From The LNR Book of Knowledge

I'm writing this as a primer to help build better tactics in game, and to simplify the process of selecting, and honing your character's abilities.

Contents 1 Skills and diminishing return 2 Shield Management 3 Weapon types; Beam Weapons, and Torpedoes 4 Ground combat moves 5 Bridge Officers 6 Repeatable missions? 7 Rarity & Item Quality

Skills and diminishing return

A lot of the skills in this game follow the idea that level 1 gives you +6 points, where level 9 gives you +0.5 points. This means that as you get better at a specific skill you see less of a benefit. This is a good point because you want to spread out your skill points to a degree so that you have a wide range of useful buffs vs. a minimal bonus at something you want to excel at.

Shield Management

In a lot of games the shields are managed by the computer for you, making your life easier, in STO this is not the case. It is imperative that you spend time during space battles working on your shields. If you are being attacked from the front, you should be pushing the shields to the front. If your being attacked on all fronts, you can click on the center of the shield management screen to level out shields. It is extremely hard to do well later in the game if you do not master the concept of selecting what shields need to be reinforced!

Weapon types; Beam Weapons, and Torpedoes

Beam weapons have many types, suffice to say they all function on the idea of dealing energy damage that destroys shields, they tend to be more accurate, and they reload fast. Torpedoes are the opposite, they use kinetic damage that does well against ship hulls, they miss more often, and they reload very slowly. I would say on average, it's easier to focus on dealing broadsides with beam weapons, then using torpedoes. All shields have bleed through as well, keep this in mind when a enemy has full shielding, but very little hull left, that torpedo to his shield may be all you need to finish the fight.

Weapons have angles ranging from 280, 240, 180, 90, and 45. The smaller the angle, the more likely the weapon does better dps, contrastingly, they tend to be more difficult to fire at enemies.

Ground combat moves

I prefer the sniper rifle due to it's high damage output, I will use my buffs first, then I'll use a snipe attack, then I'll throw a grenade. With engineers you can "kite" enemies by putting down a turret, and a shield generator. With the engineer you can fabricate a shield generator, and a turret if you switch your kit. I so want to try this, but haven't yet.. ! With science officers I have no clue.. I'll work on that one.. lol

Bridge Officers

There are three types of bridge officers; the same classes as in the game. You can always switch out their skills at the sol station, using merit points you get from completing missions. I've noticed the starting skills for bridge officers are pretty solid. Also nowadays it seems on missions that offer a bridge officer it gives you a "hail" to choose the class, then another hail if you want the officer or if you want to capture one of the officers skills, and place it on a existing officer. Kinda cool I think.. !

Repeatable missions?

There are a few of these, at some point I'll write a list, it seems all the missions that involve exploring 3 systems, or patrolling 4 systems in a sector are repeatable. Exploration missions give you badges of exploration, and experience. Patrol ones just give you experience for the time being. I think as long as the exploration map your on isn't bombarded with players, it's the more rewarding type.. :P You can use your hard-earned exploration badges to buy ship components (weapons, shields, engines, consoles) in the sol space station.

Rarity & Item Quality

When you get a item from a mission reward it tends to have a Mk rating. The higher the rating, the better the damage. Rarity starts at common, and goes all the way to rare. Rare items tend to have better buffs. An example is a Phaser Beam Mk I [Acc], a rarity of "uncommon", and a quality of Mark 1. This item offers 10% better accuracy, a big difference if you ask me! Most rare items are received through farming harder levels in the game. I cannot confirm yet if your level has anything to do with what drops. Hard to say...