Classes

[Leonidusroar]

I was thinking about all off the different ship classes and realized that there are tons of different Star Fleet classes. But what about the tanking class, mage, and healer class? This thread is to clear up all of the confusion behind the classes.

Heavy Escort {Primary: DPS, Secondary: Tank}
The heavy Escort class, aka the Oslo class, would be the basic damage dealer. They would be a solid addition to any fleet and effective in both offensive and defensive strategies.

Cruiser {Primary: DPS, Secondary: Nuking}
The Cruiser is the main damage dealer, equipped to attack enemies hard and from afar. They are essentially the mages, specializing in many different types of ranged destruction. The heavy escort class could possibly be the Constitution or Sovereign.

Strike Craft {Primary: Stealth, Secondary: DPS}
The "Rouge" class, this class resembles the Defiant, Saber, Steamrunner, and Norway classes. This class hits hard and fast, and uses advanced stealth technology (and later invisibility) to stay hidden from enemies.

Carrier {Primary: Pets, Secondary: Buffing}
Equipped with a large hanger space for large numbers of spacecraft, designed to move fast and hit an enemy at a weak point. While weaker- both offensively and defensively- the Carrier class more than makes up for its shortfalls with a massive supply of star ships.

Explorer {Primary: Buffing, Secondary: Damage Evasion}
By far the fastest class, these vessels can buff their teammates while evading enemy attacks. They are also unique because of their advanced planetary colonization technology- new planets are more likely to aid the Explorer class. Centaur and Constellation class ships are a good example.

Repair Ship {Primary: Healing, Secondary: Tanking}
A thick and slow ship, the repair ship is skilled at repairing both friendly ships and healing wounded personnel. The ship can take a large amount of damage, primarily because it is constantly being repaired. The Olympic class ship is a perfect example of a Repair Ship.

Frigate {Primary: Tanking, Secondary: DPS}
Such ships as the Galaxy, Nebula, and Miranda classes are good examples of Frigates. They are designed to absorb tremendous amounts of damage while dishing out a good deal. These ships are fantastic tanks.

Research Vessel (Primary: Debuffing, Secondary: Healing}
These ships are built as team players, relying on the work of others to aid them in battle. They are utility ships, specializing in experimental technology and scientific advances. The Interprid and Nova classes are good examples.

Freighter {Primary: Buffing, Secondary: Damage Evasion}
These ships are excellent at buffing their allies and carrying cargo. They don't have much combative equipment and are only used with a party. They can hold much more equipment than any other ship class.

[Suiko]

I was under the impression cryptic was trying to do away with the predefined class roles.

[Leonidusroar]

I think it may be impossible to completely do away with the classes, and I think there won't be actual classes... I meant they resemble the classes in the game.

[KashikoiBaka]

I was under the impression cryptic was trying to do away with the predefined class roles.

Indeed they are, but there are the classes or professions, that you can pick for your captain. Tactics, Science, etc.

[Jag-Fell]

I was under the impression cryptic was trying to do away with the predefined class roles.

They are......

[ParkerHayden]

I pray that we don't have these damned cookie-cutter archetypes. They should only be in Fantasy MMOs.

[Leonidusroar]

*See above post.*

[ZebOswalt]

Tank= Andoren or Klingon or Gorn or Nosacan


Mage Vulcan or er.

Ranger humnan I guess. Or Nosacan

Theif Ferangie or Orion.

I know all charcters are equal but, hey it kind of fits how it should be.

Granted I'm good witrh non cookie cutter studff too. I'm planing to have a Rom on my Fed Bridge crew (a created race one.)

[Leonidusroar]

Tank= Andoren or Klingon or Gorn or Nosacan


Mage Vulcan or er.

Ranger humnan I guess. Or Nosacan

Theif Ferangie or Orion.

I know all charcters are equal but, hey it kind of fits how it should be.

Granted I'm good witrh non cookie cutter studff too. I'm planing to have a Rom on my Fed Bridge crew (a created race one.)

We're not making another WoW copy. Im talking about slight resmblances in the ship types available. What you're talking about some races better than the others. Bantha Fodder!

[Suiko]

I understand that certain ships ships will be better suited for certain types of combat and such as you list but I hope we are not forced into a certain role when grouping.

Since we have the options of setting our power core to different parts of the ship and adjusting our bridge crew, I think this will help from keeping as to act as a .... mage*, healer*, tank* for the most part.

[Tamgros]

I understand that certain ships ships will be better suited for certain types of combat and such as you list but I hope we are not forced into a certain role when grouping.

