U.S.S. Penumbra - CSV

Fleet Nova Pilot Scout Ship 

Released: 2022 - 12

Build Overview and Focus

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.

Build Purpose and Scope

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.

Computer Assisted Flight Algorithms is a new console for me; while I've seen it recommend around here I had yet to use it for myself until this build. This is a rather interesting console that provides a passive +10% flanking damage with a active that lasts 30s and grants different buffs depending on if flanking damage is dealt or not.

This console is also not a channel, and just grants the buff. This means that in some cases when combined with the one unconventional systems trigger this build can reapply this consoles damage buff within the 30s period where the console is active.

Temporal Trajectory Shifter is another console on this I don't use much. Since this console is a channel, it needs to be applied to a target for the duration of its active to get good uptime. However when its up you get 50% haste and 20% boff power cooldown recharge.

Namesake

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.

Meta Analysis

Budget Analysis

Change History

2022 - 12

Build Breakdown

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.

Skills

Skill Unlocks

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.

Build

Starship Weapons

Notes

Outside of the Quantum Phaser Cannons, nothing too different here than most CSV phaser builds.

Starship Equipment

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.

Starship Consoles

Set Bonuses

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

This is so not meta. But it could be adapted to be so. See my Lexington or Saber for more traditional phaser console layouts.

Budget Tweaks:

Weaponized Helical Torsion is going to be hard to replace so I'd swap in the Quantum Phase Convertor. D.O.M.I.N.O. is also going to be hard to replace. The M6 is a fine alternative here.

Bridge Officers

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.

Traits

Personal Traits

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.


If your after more damage instead:

Starship Traits

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

Terran Goodbye would fit really nicely here for more CrtH for the secondary deflector as would Universal Designs since the Computer Assisted Flight Algorithms. 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:

Offensive Traits:

Reputation Traits

Active Reputation

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.

Duty Officers

Budget Tweaks:

Miscellaneous

Ship Stats

Keybinds and Piloting

Fly her Apart

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.


Parse Breakdown

ISE Record Damage Breakdown

Portability

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:

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:

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.