MY VA Tactical Escort Retrofit
 

I just mad 50 and got a Tactical Escort Retrofit, I plan to use it largely for PvE Normal stuff but It be nice if it could Pick up PVP as well. So what should I get? I like firing weapons a lot and just diving in head first. even as a Fed I am a Klingon!

RE:
 

I use 3 DHCs and a Quantum Torpedo upfront and 3 turrets in the rear. I'm with you in that I like to fly in head first, guns blazing!

I would recommend taking a look at the following thread:

http://forums.startrekonline.com/sho...d.php?t=244532

It's mainly for STFs but I found that a lot of the advice there works in basic PVE also. The only thing I changed is I switched from AOE cannon/torpedo attacks to single target attacks (e.g., from CSV/Torp Spread > CRF, THY).

Hope this helps!

Question would it really be bad to run two dual heavy Cannons and two quantiums torps? I am wondering because Torp don't take energy.

and tops don't do dmg to shields. If u run 2 torps u loss a lot of DPS, and u will have problems for take down shields, remeber that torps are only effective vs hull.

Torps are on shared cool down. No point running two at fore because you can only effectively use one.

RE:
 

Can't say I'm an expert or anything, but I found that I mainly only use torpedos as bonus damage after my cannons strips the sheilds off of my enemies. For my play style at least, it wouldn't benefit. Going through pve missions/fleet actions (I haven't run any STFs yet), as long as I stay with the 5km range I can strip the shields and destroy most enemy ships within 1/1.5 volleys of my cannons and one THY shot. The borg sector encounters are the only exception. The smaller borg ships take a couple of volleys and THY shots.

Please take this with a grain of salt as I am just generalizing it based off my best recollections, which are admittedly spotty at times!

EDIT: Pease see the above replies from others as they put it better and more concise :D

This can be a good route for PvE as Borg are primarily giant hull sponges, but for maximum effectiveness you will have to make your build around the concept of maximizing torp output, including the use of projectile weapons doffs to get your torps firing every time GCD is up, boff power rotations designed to maximize the proc chance, etc. Look for Zahalu's AE build thread.

Aside from that, a quite popular option is to go dc/tur with a dbb in front for beam overload goodness, but that brings its own concerns as well such as dealing with the power drain ...

http://forums.startrekonline.com/sho...d.php?t=255864
Great advice from one of the best escort pilots in the game :D
I've found that using a PvP build in PvE works extremely well ;)

Thank you all for your input, how does one afford all of this stuff? I am not made of EC

Lots of stuff, especially things like consoles, you can buy with Dilithium. Shields, deflector and engine you can grind STFs for; start out with the Borg set and then work on the MACO/Omega pieces you want. For a defiant i'd suggest Borg console and engine, with Omega Mk XI shield and deflector.


As far as buying weapons with EC, sell the loot you get from STFs on the exchange. Ker'rat also has great loot. If you don't mind spending c-points, Master Keys cost 100cp and are going for roughly 1.2mil ec each on the exchange.