Since we have the options of setting our power core to different parts of the ship and adjusting our bridge crew, I think this will help from keeping as to act as a .... mage*, healer*, tank* for the most part.

Yeah, exactly. There will obviously be some specialization, but most ships in ST were capable solo/exploring ships. If each ship class is just a specialization and really allows for variability that would be awesome.

STO should do away with groups needing to wait for the tank when there are 50 DPS guys ready to join. Multiple group configurations should be able to be successful in combat. This would make for much more diverse play as it wouldn't always be tank'n spank. It would also give ach class more viability in PvP.

[ransomwk]

Since we're looking at getting ships of various weight classes and general capabilities, we'll probably see "classes" more akin to naval vessels than fantasy "classes". Things like battleship, torpedo boat, gun ship, escort, corvette, destroyer, battle cruiser, etc. with a few support types thrown in like a sensor/scout ship, or repair ship.

A typical group may consist of a battle cruiser or battleship at the center, a cruiser, a pair of light cruisers, and a scout or other specialized ship for that particular mission. Basically a heavy ship to form the core, a mid sized ship to directly support the heavy ship, a picket line, and a mission specialist.

[Leonidusroar]

Since we're looking at getting ships of various weight classes and general capabilities, we'll probably see "classes" more akin to naval vessels than fantasy "classes". Things like battleship, torpedo boat, gun ship, escort, corvette, destroyer, battle cruiser, etc. with a few support types thrown in like a sensor/scout ship, or repair ship.

A typical group may consist of a battle cruiser or battleship at the center, a cruiser, a pair of light cruisers, and a scout or other specialized ship for that particular mission. Basically a heavy ship to form the core, a mid sized ship to directly support the heavy ship, a picket line, and a mission specialist.

Exactly what Im talking about.

[ZebOswalt]

We're not making another WoW copy. Im talking about slight resmblances in the ship types available. What you're talking about some races better than the others. Bantha Fodder!

When did I say some races were better than others? I said that I knew they would be the same. Just what would be piosable. so uh double bantha Pudda on what you just said. And it wasn't just wow that was like that so was SWG. I say that one sence your using words from the movies and books.

[Leonidusroar]

When did I say some races were better than others? I said that I knew they would be the same. Just what would be piosable. so uh double bantha Pudda on what you just said. And it wasn't just wow that was like that so was SWG. I say that one sence your using words from the movies and books.

Tank= Andoren or Klingon or Gorn or Nosacan

Mage Vulcan

Ranger humnan I guess. Or Nosacan

Theif Ferangie or Orion.

I know all charcters are equal but, hey it kind of fits how it should be.[/B]

So, your saying, all races are equal, but some are better at some things than others?

IMO, the ships should have a (quote me on this) LOOSE RESEMBLANCE to the ones in fantasy MMOs. Do I want people asking for frigates or cruisers all the time? Certainly not. All I am saying is to apply some traits to the starships so that new players, fresh off the fantasy MMOs, would be able to strike some sort of resemblance.
And, also, I'm sorry that you're dyslexic, but that last two sentences of your post really didn't make sense. Please restate them.

[Banar]

The way ship classes have always been arranged in Star Trek is generally Strike Craft-Frigates-Light Cruisers-(sometimes medium cruisers)-Heavy Cruisers-Battlecruisers-Battleships. Thats the basic "small to large" power comparison. within this structure there are different types of ships such as escorts and explorers. The latter are not fast planet colonization ships; Galaxy class, Sovreign class, etc are explorers. They are the large "Battleships" (in times of war) of Starfleet.

Why can the ships not just do what they do, filling their roles in a much more Naval fashion than anything else, without being assigned these categories, half of which don't apply?

[ransomwk]

I can see ships falling into the following;

Battleship: big, heavy, slow, powerful
Torpedo boat: lots of long range torpedoes, good at range, vulnerable up close
Gun ship: lots of phasers, weak at long range, very strong up close
Scout: strong sensors, small, fast, good at seeing other ships early and avoiding them
Support: ???? not enough info yet from Cryptic regarding non-combat support mechanisms


I suspect most PVE missions will lend themselves more to the scouts and support ships, while the other three may be more prevalent in PVP.

[Leonidusroar]

T
Why can the ships not just do what they do, filling their roles in a much more Naval fashion than anything else, without being assigned these categories, half of which don't apply?

