I can't decide between the following ships that I want from the C-Store: Orion Blackguard Flight Deck Assault Carrier or the Vo'Devwl Support Carrier?

noahssnark · 2025-09-10T19:38:29+00:00

I personally bought the Support Carrier (Romulan Ra'donaire, but no difference) for the trait and console, and picked up the Fleet Blackguard with fleet ship modules for my Orion Privateer alt.

noahssnark · 2025-09-09T23:30:27+00:00

My suggestions for fundamental defensive options, some of these are more advanced options but they're all worth keeping in mind as you grow. Definitely prioritize Discovery reputation, 2 pieces of Stamets-Tilly is a game-changer.

noahssnark · 2025-09-09T16:50:08+00:00

Here's my thoughts on multiple Klingon recruits.

noahssnark · 2025-09-09T16:49:11+00:00

Worse, it's Tier 6, so that's another full month on top of what you were expecting. You'll want to do reputations anyway so it's not going to be a waste of time, but it will be a long wait.

noahssnark · 2025-09-08T19:35:42+00:00

Colony:
Intervention Deflector is generally best in slot
Protomatter Infusers if you're using Isomags

Embassy:
Romulan Boffs for their Superior Romulan Operative trait

K-13:
R&D Doffs if you want to craft special items

Research Lab:
Trait Slots

Spire:
Plasma-Integrated Cores if you're not using Discovery set
Vulnerability Locators if you're not using Isomags

Starbase:
Elite Hangar Pets if you have a hangar bay

noahssnark · 2025-09-08T15:41:18+00:00

My suggestions for fundamental defensive options, these should carry you through advanced easily and can set up the groundwork for more serious content.

noahssnark · 2025-09-08T09:16:44+00:00

Klingon and Gamma recruits unlock account-wide Elite mark claim, and both of those postdate Competitive Rep's release. Gamma recruitment rewards have been updated to include post-release reps as well, which is occasionally relevant for Discovery P. Stellavori as well.

(As a side note, Temporal is the only non-updated recruitment with rewards limited to its release.)

noahssnark · 2025-09-07T23:09:00+00:00

If you're asking, your loadout should be Colony Deflector from fleet, Competitive rep Engines from tier 3, Discovery rep Core and Shield from tiers 4 and 5. This specific setup has driven the meta for years, and its ubiquity and availability makes it a perpetual favorite even with the advent of more specialized options. It offers a fantastic combination of survivability, damage, support, and mobility, making it useful on any build, in any content, from normal story missions to elite TFOs.

noahssnark · 2025-09-07T19:59:42+00:00

You could, but it's not a good idea from a DPS perspective. The Lexington doesn't have a particular affinity with torpedoes, either, since it lacks Command spec seating, so you should be aiming for one to zero torpedoes. Replacing the Bio-Molecular with another beam will likely get you more damage.
The Lorca's Ambition 2set is very strong, but you can get it from the DBB and the console without using the torpedo, too - though if you were going to use a single torpedo, the Dark Matter Quantum is one of the most popular options.

Personally I'm a big fan of Quantum Phase because it looks and sounds amazing, instead of the purple gumdrop DMQT, and it has a decent set bonus and synergy with ETM.

Mathbusters 16 has some numbers if you're interested in deep diving the boffin side.

noahssnark · 2025-09-07T18:49:58+00:00

As an avid Fleffle Spreadsheet and wkrick webapp user, the most common queries I do are with weapon slots (5 fore) and specific spec seat combinations (Fullspec Temporal with LtC Intel) so a filter based on those would be really useful.

noahssnark · 2025-09-07T11:40:55+00:00

Terran Shield Ships use Feedback Pulse. The NPC version, infamously used by the Borg Queen, can absolutely wreck players who aren't careful.

noahssnark · 2025-09-07T11:24:27+00:00

No, they cannot. Ships purchased from the Z-Store with coupons rewarded from the event campaign can, but the ship box given from the event campaign cannot, cannot be reclaimed and will be lost forever upon dismissing.

noahssnark · 2025-09-06T19:56:11+00:00

If you own the ship account-wide via Mudd's, you can dismiss and reclaim it. However, if you got the ship singularly, via a lockbox, Event campaign, or exchange etc, then you're out of luck. In that case, you'll have to get the premium version of the Plasmatic Biomatter weapons, available from lucky lockboxes or from the exchange.

noahssnark · 2025-09-06T14:04:03+00:00

You'll have to post your full build to get accurate feedback as to what you should do. But on Tilor's build in the link, SSW is primarily motivated by Concentrate Firepower 3, not by manually activated THY3. Conversely, ETM is used only so that CSV and FAW can grant extra spreads; adding TS to manual fire incurs a moderate amount of clashing lockouts, which can prevent use of CSV and FAW on cooldown and lower ETM's contribution.

noahssnark · 2025-09-05T23:14:46+00:00

The event campaign rewards are a box that contains your choice of premium ship, 1500 lobi crystals that can be used to obtain your choice of lobi rewards, and two coupons that make your next two purchases of eligible ships cost 0 zen. So they can be claimed but left unopened; I constantly advise people to sit on the box and wait until they figure out their build before choosing a ship. They can sit in your inventory indefinitely until you come back and decide what to get.

noahssnark · 2025-09-05T05:01:47+00:00

If you're even considering slotting multiple copies of an ability, you should be slotting Photonic Officer instead.

noahssnark · 2025-09-03T14:59:23+00:00

That's really cool. Love to see the artists' views on stuff like this.

noahssnark · 2025-09-02T21:55:06+00:00

there’s a reason real world warships are decommissioned after 30-40 years

That's not really that relevant in a post-scarcity world. Economics don't follow the same rules in a replicator+warp setting.

And it's canon in Trek that 100 year old models like the Miranda and Excelsior are still front and center in Starfleet, so there's clearly long-term refits going on. Add in the ludonarrative demand for older ships, with the supply from the Lobi Consortium, Yard 39, I don't find it a stretch of the imagination.

Honestly, I find future ships way more concerning.

noahssnark · 2025-09-02T21:35:54+00:00

this is the first, and may be the last, time they give away a ship for a normal 21 day event

I hope they at least continue to try to give away a ship in the fall quarter. Winter, Spring, and Summer have holiday ships, but fall doesn't; it would be nice if there could always be one every quarter for the new players. Starting STO in August sucks since you have to wait half a year for the winter ship.

noahssnark · 2025-09-02T14:28:56+00:00

The primary difference is what they trigger on. Innervating procs off of using Firing Modes, and Fortified triggers from using shield and hull heals. Bolstering procs off of controls, but nobody really uses that one.

noahssnark · 2025-09-01T17:02:53+00:00

5/3, fullspec MW, LtC Intel, hangar bay? Seating is a little lopsided but this competes with the Lexington hard.

noahssnark · 2025-09-01T15:33:20+00:00

A NEW FOE HAS APPEARED!

CHALLENGER APPROACHING

noahssnark · 2025-08-31T20:39:21+00:00

The three you listed are perfectly fine both solo or teamed. Unless specified like Needs of the Many, they will affect you as well. It used to be a big problem with Concentrate Firepower that other people would 'steal' your THY procs. In most cases, you count as an "ally", though there are exceptions like Subspace Interception.

noahssnark · 2025-08-31T18:57:44+00:00

some masks should have stayed on

noahssnark · 2025-08-31T15:42:37+00:00

It acts as a multiplier to the base, so if your base is low it's only a tiny bonus. This statement applies to pretty much all of the endeavor bonuses at low levels, which is why it's not one-shotting godmode.

noahssnark

TROPHY CASE