STO: are starship phasers worth a darn?

[J. Allen]

I've modified the setup in my Excelsior Retrofit to use 4 Phaser beam arrays and 2 Polaron beam arrays, with Mk XI purple Quantum torpedoes. It does a massive amount of damage, more than the anti-proton setup to the point where I can easily handle several Borg spheres at once, while still giving backup support to any other nearby teammate.

[intrinsical]

On a related note, what is the power setting you guys use when attacking?

Right now I am using a 75% weapons, 50% shields, 50% engines, 25% auxiliary ratio on my advanced escort. From what I understand, auxiliary power is mostly used for science officer special attacks? My science officers are all devoted to shield/hull healing so I was thinking maybe I can get away with diverting all auxiliary power to the other subsystems?

[J. Allen]

intrinsical wrote:

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On a related note, what is the power setting you guys use when attacking?

Right now I am using a 75% weapons, 50% shields, 50% engines, 25% auxiliary ratio on my advanced escort. From what I understand, auxiliary power is mostly used for science officer special attacks? My science officers are all devoted to shield/hull healing so I was thinking maybe I can get away with diverting all auxiliary power to the other subsystems?

125% Weapons
74% Shields
54% Engines
38% Auxiliary

I'm a Tac Officer.

[Rocketeer]

Aux power is used for many of the Sci officer abilities. However, it is also used in starship turns. So if you're dodging in and around enemy ships, you may want to increase it a little.

[Rocketeer]

My engiineerr used to be a broadsider but modified his Excelsior Refit a little to allow him to do a straight in attack occasionally. Use plasma all around. Ship has 2 beam arrays, 1 dual beam bank and torp fore which gives good damage on approach using tach beam and dir energy mod. If he keep to a distance, he rolls into a broadside and occasionally turns back to fire the torp. If he chooses to get closer, he does a flyover with Eject Plasma and Disperses a double load of plasma mines in their lap. This setup works good in PvE.

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[Rocketeer]

Tribble puncher wrote:

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Ive been a casual player of sto for awhile, never really got hardcore into the game. so alot of the acronyms and such on various message boards, I have no Idea what they mean. So, with that said, I see alot of people talking about cannon weapons and how much "dps" they do, but what about us cruiser lovers? I have a level 22 engineer flying an excelsior, right now I have 4 mk 6 phaser arrays and 2 mk 5 photorp launchers equipped, I'm wanting to maximize this ships offensive capabilities and still be able to last in a fight. I like the turning radius of this ship but do not want to give up my 360 degree coverage. I want it all I guess, haha. Also, I'm at a loss as how to pick consoles that best complement each other...any help would be appreciated...

IMHO, phasers are good until endgame. Their ability to shutdown systems seems to work most of the time for my characters. A simple setup with phasers and photon or quantum torps will work well in PvE.

Having said that though, I give my characters other weapons based on their profession as they advance: Engineers get plasma beams/plasma torps, Science offficers get Tetryon beams/transphasic torps and Tactical get phaser or Antiproton cannons/quantum torps.

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[Trek]

I've just setup the London (my Excelsior) to be a dedicated STF/Borg ship and moved all my anti-proton weapons from the Argus (my Sovereign) to there. I then setup the Argus with all retrofit phasers and I'm currently working on getting some purple quantums on it. I also gave it my Ageis set and move the Borg set to the London too.

[Rocketeer]

Where did you get enough retrofit phasers? I've got the set from the TOS Connie and the one from Everything Old is New Again. Just curious.

[Timelord_Victorious]

Rocketeer wrote:

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Where did you get enough retrofit phasers? I've got the set from the TOS Connie and the one from Everything Old is New Again. Just curious.

You replay the mission and dismiss/reclaim the ship

[Timelord_Victorious]

Rocketeer wrote:

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Aux power is used for many of the Sci officer abilities. However, it is also used in starship turns. So if you're dodging in and around enemy ships, you may want to increase it a little.

Actually Aux hasn't been relevant for turning for a long time. It's purely an Engine thing now.

[Hartzilla2007]

Haggis and tatties wrote:

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Well seeing as the only cruiser to allow dual cannons is the dred, and that cost 2000c, i can see why they are not allowing it on this free ship.

Just wait till it gets the saucer sep.

[Scout101]

Random side question: I bought the Sao Paulo, and it gave me an icon (trek combadge) that went in my inventory in addtion to the ship being in my ship pool. No harm in deleting that, seeing as it's wasting room in my bank, right? Hell, I can even delete the ship itself and reclaim, since i bought it, right? Just the in-game free ships you can't reclaim, anything bought with C-points you can get again.

Right?

Just don't want to delete this token and not be able to get the ship back. Not deleting the ship itself right now, jsut don't want to waste valuabe space in the bank (only on one toon, oddly) for a token that doesn't do anything...

[J. Allen]

Trek wrote:

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I've just setup the London (my Excelsior) to be a dedicated STF/Borg ship and moved all my anti-proton weapons from the Argus (my Sovereign) to there. I then setup the Argus with all retrofit phasers and I'm currently working on getting some purple quantums on it. I also gave it my Ageis set and move the Borg set to the London too.

See, I used anti-proton beams all of the time at end level, but I've done more damage with a Phaser/Polaron & Quantum configuration on my cruiser. I don't know if it's my particular build, or if it's in my head, but I do some deadly DPS with my current setup, and I take them right into the STFs and blast away.

[intrinsical]

J. Allen wrote:

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See, I used anti-proton beams all of the time at end level, but I've done more damage with a Phaser/Polaron & Quantum configuration on my cruiser. I don't know if it's my particular build, or if it's in my head, but I do some deadly DPS with my current setup, and I take them right into the STFs and blast away.

I've updated my ship's power ratios to 124% weapons, 76% shields, 45% engines and 37% auxiliary. I've lowered both engines and auxiliary to their absolute minimum since these days my ship's acting more like an overpowered Anti-Proton satellite turret. When I attack, I just stay at one spot and rotate the ship as all 6 weapons fire at will.

I'm still in the process of swapping out my Tetryons with a full set of Anti-Proton cannons and turrets. I'm still missing 2 Anti-Proton Aft Turrets and one or two Anti-Proton Mag Regulators (trying to save up enough ec to buy them from the exchange). Once I have those Mag Regulators, we can have a Nanite Probe shoot out and see if beams or cannons deal the most damage.

[J. Allen]

intrinsical wrote:

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I've updated my ship's power ratios to 124% weapons, 76% shields, 45% engines and 37% auxiliary. I've lowered both engines and auxiliary to their absolute minimum since these days my ship's acting more like an overpowered Anti-Proton satellite turret. When I attack, I just stay at one spot and rotate the ship as all 6 weapons fire at will.

I'm still in the process of swapping out my Tetryons with a full set of Anti-Proton cannons and turrets. I'm still missing 2 Anti-Proton Aft Turrets and one or two Anti-Proton Mag Regulators (trying to save up enough ec to buy them from the exchange). Once I have those Mag Regulators, we can have a Nanite Probe shoot out and see if beams or cannons deal the most damage.

Gah! Why didn't you say something? I had 3 Mk XII Mag regulators two days ago before I put them on the exchange! I only sold them for 25,000 credits a piece! I'd have given them to you!

Still, I searched through my bank, and if you'd be happy with 2 MK X Greens, they're yours. You can mail me in game at Akarian@Sarek2165.