Torpedo spread vs high yield?

[Astrostars2025]

I don't quite understand the difference, spread launches several torpedoes at multiple targets while high yield launches only a few at a single target? Wouldn't you be able to do more damage with spread?

[wirednight]

Originally posted by sandrastarling:

I believe I had used spread mostly because each torp had a 100% chance to cause some effect or another. In fact is you have two of the spread abilities you can keep pumping them out pretty well. I think I had Torpedo Spread I and II going on a ship and it worked pretty well. They seem to help each other refresh with the right set up.

Good luck.

So if I remember right, High Yield has a 100% to proc a secondary effect. On torpedo spread, every torpedo in the spread as a 33% chance of procing a secondary effect.

But it's not addition, it's 33% chance for each torpedo. The law of probability is that on a 3 torpedo spread at 33%, you still have a god chance to proc the secondary effect, but it's not guarenteed like High Yield is.

[crgzero]

I ALWAYS use spread,,,, ♥♥♥♥ the dps I just like seeing a mass of torps flying out to clear me a path.

[PhotriusPyrelus]

Originally posted by crgzero:

I ALWAYS use spread,,,, ♥♥♥♥ the dps I just like seeing a mass of torps flying out to clear me a path.

It's funny, that's the exact reason I wish I could use HY instead, because I hate sptting out 30 torpedos in a single volley. But it's just so much more useful in the AoE-heavy environment Cryptic has created.

[VoodooMike]

Originally posted by PhotriusPyrelus:

It's funny, that's the exact reason I wish I could use HY instead, because I hate sptting out 30 torpedos in a single volley. But it's just so much more useful in the AoE-heavy environment Cryptic has created.

Thing is, with the exception of plasma and certain other specific torps, High Yield also spits out multiple torpedoes, just at a single target and for reduced damage per torp. Spread fires multiple without reduced damage and does so at one or more targets. It's not really a contest at all.

[PhotriusPyrelus]

Originally posted by VoodooMike:

Originally posted by PhotriusPyrelus:

It's funny, that's the exact reason I wish I could use HY instead, because I hate sptting out 30 torpedos in a single volley. But it's just so much more useful in the AoE-heavy environment Cryptic has created.

Thing is, with the exception of plasma and certain other specific torps, High Yield also spits out multiple torpedoes, just at a single target and for reduced damage per torp. Spread fires multiple without reduced damage and does so at one or more targets. It's not really a contest at all.

It's multiples, yeah, but it's like... what 5 on HY3? 5 is a lot more reasonable that 30. To me. :shrug: I've never liked the way Spread looks in the game. It should be 3-5 torps shot at and detonating in an area around the primary target dealing damage to enemies in that area.

[VoodooMike]

Originally posted by PhotriusPyrelus:

It's multiples, yeah, but it's like... what 5 on HY3? 5 is a lot more reasonable that 30. To me. :shrug: I've never liked the way Spread looks in the game. It should be 3-5 torps shot at and detonating in an area around the primary target dealing damage to enemies in that area.

HY3 is 4 torpedoes, each dealing between 55% and 74% normal damage depending on type. Spread3 is 4 torpedoes per target at up to 5 targets, at full normal damage... which is why spread is still better even against a single target. Spread isn't AOE unless the torpedoes themselves are AOE, it just potentially targets more than one enemy.

Of course, if you care more about how it looks than how it functions the details don't much matter - you go with what you like. In most content you could throw confetti at the enemies and still come away victorious.

[PhotriusPyrelus]

Originally posted by VoodooMike:

Spread3 is 4 torpedoes per target at up to 5 targets, at full normal damage...

I can't speak to every torpedo in the game, but my quantum phases shoot 4 pairs of torpedoes at each target. So a maximum of 40. It looks terrible, but it's obnoxiously effective, given the AoE nature of the game.

Originally posted by VoodooMike:

Spread isn't AOE unless the torpedoes themselves are AOE, it just potentially targets more than one enemy.

I didn't say it was. I said it should've been.

[VoodooMike]

Originally posted by PhotriusPyrelus:

I can't speak to every torpedo in the game, but my quantum phases shoot 4 pairs of torpedoes at each target. So a maximum of 40. It looks terrible, but it's obnoxiously effective, given the AoE nature of the game.

That's just visual. The actual effect is 2, 3 or 4 torpedoes per target to 3, 4 or 5 targets, depending on the rank of the spread.

[PhotriusPyrelus]

Originally posted by VoodooMike:

That's just visual.

Originally posted by PhotriusPyrelus:

Originally posted by crgzero:

I ALWAYS use spread,,,, ♥♥♥♥ the dps I just like seeing a mass of torps flying out to clear me a path.

It's funny, that's the exact reason I wish I could use HY instead, because I hate sptting out 30 torpedos in a single volley.

Originally posted by PhotriusPyrelus:

I've never liked the way Spread looks in the game.

Originally posted by PhotriusPyrelus:

So a maximum of 40. It looks terrible

So exactly what I've been talking about for the past 3 posts? Welcome to the conversation, so glad you could join us.

[VoodooMike]

Originally posted by PhotriusPyrelus:

So exactly what I've been talking about for the past 3 posts? Welcome to the conversation, so glad you could join us.

I'm sorry if you have a problem with clarity and relevance. I'm not sure you need to say, out loud, that you prefer how something looks in a discussion of which of two abilities is better. What your visual preferences are is unlikely to influence someone else's choices.

[cyäegha]

in saying that, have we not established that, for the vast majority of non-elite content, the choice between high yield and spread is mostly meaningless?
you yourself said it best

Originally posted by VoodooMike:

Of course, if you care more about how it looks than how it functions the details don't much matter - you go with what you like. In most content you could throw confetti at the enemies and still come away victorious.

spread is numerically better in 99% of use-cases, albeit within an acceptable margin of error
as there is no economic difference between the two firing modes it therefore tracks that aesthetic concerns are next in line
if it weren't, there wouldn't even be a "space barbie" movement

Originally posted by VoodooMike:

I'm sorry if you have a problem with clarity and relevance.

given your track record of moving goalposts and wilfully misinterpreting your opponent's arguments to suit your own biases, this rings especially hollow coming from you