The Mists of Avalon
Krenim Annorax Science Dreadnaught
Updated: 2023 - 02
Build Overview and Focus
Two years I acquired one of these as a gift. I had given the person a small confession that I had always wanted one. Not because it was particularly impressive or anything just that it looked so different from most everything. I think this is one of the main reasons why the Annorax is such a recognized design. The size of the ship not withstanding, the 6 fold symmetry of the focusing lens up front and the spikes at the back with the central sphere evoke that superweapon vibes.
When I first got the Annorax I did what I did and put a tank on it. With the rather substantial hull mod of 1.3 and shield mod of 1.45 it offers some impressive durability mods for a ship of its class. However it never had the desired effects I had hoped for an my dream ship turned into something of a flump without much of an idea of what to turn it into.
It wasn't until a friend if mine released this masterful guide on how to play science that really inspired me to pick the toolkit back up and build with it. Initial builds were placed on the T'pau, which I do have but found it to be...not my speed. It was at this point where I remembered the seating of the Annorax and once again decided to pick it up and turn it into the superweapon it deserved to be.
Build Purpose and Scope
The Annorax is an old platform. Released before the age of Temporal Specialization or seating, intel was what it got. I'm sure that if it were to be released instead today we would see a totally different ship. However because of the revamp to Intelligence., the ship has had new life breathed into it.
I will admiit however, I am rather unskilled and unwise in this area. I would normally write some big long preamble about the various powers and gear and such that go on this ship and the selection criteria for why but at the end of the day it was really because of two things:
I love the Annorax's Design. I think its awesome and imposing and super impressive. This is my favorite non-federation ship design
I wanted to relearn a style of building that I once upon a time knew and lost to neglect
After having now flown this for a few months I've improved both my piloting and made some more expensive pickups.
Namesake
Mists of Avalon is a 1983 historical fantasy novel. I haven't read it for a very long time; we got assigned it in an early grade of high school for advanced reading.
Meta Analysis
ISE:
SCM - DMG Out: 109,846,339 DPS: 841,734.40 (51.5% of Team)
HSE:
SCM - DMG Out: 96,147,544 DPS: 699,763.79 (53.7% of Team)
Budget Analysis
Elite Captain/T6X upgrade, all fleet unlocks
T6 C-store ships
Intel Science Vessel (Somerville / Batlh)
Lockbox Items
Ship - Na'Qjej Intel Battlecruiser (we're after the trait so if you find a cross faction box even better)
Ship - Mirror Constitution Warship
Ship - Deimos Pilot Destroyer
Salvaged Console - Delphic Tear Generator
Salvaged Console - Micro Dark Matter Anomaly
8x Lockbox Personal Traits
Event consoles and Traits
Imperial Rift Set (now available in Mudd's)
Reputation + Fleet Gear; All Mk XV Epic, All T6 Reputations
Discovery Reputation Items
Dyson Reputation Items
Undine Reputation Items
Fleet Reslab Items
Lobi Items
Promotion Items
Change History
2022 - 12
Posted Build
2023 - 02
Changed Skill tree to account for wider build selection on character
Added TS on BOff layout (Intel Team doesn't work with Sensor Analysis)
Changed Pets
Upgraded Mines
Added Plasma Storm Module
Swapped EPS Manifold Efficiency for Resonating payload modification
Changed DOffs (added threat reduction and torp CrtD Doffs)
Build Breakdown
Full on exotic build here, full points in exotics with the rest in projectile, hangers, survivability and agility as needed.
Skills
Skill Unlocks
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 and Exotic Builds
The tactical ultimate does basically nothing for the majority of the damage on this build. However this is a skill tree that is still designed to run things like the Inquiry and Verity, so I do still have this. A more optimized tree would look something like EPHs tree he uses on exotics. The core skill selections are still there.
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.
Build
Starship Weapons
Notes
As of right now I'm not amazing at getting much out of the mines on this ship. I mostly just let them go and do their thing, feeding stacks of Feel the weight of our presence and relocating them to big targets to build up stacks of Resonating Payload Modification. It is worth mentioning both of these are currently broken. Feel is not intended to scale with mines but does anyway, and Resonating can break the 5 max stack limit with mines. This has been the case for years (basically since the traits were released). I don't enjoy taking advantage of these but considering they've been in the game for several years now I think its fair game to use them here.
These mines are also the few that have radius x2. An interesting experiment might be to combine these with Kinetic Magnet should you have the boff space (which incidentally also has the propensity to kill teammates if you're not careful....ask me how I know). Additionally, something I learned just recently but seems obvious in retrospect, is that mines trigger the CrtH/CrtD projectile weapon officers, which just means that these also help trigger those DOffs.
An interesting thing that could also be considered is the lobi pairing to the Delphic torp, the Dual Overcharged Delphic Antiproton Beam Bank. This would fill the set bonus on the delphic torp for the 2pc which grants +1.25% CrtH amd +12.5% CrtD. Is this worth it compared to the 25% CrtD from the Lorca 2pc....I'm not sure. However it would also get around the issue where the Wide Angle Dual Beam bank is currently incorrectly applying a +20% bonus all damage (from the ramping proc; its listed as only granting to the beam but is infact applying to everything).
Starship Equipment
Only change here would be the pets. I have these from years ago when I was using the paradox as a tank during the FBP meta. The pets fit the theme of the ship and do far better than the innate Krenim Frigates that come with the Annorax. Pick whatever you wish for that slot.
Starship Consoles
Set Bonuses
Meta-Focused Tweaks:
With some of my saved (read hoarded) stuff finally selling I saw a small plethora of extra EC I could throw at some wishlist items. Namely for this build the Maquis Raider for the Plasma storm module. I have avoided thinking about this in the past due to the visual of the console however with the introduction of VERTIGO that particular downside has faded and finally made me pull the trigger on picking this up. This only leaves the potential of the last bit in the Interphase Quantum Distributor, however at this time I think this would be more of a slide grade than a necessary pickup (and I don't want to open boxes for EC just for that).
Budget Tweaks:
This ship is incredibly expensive. As such there is a multitude of budget oriented options to take.
Temporal Distortion Field - I put this in here as budget as it is the innate console on the Annorax. It provides some decent durability and a huge movement buff, as well as having a passive benefit to exotic damage.
More Particle Focusers - I use 2, you can use more if you have empty science slots. I used 3 before the plasma storm got picked up so just fill any extra science slots you can with these, they are very good.
Hull Image Refractors - While this ship doesn't have much in the way of heals, a passive +20% damage isn't bad!
If you are struggling to get some Aux power the Temporal Disentanglement Suite can help, and also offer some CrtH/CrtD along the way.
Bridge Officers
Notes
I had tried out CPB in the past but now that I'm running Universal Designs in place of Strike From Shadows, I'm liking Intel Team here more for the threat reduction and the additional SIA trigger. Unfortunately you can't use sensor analysis with Intel team but things die pretty fast in most content now for us that I'm not super worried about missing that.
Meta-Focused Tweaks:
I did pick up a Delayed Overload Cascade 3, I must say I was unimpressed. Either the power triggered later than I wanted it too and did nothing, or it flung stuff into the aether and runned runs. It could be that my focus on getting CtrlX for this build is interfering with the performance of this power, but all things considered I would rather have a tighter snappier gravity well in most content rather than DOC.
This is a meta pick and would probably give more damage however my personal performance improved when not using it so...take that as you will.
Traits
Personal Traits
Meta-Focused Tweaks:
Obviously building on an engineer was "my first mistake"...I just like the engineering playstyle (also EPS power transfer is really good). I have thought about using Intelligence Agent Attaché on this to get that power back faster, but it would have to displace something here. In the future if I solve the Aux power problem I mentioned in my skill tree I might be able to remove EPS Manifold Efficiency. Tactical Captains as always get A good day to die with science captains having Conservation of Energy. Additionally, since this is an engineer it might be interesting to use EPS Overload as the primary subsystem is aux power so this would also grant +20% CrtD.
Budget Tweaks:
Despite being one of the first people to tackle exotic math way back when the S12 and S13 changes, I am a rather dunce when it comes to the total build space. Exotics Basics might be the best place to start.
Bug notes:
As it stands, Feel the Weight of Our Presence and Resonating Payload Modification both have broken interactions with mines. For the sake of transparency I will explain on them here.
FEEL THE WEIGHT OF OUR PRESENCE: Despite explicitly listing mines as not counting for the stacking -0.5, they do. This means that I can routinely apply anywhere from -20 to -25 to targets by myself in any engagement
RESONATING PAYLOAD MODIFICATION: I suspect largely due to how mines work that these are counting as seperate entities to the player (also would explain FTWOOP) and therefore are applying stacks to targets independent of the stack counter of the player. This can cause it to exceed the 5 max stack per person limit very easy.
Starship Traits
Meta-Focused Tweaks:
Of the ones not listed, Kick them When Their Down is probably the best one to put in here, displacing Terran Goodbye. This grants up to 25% CrtH vs Terran Goodbyes +15%. However with Universal Designs Im not overly capped on CrtH...I also don't have the trait to slot there instead. By the Book is also another interesting trait that extends all anomalies. However this requires more micromanagement than I currently am capable of being "new" to exotic building, and also the ship has no temporal powers so it becomes less useful here.
Budget Tweaks:
Again, a bit of a dunce on this knowledge base. Some that I know off hand:
Improved Critical Systems - requires 2 EPtX copies to get the full benefit but most science ships tend to have a Lt. Eng or greater seat.
Unconventional tactics - +% bonus damage on using brace for impact.
yeah, there's not much here that's on a pure budget. There's a few C-store ones that poke around in my head like Checkmate, Electrified Anomalies, Strike From Shadows, and Emitter Synergy all come to mind. Exotic Modulation also serves very little use on this ship since it has no temporal powers and I would be hard pressed to want to run Directed Energy Modulation on it.
Reputation Traits
Active Reputation
Duty Officers
Meta-Focused Tweaks:
In an ideal world I would get myself an 32 of 47 Liberated Borg Duty officer for Exotic Damage increase and 20% CrtD, but its again hardly needed.
Budget Tweaks:
Most of these are really easy to get. Sub in another Projectile weapon officer for cooldowns or whatever suits your fancy if you don't want the +CrtD one.
Miscellaneous
Ship Stats
Keybinds
I'm getting used to this whole only exotic builds, normally I dabble in DEWSci. This is a little bit of an uncomfortable build space for me so I figured I'd talk about some of the things I've had to learn.
Top Row - These are my BOff ability's anomalies, shorter cooldown and tend to be more used. Again I click my powers rather than spam them. For my current rotation for maximum spike damage, I use them in order from left to right:
Quantum Singularity Manipulation - This is a big CtrlX EPG buff. In HSE this is the opener, in ISE i use this as a finisher with the gate and cube to try and spike them down faster for shorter run time to take advantage of time compression.
Gravity Well - this drags everything in. I normally wait a second or two before popping off a few more
Destabilizing Resonance Beam - This helps get Sec Def procs triggered. I was naively using this after I used a bunch of anomalies to get this as a spore proc but I've learned its better to get the sec def procs out first rather than get another SIA trigger.
Very Cold In Space - Big AOE button
Subspace Vortex - Another anomaly, I also save this for second engagements.
Electro Magnetic Pulse Probe - Another anomaly, I usually hold this for second engagement
Ionic Turbulence
Tykens Rift - If I use Gravity Well first this comes up during the second engagement window
Timeline Vortex - I've been instructed to throw this at something not in the pile, it seems to be working well
Anti-Time Engagement Suite - I should probably move this closer to QSM so I can pop them both off at the same time
Tetryon Cascade - its a space for it. I've moved the Undine bubble to the place I would normally put this (on my Z key)
Middle Row - These are my consoles, longer cooldowns and tend to be less frequent and need better timing. I've put these on shift+num up to 5 so I can used them easier with WASD.
Ionic Deflector - This is on top of being an EPG buff it also has a PBAOE damage component. I was initially just popping this off to get the EPG but if you wait for things to get grouped up after GW you can get some pretty decent damage from it
Genesis Seed - This thing is tons of damage, use it on big groups.
Generate Plasma Storm - Big AOE damage, similar to Neutronic Eddys or Genesis seed. lasts a long time so I tend to open with this as well, as it will stick around. Best to place it on a big GW (which this build also carries)
Dark Matter Anomaly - This is best against unshielded targets. In ISE this is left right, in HSE you tend to use at the start and again on vessel 1 or 2 depending on which has shields down.
Delphic Tear - AOE cone, save for another engagement where things aren't destroyed from having QSM up.
Neutronic Eddys - This is normally save for second or third engagement
Bottom Row - these are fast rotations. Best used to get triggers when needed.
Immolating Phaser Lance - triggers when needed. Lots of clicky consoles here so save it for when they're down.
Tractor Beam - control trigger, I use it manually to better time with universal console cooldown
Structural Analysis - use on clumps or wandering targets for secdef procs, very good -DRR power as well on big stuff.
Charged Particle burst - since this is a Player Based Area of Effect power (PBAoE), its best to use this when surrounded or when lots of things are withing the field rather than just spamming it
Top bar - this is my "Spam" bar, which consist of Emergency power to Engines, Torpedo Spread, and Photonic Officer. Since I'm running Improved Photonic Officer I want to have this at the start to get the +25% exotic damage buff as well as have a torp spread ready to take advantage of the high opening spike Aux and EPG from QSM, Ionic Deflector, and EPSPT3.
Parse Breakdown
ISE Record Damage Breakdown
209.7k DPS - Pets
47.5k DPS - Genesis Seed - 2.2 Mil Max hit anyone?
