U.S.S. Von Neumann

Notes

Teryh's skill tree is similar in many aspects but lacks a few features compared to my engineering captains. Because tactical captains get no inherent power management, I've taken points to buff up weapon power. I've also skipped Drain Expertise, mostly because its of no important, and the other being there isn't any case for me to use Drain Scaling powers on her. There is often a case to use Energy Siphon but it doesn't normally find room in bridge officer layouts to make it worthwhile enough to spec into DrainX when the points could instead be spent on EPG or power.

27 vs 26 Point Tactical ultimate

There is some comments floating around about people moving back to the 27 points in the tactical branch for the cooldown reduction on Focused Frenzy. I maintain that this is a negligible effect and and good build should already have and maintain proper cooldown reduction chaining. Therefore the cooldown reduction from Focused Frenzy should be redundant and therefore ignored. Unless you can maintain Frenzy the entire run (in which case all members have agreed to specifically build conditions and timings before hand) this point is wasted in the sense that the extra unlock will at most times be of unimportance, Therefore 1 point can be moved for utility to Science or Engineering .

Hull Restoration vs Hull Capacity

Once again I took a point in hull restoration. While the same argument as in Jayiie's skill tree doesn't quite hold up, as a tactical captain there is a distinct lack of healing innately avalible to her. As such taking that last point does help in scaling healing things up.

Shield Regeneration

While Teryhs primary goal isn't to tank, this last point in science does get her to the next unlock for +10% max shield capacity. While not a massively important stat, shield regeneration is statically anomaly and adds a huge amount to shield regen in just the first point (more Information on shields can be found here). As such, I have taken the single point. If you want to take the final point of EPG or something else such as power or hull capacity feel free too do so.

Starship Weapons

Notes

Discovery Linked weapons trade the traditional Phaser subsystem offline proc for a passive stat increase, in the case of Sensor Linked this is specifically +5 Starship Defensive Maneuvering and +5 Starship Weapon Amplification. Damage wise this equates to 2% Critical Severity for Weapons. This is not the stunning improvement its often made out to be, and is simply better than relying on a random proc to affect one of 4 subsystems (shields in most cases is what we desire but not always the effect).

Budget wise, generic Antiproton's +20% CrtD passive will be equivalent to a whole ship made of sensor linked weapons. This does come at the cost of swapping to a different flavor and thus losing bonuses in the universal consoles but it presents as a very solid budget option.

This does make them the best of the linked weapons but there's a myriad of other choices. Note that these all proc based and will rely on that proc to see benefits.

• Pulsed Phaser Weapons have a proc which reduces target DRR by 10 and increases self DRR by 10

• Advanced Phaser weapons come only in beam flavor but it can be used if converting the ship to BO or FAW setups.

• Covert Phasers can help reduce threat output

• Agony Phasers can apply a dot, which can help trigger atrophied defenses from temporal for support builds (or just builds running temporal)

Additionally, I've continued to elect not to run the Discovery Phaser Wide Angle Dual Heavy Beam Bank. Even with the bug, it doesn't seem to perform better than putting another fore cannon. This also means theres very little change to the boff seating.

Experimental Weapon

The Soliton Wave Impeller is one of the best performing experimental weapon available to us. While its not the best, it is very high, especially when pushing engine power as high up as I have here. Use the replacement of you're liking here if you don't have it or want something less flashy (it makes a huge blue ball).

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

Obviously to bring it more in line with the meta the Saber would be better equipped with the same variety of consoles found on the Lexington. However this character lacks the Immolating phaser lance to use, and as such has opted for the console layout above. Obviously there are some lobi consoles such as the Altamid Modified Swarm Processor and Bioneural Infusion Circuits which could fill in the gaps.

Budget Tweaks:

Damage Consoles

• Dynamic Power Redistributor Module - I personally put this under a durability console on this ship since this does fill the role of the durability solution on this ship, as it feels like its made of tinfoil. Obvious best replacements would be the Protomatter Field Projector from the Event Lukari Ho'kuun. Should this be unacquirable the next option would be the Reiterative Structural Capacitor. This is from a previous event, and was available in the Phoenix store for a time before being placed into the Mudds Market for an exorbitant price not fitting its utility. Final option to put here would be Shared Processing Integration which provides a fraction of the healing potential but doesn't come at the extreme cost of the other options.