Why can you not read what I've said in, must be 5 posts now: The ships just have vauge, loose attributes to connect them to fantasy MMO classes for new players. I understand that not all of my ship names "half of which do not apply" apply. I'm not a complete trekkie. Nothing against anyone who is, just saying. I think that connecting this by a very, VERY thin thread to other MMOs will attract people who have never known Star Trek. I agree, there should be no hard "your the healer, your the tank" type classes or groups.

Please, the next time someone wants to correct me, make sure you know I haven't screwed enough. Thank you.

[Citationpilot]

I was under the impression that hard class structures will be avoided and how you outfit your ship,crew, and profession determines what role you fill in a group.

All b/s aside though I don't want it to be remotely possible to use the word Mage, Wizard, Paladin, Dragon, Fairy, or Magic in the same sentence as STO. I loath games set in that D&D mindset (including WoW) that make you feel ashamed to tell someone what game your playing (even if millions of other people play it).

SWG was getting close to being acceptable even though I only played it for lightspeed and I had friends already deep into it. I will admit to playing WoW but I slugged through that b/c of my brother and his roommates.

Cryptic has a real chance to make an awesome game, please don't convert it to WoW for ease of understanding!

[Trsmash]

I think it may be impossible to completely do away with the classes, and I think there won't be actual classes... I meant they resemble the classes in the game.

STO is not following the traditional recipe for an MMORPG. You cannot translate classes from traditional MMORPG's to STO.

[Leonidusroar]

Just so you guys understand something: I absolutely hate Wow, and other MMOs aren't much better. But keep posting.

[No1UKnow]

Think outside the boxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. We DONT want another standard mmo with TANK/DPS/HEALER/ZOMG references.

[Saladin_Class]

Since the dawn of time, ships have had the same classifications

by Displacement.

In Starfleet each military ship has a dual purpose.

War time & Peace Time

War Time

Frigate
Destroyer
Crusier
Battle Crusier
Dreadknought

and yes there are a bunch of minor classes, and hull variations.

If Cryptic varies from this, then not only will it not be historically correct, but not Star Trek correct

[Denise]

Classes roles are one of the stupidest parts of modern games. I am so glad this game doesn't have them (for the most part).


Also, it is even more ridiculous to make those class roles based on medieval FANTASY. (Mages, thieves, tanks... what in the world?)

[babanathie]

Since the dawn of time, ships have had the same classifications

by Displacement.

In Starfleet each military ship has a dual purpose.

War time & Peace Time

War Time

Frigate
Destroyer
Crusier
Battle Crusier
Dreadknought

and yes there are a bunch of minor classes, and hull variations.

If Cryptic varies from this, then not only will it not be historically correct, but not Star Trek correct


Dawn of time is not accurate, but since the modern era would be more accurate. I agree to a point. Most people will understand that a destroyer is generally smaller than a cruiser and will fulfill a different role. I don't think that Cryptic necessarily has to change its classification system though. With the NX-91001 writeup, the new starship was labelled as a heavy cruiser if given a more traditional role. That, in my opinion, is sufficient. That little statement, at least for me, does wonders in classifying the ships expected capabilities.

[TechDragon]

IMO, the ships should have a (quote me on this) LOOSE RESEMBLANCE to the ones in fantasy MMOs.

I do not think they should have anything of the sort.

Due to the high level of customization you can have with ships, ship parts, upgrades and abilities with bridge crew you will find it possible to create a Galaxy class ship that is entirely awful at tanking, a Defiant with entirely scientific equipment and minimal weapons and shields, and a Sovereign filled entirely with engine improvements for speedy hit-and-run positioning allegedly "Rogue-like" tactics.

You could argue that the Galaxy, simply by being bigger and having more energy and likely hull strength, could be a better tank then, say, an Intrepid. But then ships of those sizes are in different tiers, and even then that could be such a minimal advantage that it doesn't even qualify for the loose resemblance you mentioned. An Intrepid customized the be a tank could be just as good as any other ship of its tier that tried to be a tank, with the right stuff under the hood.

Almost as a side note, in the end I feel all ships are just a variety of damage dealers. We all have phasers and photon torpedoes (or Disrupters and Plasma Torpedoes as it may go) and I have no idea how healer/repair would even WORK in this game. I've never heard of a magical shield repair beam, and you couldn't beam med teams over while shields were up. You can be anything you want with any ship, it all depends on what career you have, what officers you have (and their skills), and what you put in your ship. If some ships do have more upgrade slots in one thing or another, I don't expect that to be significant enough to cause a "tactical officers MUST use this or this ship!" situation where certain ships are forced into certain roles.