Ship Shop

I still have 15 levels to go, but obtaining a Tier 5 ship at level 50 feels like a major milestone in Star Trek Online.

When you reach level 10 in STO you get to pick a new and better ship, for free. This happens again at level 20, and again at 30 and at 40. Each of these new ships is a significant upgrade from your last, with better stats more slots for weapons, consoles and bridge stations. Then at level 50... you don't get a ship.

Now there are multiple ways of getting your hands on a Tier 5 ship - not least of which being that you will get your final free ship at level 61 - but I can't help but think that this is also a way of nudging players toward the cash shop. On the other hand, if you're going to take that option then why not just go straight for a Tier 6? Ever since T6 ships were introduced the T5s have occupied this odd position as the 'almost' endgame ships, and now there are even ways to get a free T6 ship if you're willing to put in the time and aren't too fussy about what exactly you're flying.

Whether you are or not is going to depend on what exactly you want from your ship. I daresay STO has min-maxers who pick specific ships (and weapons, components, consoles and bridge officers) for the numbers, but for other players it's not about the best ship, it's about the right ship.. the ship that fits your character concept, or a favorite from one of the shows. If that ship is a T5 then that's what you'll go with.

Unsurprisingly I'm firmly in the second category, but this question isn't actually something I'm having to deal with myself. I've been sitting on a coupon for a free T5 since the 2021 anniversary event, so when I hit 50 I went straight to the C Store to redeem it for the T5 B'rel Bird of Prey. There's a T6 BoP as well, and I might pick that up at a later date, but then again I might not. As I've found in other MMOs, while I'll throw the price of a monthly subscription into the cash shop bank every so often, there's usually not much on offer that I really need, or want. I never buy boosts or consumables and I usually find that cash shop cosmetic gear is too elaborate or garish for my taste. Nor do I chase whatever is needed for an optimal endgame build - partly because this season's best-in-slot is next season's vendor trash, mostly because I'm hardly ever at endgame.

Would I have bought this ship at this point if I hadn't had the coupon to hand? Probably. I've been all in on the Bird of Prey class since I rolled a KDF captain, but the Tier 4 I've been flying since level 40 is my least favorite iteration of the class, whereas the B'rel is a classic, iconic Klingon starship, from Star Trek III through to Deep Space Nine.

It may not be the best ship, but for me it's definitely the right ship.