46.7k DPS - Badlands Cyclone - This is the plasma storm module. I have seen this do more, since it’s a new addition for me I am still learning
43.1k DPS - Cryonic Turbulence III
38k DPS - Elite Aeon Timeship - Like I said, these are not bad pets, at nearly 40k these do make it to the top of the list for potential
18.1k DPS - Anti-Time Entanglement Singularity (Rank 2)
7.2k DPS - Neutronic Eddy
5.5k DPS - Nimbus Pirate Distress Call
3.6k DPS - Ionic Turbulence I
125.2k DPS - Deteriorating Secondary Deflector
38.6k DPS - Delphic Distortion Torpedo - Salvo I
31.7k DPS - Plasma Particle Emission - Theta Radiation
30.3k DPS - Destabilizing Resonance Beam II
29.4k DPS - Gravity Well III - Gravity Well III
28.2k DPS - Spore-Infused Anomalies - Gravity Well III
27.8k DPS - Spore-Infused Anomalies
23.3k DPS - Immolating Phaser Lance - Not expecting a huge amount here but this is a great result from a console that has no +phaser damage. Just shows the power of the lance itself
23.2k DPS - Dark Matter Anomaly - Dark Matter Anomaly
22.3k DPS - Delphic Tear
22.1k DPS - Ionic Deflector Inversion - 22k from a button that’s only job is +125 EPG is really good
19k DPS - Concentrate Firepower III
18.2k DPS - Temporal Vortex - Temporal Vortex Probe
17.8k DPS - Spore-Infused Anomalies - Subspace Vortex I
16.7k DPS - Subspace Vortex I - Subspace Vortex I
16k DPS - Phaser Wide Angle Dual Heavy Beam Bank
15.3k DPS - Particle Emission Plasma Torpedo
14k DPS - Gravimetric Photon Torpedo
11.2k DPS - Tyken's Rift Power Siphon - Tyken's Rift I
10k DPS - Entropic Rider
9.6k DPS - Fek'ihri Torment
9.6k DPS - Delphic Distortion Torpedo - Spread I
9.4k DPS - Plasma Storm
9.3k DPS - Mine Explosion - Bio-Molecular Photon Mine
7.9k DPS - Spore-Infused Anomalies - Tyken's Rift I
7.8k DPS - Tractor Beam I
6.9k DPS - Delphic Distortion Torpedo
6.9k DPS - Gravimetric Photon Torpedo - Spread I
5.3k DPS - Electromagnetic Pulse - EMP Probe II
5k DPS - Gravimetric Rift - Gravimetric Rift I
2.4k DPS - Gravimetric Rift - Miniature Gravimetric Rift
1.9k DPS - Distributed Targeting II - Kinetic
1.6k DPS - Chroniton Lance
1.3k DPS - High Yield Gravimetric Explosion I - Hvy Gravimetric Device I
1.3k DPS - Distributed Targeting I - Kinetic
1.2k DPS - Charged Particle Burst I
1k DPS - Spore-Infused Anomalies - Aftershock Tyken's Rift
0.9k DPS - Anti-Time Entanglement Singularity (Rank 2)
0.4k DPS - Dyson Proton Weapon
0.4k DPS - Distributed Targeting II - Phaser
0.4k DPS - Distributed Targeting I - Phaser
0.3k DPS - Mine Explosion
0.3k DPS - Distributed Targeting II - Antiproton
0.3k DPS - Distributed Targeting I - Antiproton
0.2k DPS - Aftershock Tyken's Rift Power Siphon - Aftershock Tyken's Rift
0.1k DPS - Dark Matter Anomaly
0k DPS - Proton Particle Burn
Portability
As old as the Annorax is, there's not many like it. The hybrid tactical intelligence and single ensign engineering means the ship can run all intel or science abilities save the Emergency Powers to Engines. You can replicate this on a few ships:
Vulcan T'Pau Scout Ship - As mentioned, this is the ship this build started out with. With innate flanking could be considered a better platform, but I found it to be too explody for my liking hence swapping to the Annorax.
Na'kuhl Daemosh Science Vessel - Overlooked probably also due to age, the Lt. Engineering with Pilot means the Lt. slot can be used for another unconventional systems trigger.
From this we can expand to ships with forced tactical seating, which would benefit from using Entwined Tactical Matrices to get torp spreads.
Ba'ul Sentry Vessel - Forced tactical seating with a lt. Eng/Command, but gets a Cmdr Science / Intel
Crossfield Science Spearhead - Forced lt.C Tactical, but also has temporal seating along side a Lt.C Intel
Ships with a Lt. Engineering seat (we can make use of the
Saturn Intel Science Spearhead - another Cmdr Science / Intel ship, this also has a Lt.C Tactical forced.
Krenim Science Vessel - Another often overlooked ships. This is from an old event that came out after the Annorax. Its now in the phoenix store.
Section 31 Intel Science Destroyer - Lots of intel seating available here
Legendary Caelian Intel Multi-Mission Explorer - More Forced Tactical seating, it also gets a hanger and 4/2 weapon layout instead of the standard 3/3.
And of course ships with temporal can do just as well, though I won't go through an exhaustive list.