U.S.S. Carmarthen

Notes

Jayiie's Skill tree has been optimized to be used on as many build types as possible. As such there are some questions that naturally arise when talking about it. I will try to capture these discussions as succinctly as possible here.

Tactical ultimate

The Tactical Ultimate is still taken. Because of the skill investment for energy weapons in the skill tree, this only takes a small amount of investment. Even with the intent of going full min-max, if everyone takes the coordination protocols this is comparable to getting a Mk12 damage console which effects everything, as well as a hull plating node. These are worthwhile investements, and given how flexible Jayiies skill tree is designed to be very good at covering multiple roles such as support, tanks, and energy kinetic and exotic dps builds.

Hull Restoration vs Hull Capacity

This is very simple, while also not. Given the choice between a Improved Hull Capacity (+25.5%) and Hull restoration (+25%) against Advanced Hull capacity (+30%), I personally prefer to take the former, splitting the point difference. Since my character is an engineer, this 25% Hull restoration actually has some very useful applications through Miraculous repairs.

As well by taking some extra points into engineering, this has allowed me to take the 10th Engineering Unlock skill which adds +10 Hull Capacity, which is comparable to the +15 taken from the last point of Hull restoration. Due to how the skill works this is a +3.3% Max Hull vs 4.95% Max Hull buff respectively.

EPG vs Control Amplification, DrainX and CtrlX

This time around I've opted to put more points into CtrlX and EPG while taking Control Amplification, and instead dropping points from DrainX. If this wasn't on an engineering captain I wouldn't consider this a loss. However both Nadion Inversion and Intrusive Energy Redirection both scale with DrainX and are innate captain abilities, thus wanting for the skill.

Aux Power

Optimizing to hit 130 Aux power has been challenging. To do this I required Defensive Subsystem turning for the +4.8 Power to Aux. Combining this with the passive on most science ships as well as the Neutronic Eddies has allowed 130 to be hit passively. This has then allowed me to drop EPS Manifold Efficiency freeing up a 10th starship trait. On other builds this has the effect of allowing more aux power for more damage / better scaling on various powers.

Shield Regeneration

This is still a tank first skill tree. 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. with the most recent tree revision I've opted to spec out of DrainX and Drain Infection for that last point in EPG. Should you want to not take shield regeneration I would suggest the next DrainX point.

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)

Prolonged Phaser

Theoretically, the prolonged phaser is break even at around 60s. However at that it's only a very very small amount and is easily thrown out due to naturalized run variation. it stays under the +/-5% damage variation up to 100s in combat, where it then starts to ramp up to an 8% increase at 120s. This does mean that for combat times up to and around 120s the prolonged phaser is better, which is why I've been retrofitting my builds with it. 

Clearly however it hasn't suffered for not having it, as averaged each weapon has around 95k contribution.

Discovery Reputation Weapons

After some experimenting with TRINITY, some parsing, and some general build philosophy consulting, I've decided to remove the discovery set from this build. While the 2pc is good, this ship is approaching the point where being shackled by a torpedo is doing less than another energy weapon, and the higher damage of a cannon and another fleet console outweighs any advantage the Wide Arc Dual Beam bank provides with the Locator.

A note for Replication: I am doing this on an engineering captain! This is important to make note of. On a tactical captain the calculus isnt the same. As someone who parses in teh regime of under or within the 300-500k regime this calculus changes. Most players will benifit from running the Dark Matter Quantum. The torp provides better Kemocite damage, and being an engineering captain my ability to directly improve these effects via captain powers is limited. I highly suggest running this with a torpedo. It just so happens than my parses tend to provide me with better results without the torpedo. Running a torpedo also allows you to use Super Charge Weapons, or Entwined Tactical Matrices.

Budget Tweaks:

Tactical Consoles

With the last update to the Energy Weapon Calculator (now included in TRINITY), there is a segment I added which estimates the ratio of CrtD to Dmg and Locators vs Exploiters. I haven't yet run this build through the calculator but the effects of the mastery and some other consoles, I can pretty much estimate now that this ship is a 4 Locator 2 Exploiter ship. Between endeavors and build progression level, this will change from person to person.

