Beams are arguably the best weapons in the game - moderate damage, huge arc, and the most supporting Tac skills.

Not really, takes just tractor beam, reverse engines + EPtE and im right behind you :p

I see but AP:O+EM I am behind you. :p

And the cheapest skills as well.

There seems to be a common thinking that the damage output of a Cruiser must all come from his weapons.
But then, it is the Escort that gets all the damage buffs. It is no surprise that it's also the Escort that deals the most damage.

People complain that without the current BFAW, Cruiser firepower is too weak. But it's not those 4 DHCs that makes Tactical Escorts such massive damage dealers. It is those 7 tactical slots they have that boosts their weapon outfitting.

If you want Cruiser to reach similar damage outputs, it must mostly come from his 7 engineering powers (or let's say 4-5 engineering powers and 2-3 tactical powers). it cannot come from the beams alone, and it can't come from the 2-3 tactical powers alone either.

It means as a player that wants a damage build, you have to try out:
- Eject Warp Plasma
- Aceton Field
- Emergency Power to Weapons
- Directed Energy Modulation

If you think these powers can't do the job, there are two things to do:
- Suggest how they can be tweaked.
- If they cannot be tweaked as it conflicts with their role (I'd say that EWP and AF are more control/debuff powers than damage powers), suggest new powers.

But live with the possiblity that maybe Cryptic just doesn't want any class to be able to fill any role. The Cruiser's role might never become about "Burst" damage as the Escort's role is.

Put a Tricobalt on your cruiser.That will give you some burst damage. Sometimes.

As you well know, I'm right there with the OP on the "buff" rather than NERF.

I believe a better "fix" for this problem would be to take the existing assault crusier(s) and add some DPS at the cost of "tank". Think they tried that with the excel and it seemed to work for awhile, but the disparity seems to be ever-growing with all the CHANGES/NERFs we're getting and have gotten now.

I heard there was going to be another escort coming out that was going to fill some of this bill also. But I've still have yet to read any proposed stats.

Your right, they could "buff" up AF, which is pretty useless ATM, but I'm afraid it would be just another "new FaW" and would gets it's NERF a few months down the road also. But with the loss of crusier DPS comiing in S4, something will probably need to be added. FaW was a good in between fix (mostly AoE damage spread around) until the exploits and "fed-balls" started. The end comparable DPS numbers seemed about right. However, it is a little too easy to get 5 beam-boats spamming FaW right now. Interesting to note that they really did nothing to "fix" that other than another 5 minutes for it being on cool down. You can still run FaW 1 and 2 on a crusier, excels 1, 2, and 3, your just 1/3 not quite as mean with them. But 5 boats in a co-ordinated effort will still be just about the same exact thing that there is now. (for 10 minutes instead of 15 minutes). SIngle target damage however, got the large NERF.

Well FAW is bugged and pretty much was the exploit... it will no longer ignore ACC... which might be all that is needed to bring it into line. I don't think Cryptic has any idea if that will do the trick either... hence the we will tune as needed addendum to the notes.

I can roll with buff over nerf... but I won't go so far as to say bugs should be left in game... New faw is bugged, there for its not a nerf, its a bug fix. Perhaps a bug fixed version will be fine... they Jury will be out, and perhaps Cryptic will pay attention to the results.

A buff to AF would be unlikely to create a faw issue... it still has a long cool down and unless they change the HZ counter it will never be OP. However perhaps it needs to have its arc removed and perhaps even a doubling of the Radiation... Or have the Radiation Hurt more the more nrg weapon fire a victim uses. Still an easy counter so It shouldn't become OP... however it gives a cruiser a way of timing it for max effect... which I understand isn't that easy in a slow turning ship..

As for DEM the current bug needs to be fixed and perhaps the dmg could stand to be increased slightly... or have its cool down dropped... I would love to see dem get a 15 second up time with a 45 sec cool down... it would be the same up time but give it a bit more of a tactical usage perhaps.

DEM bug?

/10char

If you can do it then more power to you, but that's the exception rather than the rule. Most people that try to use a cruiser for DPS really can't. Cruisers are great for keeping pressure up, and can turn in big numbers over the course of a match, but both escorts and science ships are better for killing enemies quickly.

There are cruiser captains who break the rule, but you can be 95% certain that you won't end up on a team with them.

Actually, there were two cruisers using cannons, me (Excelsior) and the eng/cruiser (Gal-R).. One on our team were flying a D'kyr (and he didnt bother to team up).. On the other hand, your 5th player were an Tac-Excelsior spamming FAW