Knowing the fight, knowing your ship, using a little teamwork, and basically being a heads up type of player will achieve far far better results then just gear.

But WHY bring common gear if you don't have to? Just to prove the point that it is the player, and by extension the entire TEAM, that makes the match.

Sure, you use normals to get your bearings. To learn the encounters. Practice your art! Just by having the UNDERSTANDING that you're PRACTICING and LEARNING puts a player in a very very strong position against a player that isn't.

But once you've mastered the basics, don't waste your time trying to get all Elite Gear to move ahead. Just move ahead.

Elite isn't a Gear Set. Its a Mind Set. It's saying that you're ready to accept new challenges as a member of a team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H-W54fqR0U Budget Marauder Infected Elite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPZOkFhi91E Budget Bortas Hive Elite

So have fun, happy flying, and focus on learning and what you as a player bring to the game! Don't worry! All the sooper pretty purple gear will come!

Yup, but it IS fun to watch to watch noobs get mauled and die in their decked out billion EC healboats aint it ?

They got convinced that gear wins battles.

I have 2 toons that I'm only now leveling trough the rep system so they don't have set gear or borg weapons.

They both fly the tactical escort retrofit and one is tac and the other science.

Their builds are from the exchange, mostly MK XI and MKII blue and purple gear being one disruptors and the other plasma.

I usually end 2nd or 1st on all STF's ran on the EliteSTF channel and 2nd or 3rd when playing with fleet mates.

I personally believe that the set's qualities are overrated and you can make some real good builds only with exchange stuff.

First time I levelled a char and ran through an ESTF, I had mk XI mission gear. I got MAULED. Learned my trade, now run mk XII gear and face-roll (boring).

So I then levelled a KDF toon, and ran it through the missions, blah blah blah. But then to prove a point to my fleet-mates about knowledge vs gear, we ran an ESTF with my raptor outfitted with mk IX white gear ONLY. I only died twice in all 3 runs (ISE, KASE, CSE). And before you say my DPS wasn't high enough to draw aggro, my buddies all ran in cruisers so I could see if gear really was the issue. And I had aggro almost constantly, and even with that, using only mk IX white gear, I was able to survive just fine, and still deal wonderful damage and do well. Granted I now run mk XII gear on that toon, but you get the point.

So yeah, it's not the gear, it's the players. Gear is 25% of your damage. Skills are 20%, dumb luck is 5%, but the other 50%? Yeah, it's all you.

Gives you a nice feeling of accomplishment beating elites with white gear, don't it ?

Seriously, I'm just happy if the others arrive in Tier 5 ships. If they have good gear, even better. If they know what to do and how... that's a dream.

And speaking of gear, well I agree on weapons and consoles. Those have generally little effect on how you play and what your results are.
But personally I see a huge difference between playing with the Assimilated 2-piece and without it. And a common shield will also not do you much good. (For that matter any of the deflector/engine/shield sets have a notable effect when compared with common gear.)

My next challenge: do it again, only with mk VII gear. And then mk V. And then mk III. And then mk I.

But I think anything lower than mk IX is kinda just trolling and rude to my allies.

LOL, I remember the 'hate' when I showed up in a T4 ship with all that white gear, then the silence when we picked up our winnings at the end.\

Mmmmm, Good times

Well, I partially agree with this, but eventually you need the higher equipment. I don't have any gear sets. I used to use the borg stuff, but I find that I'm more effective with regular equipment. Simply knowing what your limits are and when to back off or attack makes a huge difference in a fight, as does knowing what all your abilities do and how long they last/cool down. I'm only just now understanding how duty officers work, and I'm getting better every day, changing a few pieces here and there to maximize my ships potential.

"In a few days I can buy fleet weapons. THAN I will do damage"
"Well, not really"
"Huh"
"Weapons do actually only boost around 10% of your performance"
"But...."

Checked his build and his skilltree, seemed fine (though not optimal, but around 90-95% good). Then he explained to me how he flies his ship. With Nadion Inversion+ EPS working simultaniously and such things...

But the best part is, when someone says "sto sure is complicated", and I am surprised, because I find it pretty obvious, at least for tacs and engs, what to do and to skill.