U.S.S. Penumbra - DEWSci

Notes

Ayjei's tree is aimed towards DEWSci and the builds that come along with it, support included. He takes only a few points into engineering for power management and then the rest into damage. Of all my currently posted characters his is the most offensively tuned for the greatest flexibility, at the cost of personal durability which usually needs to be solved through consoles or bridge officer powers or even traits.

DrainX

Long ago I set out to craft a drain build...then some history happened and drains on targets in PvE broke and hasn't yet returned. I could very well respec but this is a part of the character's storied past I want to keep (also it is a very fun build to fly, even if its not super useful).

Starship Weapons

Notes

As mentioned, phaser isn't strictly necessary for DEWSci it just blends nicely together. Pick the flavor you want to use and go nuts. With the addition of Five Magicks and Dragonsblood flame reactor this would likely be a better build if you focused on distruptor instead of phaser. For now I'm staying with phaser

Notes

Should you lack the Imperial Rift set (either missed the event or don't want to buy it from mudd's—which is totally understandable for being $80 without a sale), there's a few options available to you. The Temporal Defense Initiative Starship Technologies 2pc with the shield and core is a valid choice for the DOT damage increase. A crafted [damp] engine would get +33 Drainx. The Gamma Reputation Engines would allow you to move at full impulse without draining Aux power and grant a small CtrlX buff. The Romulus Advanced Prototype Engines would grant some more weapon amplification. The Delta Alliance engines also grant a substantial passive to CtrlX.

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

A few consoles are missing from here that would really make this build flourish as a science ship. I just don't have access to them.

• Plasma Storm - From the Marquis Raider - this has been a science staple since it came out, I just don't have one here.

• As mentioned, running this as a disruptor build with Dragonsblood Flame Reactor is likely the future of DEWSci mixed with disruptor.

Budget Tweaks:

Weaponized Helical Torsion and the D.O.M.I.N.O. are going to be the two of the tree hard consoles to obtain here. As such Approaching Agony from a salvage console choice pack and the new Ionic Deflector Inversion make really good substitutions here. If Ionic Deflector is also a no-joy console then the Ordinance Accelerator would be fine, as would the Quantum Phase Convertor depending on which way you want to swing for damage.

Notes

Lack of healing is where most people would need help. I have Agent Nerul which is kindly referred to as a cheat code. To remedy for healing Id recommend dropping the structural analysis for an engineering seat and going with Emergency Power to Weapons 1, with the lt. seat being Emergency Power to Engines 1 and Auxiliary Power to Structural Integrity 1.

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

To improve this to conform more to the meta, the two pilot powers would probably drop for additional anomalies like Subspace Vortex and Tykens rift. I think the pilot powers are really fun to use however so I've kept them.

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

6 Lockbox traits with a 200 lobi trait is pretty expensive, and that's why these traits follow the meta. For tactical captains a Good Day to Die is the best replacement for Conservation of Energy with nothing really paralleled for engineers save Enlighted.

Budget Tweaks:

For engineering captains the most obvious budget replacement would be EPS Manifold Efficiency and if you needed more durability Grace Under Fire. Cannon Training is also a decent slot on this build for the cannon damage. For budget players who want to save some EC, there's a traits that can increase durability.

• Bulkhead Technician - Innate trait - this provides +10% Maximum Hull capacity and can be used as a stand in for durability consoles

• Living Hull - Episode Reward from "Surface Tension" - +15% hull regen in combat is equivalent to 3 stacks of repair crews

• Redacted Armor Plating - Episode Reward from “The Renegade's Regret” - +30 all DRR when hit from behind or sides

• Regenerative Control Synergy - Episode Reward from “Of Signs and Portents” - Grants +45% hull regen when using a control power for 10 seconds

If your after more damage instead:

• Point Blank Shot - Episode Reward from House Pegh - scaling damage based on distance to target from 2km to 6km.

• Operative - Innate Trait - +1% CrtH +2% CrtD, this isn't spectacular but if you lack any offensive traits you can use it.

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

Universal Designs would fit on this but would need some more universal consoles for triggers and an Immolating Phaser Lance. Something like Time to Kill would also be good here. Exitus Acta Probat would also be decent but would need some boff station reworks to fir the powers.

Budget Tweaks:

• Improved Critical Systems - Temporal Agent Recruit Reward, grants CrtX on use of EptX abilities.

• Calm Before the Storm - also C-store its almost always recommended so its likely people have it.

5th Slot here would ideally be the Tethered Non-Baryonic Asteroid to help clean up. This can be used in lieu of a gravity well on left and right in ISE. More Discussion on my tank build here.

Miscellaneous

Under a very strict ruleset, only one other ship meets the requirements for this build on a 1:1 basis: the Vulcan Experimental Scout Vessel. This and the Nova are the only science ship with flanking and pilot power accessibility.

Opening up to science ships with pilot power access:

• Legendary Intrepid Miracle Worker Multi-Mission Science Vessel - This is an odd platform that I'm glad I can put into some box. The seating is a little odd for this build but it could fit. Access to MW specialization for another universal console at T6X would be really good for DEWSci builds as you can slot more phaser damage or exotic consoles. It also has access to DHC placements but lacks flanking and access to tactical powers.

• Risian Weather Control Vessel - Also able to equip DHCs and having pilot powers, it lacks pilot rolls and would need great piloting to make work. That said it can basically copy the boff layout here with the Lt.C uni / pilot seat.

• Mirror Crossfield Science Destroyer - picking up temporal powers as well would make this a great platform for DEWSci stuff.

• Saturn Intel Science Spearhead - only one pilot power restricts to Pilot team but picking up intel primary opens some interesting build space with Spore Infused anomalies. This could also potentially run some interesting this with surgical strikes adapting the other equinox build I have here.

• Na'kuhl Daemosh Science Vessel - another ship with temporal and pilot, this could be really interesting.

Opening up to other science ships in general is more difficult as it needs more changes to traits as well as BOff seating.

• Lukari Dranuur Scout Ship - Arguably the better platform for DEWSci with access to temporal, it lacks the fun aspect of pilot on a science ship. It does have flanking like the Nova and the Vulcan Experimental and is available for 5 FSM without needing a C-store ship

• Vulcan T'Pau Scout Ship - A platform better suited to standard science with the intel seating; it also can equip DHCs with inherent flanking.

The list explodes from here, and it starts to fray a little from the core aspects of this build. For a more generalized DEWSci application I'd recommend reading EPHs Eternal DEWSci.