Hey everyone,

Been playing STO for a few months now - put together a pretty nice fleet escort but always felt like a glass cannon. Gave a beam boat a shot using an Assault Cruiser, but can't say I am as impressed as I'd hoped to be. I generally play STFs and PvE events, but want to get more into PvP. Anyone have any suggestions for the build or comments on what I might be doing wrong (or perhaps is it just my play-style?)?

thanks!


Fore Weapons:
Tricobalt Mobile Device Launcher Mk XII
Phaser Beam Array Mk XII
Phaser Beam Array Mk XII
Phaser Beam Array Mk XII

Aft Weapons:
Phaser Beam Array Mk XII
Phaser Beam Array Mk XII
Phaser Beam Array Mk XII
Phaser Beam Array Mk XII

Deflector:
MACO Graviton Deflector Array Mk XII

Impulse:
Aegis Hyper-Impulse Engines

Shields:
MACO Resilient Shield Array Mk XII

Engineering:
RCS Accelerator Mk XI
RCS Accelerator Mk XI
EPS Flow Regulator Mk XII
EPS Flow Regulator Mk X

Science:
Assimilated Module
Field Generator Mk XI

Tactical:
Phaser Relay Mk XI
Phaser Relay Mk XI
Phaser Relay Mk XI

Bridge Stations:
Lieutenant Tact: Beam Array Overload 1, Torpedo High Yield 1
Ensign Tact: Beam Array Overload 1
Commander Eng: EPTW1, EPTS 2, Reverse Shield Polarity 2, Aceton Beam 3
Lt. Commander Eng: EPTW 1, EPTS 2, Reverse Shield Polarity 2
Science: Transfer Shield Strength 1, Tractor Beam 2


As for my captain?s build, all tactical systems abilities are maxed out except Starship Stealth and Starship threat control. In engineering, I?ve also maxed out Structural Integrity, Engine Performance, Impulse Thrusters, Hull Plating, Hull Repair, Shield performance and am half full on Armor Reinforcements. In Science, I?ve maxed out shield emitters and shield systems and am half full on inertial dampers.

General goal here is similar to the Dragon Build - trying to keep EPTS and EPTW always running on a cycle.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Quick $0.02

Swap out one of your rear slots with another launcher.

Switch out one of your RCS and one of the EPS consoles for 2x Neutronium Alloy or a Neutronium and a Plasma Distribution manifold. More armor.

Ditch the Aegis and get MACO engines for one reason -- you're in a cruiser.

(base stats)
Aegis: +6.4 Flight Turn Rate
MACO: +19 Flight Turn Rate

You're better off swapping engines, then replacing one of your RCS consoles with Neutronium than the +5% Defense from the Aegis.

With a second launcher in your backside, also consider swapping out one of the phaser relays with a TCD Subspace Infuser -- get even more oomph out of THY.

Weapons: The Tricobalt is cumbersome to use, I found. Photons and Quantums are more reliable.

Engines: The Borg 2-pieces bonus is very good, so consider switching to those Engines.

Consoles: Some Hull resist wouldn't hurt. Kinetic and Plasma for STFs, a bit of everything for PvP.

Skills: Threat Control, Threat Control, Threat Control. You're in a tanking ship, tank!
That's why Cruisers have a bad reputation in STFs: not because Cruisers are bad (they aren't) but because too many Cruiser captains just want to be damage dealers... you'll never equal Escorts in that respect, they're built for damage; Cruisers are built to tank.

thanks for the help - going to try switching up the eng consoles and see what else i can get out of her. did a PvP earlier with those suggestions and did fairly well, but still not a god.

thinking i may go back to the fleet escort and see if i want to do a galaxy-x build

Galaxy-X is a pretty good ship, but keep in mind that the Phaser Lance really isn't all that good, even with console boosts.

yea i've watched youtube vids of the X and the lance isn't great, but i like the idea of having the tanking ability of the cruiser but the firepower of the cannons that my fleet escort was putting out.

would probably do 4 turrets in aft, 2 fore and 2 dual phaser banks (or 3 and 1, i'll test it out).

just a thought still - going to give it a few days of PvP to see if I just get my playstyle to change from hit and run to tanker.

...this is city of heroes all over again! blaster to tank!

Yeah - like most, I had high hopes for that lance, and thought that a good setup + phaser relay consoles would improve it's damage output.

Flew into Infected Space (normal) with my Galaxy-X, unleashed the phaser lance on a probe, once they started appearing, and.... nothing. Well, okay, not nothing, but it did all of about 3% damage. Big deal. Seems to work better against unshielded enemies, but thats what torpedoes are for! The lance should take down shields so that the torpedoes can do their work! But it doesn't.

Play KDF side -- their cruisers are better suited to cannons.

Then KDF Cruiser = Brute. :wink: A bit squishier, but more maneuverable.

Does that make the Kar'fi a [BoP/Poison Mastermind]? :biggrin: