r/stobuilds • u/Winter_2017 • 17h ago
Finished build How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Sistruus
Intro
Builds have lost a sense of identity. Before, the game was much more combo dependent - having to combine items in a unique way to get to a desired result. There were tons of cool tech choices that were good on specific builds. Think running a torp for Super Charged Weapons, which encouraged running a beam/torp/combo 3-pc set, which again changed depending on energy type. A2B Technician CDR is another classic interaction which feels far better than the modern solutions.
I keep finding that the current state of the game is among the worst it's ever been. Every high end build these days has been reduced to two objectives:
- Activate Unconventional Systems as often as possible.
- Use Universal Consoles as often as possible.
This has really collapsed the design space. Before, you had to make a choice as it impacts your build (designing around stats, sets, and passives). Now, the only stat that matters is final DPS. When you only have one metric to judge items by, it naturally results in having certain answers be absolutely correct, and everything else be a mistake.
This leads to what I consider to be a dishonest metagame - every build is reaching for the same thing and pretends to do something else. There is no longer a goal to build towards - any differentiation is largely preference. Individually good items have risen to the top. For example - the Pahvan Omni is practically inescapable. You'll see the Khitomer Shields and Tholian core on high-end as they are the only option in their slot which deal damage. You no longer see builds excel as a result of careful crafting, but instead through raw DPS output.
Twinkling Lights does not help.
I do not enjoy flying modern Uncon Builds - there's so many abilities to keep track of and it's essential that you time your activations perfectly. It's very difficult to get a high parse, or at least have confidence that a parse is actually good. The variability is very high, and it takes too many runs to judge if a change has improved your build.
Build Info
Does anyone remember the Sistruus? I have seen precisely one over the past ~5 years - it's not fully spec, it doesn't have a hangar bay, and it's largely relegated to history.
Fortunately for me, the ship takes vanity shields in a weird way. The Sistruus I saw looked cool enough that I had to get one. Plus, it was the only Xindi ship I was missing, and the console set has a unique interaction with hangar pets. I had the expensive ships, so why not pick one up with no intention to actually fly it?
I fell in love with this ship. It does nothing - no spec, no lance, no hangars, no cloak. It is as pure as you can possibly get.
I fit everything on two hotbars. One of them is dedicated to CPM triggers.
What I love about this ship is that I don't have to think or try. It is very consistent to fly, and the small number of abilities allows me to maintain near perfect focus. Every boff ability is on the spambar. I can look at what I'm doing, not at my cooldowns. It is a revelation.
Let me be perfectly clear - this build is very modern. I would still classify it as dishonest. The difference is that it lies to me. It has tricked me into feeling like I'm flying a build from a decade ago.
This ship is nearly perfect for uncon, with the only flaw being the ensign seating being tac instead of sci. I can hit 20s uptime consoles with just a single vovin usage. Half the consoles can live on the spambar. The only downside is maintaining PFA, and that can be alleviated with the right teammates.
This thing easily puts up 1.3m. That's not a lot these days, but the ship is T6, not T6X. I have the tokens, but it's way more fun than I thought to leave so much on the table and just enjoy the simplicity. I think this can hit 1.4 with a good run, and maybe 1.5 with a perfect one. EDIT: I just got 1.787m with this. New record for me!
I'm also at a relatively low endeavour level (290) so while it helps, I'm not being carried by the maximum bonuses. I'm still very far from maxing the important space stats.
This ship is more fun than anything else I've flown over the past couple years, including the L-Valdore (which is very similar).
