U.S.S. Penumbra - CSV
Fleet Nova Pilot Scout Ship
Fleet Nova Pilot Scout Ship
Updated: 2025 - 07
Available in the agile classics bundle, this is the first science ship with pilot seating available to us in the C-store. Pilot bridge officer powers inherently has no innate benefit to science, but as a pilot primary specialized ship it gains access to movement tech that regular ships don't have. This opens up a build space not necessarily possible on standard escorts.
This platform is super versatile and has a wide array of build spaces available. While this build ignores the science aspect of the ship, the first post of the ship can be found here where I lean more into the science.
Being a full pilot ship, this makes it one of two science ships with access to full pilot maneuvers and a commander pilot power while also having a secondary deflector.
Like my DEWSci version, I am also running Fly her Apart, however on this build its rank 3 which allows the power to scale up to +45% instead of +30%. As well, I'm taking full advantage of the innate flanking to stack with it intelligence specialization and Computer Assisted Flight Algorithms.
With this version several items have come out since I posted this in 2022. Now we have access to many more new consoles, such as the Exotic Particle Amplifiers, Proton Eruptor Module, and now recently in our staple of parts the Fleet Power Network Array. This build toes the line more towards phaser damage than exotic but lots of power has been added to this.
Basically this a complete rework to the build, with nearly all the bones being removed and replaced with newer modern offerings.
Exotic Particle Amplifiers: Gives access to EPG consoles that also provide direct phaser damage.
Proton Eruptor Module: Very Heavy hitting AOE power
And more! You can see a breakdown below how much has changed with this ship:
However, I think I could do a better job of tuning this towards more phaser and then updating the DEWsci version with the changes I made here. Once we get some internal tools fix I think thats the next direction for this build pair.
This is a premium build, with the highest available budgets and resources utilized in its creation. See the build costs page for more detail.
Penumbra marks the transition zone between the shadow of a body and the light source. Like a Penumbra, this build attempts to take advantage of both energy weapons and science, where the pilot seat makes great effect as a movement tool and a trigger for some various things.
ISE:
{ OSCR } Infected Space (Elite) - DPS / DMG [02:13]: `@alcaatraz` 918,194 / 100.4 M
HSE:
{ OSCR } Hive Space (Elite) - DPS / DMG [02:36]: `@alcaatraz` 850,625 / 99.2 M
Elite Captain/T6X upgrade, all fleet unlocks
T6 C-store ships
T6 battlecruisers (Arbiter / Kurak / Morrigu / Legendary Valdore)
Lockbox Items
Event consoles and Traits and gear
Imperial Rift Set (now available in Mudd's)
Reputation + Fleet Gear; All Mk XV Epic, All T6 Reputations
Terran reputation Items
Gamma Reputation Items
Discovery Reputation Items
Fleet Research Lab Items
Lobi Items
2022 - 12
Posted Build
2025 - 07
Updated Build, includes new Exotic Amplifier Consoles, Proton Eruptor, FPNA
Upgrade to T6-X2
Added new traits
Very similar to the DEWSci version, this build is more weapon focused. While it still maintains some exotic damage, the build is much more weapon focused.
I think its a lot more fun too. This build is wicked fast and piloting it is a bit of a learning experience.
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).
27 vs 26 Point Tactical ultimate
Since this is a support build it is once again reasonable to assume that 27 is the way to go. If I was to build this character as a totally dedicated support build and have them only do that, I would concede that 27 points into the tactical ultimate is useful. However that point has been allocated elsewhere, and I still believe that outside of super planned runs a person's cooldown reduction scheme is still important to focus on and should not be dependent on others to provide it for them.
Notes
Outside of the Quantum Phaser Cannons, nothing too different here than most CSV phaser builds.
Notes
Revolutionary set here is just for some extra CrtD for the secondary deflector and a few exotics on this ship, and the shield fits with the high aux setting; this is still on a science captain which does benefit from having high aux for Sensor Scan and Scattering Field. If you don't have it the Discovery Reputation Shield and Core work fine.
