Are photon or quantum torpedoes better overall?

[Astrostars2025]

I've been using photons for 3 years now, but I've never considered using quantums. Dors anyone prefer photons and can you tell me why?

In my build my twin phaser beam arrays are my main weapons (4 fore, 2 aft), 1 forward and 1 aft photon torpedo launcher help support them.

[cap-boulanger]

Basically, photons do less damage but have a shorter cooldown, while quantums have a bit higher damage but a bit longer cooldown. Mathwise, they SHOULD come out to the same long-term, but actually the quantums are better because of cooldown trickery, and also some math with critical hits.

For the most part, I only use torpedoes that either come from a set that also has other useful parts to my build, and/or are the energy torpedo that matches my energy weapons (such as the Crystalline torpedo for AP builds, or the Nausicaan torpedo for disruptor, among other examples).

The only exceptions to that being the Particle Emission Plasma Torpedo (which is the #2 torpedo on my science/torpedo hybrid builds) and the Wide-Angle Quantum Torpedo (which comes with the Sovereign-type cruisers, and I sometimes use while levelling up until I can get something better).

[x1Heavy]

Dakka = Photons.

Quantam = Big Stuff.

I use both. However I do alot of Photon work. Particularly as I accumulate consoles off maxed out reps that allow shield penetrations and Pen Torpedoes etc. Cooldown reduction, more dakka.

I went the other way once trying really monstrous Tricobalt maxed out. The problem with that is your battle is over by the time you have it loaded and ready to shoot. Boring.

I have not mastered the Transphasics. I have a couple of special ones that are nice but need consoles etc to really be hurtful to enemies instead of just making noise.

Against humans I use Plasma with large DOT. Burns them out by the time they get around the damage control cooldowns.

[VoodooMike]

Originally posted by STARMAN20290:

I've been using photons for 3 years now, but I've never considered using quantums. Dors anyone prefer photons and can you tell me why?

In time you won't be looking at whether they're photon or quantums or whatever, you'll look at the specifics of the individual torpedo you're considering slotting, and it'll almost always be something that you can only equip one of (meaning, a special torp, not a generic one).

Originally posted by x1Heavy:

Dakka = Photons.

Quantam = Big Stuff.

Yesterday you weren't aware of the difference between level 12 and Mk 12... I think you may be trying to punch far above your weight in these conversations.

There really isn't anything special about different basic torpedo types... they more or less balance out with their basic DPS, so slot whatever garbage you have on hand until you have things that are very obviously not the same garbage. With recharge doffs, the only use you'll have for torps with fast base recharge is to trigger CD reduction on the ones with longer base recharge - as filler for the rare time your better torps are all on CD.

Originally posted by x1Heavy:

Against humans I use Plasma with large DOT. Burns them out by the time they get around the damage control cooldowns.

Heh, almost no DoTs are worthwhile in STO. If an enemy is alive long enough to be concerned with your DoT, your DPS is in dire need of work. If you're discussing the finer points of basic torpedo types, STO's PVP players are going to use you as toilet paper. Very liberally.

[Sothis]

Unless you are minmaxing for PvP or Elite content, just use whatever you like best.

In your case, with the twin phasers (that's the blue TOS ones, right?), a quantum might fit the visuals somewhat, but I'd try to see if you can't get the blueish tadpole photons.
And that's of course just if you want visuals over "what's better".

One thing that never ceases to annoy me in STO is that space barbie does not mesh well with what's best-in-slot.

I run a Fleet Akira kitted out as a torpedo boat - and with me owning the point defense torp console and that one chasing torpedo platform (from the Cardassian ship pack one I think), and both of those firing hilarious amounts of regular visual photon torpedoes all over - I could hardly use anything but regular photon torpedos.

It works just fine up to and including advanced, does it's job and is hella fun, fast and shooting insane clouds of red goodness full spreads at any and everything;
But it sure isn't optimal and I would rather eat a live sheep instead of trying this in PvP or Elite TFOs.