Player Information
| Information | |
|---|---|
| Captain Faction | Romulan |
| Captain Race | Alien |
| Captain Profession | Science |
| Primary Specialization | Intelligence |
| Secondary Specialization | Temporal |
| Intended Role | DPS |
Skill Tree
| Engineering | Science | Tactical | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant | Hull Capacity | Advanced Energy Weapon Training | Advanced Projectile Weapon Training | ||||
| Lieutenant Commander | EPS Flow | Improved Impulse Expertise | Improved Control Expertise | Improved Drain Expertise | Improved Targeting Expertise | Improved Defensive Manuvering | |
| 5 Points | Control Amplification | ||||||
| Commander | Hull Plating | Advanced Weapon Amplification | Advanced Weapon specialization' | ||||
| 15 Points | |||||||
| Captain | Defensive Subsystem Tuning | Offensive Subsystem Tuning | Advanced Exotic Particle Generator | Advanced Long Range Targeting | Advanced Hull Penetration | Advanced Shield Penetration | |
| 25 Points | |||||||
| Admiral | Improved Warp Core Potential | Coordination Protocols | |||||
| 35 Points | Defensive Coordination | ||||||
| Warp Core Efficency | Offensive Coordination | ||||||
| Total of 46 of 46 Points | Engineering Points: | 10 | Science Points: | 11 | Tactical Points: | 25 |
Skill Tree Unlocks
| Points to unlock | Engineering Unlocks | Science Unlocks | Tactical Unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlocks After 2 | Training Manual: Hazard Emitters III | Training Manual: Science Team III | Training Manual: Tachyon Beam III |
| Unlocks After 5 | Battery Expertise | Transwarp Cooldown Reductions | Hangar Weaponry |
| Unlocks After 7 | Training Manual: Feedback Pulse III | Training Manual: Photonic Shockwave III | Training Manual: Jam Sensors |
| Unlocks After 10 | Maximum Hull Capacity | Maximum Shield Capacity | Projectile Critical Damage |
| Unlocks After 12 | |||
| Unlocks After 15 | Energy Critical Damage | ||
| Unlocks After 17 | Training Manual: Viral Matrix III | ||
| Unlocks After 20 | Defense | ||
| -------------- | -------------- | -------------- | -------------- |
| Unlocks After 24 (Ultimate) | Focused Frenzy | ||
| Unlocks After 25 (Ultimate) | Frenzied Assault |
Skill Tree Information
I'm nearly happy with this skill tree. This updated was intended to do everything, and it almost gets there. The only notable missing point is Improved EPS Flow - it is likely better to drop improved drainX and take that point instead.
Build Description
Type Your info here
| Basic Information | Data |
|---|---|
| Ship Name | 432 Hz |
| Ship Class | Escort |
| Ship Model | Xindi-Reptilian Sistruus Escort |
| Shield Visuals | Lukari Restoration Initiative Regenerative Shield Array |
| Basic Information | Component | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fore Weapons: 5 | Temporal Disruptor Dual Beam Bank | These are great - the DoT on these does decent damage and the aux scaling means PFA directly boosts these. |
| Temporal Disruptor Dual Beam Bank | Two of these are UR, one is VR. Just missed the recent upgrade weekend. | |
| Temporal Disruptor Dual Beam Bank | One nice thing about these is that they drain Aux - meaning that splitting weaponry Aux/Wpn ends up halving total power sag. Doesn't end up mattering with the Dilithium Transporter. | |
| Disruptor Wide Angle Dual Heavy Beam Bank | Lorca's Ambition 1/2. This is bugged to give +20% bonus damage ship wide, and it is definitely worth slotting. | |
| Dark Matter Quantum Torpedo Launcher | Lorca's Ambition 2/2. I've tried replacing this with another Temporal Disruptor, but while it parses better, everything else does worse without the set effect. | |
| -------------- | -------------- | -------------- |
| Aft Weapons: 2 | Neotype Omni-Directional Cryonic Beam Array | The new slop weapon - the hazard this thing creates has parsed over 100k dps alone. |
| Omni-Directional Pahvan Proton Beam Array | The ultimate slop weapon - just the resonance shock has outdamage all temporal disruptors combined. | |
| -------------- | -------------- | -------------- |