• Point Defense Bombardment Warhead - This is only here for the 2pc. If you don't have it the Quantum Phaser Convertor is an easy slot.

• Weaponized Helical Torsion - This is here fore the +15% Phaser damage and +15% Critical Severity. In lieu of having this the most appropriate console would be the Reinforced Armaments to fill the Trilithium set.

• D.O.M.I.N.O. - The M6 is the most direct replacement but another +phaser or +damage console would also be good, like a bellum console.

Notes

This does not have Unconventional Systems. The ship is capable of doing it, but its unpleasant.

Slotting the Lt. Universal as a science would get you Photonic Officer 1 and two triggers, with maybe 3 triggers depending on how flexible you are on keeping a heal (Lt. Engineering as Aux2Sif). The problem I have with this is while the on paper potential is more, it doesn't feel as good to fly because of the randomness with Boimler Effect.

Let it Go (purchased from the Winter Event store for winter currency) is a minor performance choice, and Engineering Team is just as capable in this spot.

Additionally, the BO can be swapped for higher beam specific damage but at the cost of less potential procs on the beam weapons.

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

Obviously without swapping away from using the torpedo this is about as tuned as this ships gets. You can drop the torpedo and go the WADHBB, and that gives option to play with a Lt. Miracle Worker or Tactical power, but I don't think there's anything super valuable to be gained there. 

Additionally, while Exceed Rated Limits is possible, it is not recommended. The ship feels like its made of tinfoil, and a constant 3000 damage tick would probably make it explode even faster.

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

A Good Day to Die is a tactical captain only trait, and therefore needs replacement for other professions. Easiest choice here would be EPS Manifold Efficiency for damage or Grace Under Fire for durability for Engineering Captains. Science captains have no direct path of upgrade innately, therefore I would suggest something like Adaptive Offense, Pseudo-Submission, or anything else of your choice.

Budget Tweaks:

For budget players who want to save some EC, there's a few standard traits that could be used:

• 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 of durability:

• 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:

It is possible to drop the torpedo on this ship and run a multitude of other weapons, like the previously Phaser Wide Angle Dual Heavy Beam Bank from discovery reputation. This would mean that Super Charged Weapons would need replacement. Obvious traits like Promise of Ferocity and Improved Critical Systems, with Superior Area Denial being a direct replacement for Cold-hearted (albeit SAD does lack the hanger upgrade aspect on this particular ship).

This ship in the current configuration is also easily converted to run Cannon Rapid Fire, Beam Overload, or even Fire at will using the respective extension traits Go For the Kill, Superweapon Ingenuity (with Preferential Targeting thrown in for more damage for either of these two), and Entwined Tactical Matrices.

Budget Tweaks:

Defensive Traits:

• The Best Defense - +25% Healing when using APB, APO, and APD - not hugely relevant on a build which heals via regen or incoming classes healing (protomatter consoles) but its free from the episode "House Pegh".

• Going the Extra Mile - +Hull cap and +healing - free from completing Miracle Worker Specialization

Offensive Traits:

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

Miscellaneous

This build is easily placed on the:

• Fleet Gagarin - 5/3 vs 4/3/1 weapon layout. This will tend to be the platform most people will have available. However it is slower and could limit a pilots capability.

• Terran Lexington Dreadnaught - very similar, picking up intel seating and a hanger but lacks the maneuverability.

• Tebok Tactical Miracle Worker Warbird - While I struggled to make it as maneuver as I wanted, this does technically have the same build capacity. However, it would be much better to run a PO instead of A2B for cooldown reductions. Unlike the Fed and KDF counterparts, this can fit dual cannons. This was an uncomfortable build to run in this ship but if you  really want too...its an option.

• Vaadwaur Juggernaut - Much more expensive but also picks up intel for more damage potential

• Maquis Raider - 5/2/1 weapon layout with more tactical console availability means this is the best of the escort type platforms available for this build.

• Quark Marauder - 5/3, with less tactical console capability than a fleet Gagarin but more options in the BOff seating due to two hyrbids

• Miracle Worker Flight Deck Carrier - Picks up two hanger bays, as well as 5/3 weapon config. Potentially a better overall platform but again an expensive one

• Inquiry Battlecruiser - On a roll with expensive ships, the Da Vinci is really good for its price point, but the Inquiry being an Arbiter / Gagarin hybrid means its very hard to pass this up.