To freeze or not to freeze: cadet mission runners

Negh_var

Hey I'm asking opinions on what I should now do with my cadet mission runners. I've now maxed out every single mission and FF/FE'd every primary cadet that I used for those missions to get the epics. So now, while I have a bit of crew space left, I will need to start thinking about what I do with those crew members. My first thought was to just freeze them and in order to complete the daily task of doing 5 missions, just use any crew that I haven't maxed out and simple do the missions on easy, working my up as the crew go up. This would make choosing the crew quicker since the maxed are not there and would gain me some extra crew space.

However does anyone have any thoughts on what cadet missions would be best to focus on doing on repeat with the maxed crew to get the item drops? Would I be better to focus on the odd reward I get from an epic run or use these missions as low level crew trainers? Any thoughts?

CSR _Waylander

Festive Jadzia Dax
Lt Naomi Wildman
Ensign Ro
Cadet Sito Jaxa
Ensign Pazlar
Ensign Seska

Well these 5 can be used every day but really i just pick the mission with the items i need.

Dirk Gunderson

Depends on what items you’re farming. I keep Nurse Kes, CMO Crusher, Security Chief Worf, Enterprise-D Picard, Festive Jadzia, Sito Jaxa, Lieutenant Yar, Naomi Wildman, and Leeta so as to be able to run any Monday thru Friday mission. I don’t run Epic missions on Thursdays because the rewards are trash compared to Elite but otherwise will choose missions based on loot - holoprograms, bloodwine, science experiments, and medical experiments tend to drive my mission decisions.

RaraRacing

The absolute minimum number of 2*s you need is 3:

- Cadet Sito Jaxa.
- Ensign Seska.
- Ensign Pazlar/Festive Dax.

They can almost run all the missions on each day, especially if you're only going to run Elites on Thursdays (especially now with all the skill and proficiency bonuses we've gotten!).
Their traits help pass nodes for secondary skills on Epic.

I'm not sure how good Dax is as a switch for Pazlar ... back in the day when I only ran 3 that version of Dax did not exist yet.
People will tell you that Naomi is a good option, but she doesn't have SEC, so don't bother if you're only going with this bare minimum.

By adding CMO Crusher you are able to run some extra missions on MWTF. I never bothered to add an alien MED for Tuesdays.

Check out extensive conversation on what was called Riker's Angels on the old forums.

Personally, I currently run 8 2*s, but that is probably overkill ... a female SEC for Thursday is not needed (e.g. Major Kira/Yar) as you'll never run Epic missions there.

Data1001

Good advice here. And the only days you want to consider running the cadet challenges on Easy are Tuesday for the trainers and Sunday for the replicator rations — but even then, you're gonna potentially miss out on items you may need. M-W-F I always run one of the Epic missions, Thu always one of the Elite missions, and Sat always the final mission on Epic (for the most credits), but other than those limitations, I choose the mission to run based on what item or items I am most in need of. Those cadet missions are often the best places to get certain items, so you really don't want to just ignore that option and simply be running them only to get the daily requirements.

<TGE> Clifford

Data1001 wrote: »

Good advice here. And the only days you want to consider running the cadet challenges on Easy are Tuesday for the trainers and Sunday for the replicator rations — but even then, you're gonna potentially miss out on items you may need. M-W-F I always run one of the Epic missions, Thu always one of the Elite missions, and Sat always the final mission on Epic (for the most credits), but other than those limitations, I choose the mission to run based on what item or items I am most in need of. Those cadet missions are often the best places to get certain items, so you really don't want to just ignore that option and simply be running them only to get the daily requirements.

I often run elites MWF just for the basic holoprograms. Arachnia Janeway is a PITA.

Marko Ramius

Check out my Cadet Challenge Spreadsheet. It organizes cadets to help you decide on your minimal crew.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1S_yqmSXvGxTTNTRzJ4NVdPaUE

al103

Marko Ramius wrote: »

Check out my Cadet Challenge Spreadsheet. It organizes cadets to help you decide on your minimal crew.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1S_yqmSXvGxTTNTRzJ4NVdPaUE

It does not.

8 2* crew are easy, just following Do Not Airlock is enough, your list do NOT help to cut them of further than 8.

And it implies that you need something that is not Com/Sec/Dip for Saturday.

<TGE> Clifford

al103 wrote: »

Marko Ramius wrote: »

Check out my Cadet Challenge Spreadsheet. It organizes cadets to help you decide on your minimal crew.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1S_yqmSXvGxTTNTRzJ4NVdPaUE

It does not.

