Target Subsystem X - Your opinions?

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On my TO I've been using Target Subsystem Shields as well Beam Overload III. I'm not entirely happy with having both since they share a GC but in general I've left them they way the are until I come up with a better idea. The other night someone asked me if I was using the Target Subsystem Shield line and it sparked some debate in Fleet chat. Several people asked if anyone had ever actually successfully disabled a subsystem. Several people stated that they have never been able to stop someone's engines or drop their shields. I had countered that I had in fact dropped a ships shields several times.... or least I thought I had.

The question was asked, "How do you know?" How do I know the shield didn't just drop from damage? I have always perceived it as working about half the time but I don't really have any proof. I scrolled back through the combat messages but I don't see anything that tells me if I was successful or not.

What has your experience been with this line of powers? Can you tell when its works? Is there in your opinion something more valuable to put in its place?

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I can only speak for Target Shield Subsystem, and I think its the only system where you can really see that it worked.

Sci/Sci, Tactical BO has Tac Team 1 and Target Shields. In case of success, the enemy's shields drop completely for a few seconds. Not sure if that depends on something. Clear success situation: Click Target Shields at 11 km distance, so the first beam (on auto fire) hits with it, before torps or mines reach the target. If the shields drop completely, you can be certain it was a successful Target Subsystems hit; even with Tetryon beams and all, you can't disable all with only one hit.

For the other Target Systems... I think I also made it to disable engines. At least there were some of those Vishap frigades that usually fly around pretty quick, and sometimes they stopped when I used Target Engines (not Tac BO, the sci captain version Target Engines I). Its hard to tell if thats really why they stopped. You only hear "our enemy's shields have dropped", never "our enemy's weapons have been disabled" or so. I'd really like audio messages for other systems. The icons for effects are tiny and for Target Subsytems they only appear for a few seconds, so its really hard to tell if it worked.

[Archived Post]

I can only speak for Target Shield Subsystem, and I think its the only system where you can really see that it worked.

Sci/Sci, Tactical BO has Tac Team 1 and Target Shields. In case of success, the enemy's shields drop completely for a few seconds. Not sure if that depends on something. Clear success situation: Click Target Shields at 11 km distance, so the first beam (on auto fire) hits with it, before torps or mines reach the target. If the shields drop completely, you can be certain it was a successful Target Subsystems hit; even with Tetryon beams and all, you can't disable all with only one hit.

For the other Target Systems... I think I also made it to disable engines. At least there were some of those Vishap frigades that usually fly around pretty quick, and sometimes they stopped when I used Target Engines (not Tac BO, the sci captain version Target Engines I). Its hard to tell if thats really why they stopped. You only hear "our enemy's shields have dropped", never "our enemy's weapons have been disabled" or so. I'd really like audio messages for other systems. The icons for effects are tiny and for Target Subsytems they only appear for a few seconds, so its really hard to tell if it worked.

If you're using phaser weaponry, it might have just been the proc going off.

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the target subsystem skills are worthless if you just try to get the % chance to disable something, but are golden if you can boost them well enough that their energy drain comes into effect.

A specialized target subsystem III will drain around 90 energy from a system. If you want to shut something down you should target a system which energy level is probably lower - for example shields, engines or aux. target shields and engines work quite well, even with target subsystem II (if skilled right).


I use target subsystem shields on my escort and target subsystem weapons on my (healer) cruiser. Why weapons? I can't shut them down, thats for sure, but draining 60 weapon power from an enemy will seriously cut his DPS (~120 weapon energy - 60 = 60 - 30 from weapons firing = 30 weapon energy = no DPS at all). This is a pure healer/surviver build, so it makes sense there.
I got hit myself with target engines and it is like a tractor beam, except you can escape with putting points into engine power (which of course lowers weapons and the rest)

subsystem aux might be interesting but is too specialized in its purpose for me.

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As I understand it the sub target drains a percentage of that subsystems energy.

It's possible to drain around 60 energy with Sub target 3, (with sensor consoles/right spec/and a sci team before you fire to further boost it), which in many cases is enough to disable that system completely. Had it happen to me a few times, it's a great counter to RSP, but due to ability chaining means you can spend the whole fight with your shields down.