Universal Consoles

This build doesn't make any claim to be cheap. Between the DPRM, D.O.M.I.N.O., Altamid Swarm and BIC, and Immolating Phaser Lance, this build gets expensive fast. However, that's what makes the unconventional systems type work well. The raw stats of the BIC and Altamid fill roles that other consoles can, but not as easily. The raw power of the 3/4 active consoles provides incredible damage potential that is unmatched, hence its use in the current Meta. 

I did some napkin math and a few runs using the M6 in place of one of the two lobi consoles, but the lack of a passive really dragged it down when its not on cooldown. As such the M6 would most likely be a direct replacement for the D.O.M.I.N.O., and should the lobi consoles be out of reach with these other options available too you (which seems possible but unlikely, though that could change with the year long meta events) it would be a viable alternative to those. On a note, the Gamma Reputation Ordinance accelerator is as good as if not slightly better than the Altamid Swarm console

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

Being as I've built this on an engineering captain, the most obvious build focused tweak would be to do this on a tactical captain for access to teh various captain powers. Doing such a replacement would warrant the use of A Good Day to Die. 

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

• EPS Manifold Efficiency - Engineering Captain innate trait - this provides +10 all subsystem power for 30s when using EPtX or batteries. A useful filler.

• 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.

After this there isn't much available that super noteworthy so make substations based on what you need.

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

As of the day of writing I get my Event Campaign 4 box. I plan on getting the completion to many of my builds here which have been in the work for many months with the aforementioned Universal Designs. Lots more testing to come from that to see how this mixes things up on everything; that said it is by no means absolutely necessary.

Budget Tweaks:

Offensive Traits:

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

• Unconventional Tactics - Strategist Specialization, grants damage on using 

• Predictive Algorithms - Intelligence Specilization Rewards, very minor Accuracy boost when using weapon enhancement abilities.

• Dimensional Modulation - Inherent to the ship, I would recommend against using this since it has such a strict trigger requirement.

• Getting into C-store accessible traits:

  • Promise of Ferocity - Alliance Pilot escorts, +4% bonus weapon damage when using a tactical or pilot bridge officer power (max 5 stacks, one stack every 4s)

  • Entwined Tactical Matrices - As discussed this can replace Withering Barrage but must be done with an accompanying torpedo power and weapon.

  • Super Charged Weapons - As discussed this will need an accompanying torpedo to get stacks

Meta-Focused Tweaks:

Since this is a ship that has both intel and miracle worker powers, the two meta driven choices to put on this ship would be the two Strength Through Unity liberated Borg duty officers 24 of 47 and 27 of 47. However, these are ridiculously expansive at upwards of 1 billion EC. This is in my opinion too much for a small improvement. CrtH / CrtD energy weapon officers are good enough for me.

Budget Tweaks:

• Agent Nerul unfortunately has no equivalents. As such and durability driven duty officer would be best to put here. Alternatively a 3rd energy weapon officer for CrtH or CrtD of your choice.

Since this is a Miracle Worker and intel hybrid ship, in order to port fully a ship must meet both. As such only a few are capable of that

• Lexington - best approximation. As discussed with a myriad of comments, the Lexington is the closest and cheapest approximation for the Inquiry

• Vaadwaur Miracle Worker Juggernaut - there is a reason why this is one of the best cannon platform and its because of both MW and Intel seating, and many tactical consoles and the juggernaut mastery package. But like the Inquiry its expensive

• Legendary D7 Intel Battlecruiser - Intelligence primary ship, but carries Lt.C MW matched with its commander intel seating, its probably better for SS builds but could fit this if you really tried

Dropping to just MW capable ships

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

• Fleet Saber - worse platform statistically but still does just as well if you push it.

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

• 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.

• Miracle Worker Flight Deck Carrier - Picks up two hanger bays.