Help choosing starting perks

[Elegant Caveman]

Just talking about the three Experience perks.

Just started playing, got to level 10, unlocked Hoarder, gonna use that, redo the tutorial. Didn't like my initial Experience Perk pick.

I definitely want Power Optimization (Energy Generation: +7%), but I'm unsure about the others.

At first I was going to take Armor Plating (Armor: +15, +5%) and Maneuverability (Turning Speed: +12%, Strafe Speed: +2/s), but now I'm eyeing Velocity (Max Speed: +10%) and Power Management (Energy Storage: +15%) as well.

I've played a fair few other games in this genre, and I've always found turning rate to be very important.

Whereas in other games you tend to be limited by one version of each subsystem, though, you can have multiple ones in this case.

Specifically, seeing that I can have multiple gyroscopes and the fact I'll be able to craft my own makes me less concerned about turning speed.

Since we can only have one drive, though, now I'm leaning more towards Velocity...

Power Management doesn't seem that interesting, but I'm wondering if I'm missing something... like, what's even the point of having large energy storage? Seems useful for free short warps, but beyond that, does it even matter?

Right now, I'm leaning towards Power Optimization, Armor Plating, and Velocity, though I'd love to hear some feedback on that. There might be some other aspect of the game I'm underestimating/don't know about at all. I've only played to level 13 or so, still in a yacht.

[quixotic_tinkerer]

I tend to start with Velocity on every single run because that +10% maximum speed is always useful.
My second pick tends to be Armor Plating if I'm ever going to do any kind of combat. It's a bit of extra defense you can't just get later.
My third pick depends on what kind of run I want to do. Fleet focused, mining, trading, solo.
Do I want extra starting cash from Deep Pockets?
Do I want extra geology to get to iridium faster?
Do I need one more starting point?
Will I be doing a small ship run and go for power generation?
Really big ship starts like cruisers and dreadnoughts will often take Acceleration, because they always need it.

Plenty of options, but two out of the three are pretty standard for me.

[Porked!]

Energy storage is mainly used for weapons that consume huge amount of energy per shot. If you don't have enough for 1 single shot, even though you do have enough per-second, you can't fire it. And, yeah, there's also warping from one end of the galaxy to the other end and such.

Meanwhile, energy generation bonus kinda becomes pointless when you have expert engineers and miner's/venghi reactors around.

Turning speed is heavily capped on larger ships and only % bonuses can increase the cap. 2x orange Large Gyro IV is equal to 1x orange + 1x purple. So that perk can matter a bit.

Armor damage reduction also applies to shield. If plan on going with shield build, yeah, take that extra armor.

The rest are pretty straight forward.

Personally, I always pick the +2000 credits that comes with +bounty so each hunter visit will always leave some nice blues for me. The other two perks are either +starting points or +turning/velocity.

[EvolutionKills]

Power Optimization - Everything uses power, and the more you have the easier it is to run more shields/weapons/boosters/equipment and to over-power them (e.g. 150~200% power usage).

Velocity - You spend most of your time flying around at top speed, so why not get where you are going faster? Plus being able to literally out-run your enemies is never not an effective strategy for survival.

Armor Plating - Post armor overhaul, it's harder to get up to neigh invincible damage reduction, but still, every bit of armor does help. Not only is it a health flat bonus, but the 5% is nothing to scoff at. I managed to reach a very respectable 60.1% DR in a Wizard frigate with Energy Armor and WeaverSong at the helm. Your options for increasing your armor are pretty limited and you can't easily stack it like you can shields, so grab bonuses when you can.

[Elegant Caveman]

Thank you all for the feedback.

Originally posted by EvolutionKills:

Power Optimization - Everything uses power, and the more you have the easier it is to run more shields/weapons/boosters/equipment and to over-power them (e.g. 150~200% power usage).

Velocity - You spend most of your time flying around at top speed, so why not get where you are going faster? Plus being able to literally out-run your enemies is never not an effective strategy for survival.

Armor Plating - Post armor overhaul, it's harder to get up to neigh invincible damage reduction, but still, every bit of armor does help. Not only is it a health flat bonus, but the 5% is nothing to scoff at. I managed to reach a very respectable 60.1% DR in a Wizard frigate with Energy Armor and WeaverSong at the helm. Your options for increasing your armor are pretty limited and you can't easily stack it like you can shields, so grab bonuses when you can.

