Burst lasers - are they any good

[Saool]

I have four Pythons, scattered around human space, and use a long range AspX to move between them. Each Python has an identical set up, right down to the way they are engineered, with the exception of the weapons. They all have different load out just to keep them all unique.

Currently they are running:

Dominion Dart - 3 x Large Beams (Efficient weapon 5), 2 x Medium Auto Cannons (Lightweight 3, Corrosive shells (yeah I know the second one is wasted))
Equusala - 2 x Large Frag Cannons (Efficient weapon 5), 2 x Medium Frag Cannons (Efficient weapon 5), 1 x Medium Rail Gun (Lightweight 4, Feedback cascade)
Spear of Alioth - 3 x Large Plasma Accelerator (Efficient weapon 5, Plasma slugs), 2x Medium Pulse laser (Rapid fire 5, Phasing sequence)
Turner's Quest - 3 x Large Pulse Laser (Efficient weapon 5), 2 x Medium Pulse Laser (Efficient weapon 5, Scramble spectrum (This is a very dull ship, but I hardly use it as it is in the California Nebula))

I'm looking to change the load out on the Equusala. The frags are effective but I just don't like them. I will probably keep the Rail Gun and add a second. They I was thinking of trying burst lasers. But they they any good? I've been reading a few threads and people seem to say there is no advantage over efficient beams.

Can anyone recommend them? Or does anyone have any suggestion on other set ups that they would recommend I try?

For referance, all the ships are all rounders for BGS work. They are also almost entirely pve.

 

[Deleted member 110222]

I love bursts. Mind, I'm talking about a Cobra, not a Python.

 

[GODofDUTY83]

Got 3 large on mine. They are boss. Once the shields drop the cannons go to work. Deadly npc condas get laughed at. Bare in mind my python is built for bubble use, not all out combat.

Should add none of the weps on my python are modded and used for pve only.

 

[AnotherVoice]

Before Engineers, burts lasers were a good middle ground between damage / energy consumption. Then, efficient beam lasers were born, and burst laser pretty much became irrelevant.

In my opinion, Efficient Weapon is worth applying only on PAs and Beam lasers. I personnaly prefer long range for pulses due to the severe damage fall off and don't use bursts at all. I would if inertial impact didn't have that much jitter.

That said, if you're doing PVE, you don't need to think min maxing everything, then burst lasers might be fun to use. For Frags, i would have gone double shot for maximum damage potential.

Considering what you already have, if you want something different (and maybe fun ) you may try 3 Large Overcharged Cannons with 2 medium rapid fire burst lasers for the lulz. I would use this for close / medium range combat due to the severe damage fall off from lasers.

 

[V'larr]

I use a 2x railgun, 3x pulse laser build on my Python. The rails still run hot enough that it's worth going for heat efficiency as the main focus with the rest of the weapons.

Burst lasers, I find, work best when you want to use an all-laser loadout.

 

[Dommarraa]

Have 2 burst turrets on top of my Python. Love em. Cannot remember what engineering I have on them but I highly suspect it is long range or focus.

Usual mix of MC gimbles underneath.

 

[Xious]

I like Burst but only use Efficient Beams and/or MC's.

 

[JesusRocks1988]

I have 2 large bursts on my Python.
Grade 5 Efficient with Scramble Spectrum... Though I'd recommend doing two different effects, as Scramble Spectrum doesn't stack.

Very good for PvE. Can fire for over a minute continuously on 2 pips.
Can't speak to their effectiveness at PvP because I've only had one fight and I lost, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Saool]

Thank you for your responses.

 

[ForeverN00b]

No wonder you don't like frag cannons OP. You're using efficient! Why, it's not like they have high distro draw or heat generation. I would use overcharged, high capacity or double shot.

 

[clivewil]

In my opinion, Efficient Weapon is worth applying only on PAs and Beam lasers. I personnaly prefer long range for pulses due to the severe damage fall off and don't use bursts at all

i use efficient on all my beams and pulses, and i love the way they work for me.

typical scenario, in my multirole Python with 2x turret C2 beams, 3x C2 pulses:
i get interdicted by an NPC before i've escaped the sun's envelope, i.e. i am still in fuel scooping range, high chance of overheating in most cases - i put 4 pips to shields, 2 to weps. i kill the NPC. my wep cap never drains, and i never get anywhere near overheating, even though my fire is constant and my Pyth is running DD5 (Dirty Drive 5 is a very hot mod)

everyone has a favourite setup that suits their gameplay style - after trying various configs, i settled on this one and now i use a similar approach on most of my ships. (it's easy to use, effective, and needs no ammo. YMMV.)

 

[RagingxPenguin]

Lasers need a buff.
Compared to kinetic... Utter rubbish and lord braben help you if your target has thermal shields.

 

[thirstyfish]

I suppose you could go for long range burst lasers to get a little bit more DPS out of them compared to pulse lasers with the same engineering. But it seems to me that efficient beams would be just about the best thing for stripping shields in a hurry without boiling your ship too much. If you could get thermal vent on them too, then that would be better still.

 

[HeavyGroovez]

Ditch the efficient frags dude !!

Stick 3 large double shots with screening shell on her.

They are the seriously powerful - you can vaporise big ships in seconds.

Bursts are ok but check out efficient beams with thermal vent. High DPS and no ship thermal load. They do take a lot of WEP capacitor energy to cool though.

 

[Hatchepsut]

Imperial Cutter Here.
Have no choice but to use Turrets.
Rapid Fire Pulses where quite good.
But I have to Admit Rapid Fire Bursts are amazing...particularly with Phasing Sequence.
With 2 Large and 2 Medium Burst Rapid Fire Phased Turrets .. you can see the enemy Armor melt through the shields 1% at a time.
Even shield Tanks take significant hull damage over time.
And when you get through the shields 2 Medium and 1 Huge Multicannons turn anything into swiss cheese quite fast.