U.S.S. Mitscher

Notes

• All weapon-centric builds benefit from the tactical ultimate, as weapon haste and bonus weapon damage from the Focused Frenzy active are appreciable when used on big targets. Applying the bonus to your team is also appreciated. I do not find the cooldown boost from Frenzied Reactions to be needed on a build with a good cooldown scheme.

• Engineering skills

  • Since I use this skill tree for both tanks and offtanks, taking two points in Hull Restoration/Hull Capacity helps survivability. Increased Hull Capacity boosts Tyler's Duality as well

  • I always take a single point in Hull Plating, but other resistance skills and Damage Control are not worth it. Likewise, 2 points in Impulse Expertise is an appreciable boost to maneuverability. Warp Core Potential and especially Warp Core Efficiency help boost power to subsystems. Efficiency is particularly good at adding power to subsystems I am not allocating much power to.

  • Improved EPS Power Transfer is essential for recovering power while firing energy weapons. 

• Science skills

  • Single points in Shield Restoration/Shield Capacity are low opportunity cost for relatively high survivability gains. Since I need skill points elsewhere, only 1 here for those. 

  • A single point in Shield Regeneration has surprisingly large impact on shield regeneration based on recent research by Jay

  • Since this character uses Quantum Phase torpedoes on 2 builds, which scale with Drain Expertise, I take both points in DrainX. A single point in Control Expertise powers the Fragment of AI Trait on builds that use it on this toon. 

  • All energy builds should take maximum points in Long Range Targeting Sensors. 

  • The rest of the science skills are of little value on this build and are completely skippable. 

• Tactical skills

  • Energy Weapon Training, Hull Penetration, Shield Penetration, Weapon Specialization, and Weapon Amplification are all worthwhile skills to take 3 points in as they boost energy weapon damage directly. Since I do have a torpedo and it does decent damage, 2 points in Projectile Weapon Training is a good choice. 

  • I like taking 2 points apiece in accuracy and defense. Defense is a small contribution to avoiding incoming damage but also helps reduce enemy crits when you're not moving and accuracy is just good all around, if not a stat that you'll need tons of. 

  • Coordination Protocols, Defense Coordination and Offensive Coordination are good team boosts so I always take those. They also benefit hangar pets on builds that have those. Improved Tactical Readiness is essential for reducing tactical cooldowns along with the rest of the cooldown scheme. 

• Unlocks

  • There are two crucial unlocks: battery expertise (improves duration of consumable batteries) and threat control which either increases or decreases threat based on threatening stance. I lean a little heavier on Engineering in lieu of stacking more points into the Tac Ultimate. 

This ship is a cannons + 1 torpedo set up. It has absolutely zero investment into exotic damage, so I am not skilled at all into those.

Intel/Strategist is the best-in-slot choice for non-tank Energy builds. Intel provides substantial damage through flanking and Intel Fleet. Strategist likewise adds damage through Logistical Support, Maneuver Warfare, and Show of Force, as well as some damage reduction through Layered Defenses.

Notes

Torpedoes: One, I wanted a torpedo for immersion purposes. Two, the right torpedo, when used with Super Charged Weapons, is NOT a DPS loss considering it also brings a very powerful set bonus (25% Critical Damage from War Discretion). While I'm more fond of the Quantum Phase Torpedo and it generally outperforms the Dark Matter Torpedo, I couldn't justify its inclusion here without the console. 

Radiolytics: Generally procs don't matter, but Radiolytics are one of the better Phaser variants, certainly better than Agony with their paltry chance for a minor DOT. The Pulse Phaser Turret 

Quad Cannons: The regular ones are perfectly fine if you don't have the Battlecruiser bundle. I didn't want to spend Dil on a fresh set of Quad Cannons since I had the Overload-Linked ones already.

Notes:

Drive Train: If I wanted more survivability, I would swap the engines for the Disco Engines to pick up the regeneration from the two-piece.  The ship is designed to be self-sufficient but it is a little on the squishy side. Disco Engines are safe and useful, but I haven't needed them for the most part thus far.

