STO: The Healer
Continuing my look this week at how to fill the traditional MMO roles in Star Trek Online, today we’re going to look at the cleric of space, the Healer. Unlike most other games, being a dedicated healer in space does not keep you from other roles. A Tank/Healer combo is not a bad mix.
1. Your Player Captain
Tactical- The skills provided by the Tactical Captain do not provide much of a benefit in the role of Healing.
Engineer- The engineers great tanking abilities, Miracle Worker and Rotate Shield Frequency are not especially useful to a healer, as they can only be used on yourself. EPS Power Transfer, is again, useful for everything with it’s power boost.
Science- The science captain is in the same boat as the engineer. Dampening Field can help reduce damage to allies, but it’s not really a heal.
2. Ship Type
Escort– Unlike tanking, escorts suffer the most in their ability to be a Healer. Most healing is derived from BO abilities, unlike the other roles which are more spread out between the four categories. And most abilities are Engineer and Science based. Escorts do have speed, which makes them especially difficult to be healed, it can allow them some help with healing.
Cruiser– The advantage for cruisers is their high number of Engineer BO’s and their strong hull. Staying alive and needing less healing yourself, is incredibly important to a Healer. The StarCruiser class is especially useful since it is the only cruiser with two science BO’s.
Science– BO heals are nicely spread between science and engineer, giving science ships more of an equal stand with cruisers than they had as a tank. Science ships, with less weapons, also have the added advantage of typically drawing less aggro. Their strong shields can help keep themselves alive.
The Nebula retrofit get’s special attention here as it serves almost as a perfect hybrid between cruiser and science. With the strongest hull of all science ships, a commander science BO, Lt Commander engineer BO and the Federation’s only universal slot, the nebula gives you lot’s of options.
3. Ship Equipment
The biggest pieces that will affect your ability to tank are deflectors and science consoles. Shields are still important for staying alive, as can be engineering consoles, but they directly affect healing.
Deflectors– Unless you are using a special set, a deflector that has bonuses to Deflector Field and Hazard Systems/Emitters is what you’re going to want to go for. .
Science Consoles– Like deflectors, the main use of science consoles is to help boost certain BO abilities (primarily hazard or deflector field).
4) Bridge Officer Abilities
Tactical Officers– As with tanking, most tactical BO abilities are not directly helpful.
Engineering Officers– Similar to tanking, the stand by’s for engineering are Engineering Team and Aux to Structural Integrity. Emergency Power to Auxiliary is also still useful for boosting the effectiveness of your science heals and Aux to Structural Integrity. The main difference is that Extend Shields finds it’s purpose. Sometimes difficult to use due to it’s 5km range (especially on fast escorts), Extend Shields is a great ally heal can help keep someone being pounded on alive.
Science Officers– Science heals, Hazard Emitters, Science Team and Transfer Shield Strength, provide the same usefulness they did for tanks. Polarize Hull loses it’s function, as it’s just a tractor beam escape and resistance buff, not a heal. Jam Sensors becomes incredibly useful for a healer, as preventing someone from attacking while you heal up your allies is incredibly useful.
In addition, Feedback Pulse can provide a nasty response to anyone who attacks you and Photonic Officer also finds use, because there is nothing worse than needing to heal someone, and having everything on cooldown.
Concluding Build
In conclusion, here’s the sample build:
Ship: Nebula Class Refit
Captain: Science
Loadout: Complete Borg set, 1x Field Generator (shield boost), 1x Shield Emitter Amplifier (Shield Regen), 1x Booster Modulator (Bonus Aux power), 3x Halon Systems (Weapons and tactical console should match, but any types work)
Bridge Officers:
Commander Science- Feedback Pulse 3, Hazard Emitters 3, Transfer Shield Strength 2, Jam Sensors
Lt. Commander Engineer- Extend Shields 2, Auxiliary to Structural Integrity, Engineering Team 1
Lieutenant Tactical- Dispersal Pattern Beta 1, Torpedo High Yield 1
Lieutenant Universal- Photonic Officer 1, Science Team 1 OR Emergency Power to Auxiliary 2, Emergency Power to Engines 1
Ensign Science- Hazard Emitters 1
Tactics
Your power should be mainly devoted to Auxiliary, with a good balance to shields and engines. Weapons should be low, depending on the need for additional DPS. Move quickly between allies, keeping the ones with weak shields within 5km range so you can use Extend Shields. EPtE is helpful for this. Throw out Auxiliary to Structural Integrity as soon as it cycles for the damage resistance buff. Same with TSS. Keep Engineering Team for when a bigger heal is needed and Hazard Emitters for whomever is the main target.
If the bad guys start coming after you, trigger Feedback Pulse and if necessary, Jam Sensors. Use the Dispersal Pattern to keep a net of mines near you, giving you some cover to hide in. If you choose Chroniton, these can be great to slow down pursuers.
Complete Series
