Best Escort Build with Plasma?
 

I am thinking about the Andorian Escorts and Plasma weapons to make another leap in DPs. I am currently running Antiproton DHCs, Turrets, and Omega cutting beam on a Fleet Escort. My thought is that the Romulan beam and cutting beam makes Turrets obsolete and with 5 front weapons, the Andorians make the fleet escort obsolete. I am also thinking about the following Andorian Escort Build and before I spend the cash/dilithium, I would like the communities' thoughts. I only want to do this if I can get 20% plus in Dps because my tac is very solid now. My gut feel is this is the new premium Escort build that I should be working for, but please let me know. (I think there may be a Phaser build with Quad Cannons and Andorian Phasers too but I have not thought about it.)

Front
3X Plasma Dual heavy Cannon (Buff with 5 Plasma Consoles) These can be Elite Fleet or Borg XII Purples.
1 Borg Omega Special Torp (Buff with 4 Purple DOFFs and HT BOFF skill)
1 Romulan Special Torp (Buff with 4 Purple DOFFs and HET BOFF)

Back
Experiment Romulan Plasma Beam Array (Is this Buffed with the 5 Plasma Consoles?)
Kinetic Cutting Beam (I assume this is not Buffed by the 5 Plasma consoles? Is it buffed from the purple doffs?)

Console
Zero Point Energy Conduit-Engineering
Assimilated Module-Engineering
Phaser Dispersal Array?-Engineering (This may need to be swapped with good Armor?)
Threat Inertial Dampeners XII- Science
Threat Graviton Generator XII- Science
Plasma Infuser x5 - Tactical Console

I get that you need the Boff Skills but that is pretty much known to me at this point. I know that there are some cool other consoles out there but I don't really pay for keys at this point. Also, this is pretty much a glass cannon so I get that there is not much tanking going on here.

Im guessing this is for a PvE build?

Grab the science variant of the Andorian ship, so you get the 4 science consoles.

Slap on 4 of the Plasma damage boosting tactical consoles. Then slap on 4 of the Embassy science consoles with the plasma modifier. Zero-Point Energy Conduit and the Romulan Experimental plasma beam to add some more plasma damage.

And, does the Romulan or Remen set give you a boost to plasma damage? Can't recall off the top of my head.

1) Fairly certain you can only slot 3 PWOs

2) The Omega torpedo does not proc PWOs anymore.

Plasma isn't as good as AP from my experience, even with the threat consoles. Crits are worth more than anything else in PvE. Also not sure what you want with that experimental beam in the back. Yes it won't cost energy, but it will also never fire. You are an escort and you'll only shoot straight ahead.

Plasma by itself is horrible. Last time I used it (pure plasma), it failed miserably. The proc just isn't that great by itself.

The Romulan Beam Arrays/DHCs on the other hand... well those have the plasma AND disruptor proc... and when they both proc... ooooh that plasma burn is WONDERFUL. I had a target once burning for over 5k per second from my Hyper Plasma combined with Plasma BAs with a disruptor breach. That's 5k per second burn for 15 seconds. I drew aggro off of a bug with my science ship doing just that.

So if you MUST use plasma (not horribly useful in PvP though, due to the preponderance of MACO and KHG shields, even though elite fleet shields are starting to become more and more prevalent) use the Romulan weapons. The plasma proc on it's own, not great. But add on the disruptor proc and have both activate... well your target will suffer.

My Breen plasma build operates just below the 10k dps mark in ESTF's. And yes, that Romulan Experimental Beam Array's hyperflux firing mode is absolutely terrifying when on its receiving end with hazard emitters on cooldown.

Are these rommie weapons or standard plasma? Because the rommie weapons are VERY nasty as DPS goes, but I have often found standard plasma to be lackluster simply due to the low level of the burn combined with the Borg's rather high innate resistances.

My Breen ship with the Romulan plasma weapons and Omega torp is epic...

They are all Romulan plasma weapons. Here are the full stats:

Ship Gear: Full Borg Space Set
-Weapons-
Fore = 2 Romulan Plasma DHC's + 1 Romulan Experimental Beam Array + 1 Romulan Hyper Plasma Torpedo Launcher
Aft = 3 Romulan Plasma Turrets + 1 Kinetic Cutting Beam
Devices = Red Matter Capacitor, Subspace Field Modulator
Consoles: Tachyokinetic Converter, Rule 62 Multipurpose Combat Console, Borg Assimilated Universal Module, Field Generator, Breen Power Dissipator OR Romulan Science Console, Plasma Infuser x4

BOFFS:
Ensign Univ: BO1
Commander Tac: TT1, CSV1, HYT3, AP-Beta3
Lt.Tac: TT1, CSV1
Lt.Eng: EPtS1, EPtS2
Lt.CmdrSci: HE1, ST1, GW1

DOFSS: 3 Attack Pattern Conn-doffs, 2 Projectile Weapon Officers


BTW, I haven't noticed borg showing any plasma resistance.