| Experimental Weapon | Prototype Phaser Hexa Cannons | Highest DPS option. I think the exp weapon that comes with the Sistruus is decent as it's one of the few AoE options. |
| Deflector | Elite Fleet Intervention Protomatter Deflector Array | Set up for Hullcap and EPG. |
| Impulse Engines | Mycelial Wave-Impulse Engines | ST Field Mods 1/3. Can probably improve this slot, but these engines work well enough. +12 power is quite good. |
| Warp Core | Mycelial Harmonic Matter-Antimatter Core | ST Field Mods 2/3. Core gives AMP and A->W, which is suppling quite a bit of weapon power. The 2-pc is doing a ton of heavy lifting for the ships overall survivability. |
| Shields | Tilly's Review-Pending Modified Shield | ST Field Mods 3/3. This shield theoretically increases DPS, and the 3-pc provides >40k on a decent run. |
| Devices | Tzenkethi Protomatter Capacitor | I rarely use devices. |
| -------------- | -------------- | -------------- |
| Engineering Consoles: 4 | Subspace Fracture Tunneling Field | OP console that does a bit of everything. Absolutely irreplacable to this build as it gives an absurd amount of universal console cooldown. Helps with maneuverability, and the short cooldown helps upkeep PFA. This thing should be nerfed. |
| Miradorn Sensor Baffler | This may be in my top 3 favourite consoles in the game. It is dirt cheap right now on the exchange and I highly recommend picking it up. 16.5% CritH, 33% CritD, and 33% bonus flanking damage. Running full intel just to take advantage of this. | |
| Dilithium Transporter | This is absurdly good and often a top line item in parses, on top of buffing weapons by removing weapon power drain. I cannot believe I waffled for a year before opening this from the event campaign box. | |
| Custom Power Matrix | Another absurd console. In an engineering slot to ensure Aux power is capped at rest. | |
| -------------- | -------------- | -------------- |
| Science Consoles: 2 | Adapative Emergency Systems | Bonus DRR is underrated, and +30% Cat2 all damage buff is fantastic. Wish there wasn't a lockout on Fleet Weapon Acceleration, or else I would run this whole set. |
| Dynamic Power Redistributor Module | Great heal and damage buff. Important survivability tool. | |
| -------------- | -------------- | -------------- |
| Tactical Consoles: 5 | Breen Cryonic Module | Helps cap Aux at 130. The damage on this is also quite good, topping out for me at ~70k dps. I Wish the set effect was better. |
| Proton Eruptor Module | Normally I like this for the +5 weapon on top of the powerful clicky, but here it's being ran for the short recharge to maintain PFA stacks. | |
| Fleet Power Network Array | Most OP item in the game. Did you know you can add up the time weighted haste from all other consoles which provide haste, it is only ~10% away from this single console? Desparately needs to be nerfed. | |
| Bio-Electrical Wave Capacitor | Another one of my top 3 consoles, this is a blast. It doesn't do much on the build, but it does buff Mycelial Lightning. | |
| Krenim Chronophage | Here for the huge damage and ease of use. I used to run the Dragonsblood Flame Reactor here, which put up similar numbers with the bonus damage buff. | |
| -------------- | -------------- | -------------- |
| Universal Consoles: 0 | ||
| -------------- | -------------- | -------------- |
| Hangars: 0 | ||
Officers and Crew
| Bridge Officer Information | Power | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Officer 1: Commander ( Tactical ) | Attack Pattern Beta III | Debuff and Agent Neural Proc |
| Trait: Superior Infiltrator/Superior Romulan Operative | Beams: Fire at Will III | |
| Cannons: Rapid Fire II | Here purely for Cultural Conquest. | |
| Torpedos: Spread I | ||
| Officer 2: Lt. Commander ( Science ) | Photonic Shockwave I | Uncon Proc: 1/30s |
| Trait: Captain Spock | Scramble Sensors I | Uncon Proc: .75/30s - I use this one because I like the icon. |
| Tracor Beam I | Uncon Proc: 1.5/30s | |
| Officer 3: Lt. Commander ( Eng/Temporal ) | Timeline Collapse I | Uncon Proc: 1.5/30s - Kentari Boffs are underrated |
