The Official STO Forums

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Ever since I started playing this game, I would go to the Official STO forums to get information on builds, game mechanics etc. This was especially true when I first started since I didn’t actually know what each skill did, and how it would affect my ability to excel at the end-game state. So I’d emulate people’s builds, and read up on how to play STFs, and built my ship accordingly. As I progressing in my understanding of the game, I found that the advice I had used earlier from the STO boards appeared to be subpar at best.

Now that I’m a bit more seasoned, and understand most of the advanced mechanics in this game (e.g. how console damage stacks differently than power damage, and negative damage resistance), I’m finding more and more that people on the STO boards don’t have a clue about how to optimize builds, or even how simple things like console stacking works (FYI, while damage resistance on the surface seems like it’s diminishing returns, It actually isn’t. It’s actually a linear formula based on how many extra hull HP each point of resistance you would otherwise get. e.g.: 33.3% resist = +50% hull points; 50% resist = +100% hull points; 66.7% resist = +200% hull points; 100% resist, which isn’t possible = infinite hull points)

As an example, let me point you to this thread: http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?p=5604401

Firstly, you have the original poster making some rediculous statements about how the Fleet Tactical Escort has difficulty running 2x Tactical Team 1 (with it’s THREE tactical ensign slots), that an engineering console slot is equivalent to a Tactical Console slot (on an escort, that’s just blasphamy), and that it has difficulty slotting a Borg Console because it lacks that extra eng console slot since he doesn’t think it’s worth losing an armour or EPS console (which again, on an escort is just blasphemy.)

Then you have one poster talking about the diminishing returns of Tac Consoles, which is just plain wrong. The damage bonus is linear.

Finally, you have someone stating that EPS consoles don’t help with power recovery after a beam overload (which they actually do).

So I suppose my point, and question is this: Does anyone even take anything build-related on the STO board with anything greater than a grain of salt? Most people seem very poorly informed, and try and suggest things based on anecdotal evidence, or even worse, no reliable evidence at all…

*Edit for link*

[Latinumbar]

Large grain of salt unless they have numbers/calculations to back them up. I usually don’t even bother.

[bodgeup]

yeah some of the stuff on there is just plain wrong! But for noobs some of the basics are helpful to get them going, once they are more experienced i thing generally they have joined a fleet at that point. Then they then post questions on fleet sites(Im just guessing this). That leaves the rest who carry on using the STO forums who just dont get the game.

I generally ignore half the posts on STO forums which dont make sense but some still do help.

I still dont fully understand stacking myself if im honest! I just know that some consoles can be used in conjunction with another to increase the effects, but i dont know which consoles stack and which dont.

Also ive never really understood the skill points fully. I know that they go from 0 – 125 with each step but what happens if u have maxed out a skill to 125 then u use a console which is for that skill, surely it wont go above 125 points? Ive had mixed replies on that subject! Some people say it does go over 125 and some say that if u use a console on that skill which is maxed out it just means that it will recharge quicker. I have a energy weapon skill at 125 using the skills tab and also have consoles which say they increase that skill. So what happens? can you go over 125 points?

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Ship power maxes out at 125.

Captain skills don’t have a maximum. Through the skill tree you can get them to 99, but with traits and consoles you can get them as high as you like from what I’ve seen. I bought three SIF generators just to test them, and I’m staring at a 158 Starship Hull Repair Skill.

[elvis441]

Yeah, its quite obvious some dont have a clue when it comes to tac builds. Then again, we were all noobs once. 😆

[Sargon]

the big forum is just about the same as a PUG. some know and many don’t.

i have no science, numbers, graphs, etc. to prove my theories, but i found if you fiddle with a ship enough you will figure out what works and what does not. i think you can make any ship effective when you get the “mix” of consoles and weapons right….for me it is trial and error primarily.

the info here is much more reliable than the big forum imho. definitely more trust worthy.

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