This is basically what I was thinking, and why I was leaning towards those, except...

Originally posted by Pokie!:

Meanwhile, energy generation bonus kinda becomes pointless when you have expert engineers and miner's/venghi reactors around.

This has me rethinking Power Optimization...

Originally posted by Pokie!:

Turning speed is heavily capped on larger ships and only % bonuses can increase the cap. 2x orange Large Gyro IV is equal to 1x orange + 1x purple. So that perk can matter a bit.

Velocity and Armor Plating seem like solid choices, but perhaps Maneuverability instead of Power Optimization? Especially considering it tends to cap, otherwise.

[EvolutionKills]

Originally posted by Elegant Caveman:

Originally posted by Pokie!:

Meanwhile, energy generation bonus kinda becomes pointless when you have expert engineers and miner's/venghi reactors around.

This has me rethinking Power Optimization...

Counter-Point: Those are endgame equipment solutions to a problem that always exists. Energy management is one of your key limiting factors throughout the entire game. Even getting two of either of those reactors to break down and craft will still be dozens of hours into a game (both require Allied reputation to buy, or massive RNG to show up as loot or quest rewards). Also, large reactors tend to be big and heavy. If you can get away with needing fewer reactors, that's more equipment space freed up for other stuff; like refineries, flux, or more shields.

Keep in mind that Reactor Optimization is a 2nd tier Engineering skill, and you get +5% per perk point. Meaning that you need to dump at least 7 points into Engineering before you can surpass/make up the energy regen bonus of Power Optimization.

[Elegant Caveman]

Originally posted by EvolutionKills:

Counter-Point: Those are endgame equipment solutions to a problem that always exists. Energy management is one of your key limiting factors throughout the entire game. Even getting two of either of those reactors to break down and craft will still be dozens of hours into a game (both require Allied reputation to buy, or massive RNG to show up as loot or quest rewards). Also, large reactors tend to be big and heavy. If you can get away with needing fewer reactors, that's more equipment space freed up for other stuff; like refineries, flux, or more shields.

An excellent point.

And do I need that extra 12% turn speed? Once I start using bigger ships, I suspect I won't care so much (guessing based on my playstyle of similar games in the past).

Useful with smaller ships early on, at which time I doubt I'll be hitting any sort of cap. And by the time I do, I'll probably be using my fleet and turrets more.

Originally posted by EvolutionKills:

Keep in mind that Reactor Optimization is a 2nd tier Engineering skill, and you get +5% per perk point. Meaning that you need to dump at least 7 points into Engineering before you can surpass/make up the energy regen bonus of Power Optimization.

I do intend to go for Nano Boosters, though, which means I'll be maxing Reactor Optimization on the way.

Along with Optics for the extra zoom level, and Leadership for the extra fleet command and fleet armor.

Beyond that I'm unsure. Combat's quite tempting, of course, but I was disappointed to learn that Nano Components only applies to your ship, and not to the others in your fleet.

That's a whole other discussion, though. I can always respec anyway, and I'll have a better idea of how things go as I play more.

[redundantusage]

I think for the longest time I always ran nearly the same: Acceleration and Max Speed boosts as a base, and then prior to the new main story line I would take the bonus +Space Pilot to make it easier to grab 60 if I was lucky enough for the Lady to drop.

With Lone Wolf being so great and attainable and coming with other bonuses, I tend to go Turn Speed if I plan to end up in a dreadnaught class ship, or Scanner Power because it makes Self Reliant runs easier for me.

[EvolutionKills]

Originally posted by redundantusage:

With Lone Wolf being so great and attainable and coming with other bonuses, I tend to go Turn Speed if I plan to end up in a dreadnaught class ship, or Scanner Power because it makes Self Reliant runs easier for me.

Lots of fun, can confirm. A Self Reliant & Techie (+30% chance for blueprints on scavenge) run built around one of the new Ranger class ships (e.g. the new Wizard frigate) can be a lot fun. Alternatively the Prometheus corsair class dreadnought gets another innate +30% blueprint find chance. But you don't realize how much you miss indefinite cloaking until you no longer have it.

