After running another batch of ESTF's and coming up empty on the Prototype Borg Tech, I started thinking of ways (short of bumping up drop rates) to better get the Mk XII set pieces in the hands of captains than relying on blind luck.

The answer's staring me in the face, and the mechanics already exist in-game: use the Vault/Reman set upgrade process. Instead of Reman Datalogs, we could use EDC's or Borg Salvage to grind till we could upgrade via the doff missions. This way, they don't have to create anything new or adjust the drop rate for the tech in the loot tables and would still keep the Mk XII gear difficult to obtain (due to the cooldown timers and resource cost). Add a chance of failure to the upgrade doff missions, which might require even more EDC grinding.

Heck, I'd be up for the Lobi Store upgrade method for the Tholian set.

i think the main problem is that hour timer.
make it 30 minutes and you can do more stfs.

This is the best answer. Gozer would be proud.

Gozer would be pissed off- he made the invisa toprs, remember?

I think the drop rate is only a problem in players' eyes. To Cryptic, is working as intended.

Drop rates are random, anyway. You might do only a few Elite STF, and get the proto you need for a set, or do a thousand, and get nothing. The drop rates have been stated to have been improved several times over the last 6 months. You might need to be satisfied with MkXI gear, bought with EDC, if you aren't interested in doing a multitude of STF in hopes of proto.

To pwe- cryptic was assimilated, remember?

The drop rate is awful for all STFs. I've been trying to grind just to get my MACO XI shield on my VA for the last month and a half. I have everything else XI on the ship but need the damn shield for the set bonus. It doesn't help that no matter how good your PuG is on Infected, no one ever seems to remember how to take down the generators w/o failing the optional for more loot. The sad thing is I already have a full set of Mk XII weapons just from grinding ECs and buying them off the exchange, the only reason I'd need to run Elites is for the Mk XII Shield/Engines/Deflector. Honestly the more I think about the less it's worth it to even try. I got bored with my 50 and started leveling my other two captains but then realized once I get to 50 it's going to be the same stupid grind. STO needs an injection of creative end game content, that is for sure, because this STF grind is going to get old fast.

Also I don't understand why they even have a "greed" button on loot rolls, some lvl 50 VA is always going "Need" on some crap Mk X gear just to sell on the exchange. I don't think I've won one "greed" roll yet.

you can buy it for some edc in store. so do 10x stfs today and you have it so you have waste 50 days for nothing.

and to the basics from this threat i make today 8 stfs and get 2x techs droped so still the same prob players overrunning with techs and no use for it.