Star Trek Online - Fleet Escort: looking for feedback

Star Trek Online (http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/index.php)

- Federation Shipyards (http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/forumdisplay.php?f=218)

- - Fleet Escort: looking for feedback (http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=254040)

Fleet Escort: looking for feedback

Here's the build I'm using for STF's: I'm not going to list power settings, because they rotate constantly. All you need to know is that weapon power during attacks is 125, and I use Aux power when using healing CD's, and have enough engine power and skills to hold at 67.5% defense when at impulse speeds.

Fore:
Antiproton Dual Heavy Cannons Mk XII
Antiproton Dual Heavy Cannons Mk XII
Antiproton Dual Heavy Cannons Mk XII
Dual Antiproton Beam Bank Mk XI

Aft:
Antiproton Turret Mk XII
Antiproton Turret Mk XII
Antiproton Turret Mk XII

Deflector, Engines, Shields:
M.A.C.O. 3 piece set, Mk XII

Devices:
Subspace Field Modulator
Weapons Battery

Engineering Consoles:
EPS Flow Regulator Mk XI
EPS Flow Regulator Mk XI
RCS Accelerator Mk XI

Science Consoles:
Shield: Field Generator Mk XI
Assimilated Borg Console

Tactical Consoles:
Antiproton Mag Regulator Mk XI
Antiproton Mag Regulator Mk XI
Antiproton Mag Regulator Mk XI
Antiproton Mag Regulator Mk XI

Tactical Commander Bridge Officer:
Tactical Team I, Cannons Rapid Fire I, Beam Overload III, Attack Pattern Omega III

Tactical Lt. Commander Bridge Officer:
Tactical Team I, Cannons Rapid Fire I, Attack Pattern Omega I

Engineer Lieutenant Bridge Officer:
Emergency Power to Shields I, Directed Energy Modulation I

Engineer Ensign Bridge Officer:
Engineering Team I

Science Lieutenant Bridge Officer:
Hazard Emitters I, Transfer Shield Strength II

I had some concerns about using 7 energy weapons, but with two EPS relays it seems to easily recharge to 125 power between volleys, only dropping to about 80ish power after finishing a round. I've played around with having a second Beam Overload III, but am mixed on the results.

I'd like to know why people might avoid my build in favor of something different.

Not enough survivability.
- Double up on EP2S.
  - DEM is more or less worthless, even on cannons.
  - The second EP2S will give 100% uptime, and I suspect 100% 110-125 SHI power for you.
- Maco 2/3pc is disappointing at the best, IMHO. Go with Borg 2/3PC with Maco Shield.
  - 2pc:
    +10 Starship Hull Repair
    +35% Health Regeneration
    2% Chance when Receiving All Damage:
    +440% Regen Rate ~10s
    Reduces damage to hull by ??% ~10s
    60s ICD
    
    Sounds odd, but it's a heal proc that'll tick for ~1400 a second.
  - 3pc:
    10% Chance w/Shield facing <20%
    +110% Shield Regen ~10s
    Reduces damage to shields by ??% ~10s
    Clenses Hazard Debuffs every .5s ~15s
    Unknown ICD (45-60s)
    
    Usually enough to pop shields back upto 70% or full depending on shield power, and acts as a Hazard Emitter without procing the GCD on PH and HE themselves.
- Bump up engine power slightly. Can maintain 70-80% defense on most escort builds.
- RCS On an escort is more or less a moot point, they turn fast enough as it is to deal with almost anything in an STF anyways.
- Consider replacing one of the engi skills with Polarize hull for anti-tractor protection.
  - Two instances of APO will never properly maintain 100% uptime.
  - If you're using them for damage aspects, APB is a far superior skill.
  - One should not need 100% tractor resistance uptime if they know what they're doing.
  - HE and PH share 15s GCD though. However, with such a shield-centric build, you shouldn't run into too many instances where you'll need both PH and HE running at the same time. PH gives a huge hull damage resistance at higher aux anyways, so even if you are getting pounded, it wont hurt nearly as much.
Offence is a little off of you change things out from above.
- If you do decide to switch to PH and APB, I suggest going TT1, APB1, BO3, CRF3 || TT1 ABP1, CRF2
  - APB does increase in effectiveness with level, but not as much as some other skills.
  - CRF has a much better scaling in this instance than APB does, and should be exploited.
- As weary as I am against BO3 on an escort with other high-drain weapons, the EPS consoles and weapon batteries should be enough compensation for the drain, if you're careful with it.
Other little nitpickings
- I'd personally like to see some more damage resist consoles in the engineering slots and sacrificing that BO3 in terms of greater survivability, if for whatever reason your shields drop, that thing's got about as much hull durability as a -50 cube with a chronic exploding problem.
- Focused a bit too much on outright solo damage. STF's are a team-support/survival thing. Not a 'I ****in' break ****' damage race. I know escorts are good at blowing things up, but they're also as notoriously good at getting blown up.

Also note that you are using two Tac Teams and an Eng team.

One of these will always be on cool down.

To address that, if you need to pop ET, then usually you don't have enough shield to justify using TT. That's just me though.

Thank you for the effort of your reply, BlackWyvern. Just a few things you mentioned I was unsure about:

I have used EptS x2 in the past and enjoyed it, I do agree that having two is beneficial. Is Auxiliary Power to Structural Integrity I worth consideration for the final engineering slot over Engineering Team? The large instant heal is very handy, but there's something to be said for regular damage resistance on a 15 second hull heal CD.

Maintaining 70%-80% defense. I had been using APO to be able to hi 85% defense while moving at much slower impulse speeds to allow more forward facing weapon up-time, however I'm not completely sold on this idea. APB sounds interesting, as I've never really tried it. How does one maintain a high defense while facing the target? I'm thinking more about larger targets such as tactical cubes, where having to move away many times during a fight can ruin my damage (or the feel of it, anyways).

You mentioned dropping BOIII in favor of more survivability, could you elaborate a bit more on this? If I did drop BOII, I obviously wouldn't need a DBB, opening another slot. What would you recommend as a replacement?

Aux2SIF is invaluable, but, it's a Tier2 power. On my boat (Being a 100% armour tank) I run EP2Aux, Aux2SIF || ET1 || PH1, HE2 across my support slots. Coupled with 34% base resits, enhanced plasma manifolds and the red matter, I can get upto 67-69% Kinetic/Plasma resits without much issue. It isn't enough to tank a clean heavy plasma torpedo, but it will handle everything else with near impunity whilst sitting at impulse stall.

With the borg set and double EP2S, you should be fairly well off at low power, or even stall, and if things hit the fan can pop the SSFM and EV to make a quick getaway. It's more about gauging when you need to move and heal up than it is how to move.

As for BO3, if you do decide to drop it, I'd suggest a torpedo launcher. Photon for DPS, quantum for burst. If you don't have any torp skills, or dont have it pointed into, I'd suggest going with the Hargh'pengs. Long cooldown, but they do impressive damage even unskilled.
(Just don't replace BO3 with something, expensive skill that)