How much upgrades are needed for Epic?

[Tapasvi]

Hello.
How much Superior upgrades are needed to make one piece of Very Rare XII stuff to Epic, during an upgrade weekend? On average. I know it's random, but distribution is probably gaussian...
Trying to plan ahead my first upgrade weekend, didn't found such numbers anywhere.

[Baroon Valm]

1st off DONT use superior upgrades. use phoenix box upgrades, waaay better upgrades for far cheaper.
2nd off, truly hard to say as it also depends on the item as not every item has the Same tech needs, so ground is ez compared to space for example..

[Maj_Cyric]

You're question is far to vague... Each item has it's own X amount of Tech XP needed for each tier up to MK XV... Weapons and ship gear have the highest amount of XP needed at the higher Mk levels than a Ground weapon, Console or KIT Module.. But Ship weapons and gear (engines core, etc require between 240,000 to 260,000 Tech XP for just Mk XV...

But i'll say this..

The higher the Mk level an item is, the harder it is upgrade the quality grade (much much lower chance).. any time an item upgrades to the next Mk level or quality grade, the critical chance bar resets to zero..

The cheapest and easiest way to make an Epic gear/weapon is to start with a Mk II, and use an Omega with a x2 chance accelerator

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1785737171


A Superior Tech Upgrade gives 12,800 Tech XP each with zero bonus towards quality upgrade,
A Superior Experimental Tech Upgrade gives 12,800 with a x2 chance..


Now though, since you starting with a Mk XII, with a Very Rare.. you have to upgrade the Quality to Ultra Rare then to Epic, with Mk XIII, XIV and XV resetting any crit chance you build up...

If you fail to hit Ultra Rare before Mk XV, you will have to take the most costly and expensive route there is to an Epic Mk XV, which is investing the full Mk XV tech cost over 20 to 50+ times... Which a Mk XV item will not reset the crit build up unless the Quality grade upgrades (Very Rare to Ultra etc)

It will cost/take you, ballpark guess 50 to 100 Superior Tech Upgrades to make a Very Rare Mk XII into an Epic (not using Accelerators) and around 30 to 50 Phoenix Universal Tech Upgrade... (you're gonna need a LOT and i mean a LOT of dilithium on hand btw if you are using crafted Tech upgrades)

Also there is a +/- for the RNG random crits.. i've had many crafted items i thought failed and that i would have to sell off cheap or give away as an Ultra Rare end up hitting Epic on me as i was just upgrading it out to Mk XV

[Maj_Cyric]

Oh and as to how many you get store up...

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2179278991

One can never have enough or have too many... Always best to have plenty and not need half then run out and sudden learn you need twice as many..

[Tapasvi]

Thanks for the advices. Phoenix boxes then.
For this particular DHC build i've got a lot of rep and set stuff. DBB are probably better, but I just want to finish what was started, years ago.
A lot of waiting for dilithium involved. Well, as usual.

[Baroon Valm]

DHC and DBB are more or less on the same page.. just depends if you prefer cannons or beams rly.

[Maj_Cyric]

Originally posted by Krishna Prema das:

Thanks for the advices. Phoenix boxes then.
For this particular DHC build i've got a lot of rep and set stuff. DBB are probably better, but I just want to finish what was started, years ago.
A lot of waiting for dilithium involved. Well, as usual.

If you don't mind my asking, just what Rep weapons etc are you planning/hoping to turn 'Golden'?

I ask because in most cases a simple custom crafted with [Pen] can still hold up on equal or nearly equal 'footing'... Cause rolling a Mk II [Pen] might take 30 times+ (or fewer) to craft *roll*, but it's a whole lot easier and cheaper using even a Experimental Tech with a 2x Quailty upgrade chance, even with a R&D level 2 in Beams/Cannons (just use a pair of +50 Skill Catalysts) for a Very Rare finished rolled Mk II item..

If you want feel free to HMU in game, and I can answer any crafting/upgrading questions you might have.. I've been an Item/Weapon crafter in STO since end of Nov early Dec of 2014, after they added it into STO..

@MajCyric

[Tapasvi]

Originally posted by Maj_Cyric:

Originally posted by Krishna Prema das:

Thanks for the advices. Phoenix boxes then.
For this particular DHC build i've got a lot of rep and set stuff. DBB are probably better, but I just want to finish what was started, years ago.
A lot of waiting for dilithium involved. Well, as usual.

If you don't mind my asking, just what Rep weapons etc are you planning/hoping to turn 'Golden'?

I ask because in most cases a simple custom crafted with [Pen] can still hold up on equal or nearly equal 'footing'... Cause rolling a Mk II [Pen] might take 30 times+ (or fewer) to craft *roll*, but it's a whole lot easier and cheaper using even a Experimental Tech with a 2x Quailty upgrade chance, even with a R&D level 2 in Beams/Cannons (just use a pair of +50 Skill Catalysts) for a Very Rare finished rolled Mk II item..

If you want feel free to HMU in game, and I can answer any crafting/upgrading questions you might have.. I've been an Item/Weapon crafter in STO since end of Nov early Dec of 2014, after they added it into STO..

@MajCyric

Terran Task Force DHC
Prolonged Engagement DHC
Targeting-Linked Phaser DHC (2)

Trilithium Turret
Gamma Turret
Undine Turret

Hm. Maybe these 2 cannons are candidates for swapping to RnD ones...

[Maj_Cyric]

If you're upgrading Linked weapons (Beams/Cannons), you can (should) get them in Mk II..

Like in this Screenshot (Top of inventory, shows Weapon, Weapon box, Infinity Weapon box)... Either from pulling a Infinity Weapon box from the lockbox then Weapon box with a the Linked one you seek, or by buying either the weapon box or weapon off the exchange...
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2183274303

Also here are 3 other Screenies to place the upgrading into a clear 'Perspective' using an Experimental Tech with a 2x Quailty upgrade chance in each, the difference of the critical success chance from each.. Plus the amount of tech points are needed..
(Also do note that during an upgrade event the amount each tech upgrade gives is increased)

This a Mk II
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2183273527

This is Mk XII Very Rare
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2183273653

This is a MK XV Ultra Rare
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2183273909

I have Screenies showing Phoenix and Omega tech upgrades, but don't want spam a gaggle of SS's but you can see them on uploaded STO SS i have at
https://steamcommunity.com/id/Maj_Cyric/screenshots/?appid=9900

[Maj_Cyric]

Oh, one last Screenie...

Making/Rolling Mk II even with an R&D of level 0 can be done by using 1 or 2 of these while using a Very Rare (purple) Doff..

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2183273458

Just have to patient and keep crafting Mk II's until getting some with [Pen]
(It's always wise to craft a few extra in case of Epic upgrading failures)

Catalysts Tech Upgrades and Accelerators can be bought from the Exchange (Although it's more often than not MUCH cheaper to just buy an R&D box for all 3 of those)

[Tapasvi]

Got 1250 phoenix upgrades and 700 boosts, hope this will at least almost be enough for the build :)
Some dilithium are still left, just in case it won't.
That's about a year worth of dilithium for not such a big money. I guess farming just for dil is quite worthless considering that :)

[Tapasvi]

Well, that was more than enough. Upgraded everything, even the weapons for damage endavours lol.

I guess it's somewhere around 15-30 phoenix upgrades to make XII VR to XV Epic. Mostly. For cannons during the event.
Too bad I realised too late that recording a video could be useful to measure a more accurate statistics...