| Trait: Kentari Ferocity, Leadership, & Efficient | Chronometric Inversion Field I | Uncon Proc: 1/30s |
| Heisenberg Amplifier I | Uncon Proc: 2/30s | |
| Officer 4: Lieutenant ( Eng/Pilot ) | Clean Getaway I | Uncon Proc: 2/30s |
| Trait: Superior Romulan Operative/Superior Subterfuge | Emergency Power to Engines I | This is really the only emergency power you need with the Temporal Disruptors. |
| Officer 5: Ensign ( Tactical ) | Kemocite-Laced Weaponry I | I wish this wasn't a tac seat, but it's good for ~25k DPS. Note that as this build is not crit capped, Watchers would be better choices than SROs. |
| Trait: Superior Romulan Operative | ||
| Officer 6: [rank] ( [profession] ) | ||
| Trait: [name] | ||
| Duty Officer Information | Power | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 27 of 47 | Improve Critical Severity by 20% for 30 seconds | I'm using these because they're the ones I have. Should be good even without Intel. |
| 30 of 47 | Improve Accuracy by 20 for 30 seconds Improve Exotic Damage by 25% for 30 seconds | |
| 31 of 47 | Improve Damage Over Time by 50% for 30 seconds Improve Exotic Damage by 25% for 30 seconds | |
| CritD EWO | 3% chance: +10% Critical Severity buff to self for 15 sec (Stacks up to 3 times) | Only blue rarity. |
| CritH EWO | 3% chance: +1% Critical Chance buff to self for 15 sec (Stacks up to 3 times) | Only blue rarity. |
| Agent Nerul | While under the effects of Attack Pattern: Beta, each weapon fired restores 0.2% of your Max Hull | Last bit of healing on this build. |
Character, Reputation, and Starship Traits
| Personal Space Traits | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The Boimler Effect | 17.5% chance: Recover the Recharge time of all other Bridge Officer Abilities up to their Shared Category Cooldowns | Main CDR resource, really helps keep Clean Getaway at its minimum. |
| Superior Beam Training | +7.5% Beam Weapon Damage | |
| Duelist's Fervor | You or your teammates getting kills will grant you a short-duration damage and accuracy rating boost. Whenever you or a teammate kills something: +5% All Damage for 10 sec +5 Accuracy Rating for 10 sec (Effect stack up to 3 times) | |
| Breen Shield Tunneling | "15% Shield Penetration with Weapons 15% Armor Penetration with Weapons -10% Maximum Shield Capacity " | |
| Inspirational Leader | 10% chance: Activating any Bridge Officer Ability grants +10 to Most Starship Skills for 15 seconds (may stack up to 3 times). | Some people say this trait is outdated, and I am not one of them. |
| Fragment of AI Tech | " '+__% Energy Weapon Damage based on Control Expertise (Max +30% at 300 Control Expertise) +50 Control Expertise (Improves Control Effects / Resistance to Same) | Only topping out around 20%. |
| Unconventional Systems | Using a Control Bridge officer ability gives -7% Recahrge to Universal Consoles | Most overpowered trait in the game! |
| Fleet Coordinator | +2% All Damage per Team member (Self included), up to 10% | |
| Terran Targeting Systems | +15% Critical serverity, incoming critical hits reduce speed by 10% for 5s (max once per 15s) | |
| Aetherian Beam Enhancements | "Dealing damage with Energy Weapons grants 1 stack of Aetherian Beam Enhancements (max 1 per 2 seconds) Each stack of Aetherian Beam Enhancements increases your Energy Weapons Damage by 1%, for a maximum of 15% Upon reaching 15 stacks, your next attack will cause a Proton Release on the targeted foe: +_____ Proton Damage and Hold to 3 foes for 5 seconds in a 5km radius" | Super bugged right now, you can find the info on this sub. I saw a slight increase with this as is, so definitely replaceable if it gets fixed. |
| Symbiotic Ice | Beam Weapons gain an additional percentage of total damage as Cold Damage. This extra damage is not improved by sources of increased or bonus damage a second time, except by increases or bonuses specific to Cold damage. | Surprisingly weak, can likely do better. Filling out this form has reminded me that Context is for Kings exists. |
| Space Reputation Traits | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Precision (Rank 2) | +5% Critical Hit Chance | T6 Romulan |