8 2* crew are easy, just following Do Not Airlock is enough, your list do NOT help to cut them of further than 8.

And it implies that you need something that is not Com/Sec/Dip for Saturday.

Not everyone runs only the last mission on Saturday.

And not everyone who might find that list helpful has all of the missions at 3*. I used that list to figure out which crew I needed to finish a few nodes.

I think that anything further, you need to evaluate what missions you, personally, run week after week.

<TGE> Clifford

al103 wrote: »

Marko Ramius wrote: »

Check out my Cadet Challenge Spreadsheet. It organizes cadets to help you decide on your minimal crew.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1S_yqmSXvGxTTNTRzJ4NVdPaUE

It does not.

8 2* crew are easy, just following Do Not Airlock is enough, your list do NOT help to cut them of further than 8.

And it implies that you need something that is not Com/Sec/Dip for Saturday.

Not everyone runs only the last mission on Saturday.

And not everyone who might find that list helpful has all of the missions at 3*. I used that list to figure out which crew I needed to finish a few nodes.

I think that anything further, you need to evaluate what missions you, personally, run week after week.

al103

[QH] WhiteClifford wrote: »

Not everyone runs only the last mission on Saturday.

And not everyone who might find that list helpful has all of the missions at 3*. I used that list to figure out which crew I needed to finish a few nodes.

Thing is - topic started do not need "how to run minimal crew", not "general guide of whatever".

al103

OK, just did check on EAS and STARBASE BONUSES ARE AWESOME. And so is Festive Dax.

EAS Epic 1 - Sec, Med (fail Eng)
EAS Epic 2 - Sec, Sci
EAS Epic 3 - Sec, Sito does both Com nodes, Festive Dax on Dip
EAS Epic 4 - Com, Med, Sci - with Sito and Dax mentioned should be pretty obvious
EAS Epic 5 - Sci, Med, fail Eng/Dip node

So final crew - your preferred Sec, Crusher, Sito, Dax. That's it. No ENG and no DIP.

May not work as well without starbase bonuses, don't care enough to count.

So, mister Picard, say hello to Freezer. Will be checking other two for Eng.

al103

Well, in other thread I did some calcs for advanced:
B'Etor, Kes, Torres, Saavik can do all Sat and Sun except for Sat 3 Epic and Sun 5 Epic which they probably can do too either with chance of failure or requiring good starbase.

AdvACF:
1. Kes - Saavik - Kes - Saavik - B'Etor
2. Saavik - Saavik - B'Etor - Torres - Saavik
3. Torres - Kes - B'Etor - FAIL with anybody but Torres - Torres
4. B'Etor - Kes - Torres - B'Etor - Kes
5. B'Etor - Saavik - B'Etor - Saavik - B'Etor

AdvUF:
1. Torres - Saavik - B'Etor - Torres - Saavik/B'Etor
2. Kes - B'Etor - Torres - Kes - Torres/B'Etor
3. B'Etor - Torres - Kes - Torres - Kes
4. Torres - Saavik - B'Etor - Torres/Saavik
5. Torres - B'Etor - Saavik/Kes (may fail this on Epic) - B'Etor - Saavik (may fail this on Epic)/Kes (not sure if can fail this on Epic after failing third node)

Darth Grandpa

AdvACF mission 5 Epic can be done with just Lwaxana and Vash.
For sundays I use Torres, Lwaxana and Kes. Kes failing two nodes occurs less than once per month.
All in all low pressure on crew slots for the weekends

al103

Darth Grandpa wrote: »

AdvACF mission 5 Epic can be done with just Lwaxana and Vash.
For sundays I use Torres, Lwaxana and Kes. Kes failing two nodes occurs less than once per month.
All in all low pressure on crew slots for the weekends

Same amount of crew - 4. But much more limited amount of missions on Sunday.

Marko Ramius

al103 wrote: »

Marko Ramius wrote: »

Check out my Cadet Challenge Spreadsheet. It organizes cadets to help you decide on your minimal crew.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1S_yqmSXvGxTTNTRzJ4NVdPaUE

It does not.

8 2* crew are easy, just following Do Not Airlock is enough, your list do NOT help to cut them of further than 8.

And it implies that you need something that is not Com/Sec/Dip for Saturday.

@al103 There are people that play this game that don't have everything figured out like you evidently do. The list certainly isn't hurting anyone. I only offer it as a guide. If you don't find it helpful, then don't use it.

al103

Marko Ramius wrote: »

@al103 There are people that play this game that don't have everything figured out like you evidently do. The list certainly isn't hurting anyone. I only offer it as a guide. If you don't find it helpful, then don't use it.