Fly around Ravagers entirely unmolested? Check.

Duck out and watch an entire hunter-killer fleet fly right past you? Check.

[MrPurple33]

Yourself and others have already given Solid Reasons and Advice-
Here's some additional Input from Me-



Power Optimization +7% - I ALWAYS take this because at the Start of a New Game, it Let's you get going well with just those 2-3 first Nuclear Reactors- If you are doing a Start with a Frigate or Cruiser, you can quickly slap on 8-12 Nukes and the Optimization will Help Power those Big Ships, and then also Help to Wean you over to just 2-4 Large Nuclear Reactors when you find those at Stations

When you get to the next Tier- Shields Mk II's, 2.0 Computers, and anything else where the Power Consumption starts Increasing, Power Optimization is then also very helpful, especially until you find Fusion Reactors and Large Fusion Reactors and can then Upgrade those to Blue and Purple Quality- Because I know better Equipment is coming I Greatly Dislike "Wasting" Refined Metal to Upgrade something to Blue, or using Ancient Relics to Upgrade to Purple-
So I try never to Upgrade Nuclear Reactors beyond Green, but then will Immediately be able to Upgrade the first Fusion Reactors I find up to Purple

Also extremely helpful in Power Generation is the T2 Ship Enhancement +25 Energy Generation, especially with Yachts and Corvettes- It requires you finding Superior Components, but it basically adds an extra Purple Quality Fusion Reactor (which has +26 Energy Gen) and frees up 2 Equipment Space, which can help a Lot, especially with Yachts

Later in the Game Power Optimization is still Helpful- Just to more easily Power Big Ships, Maximize Equipment Up to Level IV and V, all 6 of the 3.0 Computers needing 9 Energy
(54 Total) and either Lots of Gun Mounts, Massive Main Weapons, or Both

The Power Storage +15% Perk Looks Like it would Pair Nicely with the Power Optimization +7% -and it can- But I've rarely taken it, as even Mid-Game, Levels 20-25, you have enough Energy Generation and Storage and that +15% Storage is redundant- and that's way before you find Ardonian Batteries





+2 Fleet Command- This is the Other Perk I take 90% of the Time- The Reasons are because at this point I've played Star Valor so much I "Pre-Plan" what my Fleet will be and what Skills
I will take when I reach Level 50, BEFORE I even Start another New Game Profile- My Fleets will roughly usually be set up with my Main Flagship (Any Ship) 0/Zero Fleet pts- 2 Frigates, 20 pts- 4 Corvettes 20 pts, and then 4 Yachts/Fighters for 12 pts- So Usually 52 Fleet Points Total, not 50 when I Max Out my Player Character- Having 52 instead of 50 gives me that balanced, 4 Fighter Yacht Wing of 12 pts, instead of a 3 Fighter Wing of 9 pts and 1 Extra, "Wasted" Fleet Point

My Fleet Composition will Vary from my OCD, Set Preference of Main-2-Frigates-4-Corvettes-4 Fighters- Both with Ship choices, any Fleet Point+ from Carriers, or possibly Crewmen or other Factors- But I Like the Security of having that Extra +2 Fleet Command points, so I don't spend all that time on a Nice Fleet and then at Level 50 discover I'm 1-2 Fleet Points short of a desired Fleet Formation- And if I've gotten Higher in Fleet Points, say up to 54-58, I then still have a nice option to Tack On another 1-2 Yachts or 1 Corvette, or remove a Corvette and get another Frigate

+2 Fleet Command also gives you +1 Starting Points for other Perks or for to offset the
-2 Starting Points if you're taking a Special Crew Member- If you Absolutely Know you are going to be doing a Game Profile as a Solo Ship, Space Pilot Level 50-60, then of course
Don't Take +2 Fleet Command- Otherwise I Usually Will




Armor Plating- Just always Smart to have a Bonus to Defense and Survivability- I'll usually also take the other Defender Perk on the Lower, 5 Perk Area for more Armor- and you'll Earn the Guardian Angel Perk In-Game usually for more Armor- the 5 Combat Skill Points for Hull Points, 5 for Shields, and 1 Point for Resistance/Armor- any Engineer Crew Bonuses for
Hull Points+ or Armor+ -Armor Plating Equipment (Tritanium, Neutronium, etc)-
any Hull Reinforcement Equipment (Hull, Improved, and Superior)- Any Ship Enhancements (the T3 +150, +10% is always nice)- The Solo Space Pilot Armor Increases- and anything
else you may find- Jack Up all the Armor+ and Hull Point+ as it All Stacks and Multiplies your Defense and Survivability





