For faster projectiles, it's either long ranged or focused. Focused g5 gives +120% penetration, but am I right in thinking that it will have no effect, since both weapons already have 100% penetration as standard?
Cheers.
Cheers.
Engineers Ship Builds & Load Outs PA and APA engineering effects.
- Thread starter Stabby_Dave
- Start date
Yes but the main thing about Focus is Shot Speed and the penalties are better than Long range.
Long range gives you the same shot speed as focused: Shot speed +100%, range +100%, damage falloff +100%. Focused gives AP +120%, range +100%, shot speed +100. I'm wondering if the AP increase actually does anything.
You won't shot at that range with Plasmas,and as I said you heve penalties of Mass and Heat generation with Long range.
Focused it is, then.
Cheers.
Cheers.
I think is the better choice,I use them usually or go Efficient when power problems arise.
Might be better to stop Focusing at G4
Makes Plasma' speed a nice match for Multicannons projectile speed if you plan to run a MC/Plasma combo
I also just copypasted my buddy's PA setup but it works quite well. That's Focused G5 plus Plasma Slug -- so I basically never run out of ammo even in extended HazRes hunts.
The DPS isn't fantastic but Plasmas are all about burst anyway. I could imagine that APAs can be played more as a Sustain weapon.
The DPS isn't fantastic but Plasmas are all about burst anyway. I could imagine that APAs can be played more as a Sustain weapon.
Was thinking of running 2 APAs on a Mamba alongside multis (1 corrosive) and an efficient thermal vent beam.
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Should you choose to fly a fdl, efficient PAs are OP. Meta is now efficient with mostly thermal conduit with one target lockbreaker.
Thermal conduit does a ridiculous amount of damage. At 100 degrees TC does iirc, 60% more damage.
Thermal conduit was not used often until after Fdev fixed the Heat Bug by making ships more resistant to heat. Another consequence of more resistance to heat was that short range rail guns could be finally used with prismatic shields instead of only bi weave.
My favorite fdl build consists of 1 huge PA eff TC, 1med eff PA TC, 1 med PA eff tlb, 1 overcharged med PA TC, and one feedback cascade imperial hammer. The overcharged PA makes it more likely that a low level of TC is always proccing. If you want the super procc, fire the hammer.
[EDIT] you could also use scbs to procc TC as well.
Thermal conduit does a ridiculous amount of damage. At 100 degrees TC does iirc, 60% more damage.
Thermal conduit was not used often until after Fdev fixed the Heat Bug by making ships more resistant to heat. Another consequence of more resistance to heat was that short range rail guns could be finally used with prismatic shields instead of only bi weave.
My favorite fdl build consists of 1 huge PA eff TC, 1med eff PA TC, 1 med PA eff tlb, 1 overcharged med PA TC, and one feedback cascade imperial hammer. The overcharged PA makes it more likely that a low level of TC is always proccing. If you want the super procc, fire the hammer.
[EDIT] you could also use scbs to procc TC as well.
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Indeed, efficient PAs are perhaps the most difficult to use weapon in game. It took me over a year to get better at them. And I still need improvement. Please don't be too hard on yourself!!
Below is what I did to get better with PAs:
I used an FDL with four medium gimballed multicannons and one huge PA to learn. If you don't have a FDL or don't like them, a Viper mk3 would be fine, too as well as any other agile medium ship. The multicannon reticle is on the same vector as the PA reticle but is closer to the ship. I used the MC reticle to train my eye to track the PA reticle. The further you are from the target, the more spread out the MC and PA reticles are from the ship. You want to fly in such a way as to get the reticles to bunch together. The closer you are to the target, the closer the PA reticle is to the ship, and the more likely it is for the PA to connect. The PA reticle is very deceiving and a feel for the target vector is at all times is necessary. You could aim precisely but not hit the target because your PA shot was not on an intercept course with the target ship vector.
I farmed czs and massacre missions with the 4mc 1 PA build until I was able to connect the PA almost Every Single Time. It is especially difficult to hit small ships with PAs, for example, Viper 3s. However, since I PvP, I needed Viper 3s to be easier because humans are even more difficult. Then I gradually substituted the rest of the MCs with PAs. One of my favorite builds is four PAs mostly thermal conduit and one target lock breaker and one turreted corrosive mc. I love having the mc reticle reference in especially asteroid belts, where the rocks often obscure reticles. In open space, I no longer need the MC reticle as a crutch.
