I run a rainbow boat. I used to run all AP weapons, maximizing consoles etc. And I got bored with it. So I decided to make a rainbow ship. Did I lose DPS? Yes. Do I get a kick out of the skittle boat? Yes.

My question is, beyond the console stacking, is there a real arguement against the rainbow ship? I see tons of abuse on these forums and in chat channels, heaped on folks with skittle boats. I can see one argument (the consoles) and I do agree with it, don't misunderstand me but... is there anything else?
I don't care what anyone thinks the second they see those skittles burst out of my front end (groan* nooob) - I just want to know if there's anything supporting that thought BESIDES the consoles.

And yes this is for real, not trolling. I tried to find the answer here but I just found disparaging remarks with no numbers to back them up.

In a game where DPS is literally everything? No, you're not forgetting anything... other than that DPS is everything. The only benefit you're getting tactically is that you get a couple extra different procs. However, that's usually beat out by the improved damage from the specific consoles and/or the better proc rate (of any given proc) from focused energy weapons fire.

I don't see why anyone should have a problem with your rainbow boat... Unless you are in elite STF's with it. Then, GTFO. Nobody wants to see rainbows in STF's. Serious business. :p

Nah, I don't bother with elites. The razor-thin improvements of MkXII over MkXI aren't worth the grind horror-stories I've read about. Though I suppose that if I thought that "DPS is everything" than I would find that razor-thin margin to be worth it since that was certainly my attitude in WoW. As I said though, I had (and still have equipped on my docked ships) all the focused cannons/consoles I used to use, I just... got bored of it.

I shall continue to light up space in front of me then, until I get bored of that too. Excelsior!

90% of purchasables in the c store are about looks and looks alone. So if you're doing this for looks then you're no different than anyone whose bought anything from the c store (despite all the "pay to win" arguments that make no sense).

really in a cruiser you're not losing out on that much damage. I like flying the sci cruiser due to its tankiness and I do pretty well even despite its lack of tac consoles. So i can't imagine you would do any worse in a 3 tac console cruiser with a rainbow setup.

Going rainbow is much like deciding just not to use two weapon slots, or deciding to use all Common MK V for kicks.

You are wasting everyone's time and an inconvenience to anyone you group with.


If looking neat is worth being a jerk to everyone you group with, go nuts.


There is one exception -- a sci torp boat where you use warhead tac consoles to boost torps & photonic shockwave and other gravitic science abilities. Whatever beam weapons you are using (for subsystem attacks) aren't attached to a tac console, so whatever!

For escorts this is a problem. For cruisers with two tactical consoles you are not loosing much in the way of dps at all.

If you're running two energy distribution manifolds versus the weapon specific ones, its a difference of, what, +12% (and once you adjust for skill and weapon power, even less than that). I don't get not wanting to stack procs but meh. If nothing else, kill a klingon with a broadside of this, call it your Care Bear Stare attack, crush them with the power of friendship!

Enjoy taking longer to kill anything. I hope you aren't the only one working on spheres on Infected, for example.

Rainbows are a great way to annoy the heck out of people. People like those complaining in this post. I always keep a ship especially for that.

Too many people are devout followers of the min/max religion where everything that goes against is a serious crime. [Insert Deity Here] Forbid that anyone make something that looks and feels fun to fly.

Fly what you want. Enjoy it. It is a game. You paid your 0+ dollars the same as they did. Until cryptic implements gate mechanics to group activities (of which almost all can be abused), it is a perfectly legal and valid build.