Since the release of Star Trek Online there has been countless threads asking - DOES "X" CAPTAIN TYPE WORK WITH "X" SHIP ?


LIST #1. - WHICH HYBRIDS ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE
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• Tactical Captain / Cruiser

• Science Captain / Escort (Raptor)

LIST #2. - WHICH HYBRIDS ARE THE LEAST EFFECTIVE
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• Science Captain / Cruiser

• Engineering Captain / Escort

• Tactical Captain / Science

I would like to open a discussion on the topic that will hopefully become a helpful reference and compilation of experience PvP player and PvP fleet opinions on the subject.

I will start the topic off by addressing the first ship on the list.


Ship hybrid 1 - Tactical Captain / Cruiser
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PROS: Extremely viable sustained DPS. Burst capabilities vs. a non-shielded target can be surprising because of Torpedo crit + APA + HYT. Very effective survivability and support capabilities. Survivability and support capabilities will increase once tradable BOs become available. Best captain type for Cruisers in terms of maneuverability thanks to APA. Arguably the easiest ship type to fully benefit from GO DOWN FIGHTING!

CONS: Damage wise without an Engineer's EPS you have to figure out how to make up +25 weapons power. Plan your weapon loadouts, Engineering ship consoles, and skills wisely to compensate. Decrease in survivability because of no EPS Transfer (TSS / Shield resist), RSF, Miracle worker and lack of level III ET BO ability. Slightly lower support capability for now because of non-tradable BOs and EPS Transfer.

OVERALL: This is one of the most viable hybrids in the game if you plan your skills and layout your weapons / components correctly. More flexible in pug PvP then engineering captain / cruiser combo and still very viable in premade PVP. If you're looking for a hybrid combo that can pack a punch over time while staying in the fight and supporting the team look no further.

Personally I find the Tac vs. eng debate to me as a personal preference between this -

APA, FOMM, GO DOWN FIGHTING! vs. EPS Transfer and Engineering Team III with the biggest difference being APA vs. EPS Transfer.

Engineering level III BO abilities are going to be tradable soon so not much to worry about there long term.


Ship hybrid 2 - Science Captain / Escort (Raptor)
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PROS: SNB, SNB, SNB. Did I mention SNB? One of the last potential "I WIN" moves in the game. Couple that with the fact you're running DHC + Buffs and it's arguably the best way of taking most ships and noobs instantly down in 1v1. Toss in the fact you're in a ship that can field TSS III ! DHC + Buffs - APA = still pwns! You give up FOMM however you gain SENSOR Scan. One of the best resistance debuffs in the game. Survivability, which is never bad to have if you're in an escort!, is increased with dampening field. And how annoying is Photonic Fleet? APA movement bonus isn't as important since you're already in a ship with a high turn rate.

CONS: APA, APA, APA. Yes even though you have SNB your damage will be lower overall in group pvp. That little bit of extra damage could make all the difference especially if you already have a science captain or two in your group. You lose out on Tactical initiative also recharging your abilities.

OVERALL: It's never bad to bring more SNB to the fight especially when it's arguably the best captain ability currently available in the game. Add in the fact you're also bring an additional TSS III and you can see why this hybrid has instant appeal for many players. VM and FBP aren't as sought after as they used to be making this hybrid a valid choice particular in pugs, 1v1, and zone PvP.


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I leveled a Tac to try the Tac/Cruiser

Few things,

Like you said
CONS:
It lacks Engineering Team 3, which itself made me not want to pilot a cruiser on my Tac anymore.
Offensive Engineering slots are less than effective (DEM, Boarding Party)

PROS:
You benefit from efficient engines greatly - whereas a Tac/Escort requires MK X engines
Calling targets VIA a cruiser is much easier than on an escort who is constantly maneuvering
Increased survivability due to the common statement "kill escorts first" this also leads to an easier time calling targets - since your... still alive

Wouldn't an Engineer in an escort be an effective combination? Miracle worker (situational I know) + Rotate Shield Frequency + EPS Power Transfer + Nadion Inversion could make for a more robust Escort Captain I thought. I've been seeing alot more Engineers in escorts these days.

Boarding Party III is available via Exchange bridge officers.

Also according to the old 1.0 version chart from this link http://sto.nexsoft.de/ - TACTICAL officer skills actually modified the Boarding Party ability. Weird since it is an engineering ability even though it does sound like a Tactical Team is going in and kicking butt! lol He currently has no abilities listed probably because it hasn't been verified or verified recently. I remember Minimax testing this a few months ago and saying that Tactical Ground skill - Security modified it.

Although I cannot verify any of the Tactical skill point effectiveness however because I have not tested it with those parameters in mind.


DEM III last time I checked is bugged and can by trained by anyone who puts 9 points into the appropriate Engineering Skill.



I think it's horrible compared to the other two captain combinations for a few reasons.


#1. Damage is lower because of no Sensor Scan, FOMM, APA, or GDF.

#2. Damage is lower and players survive because of no SNB

#3. RSF doesn't matter as much because of TSS and if your RSP is down an Escort is going burn through your shields regardless especially if they're using DHC + Tactical buffs. Also if you get SNB RSF doesn't matter but you could say that about a lot of other abilities too.

#4. EPS Power Transfer is meh for Escorts. If you plan your loadout properly as well as your skills power isn't an issue. If you're in an escort you sure as hell better not be thinking you're support either lol.

#5. Nadion Inversion - see above.


Bottom line it's just a really bad combo in my opinion.

Lower damage, class support capabilities / power increases irrelevant for escort mostly, and RSF isn't enough to make up for what you lose.

Yes, in Season 1.1 Engineers can play every ship well - both Fed and Klingon.

Optimal in Star Cruisers as a healer and Fleet Escorts as DPS on Fed side, while optimal in BoP as DPS and battlecruisers as healer on Klingon side.

Anyone who says otherwise is not a very good Engineer IMO, or has non-optimal specs.

mmm but some folk seem to get it right. I have seen some engineer's in escorts/BoP pull off insane damage+kills. They just seem to be able to do far more sustained DPS than I can. Fair enough my burst damage is higher as a TAC, but I'm usually focused and toast before too long or I need to bug out. Engineers seem to have a bit more staying power from what I have seen.

In general, I agree.

But I want to point out that nobody should generalize my general observations about a general statement. :p

While there is something to be said about the awesome power of DHC + CRF (regardless of Captain type) - I honestly don't see the additional "staying power" with an engineer in an escort for reasons previously listed.

I'm not saying that you can't do some damage with that combo because let's face it the real star of the show is DHC + CRF.

However you just don't benefit NEARLY as much as an engineer as would with a tac in an escort.


If the engineering captain abilities are giving you that much more staying power it's not because they're good it's because the other team is really bad and allowing them to make a difference.

You probably would have even stayed alive vs. that team or player without the engineering abilities and just have killed them that much faster as a tac.

Also if your engineer / escort is doing comparable DPS to that of a tactical captain then I would kick that tactical captain out of your fleet immediately.