I think it's the one thing that every build I've done has had. Maybe because I've rerolled so many times, but you need it very early in PvE and you don't stop needing it in PvE. In PvP, with all the folks that either TB or are carrying TBR for spam - it's always been a need thing there as well. It's right there with TT and EPtS. Those three are pretty much there on all of my builds.

Kind of funny, considering that you start off with the Light Cruiser - 1 Tac, 1 Eng, 1 Sci. TT, EPtS, and PH as soon as I can afford it - and - that's what stays all the way through the final build.

PH does in fact negate TBR, if PH is off cool down. The only problem is TBR3 is now the most powerful damage ability in the game, so probably worth grabbing TBR1 just to make people pop PH. Fun times.

Something is wrong here.

TBR appears to be scaling quadratically with skill points, not linearly (or sub-linear) as one would expect. This leads to problems once people go beyond 100 skill points.

Maybe someone from Cryptic could share the exact formula?

I'm guessing it's something like const * (x^2 + x) with x = (1 + 1/skill).

Who is the mong that keeps making these changes and not getting them added into the patch notes?

i haven't noticed a big change to it, the damage is consitent with how its always been for me. but then again on my escorts that use it ar not running multiple particle consoles. any change seems to be coming from the particle skill and its effect.

Yeah, I first noticed how ridiculous TBR is on those jem'hadar dreadnaughts. I got taken down to half hull with a few pulses.

Now you're making me think bad thoughts and making me consider making a TBR troll build.

Soooo I noticed this too, (insert ability here) does WAY too much damage it seems when fully buffed with (insert subsystem here) power set to max.

And, when you throw Alpha, Omega, GDF, and Tac Fleet behind it, on a target that JUST got nuked, double scanned, trapped in warp plasma, and leeched, there's really no way to defend against it. Why is (insert ability here) in the game like this?

If we fix (insert random game mechanic here) though, it should bring it back in line with (insert Kirk ability here) so that we silly PvE Warriors can still (insert God-Mode spacebar keybind here) and make sure we can still Kirk ourselves to sleep in PvP.

Making the skill stack by (insert inane mathematically derived term here) instead of (insert poorly understood game calculation here) would bring it back in line with (insert passive counter here) so that I don't have to worry about it anymore just like before.

I think we can all agree on this right?

How all this math goes down is not the problem, the problem is besides it's nice new formula, someone shoved in a * 4. That * 4 ruins lives.

I'd actually prefer all science skills were calculated exponentially, it'd reward people that tiny bit more for specialising builds.

those tac skills can take a long time to cool down, and its really the only way a tac/sci can deal damage. it may be a bit strong maxed out though

In general, it sounds like a case of failing to update the documentation or ignoring the documentation (and likely failing to update the documentation after making a change)...

With long hours, wanting to go home, changes in personnel, supervisors/managers appearing with more pressing issues... it happens all too often.

As time goes on... the situation only gets worse. Layer upon layer of jury-rigged code turns the whole mess into an overcooked pile of spaghetti that although it's sticky as glue maintains the ability to crumble like a house of cards if touched..

...which often leads to more patchwork coding...

...all the while, the issue of failing to update the documentation or ignoring the documentation (and likely failing to update the documentation after making a change) continues...

...into a twisted nightmare that often has developers spending more time trying quietly to get their resume out there to find a new job than working on the current job - including documentation...

...which results in additional personnel changes - and... yes, I appear to be repeating myself as this goes around and around...

...hrmmm.