Engineering team and Emergency to Shields can help although they shouldn't ever be considered an instant fix, as they really aren't.

FBP is a good countermeasure though, a well timed full Aux FB3 can often destroy the evil shield leeching gits

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Hmm on advanced escorts with grandfathered +sensor consoles with skills/deflector dishes specialized on sensor/array im at about 93 drain with version III and 57 with version II. If i use science team I before its 96 or so. So an max sklilled/geared escort can reach 96+9(energy syphon I) energy drain.

You directly drain the energy of your target. I takes like 3-4s to reach the maximum drain and it stays as long as you have the debuff from target subsystems (+-30s).

Most people use shield disable, while i start to like engine disable (im using both). Most people see engine power as dump stat, so they are very easily disabled. Its especially deadly agains all those all-front escorts, as they can only shoot on you with turrets. Most dont understand what to do, so just sit there like ducks.

There is pretty simple counter to that ability. Most people do not bother to do it tho.

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Were can I learn Beam: Target Shields Subsystems

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If you're using phaser weaponry, it might have just been the proc going off.

Now, I use phasers. When I made my observations, I was all polaron. This morning, I had shields drop with disruptors (and sci captain target shields). First and only time ever on that alt.

Since I switched to phasers, I once noticed a red whatever appear on the enemy ship after using 'target shields' (tac ability, not sci captain), and the shields were out for a moment. Not sure if it was my effect, or the enemy using something.

If the stupid computer would tell me "enemy engines/weapons/aux disabled" and not only inform me about the shield status I see anyway... Oh well, maybe one day. :rolleyes:

[Archived Post]

I've been levelling up my science character and I'm at Commander 2 or 3 right now but I've wondered about the subsystem targetting myself. I haven't tried it in PvP yet simply because I don't plan to be Commander very long and I hate having pointless medals that I'll never use. In PvE I tend to go with whatever subsystem I think most useful for the ship I'm facing.

As I said, I'm Commander, so a lot of my missions are against Romulan so I'll use their ships as examples. Bird-of-Prey I don't bother with anything, they're not that difficult in general and a scramble sensor works well to help too. OK my memory has gone already and I forgot the zippy cruiser you have to fight, similar to Klingon Raptors. For those I target the engines to stop their initial evasive maneuvers and attack pattern they like to do and it does reduce the effectiveness of that. I imagine a lot of players run with low engine energy so a similar effect might be seen in PvP. For the nasty D'Deridex it's mainly weapons then shields and the damage that comes in seems lower but that could be ignored as skills etc.

Finally come to the one I have seen numerous times and purposely looked for last night to be sure it was worth using - shields subsystem. Yes, I use phasers but when that takes the shields out it takes *all* sides out at the same time. When you use shields subsystem it takes out the facing shield only for a few seconds. I know it hasn't gone down from damage because I was watching it and it was around 50%, then gone completely after I used the skill. A few seconds later it reappeared at the same % as before.

The other ones are more difficult to notice really and I imagine against players the only one you'd notice visually would be the shields. I'd like some sort of visual notification, perhaps ONLY visible to the person that uses the skill and the person being targetted, like aceton field shows as the orange / yellow glow.

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I have a related question - what skills increase target subsystems? I can't seem to find any documentation on this (shocking, I know :rolleyes:). Thanks!

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http://sto.nexsoft.de/STO_Space-Skill-List_v2-1.pdf

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http://sto.nexsoft.de/STO_Space-Skill-List_v2-1.pdf

this chart is incorrect. the target subsystem skills are boosted by operations, sensors, sensor array.

[Archived Post]

I have a related question - what skills increase target subsystems? I can't seem to find any documentation on this (shocking, I know :rolleyes:). Thanks!

The skills that boost them are
Starship operations training
Sensor array
Sensors

This only affects the drain amount and not the percentage chance to disable system.

Alsousing sci team just before using the ability increases the drain due to boosting operations training
by around ~6.

I tend to use beam target shields III in front to knock shields down followed by quantum torp high yield III.
Then i use beam target engines in the back for someone who always seems to try to follow me when i attempt to escape.