Here's the build that I've been running normal STFs on. It's for an Armitage with an Engi captain. Work in progress, as I'm still grinding the gear I want before taking it to elite.

Fore: Polaron DHC x3, Quantum torp x1 (will switch to disruptors or AP, or phasers if I ever buy the Tac Escort Refit)
Aft: Polaron Turret x3 (sometimes switch out 1 turret for Tractor mines)

Engine/Shield/Deflector: Full Mk XI Jem'Hadar set (will switch to Borg/MACO when I change weapon types)

Consoles
ENG: Neutronium x2, Borg Console
SCI: Field Generator, Field Emitter
TAC: Photon PDS, Polaron buff x2, Refire Chamber,

BOff:
CDR TAC: Torp Spread, Can. Rapid Fire, Attack Pattern Beta, Attack Pattern Omega
LT TAC: Tactical Team, Torp High Yield (will probably replace with Can. Scatter Volley)
EN TAC: Tactical Team
LT SCI: Polarize hull, Tractor Beam (alternatively switched with Hazard Emitters/Transfer Shield Strength)
LT CDR ENG: Engineering Team 1, Reverse Shield Polarity, Emer. Power Shields 3

For Doffs I don't have any really good ones yet but for now I have a Tac Team recharge, Eng team recharge, brace for impact buff, general abilities recharge, and cannon recharge.

Well I have been running your spec for some time now and gotta say that its awesome no matter what i am doing or facing. Serious Pawnage!!!! Although I have to disagree with the maco shields as they Suck. I do better and have an easier time maintaning my shields with the full borg set instead of using the maco shields. I have also seen and heard alot of questions about what the best type of weapoins are. Really it all comes down to your own peferance. I have heard people say countless times that Phasers are the way to go..Pfft. Phaser disable 1 random system for 5 sec only, and after using every type I am not impressed with them.Plasma is nice for the added DOTbut still just ok. I perfer Disruptors alot better then any other weapon. 11.8 sec disruptor Breach that reduces the targets resistances. This is awesome becuase it allows everyone to take full advantage and waylay the target to no end and with the longest lasting time = Pawnage. I dont however use the STF weapons though. I use ones that I made from the R&D on the klingon side and sent them over to my Fed toon. I get all the bonuses with no downfalls and they do more dmg and dps then the STF borg gear does. At least till they improve or upgrade it.

i use an mvae build based off the one in this post crossed with the one in this one: http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/sh...=1#post5595561

right now for my front i have:
1 quad cannon
1 HDC anti-proton
1 dual anti proton
1 quantum

rear:
3 anti-proton turrets

maco shields
borg engine
bord deflector
subspace field modulator
subspace jumper
emergency force fields
assimilated console
enhanced plasma manifold
point defense system
impulse compacitance cell
trans warp computer
defense turret

tac commander : tac team 1, attack pattern beta 1, torp spread 3, cannon scatter volly 3
tac lt: high yeild torp 1, cannon rapid fire 1
tac ensign: torp spread 1
eng lt: emergency power to shields 1, reverse shield polarity 1
science lt-commander: transfer power to shields 1, hazard emmiters 2, photonic officeers 2

i dropped the polarized hull as most tractor beams were used on me while i was already facing them and i found the impulse burst and evasive maneuvers could get me out of most bad situations that involved them. the photonic officer reduces my cool down on abilities.

I've not tried adding a second torp launcher yet but now that i've read about it may give it a go here and see what happens.

also input/critique would be welcomed

I'm guessing you have all Antiproton Mag Regulators for your Tactical Consoles, right? If so, get rid of the quad cannon. If not, why don't you? Your DPS will suffer tremendously.

If you want to keep the quad cannon, switch to phasers. While I don't have a quad cannon, I do have mk xi/xii DHCs with critdx3. This gives it the same critical severity as an Antiproton DHC mk xi with critdx2 dmg. I have yet to see any mk XII or any critdx3 Antiprotons on the exchange (and even if there were, they would be insanely expensive). My mk xi phasers do not do as much damage as the mk xi antiproton (thanks to the dmg modifier on the latter), but my mk xii phasers do more damage than the mk xi antiproton.

From my quick tests, quad cannons do about the same amount of damage as the mk xi and mk xii phasers. You can live without them if you like antiproton.

i actually listed all my consoles which are currently full but will definately look into dropping one or two of them for it and which anti-proton cannons are you using?

If you're going to fly an escort, you should have all of your tactical consoles as Antiproton Mag Regulators. A rare (blue) mk XI Regulator boosts the base damage on your weapon by 26%. If you have 4 of them, that is 104%.

