Pulse, burst or beam?
- Thread starter Daniel264
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Deleted member 110222
D
Burst.
![[VR] Frank_G](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/59/59394.jpg?1553527111){kind=avatar}
That depends on the build.
In low-power builds i use pulse lasers, but with some engineering - mostly modded to deal increased damage or firing faster pulses.
In ships that can handle the energy-hungry needs of beam lasers, i would prefer them, as they deal constant damage and bite through shields quite efficiently, especially with efficiency mods.
Recently i turned my back on lasers on most builds, exchanging them with rail guns. First because they deal great damage to both shields and hull and second to increase my skill firing with fixed weapons.
In low-power builds i use pulse lasers, but with some engineering - mostly modded to deal increased damage or firing faster pulses.
In ships that can handle the energy-hungry needs of beam lasers, i would prefer them, as they deal constant damage and bite through shields quite efficiently, especially with efficiency mods.
Recently i turned my back on lasers on most builds, exchanging them with rail guns. First because they deal great damage to both shields and hull and second to increase my skill firing with fixed weapons.
![[VR] M4st0d0n](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/182/182772.jpg?1569064854){kind=avatar}
Beam. I can write my name with it.
On any vessels with turreted lasers I use burst lasers, as (when they are active) they do not 'monitor' the temperature. Beam lasers in turrets could cause heat damage to their host vessel, while burst lasers do not get hot enough for this to happen.
Deleted member 110222
D
I use focused, but yeah. Lucky on my ship the PD makes it all the efficient I need.
The last time i looked this up managed to cut though all the pvp meta answers and came to first principles.
Thermal damage is best for shields, kinetic is for hulls, though thermal does work on hulls from those first sidewinder experiences. As you gain credits, i think the aim would be to have both.
Which laser depends on your power distributor, with beams draining them very quickly. The aim is to have less downtime while they recharge.
Engineer mods which change the dps and cost balance are worth considering as well if you do it, and also interestingly incendiary ammo for multicannons which transforms the kinetic damage into thermal (with low distributor draw but less ammo).
So with all the pieces, the fun part is to build up a loadout which is effective and you find fun to play. The other weapons like flak cannons, plasma balls, rail guns and cannons are different types of weapons which you can try and add into different ships for different purposes and fun. You can only understand them by trying them out and seeing how they feel.
There's also no point in having a weapon if you find it too hard or not fun to use, doesn't matter about whatever statistic other people may claim they are the best at. You the pilot is the factor that connects it all together.
Have fun!
Thermal damage is best for shields, kinetic is for hulls, though thermal does work on hulls from those first sidewinder experiences. As you gain credits, i think the aim would be to have both.
Which laser depends on your power distributor, with beams draining them very quickly. The aim is to have less downtime while they recharge.
Engineer mods which change the dps and cost balance are worth considering as well if you do it, and also interestingly incendiary ammo for multicannons which transforms the kinetic damage into thermal (with low distributor draw but less ammo).
So with all the pieces, the fun part is to build up a loadout which is effective and you find fun to play. The other weapons like flak cannons, plasma balls, rail guns and cannons are different types of weapons which you can try and add into different ships for different purposes and fun. You can only understand them by trying them out and seeing how they feel.
There's also no point in having a weapon if you find it too hard or not fun to use, doesn't matter about whatever statistic other people may claim they are the best at. You the pilot is the factor that connects it all together.
Have fun!
AP Birdman
Banned
Fixed efficient beam with thermal vent to keep my ships cool
I don't really have a preference as such. My choice of weapons in general depends on a number of factors. In general though:-
Overall, I mix and match my weapons and generally try not to be too dependent on one weapon type or another.
Mod wise - LR/Focused are often my preferred engineering option with Phased Sequence/Scramble Spectrum/Thermal Shock probably being my preferred effects for these weapons (in that order).
- Pulse Lasers - rarely use them, normally only when power is limited and I don't want to use multi-cannons for some reason.
- Burst Lasers - often use them, a nice balance between Pulse and Beam lasers
- Beam Lasers - use them for cases where I feel it makes sense to (probably use them slightly less often than Burst lasers due to ship heat build up and/or power drain concerns)
Overall, I mix and match my weapons and generally try not to be too dependent on one weapon type or another.
Mod wise - LR/Focused are often my preferred engineering option with Phased Sequence/Scramble Spectrum/Thermal Shock probably being my preferred effects for these weapons (in that order).
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It changes for me from time to time.
Currently:
Efficient Burst for anything with long time on target, e.g. gimbaled or turret versions on slow turning ships.
I just rediscovered the fun of efficient fixed Beams. Same DPE as gimbaled bursts, but much more DPS. It fits rather well with the shorter time on target for fixed weapons and uses the time off target to reload the capacitor.
Currently:
Efficient Burst for anything with long time on target, e.g. gimbaled or turret versions on slow turning ships.
I just rediscovered the fun of efficient fixed Beams. Same DPE as gimbaled bursts, but much more DPS. It fits rather well with the shorter time on target for fixed weapons and uses the time off target to reload the capacitor.
Mostly Beam or Pulse.
I always have at least one of the three lasers as support weapons, since I do play in CO-OP. At least one of the following, most of the time two;
Efficient Beam Lasers + Regeneration sequence
Focused Pulse Lasers + Concordant sequence
Focused Pulse Lasers + Emissive munitions
I generally don't use burst lasers on gimballed or turret, because the jitter can easily cause all three shots in a salvo to miss a target at medium-long ranges.
Burst lasers as fixed weapons are great, although I prefer railguns or plasma accelerators for this.