Other Good Choices for those 3 Top Level Starting Perks are Velocity (Max Speed +10%),
Ordinance (Weapon Damage), Acceleration, Turning Speed, and possibly Scanning

If you know you're going to do a Mining or Trading Fleet,
Prospecting and Commerce can be nice too

+2 Technology can be helpful also- Early Game you can Equip items sooner, and
Craft Weapons with Boosters, Damage+, and Automatic Targeting for Missiles sooner-
Later on the +2 Technology might seem useless, but then if you find a Doom Cannon,
Venghi Death Ray, or any other Huge Tech+ Items you can actually Equip them when your Tech Level Maxes at 50, now it's 52- +2 Technology also gives you a +1 Starting Point Bonus




More Supporting Reasons-

Originally posted by Elegant Caveman:

Right now, I'm leaning towards Power Optimization, Armor Plating, and Velocity, though I'd love to hear some feedback on that. There might be some other aspect of the game I'm underestimating/don't know about at all. I've only played to level 13 or so, still in a yacht.

Originally posted by EvolutionKills:

Power Optimization - Everything uses power, and the more you have the easier it is to run more shields/weapons/boosters/equipment and to over-power them (e.g. 150~200% power usage).

Velocity - You spend most of your time flying around at top speed, so why not get where you are going faster? Plus being able to literally out-run your enemies is never not an effective strategy for survival.

Armor Plating - Post armor overhaul, it's harder to get up to neigh invincible damage reduction, but still, every bit of armor does help. Not only is it a health flat bonus, but the 5% is nothing to scoff at. I managed to reach a very respectable 60.1% DR in a Wizard frigate with Energy Armor and WeaverSong at the helm. Your options for increasing your armor are pretty limited and you can't easily stack it like you can shields, so grab bonuses when you can.

So for an Easier to See Recap-

-Power Optimization
-Armor Plating
-Fleet Command +2 OR Velocity, Max Speed +10%

Is what I usually Take

with -Ordinance
-Acceleration
-Turning Speed
-Scanning
-Technology +2

All being Helpful

and- Prospecting
and- Commerce

Helpful if you want to Focus on Mining or Trading





Fly On Space Cowboy..........

[redundantusage]

Originally posted by EvolutionKills:

Originally posted by redundantusage:

With Lone Wolf being so great and attainable and coming with other bonuses, I tend to go Turn Speed if I plan to end up in a dreadnaught class ship, or Scanner Power because it makes Self Reliant runs easier for me.

Lots of fun, can confirm. A Self Reliant & Techie (+30% chance for blueprints on scavenge) run built around one of the new Ranger class ships (e.g. the new Wizard frigate) can be a lot fun. Alternatively the Prometheus corsair class dreadnought gets another innate +30% blueprint find chance. But you don't realize how much you miss indefinite cloaking until you no longer have it.

Fly around Ravagers entirely unmolested? Check.

Duck out and watch an entire hunter-killer fleet fly right past you? Check.

I think with Prometheus, Self Reliant and Techie you end up with something like 80% chance to get a blueprint at every scavenge. Great for gaining tech, but also means endless money as long as you know at least one Tinhead to sell off extras.

That said, as much as I love a good Terran Mantle, I don't think I've ever reached a moment in a Prometheus where I was genuinely worried about Marauders or Ravagers. Now a Red Skull attack late game with like 5-8 Boss Tier ships jumping in, yeah I might jump sector, but otherwise it's a crazy powerful ship.

[MrPurple33]

Originally posted by EvolutionKills:

A Self Reliant & Techie (+30% chance for blueprints on scavenge) run built around one of the new Ranger class ships (e.g. the new Wizard frigate) can be a lot fun. Alternatively the Prometheus corsair class dreadnought gets another innate +30% blueprint find chance.