Yeah, only what helpfulness of your list have to do with THIS thread? This thread is about "least possible number of cadet crew or if I should run them at all", not "I'm noob, need cadets". And your list is completely unhelpful in choosing minimum and not just average crew.

Quit Game

My cadet crew is composed of only 3 characters, I can do all the cadet challenges with them. The most important thing for me was both the ability to complete all the cadet challenges for the given day but also to be able to do the 25 chrons cadet challenges.
1. Cadet Sito Jaxa (lv100, fully fused)
2. Ensign Pazlar (lv100, fully fused)
3. Ensign Seska (lv100, fully fused)

and that's it, every other 2* and 1* crew is resting forever in the cryo.

al103

###Kahless### wrote: »

My cadet crew is composed of only 3 characters, I can do all the cadet challenges with them. The most important thing for me was both the ability to complete all the cadet challenges for the given day but also to be able to do the 25 chrons cadet challenges.
1. Cadet Sito Jaxa (lv100, fully fused)
2. Ensign Pazlar (lv100, fully fused)
3. Ensign Seska (lv100, fully fused)

and that's it, every other 2* and 1* crew is resting forever in the cryo.

You are forgetting to tell that it's all challenges but not all missions in said challenges.

But, yeah, for pure Achievement/Chron/Booster Pack Run without care of what you get item-wise they are best.

Quit Game

al103 wrote: »

###Kahless### wrote: »

My cadet crew is composed of only 3 characters, I can do all the cadet challenges with them. The most important thing for me was both the ability to complete all the cadet challenges for the given day but also to be able to do the 25 chrons cadet challenges.
1. Cadet Sito Jaxa (lv100, fully fused)
2. Ensign Pazlar (lv100, fully fused)
3. Ensign Seska (lv100, fully fused)

and that's it, every other 2* and 1* crew is resting forever in the cryo.

You are forgetting to tell that it's all challenges but not all missions in said challenges.

But, yeah, for pure Achievement/Chron/Booster Pack Run without care of what you get they are best.

He said that he maxed out on every single mission and I have done the same thing.

al103

###Kahless### wrote: »

He said that he maxed out on every single mission and I have done the same thing.

I'm not talking about stars. I'm talking about things like f*g Bat'leth or Klingon ** House Crests or ton of other stuff. I didn't check what you lose by running this combination, but I'm pretty sure that something useful will be on the list.

Like bajillion of Boy Scout Badges I got from No Man Left Behind when leveling... hell if I remember. And NMLB ends on Med so no Boyscout Badges in this combination. And they are 45 chron per one. Well, there is Back in Time - but that's 15 chron mission, not 25 like NMLB.

RaraRacing

al103 wrote: »

###Kahless### wrote: »

He said that he maxed out on every single mission and I have done the same thing.

I'm not talking about stars. I'm talking about things like f*g Bat'leth or Klingon ** House Crests or ton of other stuff. I didn't check what you lose by running this combination, but I'm pretty sure that something useful will be on the list.

Like bajillion of Boy Scout Badges I got from No Man Left Behind when leveling... hell if I remember. And NMLB ends on Med so no Boyscout Badges in this combination. And they are 45 chron per one. Well, there is Back in Time - but that's 15 chron mission, not 25 like NMLB.

see here ... https://forums.disruptorbeam.com/stt/viewthread/63571/

al103

RaraRacing wrote: »

see here ... https://forums.disruptorbeam.com/stt/viewthread/63571/

It shows what I can get with that combo, not what I can't.

PS. Only EAS Epic is one where I have 150+ of everything. Well, maybe not Cover Contacts - just 20.

RaraRacing

al103 wrote: »

RaraRacing wrote: »

see here ... https://forums.disruptorbeam.com/stt/viewthread/63571/

It shows what I can get with that combo, not what I can't.

PS. Only EAS Epic is one where I have 150+ of everything. Well, maybe not Cover Contacts - just 20.

I mean ... sheesh ... do I have to pre-chew all your food? A little bit of initiative goes a long way ...

Sigh ...

Yes, it shows what you can get ... then you go to the Wiki and it shows you aaaaaallll the rewards for all the missions ... double check a couple to items you think are essential to have access to and move on from there.