I always have at least one of the three lasers as support weapons, since I do play in CO-OP. At least one of the following, most of the time two;
Efficient Beam Lasers + Regeneration sequence
Focused Pulse Lasers + Concordant sequence
Focused Pulse Lasers + Emissive munitions
I generally don't use burst lasers on gimballed or turret, because the jitter can easily cause all three shots in a salvo to miss a target at medium-long ranges.
Burst lasers as fixed weapons are great, although I prefer railguns or plasma accelerators for this.
Really does depend on the build and/or ship focus. Engineering also has a lot of relevance here- engineered weapons can really change the nature of how they're used.
Unengineered, keep in mind the following:
Pulse is most efficient on energy- but does the least damage
Burst is a mixture between efficiency/damage
Beam is high damage but really sucks for efficiency unless you mod it
Pulse you can spam almost constantly, given enough power pips into weps and also most heat efficient can really bring down shields quick, Burst is kinda iffy on spamming- mainly because of the cooldown times between shots- and it's more difficult to line up shots, Beams you can spam as long as you've energy but will really kick your heat up the longer you hold it. Beams are pretty much "easy mode" lazorz.
The most obvious intent of "lazorz" is pretty much for melting shields- for hull/armor damage you'll want to combine with kinetics/hybrids anyway. The exception to this rule of course is the higher grade the weapon, the more sustained damage it's going to do (Vulture with x2 Class 3 Pulses, for example) especially against ships smaller than its own size.
It's also a hotly debated topic as to mix weapon types- or go with singular focus- especially when Engineering comes into play... there's just so many different combinations you can mix/match that it really comes down to your own personal preference unless it's purely situational (high shields/low armor, or vice versa) and I've seen a lot of people go with pure hybrid damage types (plasma accelerators, etc.) with fixed instead of gimbals/turrets to maximize damage, too. These days very few "speed/hull/armor tank" and shield "stacking" seems to be the current "meta".
My personal favorite is the time-tested gimballed/fixed pulses with fixed kinetics of some sort (missiles or multicannons) so basically once their shields are down, I can either snipe at their specific modules, or my other weapons are eating away at their structure until they stop moving. I've been known to switch it up, though.
Unengineered, keep in mind the following:
Pulse is most efficient on energy- but does the least damage
Burst is a mixture between efficiency/damage
Beam is high damage but really sucks for efficiency unless you mod it
Pulse you can spam almost constantly, given enough power pips into weps and also most heat efficient can really bring down shields quick, Burst is kinda iffy on spamming- mainly because of the cooldown times between shots- and it's more difficult to line up shots, Beams you can spam as long as you've energy but will really kick your heat up the longer you hold it. Beams are pretty much "easy mode" lazorz.
The most obvious intent of "lazorz" is pretty much for melting shields- for hull/armor damage you'll want to combine with kinetics/hybrids anyway. The exception to this rule of course is the higher grade the weapon, the more sustained damage it's going to do (Vulture with x2 Class 3 Pulses, for example) especially against ships smaller than its own size.
It's also a hotly debated topic as to mix weapon types- or go with singular focus- especially when Engineering comes into play... there's just so many different combinations you can mix/match that it really comes down to your own personal preference unless it's purely situational (high shields/low armor, or vice versa) and I've seen a lot of people go with pure hybrid damage types (plasma accelerators, etc.) with fixed instead of gimbals/turrets to maximize damage, too. These days very few "speed/hull/armor tank" and shield "stacking" seems to be the current "meta".
My personal favorite is the time-tested gimballed/fixed pulses with fixed kinetics of some sort (missiles or multicannons) so basically once their shields are down, I can either snipe at their specific modules, or my other weapons are eating away at their structure until they stop moving. I've been known to switch it up, though.
I like all laser builds and with a OC'd PP + CE PD I go full Efficient Beams and usually carry one Efficient Burst laser with the Scrambled spectrum mod.
Really does depend on the build and/or ship focus. Engineering also has a lot of relevance here- engineered weapons can really change the nature of how they're used.
Unengineered, keep in mind the following:
Pulse is most efficient on energy- but does the least damage
Burst is a mixture between efficiency/damage
Beam is high damage but really sucks for efficiency unless you mod it
Pulse you can spam almost constantly, given enough power pips into weps and also most heat efficient can really bring down shields quick, Burst is kinda iffy on spamming- mainly because of the cooldown times between shots- and it's more difficult to line up shots, Beams you can spam as long as you've energy but will really kick your heat up the longer you hold it. Beams are pretty much "easy mode" lazorz.
The most obvious intent of "lazorz" is pretty much for melting shields- for hull/armor damage you'll want to combine with kinetics/hybrids anyway. The exception to this rule of course is the higher grade the weapon, the more sustained damage it's going to do (Vulture with x2 Class 3 Pulses, for example) especially against ships smaller than its own size.
It's also a hotly debated topic as to mix weapon types- or go with singular focus- especially when Engineering comes into play... there's just so many different combinations you can mix/match that it really comes down to your own personal preference unless it's purely situational (high shields/low armor, or vice versa) and I've seen a lot of people go with pure hybrid damage types (plasma accelerators, etc.) with fixed instead of gimbals/turrets to maximize damage, too. These days very few "speed/hull/armor tank" and shield "stacking" seems to be the current "meta".
My personal favorite is the time-tested gimballed/fixed pulses with fixed kinetics of some sort (missiles or multicannons) so basically once their shields are down, I can either snipe at their specific modules, or my other weapons are eating away at their structure until they stop moving. I've been known to switch it up, though.
Great stuff, very helpful!
I have a 'farming' Vette, all laser build, I'll Def be keeping the focused pulse turrets now.[yesnod]
Guns are for chimps. If something is bothering you just drive your anaconda through it.