Tactical Support
Juslaw
Build Overview and Focus
This character started as a joke to win a contest, then ended up being my Delta Recruit, and then evolved into something else. Since he's a Ferengi, I wanted him to be kind of a middle-manager and use lots of team-amplifying effects. Once I started tightening up my ground builds, he ended turning into a supportive build that's been used to help out a number of players on their ground builds on Bug Hunt. He's still satisfactorily capable on Advanced, but I wouldn't necessarily trust him on Elite for DPS. He's good at his "job," and as a Ferengi, it's not necessarily direct combat, but rather motivating synergies.
We've been pairing this support with a science character also running support and had good success with it. This character is what we are calling a "red support" due to the use of the tactical career and kit abilities, whereas the other is our "blue support." This build is inspired by what Megladonius of SRS fleet has used in a number of channel runs on Bug Hunt.
Character Info and Thematic Choices
He's a Ferengi, he's a businessman, he's all about being a manager and helping his team rather than getting his hands dirty. Sure, he carries a weapon but that's not his chief contribution.
Meta Analysis
BHE: 409 DPS, but the real story is 10 Personal Bests Assisted (PBA)
Budget Analysis
If the cost seems expensive, don't worry. Lower-budget alternatives are provided below
Elite Captain upgrade, all fleet unlocks
1 Event device
2 Lockbox kit modules
1 Lockbox weapon
5 Lockbox ground traits
1 Lobi ground trait
1 Mudd's Store device
3 non-standard doffs
Change History
July 2023: Posted build
Build Breakdown
Heavy focus on support; he focuses hard on that, but is still functional enough to do Normal or maybe Advanced-level content. This guy also has some theme concepts.
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 optimal setup would likely be to swap weapons to pick up another 2-piece that boosts Kit Performance. You could also run Omega Force 3-piece (Shield/Armor/Weapon), which does stack. Alternately, the Iconian 3-piece (Shield/Armor/Weapon) is an option.
The dinosaur doesn't matter at all. Replace it with whatever's convenient. There are some teamwide Health and Weapon batteries if you want to get really fancy but they cost dil.
Rainbow or IDIC Tribble is probably better than Solanae since it's teamwide.
Kit Modules
Notes:
Mudd's Time Device is essential for cooldowns, as shown by cooldown reduction analysis and empirical testing
Motivation can be expensive. Strategic Analysis is another comparatively cheap option but is far less effective.
See the "Blue" Science Support build for a series of complimentary kit modules that we run alongside this character.
Set Bonuses
Notes:
Gamma 3-piece is not worth slotting.
One last note: You could make an argument for Intelligence primary, taking Temporal Secondary. I am not sure which is better.
Traits
Personal Traits
Meta-Focused Tweaks:
If you know your DPS is running Hive Mind, you could drop To Absent Friends to pick up Hive Mind
I don't think Pack Leader is worth it.
Serenity might be okay to boost KPerf generically but I can't get into it
Budget Tweaks:
Shadow of the Black Mountain is mega-expensive since it comes from the Lobi Store. I would replace this with Serenity, as Ground Traits tend to be much less expensive than space traits
Reputation Traits
Active Reputation
Duty Officers
Meta-Focused Tweaks:
Insofar as there isn't an established pattern on how to do these, these doffs seem pretty darn good. I suppose you could replace the space doffs
The Assault Squad Officer is extremely marginal and could be replaced by a Quartermaster that increases chance to Expose
Budget Tweaks:
If low budget
Drop the Assault Squad Officer. I'd pick up the EMH Nurse instead just to have the extra healing
Miscellaneous
Ground Stats
Parse Breakdown
This particular BHE I supported an ally up to 1.83K DPS; selfish DPS was 308
Krieger Wave Disruptor Split Beam Rifle: 183K
Danube Runabout: 62 DPS
Furiadon: 48 DPS
Security Escorts: 0.85 DPS (clearly not used well here)
If you want to reduce your DPS, don't use the combat pets; that'll take off about 100 DPS. If you want more DPS, use your Security Escorts better and the Lukari Piezo-Electric Snare.