As a simple example:

1. go here ... https://stt.wiki/wiki/Missions#Cadet_Challenges
2. go to a page like Top Marks ... https://stt.wiki/wiki/Top_Marks
3. oh hey ... they can't complete Epic? So have no access to 2* IDICs?
4. go here ... https://stt.wiki/wiki/IDIC
5. oh hey ... I can get 2* IDICs running Flesh & Blood (UF) on Epic!
6. oh hey ... that trio cannot pas that mission ... conclusion, do not have access to 2* IDICs through cadet missions (unless I include weekend days)

7. rinse and repeat.

Edited: I think they actually might be able to pass that mission with starbase/collection bonuses ... SEC (Sito - fail) ... SCI (Palzar - pass) ... SEC (Seska - pass) .. ENG (Seska - depends) ... CMD (Sito - pass? 355+63+80 as minimum for me).

al103

RaraRacing wrote: »

I mean ... sheesh ... do I have to pre-chew all your food? A little bit of initiative goes a long way ...

Thing is - I can already see that it either can't get or get for bad cost many things I do need. And I suspect it's not only me who need them. So keeping 4 additional Cadets is like keeping dedicated Voyage crew - you use them to get stuff.

RaraRacing

al103 wrote: »

RaraRacing wrote: »

I mean ... sheesh ... do I have to pre-chew all your food? A little bit of initiative goes a long way ...

Thing is - I can already see that it either can't get or get for bad cost many things I do need. And I suspect it's not only me who need them. So keeping 4 additional Cadets is like keeping dedicated Voyage crew - you use them to get stuff.

That's what is called opportunity cost ...

a) Do you want to have access to all missions on all days even if it means you'll have crew who you hardly end up using (reason I went from 9 to 8, I never used Kira)?

b) Or, do you live with the fact that you'll have to get some items in a different manner (shuttles, regular missions, weekends etc.) but cut little used crew from your list and open up those slots for event crew or 5*s etc.

Option (a) is great if you have a ton of crew space and can keep a large number of unused crew aboard (this is your approach, mine too, as you can read above).
However, option (b) is critical if you have limited crew space and want to be able to have space for the best possible crew (e.g. 5*s, 4*s) to do well in things like events ... I have fleetmates who are f2p and switch out 2*s on a daily basis if needed, but basically run a minimal set-up because they have the minimum number of available crew slots and want to do well in other aspects of the game.

Just because it isn't your choice does not mean that it is not valid as a choice ... whatever you may argue, the minimum number to do missions on each day is 3. If you want to run them all you'll need 8-9

Furthermore, comparing cadets to voyage crew is moot ... you can put any crew (from 1* to 5*) on a voyage, but cadets are very limited.

al103

RaraRacing wrote: »

If you want to run them all you'll need 8-9

With good starbase currently 7. Well, Dax is a bit of a problem to get though.

RaraRacing wrote: »

Furthermore, comparing cadets to voyage crew is moot ... you can put any crew (from 1* to 5*) on a voyage, but cadets are very limited.

If you want 7+ hours (aka purple range) - no, you can't. You need good voyage crew. Which sometimes means people who fail at all three skill, but are good as sum.

al103

OK, with good starbase six cadets. Worf, Crusher, Dax, Sito, Kes, Seska. Can do everything.

Marko Ramius

al103 wrote: »

Marko Ramius wrote: »

@al103 There are people that play this game that don't have everything figured out like you evidently do. The list certainly isn't hurting anyone. I only offer it as a guide. If you don't find it helpful, then don't use it.

Yeah, only what helpfulness of your list have to do with THIS thread? This thread is about "least possible number of cadet crew or if I should run them at all", not "I'm noob, need cadets". And your list is completely unhelpful in choosing minimum and not just average crew.

C'mon man, we're all just here trying to help people. I feel like you're splitting hairs a bit. Anyway, sorry to everyone if my post was misplaced. Like I said, I'm just trying to help players, noob or not.

[DCC] bebe has Badgey

If you currently have the crew slots, why not keep the crew that you know will pass the missions *and* the crew that you're working on leveling. Then focus on leveling those crew as quickly as possible that you *won't* be using for you Cadet Missions so that you can put them in the freezer. This will help you work toward the Immortalized Crew Accomplishment, various Collections and freeing up crew slots as well as filling in any crew that you may need for you Cadet Missions.

Negh_var

That is what I'm currently working on Pink Bebe, however the issue is that I am maxing out my slots with all the 3* and (majority) 4* that I collect in game. I have decided to keep doing the missions but rather than just blast through them for the daily, I've actually looked at potential rewards from each mission to see what's a needed reward and go with that. Downside to this method is that I'm keeping the base 2* in use all the time and Mon-Fri I have to time shuttle/voyage trips to not lock them out. I've done all 1* and 2* so they are either frozen or active for cadets.