PAs are extremely frustrating at first, however they are really one of the best weapons in game. You will gain significant skill in range control because you will realize the closer you are to the target, the likelier the shot will connect. Also:
1. The damage dropoff is 2km. That's huge. Some lasers have drop offs of 600m, which means at greater distances your damage will be diminished significantly.
2. PAs do absolute damage which means no manipulation of resistances will help your targets.
3. After you become competent with PAs, you will have to rearm far less often and target destruction will be much faster. I usually solo and win two low intensity conflict zones back to back without having to get more ammo.
Anyway, best wishes!
o7
Below is what I did to get better with PAs:
I used an FDL with four medium gimballed multicannons and one huge PA to learn. If you don't have a FDL or don't like them, a Viper mk3 would be fine, too as well as any other agile medium ship. The multicannon reticle is on the same vector as the PA reticle but is closer to the ship. I used the MC reticle to train my eye to track the PA reticle. The further you are from the target, the more spread out the MC and PA reticles are from the ship. You want to fly in such a way as to get the reticles to bunch together. The closer you are to the target, the closer the PA reticle is to the ship, and the more likely it is for the PA to connect. The PA reticle is very deceiving and a feel for the target vector is at all times is necessary. You could aim precisely but not hit the target because your PA shot was not on an intercept course with the target ship vector.
I farmed czs and massacre missions with the 4mc 1 PA build until I was able to connect the PA almost Every Single Time. It is especially difficult to hit small ships with PAs, for example, Viper 3s. However, since I PvP, I needed Viper 3s to be easier because humans are even more difficult. Then I gradually substituted the rest of the MCs with PAs. One of my favorite builds is four PAs mostly thermal conduit and one target lock breaker and one turreted corrosive mc. I love having the mc reticle reference in especially asteroid belts, where the rocks often obscure reticles. In open space, I no longer need the MC reticle as a crutch.
PAs are extremely frustrating at first, however they are really one of the best weapons in game. You will gain significant skill in range control because you will realize the closer you are to the target, the likelier the shot will connect. Also:
1. The damage dropoff is 2km. That's huge. Some lasers have drop offs of 600m, which means at greater distances your damage will be diminished significantly.
2. PAs do absolute damage which means no manipulation of resistances will help your targets.
3. After you become competent with PAs, you will have to rearm far less often and target destruction will be much faster. I usually solo and win two low intensity conflict zones back to back without having to get more ammo.
Anyway, best wishes!
o7
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I first started ED in VR, but then went to pancake because I didn't like turning my head so much during combat. VR is breathtaking, but necessary information for pvp needs to be compact for me.
There are some incredible PvPers who do play in VR however.
I've not found the AI to be specifically responding to individual shots so much as making general manoeuvres.
The trick I've found is to wait for them to do certain things that trap them into a heading and fire then. Especially when they do slidy turns (FDLs and Mambas love doing this, which kill their angular momentum and make them a sitting duck whilst also presenting a nice big target profile to shoot at).
Or just bait them into a joust and splash them head on.
Alright, after all that talk I have decided to give it a go with the Eff PAs. I wanted to get better at close-range combat anyway.
Only I noticed that I'm low on the high-end manufactured mats... bah, have to go mat farming again it seems. :6
Mb I'll first practice with just Efficient (G4 or something) and no EE? And then slap on TC later when I can actually hit shtuff? ^^
What other EEs are advisable when you go without Plasma Slug? ^^
Only I noticed that I'm low on the high-end manufactured mats... bah, have to go mat farming again it seems. :6
Mb I'll first practice with just Efficient (G4 or something) and no EE? And then slap on TC later when I can actually hit shtuff? ^^
What other EEs are advisable when you go without Plasma Slug? ^^
For Plasma Accelerators? Target lock breaker. Then Dispersal Field or Dazzle shell. However, Thermal conduit is really OP. So most fly TC and TLB. Another alternative is to have an all phasing sequence PA ship. Phasing sequence causes hull damage when shields are up. Phasing sequence is effective against Shield Tanks like FDLs and Cutters. However if you are killing stuff by yourself, TC and TLB are the way to go.