Shipomancer needed. Nova or Pathfinder

[Gerron Vek]

So Cryptic finally gave me the ability to purchase the Intrepid interiors for the Iapetus.  So I've started tinkering with STO again.     Iapetus is a T5u fleet Nova class ship which I've mostly tricked out for manuverability, speed, and defence.   I've recently started focusing more on the science skills as well which helps quite a bit.   However I now have in my posession a Pathfinder class starship which is T6 which makes me think uncomforatable thoughts.

I like having a Nova class ship that zips around like an escort.   It's not the most powerful thing in the world though.  If I was to succumb to madness and change the Iapetus class to a T6 Pathfinder  what would I find?   How do they compare?  Would it be to my benefit to make that change?  Can a Pathfinder be zippy?   The most immedaitee thing I notice is I would lose a Lt Commander Tactical slot which gets rid of Omega maneuvers. 

I'm just not good at comparing these things.    My Current setup on the Iapetus is this

 

Lt Commander Tactical: Tact Team 1.   Attack pattern Beta 1  Attack Patern Omega 1

Lt Engineering:  EPtS 1,  Aux to structure 1

Ensign Science:  Polorise Hull

Lt  Science: Hazard Emmiters 1,  Transfer Shields 2

Commander Science: Tractor Beam 1,  Siphon Energy 1,  Scramble Sensors 2, Tykens 3

 

Fore WEapons.  2x Phaser beams 1x Borg cuttign Beam

Aft WEapons: 3x Phaser beams

Deflector: Aegis (old)

Secondary Deflector: Deteriorating secondary

Impulse: Aegis (old)

Warp: Obelisk subspace warp field

Shields: Aegis (Old)

Engineering Consoles: Assimilated modules, 2x Neutronium alloy

Science Consoles: Point defence console, Photonix displacer, Warp Burst Capacitor, Shield repairing weapon sig nullifier, Shield Refequencer

Tactical Consoles: 3x phaser relay

 

I am a Tactical Captain and have the relevant Captain abilities as well.  

[Gerron Vek]

In my madness I'm considering the new pilots ships.  Send psychological help.  They are what I want in all ways except they are escorts.   I kinda like doing the beam thing.  Would beams work on these and are there mods that would change the way these fugly pilots ships look?

[CAPT Huckabee]

I ran an Intrepid (Bellerphon class) before Season 9 for awhile as a Tactical captain.  I liked it and it worked really well.  I had a different setup of course then what you run.  I ran some Gravity Wells and Repulsors for a more Control/Damage build.  I enjoyed the ship enough that I was really tempted to pick up the T6 version myself and probably would have if I hadn't went with the Guardian class for a T6 ship to have in the stable.  Davis can give you a lot more info on the ship.  Last I checked, the siphon builds on them are pretty OP compared to most builds out there for other ships.

I've done RP builds on my Akira that worked well in the PvE area, so beams are an option for escorts but you do give up a lot of damage.  But it also gives some more RP to it, in the fact ships didn't blow up right away.

Ultimately just fly the ship that makes you happy.  You can always find a build that will work in PvE.  I discovered recently that I really enjoyed the Avenger after giving it some time and ignoring the parts I found ugly about it.  So I'm still going the T5-U route like most are till I come across a T6 I feel like I can't live without.  My build on it, some would say, ain't the most optimal.  I threw on the Quad Cannons on front for some nice visuals to go with the visual hardpoints on the nose of it.