. Situational Awareness(personal) is great on grenade builds when you combo with Exploit Weapons, like a Split-Beam Rifle.
Things kind of become the wild west of trivial when you start dipping into lockbox/event modules and gear though. Unless you're pushing for something like Sompek, I'm not sure if it's worth really getting into all those as they tend to blur the lines between the careers and make fights a comedy. There are some useful tools in the Reputations for all careers though; Tac's Micro-Torpedo Launcher(Terran Rep) works really well with Graviton Spike(Risa Event Store), for example.
Also, don't neglect rolling the mods of your kit frame to match your playstyle; they can make a big difference.
I still use the Burnham CQC Suit for the Critical Chance.. and because I like that I don't have to swap out on Nukara Maps. I use that with the Lobi Discovery Rifle, the Na'kuhl Shield with the Mini Gun that I carry just to get the 2pc bonus. Kit, just whatever gives me the best kitperf bonus.
Pretty basic, nothing revolutionary by any means.. but it does clear maps very quickly.
Buffs - Ambush, Trajectory Bending, Battle Strategies
Team buffs - Motivation, Rally Cry
Fun Offense - Lunge
Really nice - Graviton Spike, Agony Field Generator
Burnham's CQC Armor or Suit with Na'kuhl mission PSG & gun (kept as secondary)
Fleet or Delta Kit (usually Fleet for me, epic gives KPx3)
Primary weapon of choice
Gambling Device