Hangar Bay: Blue (Rare) To'Duj Fighter Squadrons are consistently the best pets under SAD for a non-pet-focused build, but I don't have cross-faction flying. I took 2 bays of Terran Valkyries instead and haven't missed the To'Duj. Plus, it'd be weird seeing KDF fighters out of a Constitution. I fully acknowledge this is an immersion choice.

Notes: 

Isomags versus Locators: The new Advanced Isomagnetic Plasma Distribution Manifold Engineering consoles have been shown by analysis to be about 7.5% better than Vulnerability Locators for this build. They're either expensive on the Exchange (especially in Phaser flavor) or you'll need to farm them from the appropriate Elite TFOs depending on how good your luck is, then re-engineer to Phaser (not trivial given their large mod pool) and upgrade them. If that's too much effort, slot Locators and play musical chairs with the consoles. 

No Trilithium Set: The Gamma Omni is slotted over the Trilithium Omni weapons. According to TRINITY,  the Gamma Omni ends up being superior once you adjust the haste for uptime. There are a few reasons for this. 1) The Trilithium-Omni cannot be re-engineered. It also doesn't have the 2% bonus damage from T6 reputations that the Inhibiting beam does. 2) The 10% weapon haste is great but it would require the console and does not proc often enough, whereas the -10 DRR from the Gamma beam is easily proc'd against big targets as long as you're not sitting completely still. 

Alternate energy types: Obviously all weapons would need to be replaced except the Dark Matter Torpedo. If Disruptor, consider the Nausicaan Energy Torpedo. Keep D.O.M.I.N.O. and replace the Advanced Engineering / Colony consoles with the appropriate flavor. 

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

These are basically best-in-slot unless you are going to retool the ship for Unconventional Systems. 

Budget Tweaks:

 If low budget, try Tilor's Cyclone build, but otherwise 

• Drop 2 Isomags (T6X and T6X2 upgrades)

• Replace D.O.M.I.N.O. with Quantum Phase Conveter 

• Replace Immolating Phaser Lance with Approaching Agony or shuffle consoles to pick up another Fleet Colony console

• Replace Tachyon Net Drones with Assimilated Module

• Drop Kobayashi Maru Transponder if unavailable (T6X2 upgrade and event); if available, drop the Hull Patches instead

Meta Notes

• Could replace Mixed Armaments Synergy III with Reverse Shield Polarity if going tankier. Meta preference is to go damage-first, but this boff layout does leave you very squishy

• I belatedly realized that not all of my bridge officers are SROs/Watchers. Will fix that for next update; meta preference is to slot boffs with either of those two traits (or Vanguard Engineered Soldier boffs)

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

If going full DPS, with unlimited budget 

• Give Your All -> Duelist’s Fervor

• Repair Crews -> Adaptive Offense or Point-Blank Shot

Budget Tweaks:

 If low budget, (try and keep the ones at the bottom) 

• Drop Fragment of AI Tech (Elite Captain unlock)

• Terran Targeting Systems -> Cannon Training

• Context Is For Kings -> Operative

• Boimler Effect -> Point Blank Shot (this one hurts to lose)

• Repair Crews -> Techie

• A Good Day to Die -> Innocuous

• Intelligence Agent Attache -> Accurate

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

If going full DPS with unlimited budget, it's still going to be hard to get better than this. Maybe swap out Super Charged Weapons for Weapon Emitter Overdrive or Terran Goodbye?

Budget Tweaks:

 If low budget, (try and keep the ones at the bottom) 

• Drop Ship of the Line (T6X2 upgrade) if you're not using the Legendary Inquiry. If you are, drop Universal Designs

• Drop Thirst For Battle  (T6X upgrade)

• Superior Area Denial -> Improved Command Frequency

• Universal Designs -> Unconventional Tactics

Notes:

Other good C-store traits to replace Ship of the Line/Thirst for Battle are Calm Before the Storm (Ghemor) or Strike From Shadows (Shran). You could also try Temporal Tunneling (Atlantis) but you'd need a more consistent trigger.

Miscellaneous

This ship manages cooldowns via Photonic Officer and Boimler Effect. Photonic Officer I with Boimler Effect is generally enough to cover cooldowns for bridge officer powers with minimal opportunity cost. 

Link to CDR sheet for this build