Likewise, I have a Steamrunner on that same character, and that one does use quantums for the visuals and assorted things to go with that (Warhead Module, for example).
It should have the Discovery Rep launcher and probably the Delta Rep one, but those don't fit the theme, so nope.
Same deal, works just fine (quite well, actually) but is far from optimal.

So, if torpedos are just in your build for that show feel and a little boom, but the rest is more of an energy build - it shouldn't matter that much what you use, really.

[Mr. Fibble]

The gravimetric photons (dyson rep) are worth a look if you're using phasers there's a mission reward quantum that includes a beam array, from "sunrise" I think.

Never particularly liked rear mounted torps as most of the time you'll be travelling forwards so getting the aim in the right direction won't mean faffing with the camera. You may want to consider an omni in the back instead. There's a pretty quick mission involving geordi that has a phaser one although I can't recall where it got shuffled to the list of story arcs.

[Astrostars2025]

Originally posted by Mr. Fibble:

The gravimetric photons (dyson rep) are worth a look if you're using phasers there's a mission reward quantum that includes a beam array, from "sunrise" I think.

Never particularly liked rear mounted torps as most of the time you'll be travelling forwards so getting the aim in the right direction won't mean faffing with the camera. You may want to consider an omni in the back instead. There's a pretty quick mission involving geordi that has a phaser one although I can't recall where it got shuffled to the list of story arcs.

My aft torpedo launcher actually gets used pretty frequently and it worth the slot since my ship sometimes can't turn all the way since I get so close to the enemy

[Mr. Fibble]

Fair enough, the difficulty curve in STO has been a flatline for years now so you can get more freedom for personal preference.

You may still want to take a look at the bits of gear I mentioned as the mission sets are easy to get and the grav torp is one of the early unlocks, a rank 3 spread into a cluster of ships can have them pinballing about in a fairly satisfying way.

[x1Heavy]

Heh.

Some days I get the birdie, other days I get carried away. HA.... ty for the salt and spicy.

I learned a few things as always.

I had one human years ago school me on pvp. He could not be destroyed until I switched to all plasma. I finally reached to almost killing him on cooldowns. I suppose you can call that particular minmax tuning.

I have fought a few Pvp in STO and frankly theres just too much incoming damage. Poof dead. repeat until throw keyboard. Its not my fort'e

I generally stay in space with the rest of the bots like a good little chump.

[delta]

What do transphasic torpedoes do? I assume they're not as overpowered as they were in ST Voyager?

[Sothis]

Originally posted by delta:

What do transphasic torpedoes do? I assume they're not as overpowered as they were in ST Voyager?

Somewhat high innate shield penetration, and the downside, if memory serves, is the lowest direct damage of all regular torpedo types.

The idea is to fire them at shielded targets, but the thing is - You usually don't (even though I do with my full photon spread launcher)
And when you have the means to strip the target of its shields, all other torpedos are better choices, pure damage wise
Also they seem to have the least variant options (and least options that are affordable) right after Tricobalt, though there are a few.

They are kind of the ugly duckling of basic torpedos, really, IMO.

To be fair, at least I never had luck building anything 'good' with them, so maybe I'm using them wrong.
And the low innate damage and few choices to source interesting variants, I never tried very hard, so maybe that's on me.

[Mr. Fibble]

Transphasics are something that worked in the TV show as a macguffin to bypass shields without tapping into something like the doctor or geordis visor to get the shield frequencies and so while they had to be the game they couldn't behave the exactly same way.

Possibly because back in the early days pvp was actually a thing (being the only reason for the existence of the klingons) and having a weapon that bypassed shields on top of only the KDF having cloaks would have made fedballers complain even more from the inevitable barrage of hull damage as a first strike.

[hunvagy2]

Originally posted by Mr. Fibble:

Transphasics are something that worked in the TV show as a macguffin to bypass shields without tapping into something like the doctor or geordis visor to get the shield frequencies and so while they had to be the game they couldn't behave the exactly same way.

Possibly because back in the early days pvp was actually a thing (being the only reason for the existence of the klingons) and having a weapon that bypassed shields on top of only the KDF having cloaks would have made fedballers complain even more from the inevitable barrage of hull damage as a first strike.

Especially with the B'rel that could crap out torps from cloak.