Just a Sidenote and Thought here-

IF Laious ever decides and designs the Technomancers as a Full, Playable Faction,
with all 6 Tiers of Ships- My Guess is the Prometheus would then become
the Technomancer Dreadnought, and be transferred over from being an Independent one

[stretch]

I have no 'list' as such but I do have some guidelines that help me pick what I want. This game is a little different with it's points system though.
Firstly with this game I select a ship and an offsider and that really decides what I have to buy in order to make that choice happen. Often I end up with stuff that does not agree with my usually methodology but I really have limited options. As per design I guess.
Mainly - and this goes for passives in ANY game I play - I choose stuff that works ALL the time and not stuff that looks sweet but only works rarely and then only if I manage to pull off some trick shot. For example I will take energy regen over a quadruple damage laser from stealth once per fight. The damage looks great but first you need it to actually hit, you need to be in stealth etc etc. Like lots of games with similar things it looks great but it actually does so little in the big picture and is just a toy. Energy regen is used a lot. It seems minor but when you really look at it it's far more useful than a gimmick attack.
That's how I look at it anyway. Constant use wins even if it is rather minor.

[Elegant Caveman]

Thanks again, all. I've settled on:

- Power Optimization (Energy Generation: +7%)
- Armor Plating (Armor: +15, +5%)
- Velocity (Max Speed: +10%)

For a (kind of) first game, it seems like a solid and versatile choice.

You've all given me a lot to consider for subsequent playthroughs, though. Thank you.

Originally posted by MrPurple33:

+2 Fleet Command-

Oh, hey, it's you! Hi.

I was about to link you to another post I read about this, but then thought to look at the name first... lol

Before making this thread, I searched the forum for similar topics, and that was one of the things I came upon.

Your comment about Fleet Command made me rethink my original plans. I'd at first discounted the "+2 [skill]" perks as a waste, but hadn't considered what advantage they might offer by letting you go over the cap.

That said, since this is basically my first ("real") game (not counting the little "test" I did), I'm not going to worry about min-maxing fleet composition.

Besides which, I'm aiming for Leadership in Social, which gives +10 Fleet Command. And I could always try to work with Syndicate ships if I need to squeeze in an extra couple of points.

Starting Points are useless for me at this time, since I've basically got nothing unlocked, and will be redoing the tutorial anyway.

Certainly something to keep in mind for the future, though.

Originally posted by MrPurple33:

+2 Technology can be helpful also-

Something else I hadn't considered, and I'm once again tempted to change my plans.

Power Optimization wins out for now, but I can easily see this being something that replaces it in the future when I have a better idea of what I'm doing, and/or have specific plans.

Originally posted by stretch:

Mainly - and this goes for passives in ANY game I play - I choose stuff that works ALL the time and not stuff that looks sweet but only works rarely and then only if I manage to pull off some trick shot.

An approach I tend to follow as well.

This is why I focused on things with percentage bonuses, so they'd scale better.

[MrPurple33]

Originally posted by Elegant Caveman:

Thanks again, all. I've settled on:

- Power Optimization (Energy Generation: +7%)
- Armor Plating (Armor: +15, +5%)
- Velocity (Max Speed: +10%)

A Good, Solid Starting Setup for those Top 3 Starting Perks

Originally posted by Elegant Caveman:

Originally posted by MrPurple33:

+2 Fleet Command-

Oh, hey, it's you! Hi.

I was about to link you to another post I read about this, but then thought to look at the name first... lol

Before making this thread, I searched the forum for similar topics, and that was one of the things I came upon.

Hahaha- Yeah, Sorry, I'm one of the Main Proponents and Supporters for taking
the +2 Fleet Command Perk, and I've been Playing and Posting about Star Valor for
over 2 Years now- Many of my Posts are Walls of Text where I Ramble On, but I Like to
give detailed, helpful reasons on Subjects



Now Off with You- Go Explore and you'll quickly Unlock more Perks
and Many, Many Ships

[Elegant Caveman]

Originally posted by MrPurple33:

Hahaha- Yeah, Sorry, I'm one of the Main Proponents and Supporters for taking
the +2 Fleet Command Perk, and I've been Playing and Posting about Star Valor for
over 2 Years now- Many of my Posts are Walls of Text where I Ramble On, but I Like to
give detailed, helpful reasons on Subjects

No apologies necessary, it's appreciated. :)