Budget Tweaks:
D.O.M.I.N.O. and Universal - Subspace Fracture Tunneling Field both being event consoles means people would likely be missing them. D.O.M.I.N.O. can at least be had from. For these the easiest solution is to just grab more Exotic Particle Amplifier with [Phaser]], moving the 2 consoles in the universals to the missing console slot and putting the science consoles there.
Notes
If you wanted to run the Wide Angle Dual Heavy Beam Bank, that is possible on this. I don't currently have it upgraded on this character to do that. I have seen really good results just dry firing the beam without any enhancements.
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:
Terran Goodbye would fit really nicely here for more CrtH for the secondary deflector as would Universal Designs due to the clicky console spam. I know I mention UD a lot but don't feel pressured. Its a huge amount of CrtD and CrtH and while every build would benefit from it and the Phaser Lance, its a really heft price tag to justify something like that. This is a fun build that shouldn't really work on this ship yet it does great without any super expensive tools!
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:
Everything here is available in the C-store so its obtainable with time. Some good things to replace if you're strapped:
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.
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.
Budget Tweaks:
Agent Nerul unfortunately has no equivalents. As such and durability driven duty officer would be best to put here. Dal R'el is a close equivalent, but this is a chance at an effect rather than guaranteed like Nerul. Energy weapon officers that increase critical chance or critical damage would be great here as well.
Additionally, some CrtH/CrtD energy weapon officers would be a good stand in here for the expensive duty officers.
Something interesting about Fly her Apart is that it doesn't drop you out of full impulse. Therefore you can use the power before engagements begin. For ISE I've found 13s timer countdown and for HSE 10s timer countdown to be the best times to use this.
For combat to reapply the buff I'll go full impulse and pilot roll backwards, allowing the power to be activated. Then when coming back to the same position shutting throttle off, which doesn't end the channel on the power.
I don't use many keybinds but the one I use to rotate my weapon buffs.
Emergency Power to Weapons - Initial power buff and triggers Emergency Weapons Cycle
Pilot Team - this will grant cold hearted to the weapons
Kemocite Laced Weapons - prebuff before firing
Attack Pattern Beta - prebuff before firing
Cannon Scatter Volley - prebuff for cannons, upgrades cannons
Photonic Officer - begins CDR rotation. Since this is not an exotic build using Improved photonic officer, this is fine at the end
Emergency power to Engines - This is here so that every other rotation it can be activated
ISE Record Damage Breakdown
81.6k DPS - Terran Task Force Dual Heavy Phaser Cannons - Scatter Volley II
77.5k DPS - Destabilized Proton Eruption
73.1k DPS - Deteriorating Secondary Deflector
55.2k DPS - Quad Phaser Cannons - Scatter Volley II
48.4k DPS - Prolonged Engagement Dual Phaser Cannons - Scatter Volley II
38.8k DPS - Genesis Seed
32.7k DPS - Terran Task Force Dual Heavy Phaser Cannons - Scatter Volley III
32.5k DPS - Cryonic Turbulence III
28.5k DPS - Heavy Inhibiting Phaser Turret - Scatter Volley II
28.4k DPS - Genesis Seed
28k DPS - Gravity Well III
27.8k DPS - Destabilizing Resonance Beam I
27.6k DPS - Phaser Turret - Scatter Volley II
25.6k DPS - Quad Phaser Cannons - Scatter Volley III
25.4k DPS - Prolonged Engagement Dual Phaser Cannons - Scatter Volley III
25.3k DPS - Elite Type 7 Shuttlecraft - I dont even have a hanger bay, This is just tachyon net drones!
