Tactical Mage

Alen

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Eph289's Builds

Build Overview and Focus

In space, this character is my projectile specialist, flying a variety of torpedo boats, a minelayer, and a support aimed at boosting such ships. On ground, since he's supposed to be a Kraylor, I had him with a hodgepodge of healing equipment and the Delta Rifle, which was pretty middling. Remember that our ground builds are not ruthlessly optimized nor are we heavily involved in the ground meta. There will be plenty of choices called out as thematic-and-fun over optimal DPS choices.

Anyway, with the introduction of the Kuumarke Visionary Set, I had a different idea. Why not build him around lightning? There were enough kit modules and things to build around that I could at least fit 5 out of 6 kit modules around it and see what it did. We have purple lightning, orange lightning, and two types of blue lightning. The results are . . . shocking. Okay, that was bad. On to the build!

Character Info

While in-game an alien, I head-canon this character to be of the Delta Quadrant Kraylor species who in their one appearance in canon specialize in cloaking and medical technology. There are thus some thematic choices around those...along with lightning.

Thematic Choices

Lightning themed build
Delta Rifle as secondary weapon. The normal cone-fire secondary is replaced with an orbital strike when used on an exposed target which if not amazing still looks cool. I don't use it when chasing DPS.

Meta Analysis

BHE: 3.47K

Budget Analysis

The only tricky things to acquire are the Kuumarke Visionary Set and Sompek Lightning if you don't have them already. The latter is easily replaced.

1 Event Armor/Shield/Weapon set, 1 Event kit module, 1 Event device
1 Summer Event kit module, 1 Summer Event kit
1 Lockbox kit
4 Lockbox ground traits
3 non-standard doffs

Change History

June 2023: Posted build

Build Breakdown

Heavy focus on kit-based abilities. Weapon damage is fairly low, has some thematic considerations and an ally-heal.

Skills

Skill Unlocks

Notes

The meta skill layout would be to skip Shield Capacity, Endurance, and Armor in favor of Improved Weapon Damage, Weapon Criticals, and Weapon Penetration. I just think ground on higher difficulties requires a bit more survivability than that and haven't felt the need to change it.

Build

Personal Equipment

Notes

The meta setup for a secondary weapon would likely be something that has a set bonus, but since we're running Kuumarke I don't think it matters
Gambling Device might be better than the devices I have.

Kit Modules

Notes:

The Regenerative Canister is one of the few kit modules a Tac can carry that will heal NPCs like Lt. Van Derveer on Bug Hunt or Generators on the colony.
The meta kit modules are probably picking from this pool:
- Universal: Ball Lightning, Ba'ul Obelisk Network, Gravity Containment Unit, Mudd's Time Device, Chain Conduit Capacitor, Kuumarke Drones, V'ger Probes,
- Tac: Trajectory Bending, Graviton Spike, Motivation, Chroniton Micro-Torpedo Spread, Battle Strategies
- Eng: Anchor of Gre'thor, Explosive Drone, Chroniton Mines
- Sci: Cold Fusion Flash, Exothermic Induction Field, Andorian Summer

If you want to do that on every character, be my guest.

Set Bonuses

Notes:

I never claimed this was optimal. It's fun and still effective.

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

Graviton Spike or Trajectory Bending could easily displace the Sompek Lightning if I wanted to go for peak DPS.

Budget Tweaks:

The Elachi Walker can be replaced by a Tribble.
Feels bad to do a lightning theme without Kuumarke set, but Lukari would do as a substitute.

Traits

Personal Traits

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

These are pretty darn good.

Budget Tweaks:

Most ground stuff tends to be pretty cheap.
Space Explorer is a Great Gig could be Serenity if you're willing to shell out a little or Soldier if you're not.
Ambush Fighter is fairly low impact on this build and so could be swapped out for something like Rifle Training or Peak Health on the cheap. Terran Vision similarly could be substituted out, especially if not using the Exploit Damage. Use Aggressive instead. Upgraded Gear is the one to chase.

Reputation Traits

Active Reputation

Duty Officers

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

Probably using all 6 doffs for ground would be a start, but I'm not doing that.

Budget Tweaks:

If low budget

The Assault Squad and Sensors Officers can be swapped for Security Officers to summon more escorts

Miscellaneous

Ground Stats

Parse Breakdown

Numbers from record Bug Hunt Elite (BHE).

Ball Lightning: 1116
Chain Conduit Capacitor: 673
Lightning in a Bottle (Kuumarke weapon secondary): 393
Sompek Lightning: 350
Micro-Generator Drone: 263
Electrical Bolt (Kuumarke weapon primary): 212
Danube Runabout: 153
Massive Shield Discharge: 109
Thunderstorm Applied (Kuumarke 3/4-piece clicky): 93
Piezo-Electric Perimeter Snare: 49
Electromagnetic Force Majeure: 18
Security Escort: 9 - this is why I'm skeptical about having more of these guys making a difference
Imminent Decay: 7

I didn't swap to use the Delta Rifle on exposed targets in this run.

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