Ability: Beam Array: Overload

Overview

This ability hugely increases the damage caused by your next beam attack from either a Beam Array or Dual Beam Bank. When activated, Beam Overload applies itself to all your beam weapons, however when the first weapon fires, it is cleared from all others, meaning that it may only be fired once per activation. The skill can be used effectively to quickly lower a shield facing, or to inflict significant burst damage to an exposed hull.

The ability's damage is a set multiple of the underlying weapon damage, with higher ranks providing a larger damage multiplier. Increasing your training in weapons skills will improve the underlying weapon damage, resulting in an increase in the damage of Beam Overload. Because of its higher base damage, a Dual Beam Bank will inflict a more damaging Beam Overload than a Beam Array.

With higher ranks of this ability, the proper tactical consoles, and significant weapons training, it is possible to inflict well over 30,000 points of damage to an exposed hull on a critical hit.

The downside to Beam Overload is that is will drain your Weapons Power by 50 immediately upon firing. For this reason, the skill is most effective when used as a finishing blow, and not at the beginning of your attack run.

An EPS Flow Regulator console will not provide energy recovery after using Beam Overload. A Weapons Battery may be used to instantaneously recover your power, and will even allow for two Beam Overloads to be delivered back to back (provided their activation is staggered). Emergency Power to Weapons , Nadion Inversion and EPS Power Transfer can also be used to counteract most of the power drain caused by a beam overload; Emergency Power to Weapons in particular has a similar cooldown when used with Damage Control Engineer duty officers.

Basic Information

• Profession: Tactical
• Locale: Space
• Game Description: Overload improves your next beam array [sic] attack. Overloading your beam weapon delivers an extremely powerful blast, but drains significant weapon power.

Detailed Information

• Used by: Captain
• Target: Self
• System: Beams
• Ability Type: Buff
• Activation: 0.6 seconds
• Range: N/A
• Starts 15 second cooldown on:
  • Beam Array: Fire at Will
  • Target Auxiliary Subsystems
  • Target Engines Subsystems
  • Target Shields Subsystems
  • Target Weapons Subsystems
• Duplicate ability cooldown:
  • 15 seconds
• Modified by:
  • Skills
    • Starship Weapons Training - Improves all weapon damage.
    • Starship Energy Weapons - Improves energy weapons.
    • Starship Targeting Systems - Improves all weapon accuracy.
    • Starship Energy Weapon Specialization - Improves Critical Hit chance and Critical Hit Severity.
  • Subsystems Power Level
    • Weapon
• Trained by:
  • Bridge Officer Trainer (Rank I, Rank II)
  • Non-common Bridge Officer Candidates (Rank III)
• Scaling (Per Skill Point):
  • Damage multiplier always remains the same.
  • Skill training improves underlying weapon damage, resulting in more total damage.

Ability Ranks

Ability/User Rank	CD	SPR	Ability Effects
Rank I: Ensign	30s	250	Upgrades your next beam attack. Inflicts approximately 600% standard beam damage. After firing, drains weapon power by 50.
Rank II: Lieutenant	30s	500	Upgrades your next beam attack. Inflicts approximately 725% standard beam damage. After firing, drains weapon power by 50.
Rank III: Lt Commander	30s	750	Upgrades your next beam attack. Inflicts approximately 850% standard beam damage. After firing, drains weapon power by 50.

Notes/References

• This ability's name is deceptive as it also works for Dual Beam Banks as well as Beam Arrays.

Images

• 

  An example of Beam Overload being used against a Breen Frigate.