Plasma Accelerators

[Arya]

I bought a Federal Gunship a week ago and Rahu's givedn me a chance to test it out and play with my build. I'm using two PAs as part of my loadout and they're doing great, but it's left me wondering where to from here.

I've never modded PAs before, and I'm not really sure what direction to go in. Inara's information on them is totally outdated and of no help at all, it doesn't show the recipes available in 2.203 or the currently available experimental effects.

What's available, and what are your experiences with them?

[Ofan]

How's your aim, if it's great maybe efficient over charged or rapid fire although jitter + fixed is pretty messed up at anything but short range, a really good efficient roll and great charge enhanced dist roll means you can fire very often.

If aim is not so great then focused or long range as the faster the projectiles go the easier it seems to hit and hit at longer ranges.

Can't remember what effects I took, although I recently rolled about a dozen of all shapes and sizes, I think on the larger ones I didn't bother with any in particular but on the smaller ones went after the effects that break target locks, on the assumption I'd be harassing big ships in smaller ships and them not being able to target me in a fast mover can only be a good, disorienting thing.

Edit: I also did a couple with phasing just for giggles haven't tested them yet though.

[Eviscerador]

I have mine with efficiency. same DPS, much less heat and power leech. Allows you to fire more weapons at the same time.

[Turd Ferguson]

I did efficient on mine and really like it. heat issues gone. I modded a second one the same way with plasma slug. Haven't had a chance to try it out to see if the DPS reduction is worth having unlimited ammo yet (with the heat and power reduction I can shoot it A LOT).

Hopefully I'll have time this weekend to go test it.

[Turd Ferguson]

Originally posted by Eviscerador:

I have mine with efficiency. same DPS, much less heat and power leech. Allows you to fire more weapons at the same time.

you can actualy get a bit of a DPS increase. On a good roll I got 14% damage increase.

[Dolphin Bottlenose]

Originally posted by Turd Ferguson:

I modded a second one the same way with plasma slug. Haven't had a chance to try it out to see if the DPS reduction is worth having unlimited ammo yet (with the heat and power reduction I can shoot it A LOT).

It is reduced quite a lot. I did a short range blaster G5 on mine with a slug special effect, and checked with outfitting -> modification. Almost all my 40+% increase in DPS was gone, I was left with something like 5% increase, after applying the plasma slug. If I knew in advance, I probably wouldn't have been using that plasma slug effect - we have quite a lot of plasma ammo now, should be enough to fight for a while.

[Turd Ferguson]

Originally posted by Dolphin Bottlenose:

Originally posted by Turd Ferguson:

I modded a second one the same way with plasma slug. Haven't had a chance to try it out to see if the DPS reduction is worth having unlimited ammo yet (with the heat and power reduction I can shoot it A LOT).

It is reduced quite a lot. I did a short range blaster G5 on mine with a slug special effect, and checked with outfitting -> modification. Almost all my 40+% increase in DPS was gone, I was left with something like 5% increase, after applying the plasma slug. If I knew in advance, I probably wouldn't have been using that plasma slug effect - we have quite a lot of plasma ammo now, should be enough to fight for a while.

yeah. i got one of each. I'll see what works better for me hopefully this weekend.

[in memoriam of Sharky]

I use the efficent plasma alaways because with most of the ships the distribution and heat management would suffer and I cant shoot with the rest of my weapons unless its 4 pip.

I tried plasma slug for CZ reasons and its good that I don't have to worry about missing my target but I feel that the damage reduction is not worth it .(go to the station and rearm takes "5" minute anyway ) I think the mods like ovecharge , rapid fire , short range blaster, are only good for PVP single target fight .

If you wanna do mostly PVE than I sugges you to use efficent with Phasing Sequence experimental. I found it the best. The huge Plasma on my cutter can do around 2-4% dmg on NPC vettes,anacondas through shield I haven't tested with smaller plasmas but I guess its 1-2% or somethintg like that and its a usefull thing when the NPC shield goes back just before you kill it with 1% hull. :D

PS. Phasing Sequence has damage reduction also but its similar to the buff of efficent so it breaks even and you don't loose dmg.

Also you don't need plasma slug if you get the "PP rank 3" advanced plasma it has 300 ammo. (I know it tooks 4 week to join that faction if you havent already)

[Arya]

Originally posted by Dolphin Bottlenose:

We have quite a lot of plasma ammo now, should be enough to fight for a while.

Ammo is the least problem I'm having with PAs. The only thing I'd really want to improve is my damage per hit, so I'll probably take the practical option and go with Efficient.

I have a good eye for Fixed weapons, backed up by a very precise joystick and closely mounted guns. So hitting targets isn't a problem. Federal Gunships run quite cold, cool well and have a great base distributor, which I've modded to G5 Charge Enhanced. I'm hoping that with Efficient I'll see a decent damage increase, if not the increased ROF and ability to blast away with very little impact on my capacitor would be worth it anyway.

[GriM_AoD]

Experimental effects;

Dazzle Shell - Experimental shells that temporarily reduce a targets sensor acuity upon impact.

Dispersal Field - Experimental upgrade that causes successful strikes to temporarily confuse all gimbal and turret hardpoints on the target, at the cost of direct damage potential.

Phasing Sequence - Bleed through Modulating burst fire system designed to defeat shielding. A small amount of damage is able to „bleed“ through shields and attack the targets hull directly, at the cost of minor damage reduction.

Target Lock Breaker - Experimental upgrade that breaks target lock on successful strikes.

Thermal Conduit - Experimental upgrade that increases damage output based on heat level of the firing ship.

I take efficient on pretty much all of mine. And I use PAs on all my ships except a single alternate Imperial Eagle loadout that has rails, which is also happens the only build of mine to have something that isn't beams or plasma xD

As for the desirable special effect, that's a tougher question. Assuming you're using two medium PAs, and to account for potential PvP, I think lock breaker and dispersal field are a good combo.
Phasing is nice, but I only use that on my FDLs huge PA, that coupled with dispersal and lock breaker along with 2 dazzle shells ruins days very quickly.