Let say your listed damage is 100. 100 + 26% = 126 (or, a 26 damage increase). 100 + 104% = 204.

Your role as an escort, especially in elite STFs, is to deal as much damage as possible to get the secondary objective.

As for what I use, I used to use Antiproton Dual Heavy Cannons MK XI [critd]x2 [dmg].

I now use Phaser Dual Heavy Cannons MK XI [critd]x3 and MK XII [critd]x3. Same critical severity as the Antiproton DHCs I used to use, but has the phaser proc.

I suggest reading the second post in this thread (http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/sh...91&postcount=2). It will give you a better idea on what consoles you should be using. I would just stick with all Mag Regulators, rather than throwing in a torpedo damage boosting console. Also, I'd replace a lot of the Engineering and Science Consoles for more resistance or putting some of your universal consoles.

I will have to test this tonight, it's interesting, when we start adding percents to presents. the good thing is that, there are some wonderful builds here. Thanks everyone.

My Patrol Escort is running. (Tac captain)

4x DHC (MK XII Borg disrupter)
3x Turret (MK XII borg disrupter)

Consoles
Engineering-Borg console, Neutronium, RCS accelerator
Sci - (2) field generators (+17.5% shield cap)
Tac -(4) Disrupter consoles

Omega deflector, borg engine, Omega shield MKXII

Boffs
Tac TT1, Beta 1, CRF 2, Delta 3
Tac TT1, Beta 1, CRF 2
Eng EPtW 1, EPtW 2
Eng EPtS 1
Sci Polarize hull, Feedback Pulse (or HE)

Result, All normals are a joke. Elites no deaths if someone is properly tanking. I use Delta when being targeted, it's like a free Nuetronium console when needed. Ept is set up like a cruiser build, you can run it with more EPtS for more resistive tanking.

I dont understand why everyone only uses dhcs...

I run 1 DHC, 1 DC, 1 Torp, and 1 DBB.

Rear 2 turrets and 1 tricobalt mine.


Running it this way my power level NEVER and i repeat NEVER drops below 85.

The ONLY time it gets even that low is immediately following a beam overload. (then it only takes a sec or so before its back up above 100 again.

Running all DHCs makes them fire at the same time. When 2 weaps fire at the same time, your power level drops.

By having only turrets matching, my power rarely drops ever. 100 % DPS all the time

I read one post earlier that said that with their 3 dhc's they only drop to 50 power... well at 50 power your shots are only doing 1/2 damage. The dhcs dont do that much better dps to justify nerfing all your damage(minus torps) that much.


And why would you run 3 turrets? those mines absolutely DESTROY anything it hits. you fire 1 volley at the probes to drop their shields, lay 1 beta dispersal III, mine drop and they are all dead. Ive seen that do 200-250K damage to donatra on one drop. how long would it take a turret to do that?



Give it a shot guys, i guarantee youll like it.

Your power level isn't dropping because of the kinetic launchers, not because of the DCs.


I played around with a great many build types, including DBBs and settled on the 3 DHC, 2 Turret, 2 launcher build for some of my ships depending on the tac BOFF options.

My Fleet defiant looks like this,

Fore - 3 Mk12 Phaser DHCs, 1 Mk12 Quantum Torpedo
Aft - 2 Mk12 Phaser Turrets, 1 Mk12 Quantum Torpedo
Deflector - Borg (may pick up an adv. fleet positron deflector with accuracy)
Engine - Borg
Shield - MACO Mk12

Eng Cns - Mk12 Neutronium x2, Phaser PD
Sci Cns - Tachyokinetic converter, Assimilated Borg
Tac Cns - Mk12 Phaser Relays x4, Mk12 Quatum Console

TT1 - TS2 - CSV2 - CRF3
TT1 - APB1 - APO1
TS1

EptS1 - EptS2

HE1 - TSS2


DOFFs

1 Purple Cannon
2 Purple Damage Control
1 Purple Shield Distribution
1 Purple Space Borg Damage (Warp Core Engineer for fleet missions)


Weapons energy is at 95, and the rest is in engines.

Rarely have power issues per se, and it's quite rare that my hull gets low enough that I have to run (though it does happen from time to time.)

I have Mk12 AP cannons as well, and they do markedly more damage, but I find the phaser PD exceptionally handy against ships since it just rips them to shreds. I swap other consoles into that slot depending on the situation.

The reason I have an aft launcher is because I make attack passes. I'm ALWAYS moving to keep my defense up, and I weave in and out while trying to stay within 3.5km or less, as well as positioning to maximize CSV. In the long run, my aft torpedo spread volleys easily offset the loss of a turret. Basically I play my Defiant more like I play my Hegh'ta.