Late game

[Lumous]

Hi folks, I've been here before last name was "AndWheeee" but forgot my password and the email I used.

Back in 2011 I played through the game 3 times with each of the main ships. Now 2016 I decided to download the latest version and play through again but this time with the osaka player-ship extension.

I'm now at the last 3 star systems and the arse are giving me a bit of bother even with the Lamplighter, a 900-something shield (the one used by the Phobos-Dreadnought) and level 10 armour. I have the Rassiermesser launcher but finding enough missiles for it is problematic (I've even taken to destroying Teraton nests to loot their supply of missiles).

I was going to ask if any of the three level 9 weapons I had would be better than the lamplighter but I jettisoned them and came back to find them gone

If I remember correctly back in 2011 I could use a huge pile of Longzhu Spheres on an item and enhance it to ridiculous powerful levels but now it seems I can only use 1 sphere on an item, which means I have a dozen spheres I don't know what to do with.

And lastly this was a minor annoyance back then and still today but in the Heretic system I don't think the player is given much of a fighting chance if he/she wants to save all the friendly/neutral stations from being destroyed by Iocrym ships.

btw what is so great about the Galactic Core anyway? If I get there they better have a good bar and serve my fav beer after all my troubles

[JohnBWatson]

The lamplighter's great, but you want an omni weapon too. They're pretty high above the power curve right now, and gunship encounters are built with them in mind. Ares Lightning Turret is the best one in vanilla.

The Kaiden shield generator has a lot of HP, but it's not the best in the game. The Iocrym Veil is my usual go - to, but other people prefer other shields. The Taikon shields are a typical favorite.

For Heretic, I think you were just unlucky. I've been able to save them all a few times, it all depends on when and where the attackers spawn.

[Song]

my personal favourite endgame shields are the Taikon 200 and the Nephren X1. Both are pretty good with decent enough regeneration.

The lamplighter itself isn't actually that good against the Ares. Generally plasma weapons are the best general-purpose endgame guns, I find. Been a while since I really messed around in the endgame though.

[DigaRW]

In late game, I ussually equip my ship with equipment from mods. But in vanila, I'm always looking Nephren X1 and Lamplighter. Nephren is enough to block ion, and lamplighter is good to take down the Iocrym. And about armour, I'm always have enough rins to buy diamond lattice.

[PM]

Lamplighter should be good in the 1.7 alphas now. It used to be weak during the 1.5 and 1.6 days, but not anymore. For Omni, if you have Corporate Command, Omni thermo cannon backed by thermo shell nanofac is best. Otherwise, either IM90 or two to three Ares lightning turrets.

+150% Taikon-200 is the most powerful shield you can get. This is what I use for endgame if I find one then enhance. It will tank thermo explosions with ease.

As for armor, light Iocrym plate. If I cannot buy them, I farm what I can at Heretic.

[TheLoneWolf]

We're on the very same boat, mate!

Soooooooo for late game, you would want to leave that launcher and grab the Ares side of things -- Micronukes and Warhammer Nukes.
These area effect missiles are very effective for grinding at multiple shields at once. Also, Thermo damage is very versatile.
As for primary weapons, an APA + Positron Lancer/Fusionfire howitzer/IM90 is a very powerful combo. If you can grab some ALTs, then its just more chocolate on the doughnut xD

For shields, Iocrym Veil is the best..I try to stick with an Invincible Class Deflector till I reach the Ares. Then, I try to grab a Nephren X1 asap. But usually, I stick with my loot.

I always try to grab Duralloy and then Blast Plate. Meteorsteel too, if I'm running a Manticore. By end game, Diamond Lattice hands down, though my forward segment is mostly heavy Ithalium.

[JohnBWatson]

+150% Taikon-200 is the most powerful shield you can get. This is what I use for endgame if I find one then enhance. It will tank thermo explosions with ease.

How does one enhance a shield generator to 150%? Do Longzhus still stack for shields, or is there a field crystal?

[PM]

Diamond field crystals. They are rare, and enhance only by +10%, but it stacks. Buy them from shops, and if you do not have enough, order them (only one per order). It is prudent to enhance the shield first by another way (e.g., Longzhu, Ingenuity, etc.) for the initial boost, then use diamond crystals.

[Ferdinand]

Your setup is fine for the endgame. But here are some tips:

Rasiermesser launcher, good launcher for the endgame. Let Domina enhance it +40% for you and it will destroy anything with ease. For the missiles, remember where the last Rasiermesser factory is and use the jumpdrive on stargates to get there via Elysium. Or much cheaper but time consuming, use a Teraton factory for an endless supply.

For the Lamplighter, same story. Domina can enhance it to +40% it will be pretty much unresisted by anything at that level.

Shields, excellent shields are mentioned in this thread already, same story here, use Domina powers +40% and diamond field crystals +10% and stacking to enhance endgame shields.

Domina can also enhance your armor +50%

So, use Domina's powers, buy and order Diamond field crystals and the jumpdrive comes in very handy as a shortcut to different systems.
If you don't care about Permadeath you can spam Domina powers to get the max out of them.

Use the Longzhu spheres to repair high level energy weapons or shields, either installed on your ship (when damaged by enemy fire) or lying around in your cargo hold as loot to sell.

[Aury]

I agree with PM's advice - those happen to be very similar to my preferences as well.