21.4k DPS - Particle Plasma Emission Cloud – Plasma Particle Emission
17.5k DPS - Dark Matter Anomaly
17.2k DPS - Entropic Rider
17.2k DPS - C[166 Stationmod_Cb37_Salvaged_Console_Dark_Matter_Anomaly_Projectile] – Dark Matter Anomaly - I broke something :)
14.9k DPS - Kemocite-Laced Weaponry I
14.4k DPS - Heavy Inhibiting Phaser Turret - Scatter Volley III
12.4k DPS - Digital Compilation Field
12.2k DPS - Phaser Turret - Scatter Volley III
11.6k DPS - Particle Emission Plasma Torpedo - Spread I
11k DPS - Particle Emission Plasma Torpedo
9k DPS - Prolonged Engagement Dual Phaser Cannons
8.3k DPS - Terran Task Force Dual Heavy Phaser Cannons
8.2k DPS - Quad Phaser Cannons
7k DPS - Tractor Beam I
6.9k DPS - Particle Plasma Emission Cloud
5.6k DPS - Fek'ihri Torment
5.2k DPS - Anti-Time Entanglement Singularity (Rank 2)
5.1k DPS - Blade Mine – Tachyon Net Drones - Vulnerability Exploited
4.8k DPS - Tachyon Net Drones - Vulnerability Exploited
4.4k DPS - Heavy Inhibiting Phaser Turret
4.3k DPS - Quantum Torpedo - Salvo I
3.2k DPS - Elite Tholian Mesh Weaver – Tachyon Net Drones - Vulnerability Exploited
3.1k DPS - Phaser Turret
3k DPS - Drain Infection
2.5k DPS - Quantum Torpedo
2.5k DPS - Gateway
2.1k DPS - Heavy Inhibiting Phaser Turret - Rapid Fire I
1.9k DPS - Dark Matter Anomaly
1.7k DPS - Phaser Array
1.7k DPS - player 1 – Tachyon Net Drones - Vulnerability Exploited
1.5k DPS - Concorde Class
1.5k DPS - Borg Cube
1.4k DPS - player 2
1.4k DPS - player 3
1.3k DPS - player 4 – Tachyon Net Drones - Vulnerability Exploited
1.2k DPS - Nanite Transformer – Concentrate Firepower III
1.2k DPS - Plasma Particle Emission
1.1k DPS - Gravity Well III
1k DPS - Gravity Well III
Something was funny with this run since the Gemini Device isn't listed here either which is farily odd....also why is there so many damage sources!?
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:
Mirror Crossfield Science Destroyer - picking up temporal powers as well would make this a great platform for this. Sticking all the science powers into the commander would be the best option. Only a Lt. Pilot limits to Fly her Apart 1 and Pilot Team 1, but I think this could be a good potential platform.
Saturn Intel Science Spearhead - only one pilot power restricts to Pilot team but picking up intel primary opens some interesting build space with some intel powers. This could also potentially run some interesting this with surgical strikes.
Na'kuhl Daemosh Science Vessel - another ship with temporal and pilot, this could be really flexible with the Lt.C universal.
This can also migrate to any pilot ship. Unfortunatly these will lack the secondary deflector so a small aspect of the build is lost, instead shifting to be more useful with more unconventional systems triggers. The best ones would be the ones with flanking for leaning into the Computer Flight Assisted Algorithms:
Shran or M'Chla: both C-store capable raiders with lots of universal seating. Same weapons layout and lacks access to the secondary deflector.
La Sirena Heavy Raider: with Dual Commander seats and a lt.C intel and 5/1 weapon layout this could be quite potent.
Miradorn Theta Heavy Raider: Like the La Sirena this has Pilot and Intel.
Kwejian Pilot Frigate: 5/3 with flanking. I'm not a fan of it but I could this build working on the platform.
Courier Pilot Raider: Pilot and Miracle Worker. Common story, 5/1, no sec def, but has flanking.
Regular pilot ships can also run this build but lack of a secondary deflector means there's a little bit less focus on exotic triggers and more on just weapon damage. This starts to bleed outside of the scope of this build and some things tend to start breaking down. For a more in line pilot build I recommend looking at EPHs Chimesh.