| Advanced Targeting Systems (Rank 2) | +20% Critical Severity | T6 Dyson |
| Auxiliary Power Configuration - Offense (Rank 2) | +25 All DRR, +6.25% Max Hull and Shield Cap | T6 Nukara |
| Magnified Firepower (Rank 2) | +6.25% Bonus Weapon Damage | T6 Gamma |
| Tyler's Duality | +1% Critical Chance based on Hull Capacity (Max +6 at 200,000 Hull Capacity) | T6 Disco - I just realized now I'm not actually running these, so the parses can be trivially improved. |
| Starship Traits | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cultural Conquest | Weapon Firing Modes apply +25% Increased Damage for 15 sec Dealing Weapon Damage to Foes that have Debuffed, DoTed, or Controlled you improves the bonus to +50% and removes one such effect from you" | Third-best damage increasing trait in the game, gives a ton of Cat1 in a meta where console space is at a premium. |
| Universal Designs | When activating a Universal Console (lasts for 20 sec, stacks up to 5 times): 2% Critical Chance 10% Critical Severity | Second-best damage increasing trait in the game. If you don't own this, it should be towards the top of your list. |
| Particle Fluctuation Analysis | Activating a Universal Console grants the following buffs to self and up to 4 nearby players for 10 sec (stacks up to 10 times): 1% Critical Chance and Healing Critical Chance 10% Critical Severity and Healing Critical Severity +2 Current and Max Auxiliary Power +15 Starship Perception (Improves Detection of Cloaked Ships) | Strongest damage increasing trait in the game. An absolute pain to use. The additional Aux power buffs both FPNA haste as well as the damage of the Temporal Disruptors, in addition to all the ability increases. |
| Cold-Hearted | "While active, Energy Weapons apply Cold-Hearted to foes, once per firing cycle. Each stack of Cold-Hearted causes: -9.1% Flight Speed for 15 sec -10 All Damage Resistance Rating for 15 sec -2 to Current and Max All Subsystem Power for 15 sec 5 stacks max (from all sources)" | One of the perks of flying a pilot ship is the ability to use this trait. The debuff is still good, but on a modern team you're often getting a ton from your teammates. I'm wavering on replacing this with the Ruin of our Enemies (which technically surpases PFA as the absolute best damage increasing trait in the game, but only after ~60 stacks). I have not seen a major difference in DPS switching between the two so far. |
| Breen's Free Fire | Extends duration of Beams: Fire at Will by 5 sec. | This trait should have been added to the game 10 years ago. Well worth burning an event campaign on obtaining. |
Concluding Remarks
I did not expect a T6 build to do so well. There's trivial improvements on the road to T6X2, but I'm enjoying flying a normal T6 significantly more than I had though I would. Sometimes, less is more.
If you did want to transition this to t6x2, I'd suspect traits which add new sources of damage would be the way to go, such as Hellbore Light. I'm very happy with it where it is, and feel no need to do so.
Where can it be improved? Crit chance. I've looked into the new Sigma Strategem console and while it feels like a perfect fit the cooldown doesn't start until after the ability ends. There's trivial improvements to be had by replacing SROs with Watchers.
If anyone has a list of consoles which a. provide a ton of raw stats, and b. cooldown while active - I'd be very interested in going through it.
As the Sistruus is an easily accessible ship (can be easily purchased by selling <$20 worth of keys) I was looking into converting this into a starter uncon build. That's a hard no - it is eye watering how much this build costs, and how much uncon in general costs. I take way too much which I have access to for granted, as event campaigns and moderate annual spending quickly adds up over the years. If you are a new player, do not try to build this right away. You will be much better served building out the basics.
PS. Fixing up the old formatting was an absolute pain, but I think it adds to this post about looking backwards.