With new threats on the horizon, oftentimes new tactics and equipment are needed to give you the edge in battle - even if they're from the past. As part of a recent effort to ensure that secrets and discoveries are not lost to time, scientists have been working on much of the top-secret technology pioneered on and around the U.S.S. Discovery. Their effort has revealed that many of these inventions can be combined with cutting edge technology to bring powerful new tactics to forefront of any conflict in a blink.

Unlike most recent Lock Boxes, the Discovery Lock Box will reward players aligned with the Federation and Klingon factions with different starships if they win the Grand Prize.

Crossfield-class Science Vanguard [T6]

Federation-aligned characters may find themselves fortunate enough to win the Crossfield-class Science Vanguard [T6]. While the Crossfield class was originally created to be a vessel that specialized in scientific endeavors, these starships were heavily modified in an effort to aid the war efforts that erupted between the Federation and Klingons after the Battle of the Binary Stars in the mid-23rd Century. These refits proved to be highly effective, and thus a new breed of starships - the Science Vanguard - was born.

The Crossfield Science Vanguard comes equipped with a Console - Universal - Mycelium Ambush. When this console's power is activated, your starship's weapons will be temporarily disabled as your ship instantaneously moves forwards to a destination some distance from your current position. Upon arrival at your destination, a pulse of energy is discharged, impeding the engines of nearby ships while enhancing your own starship's weapons for a brief period. After a few seconds, multiple payloads of torpedoes are released, and your starship's weapons are briefly disabled again in order to instantaneously move backwards to your original position.

Completing the Starship Mastery Path on the Crossfield-class Science Vanguard [T6] grants Captains access to the following Starship Trait:

Black Alert

A temporary adjustment to the spore drive allows temporally-displaced duplicates of your ship to assail the targeted foe with torpedo spreads for a brief period of time. Initiate this sequence by activating Beam: Overload, Canon: Rapid Fire, or any Intelligence Bridge Officer Ability.

Sarcophagus Dreadnought Carrier [T6]

Klingon-aligned captains that win the grand prize will find themselves rewarded with a Sarcophagus Dreadnought Carrier [T6]. It is believed that this massive vessel dates back to the original founding of the Klingon Empire, thousands of years ago. The heritage of this "Ship of the Dead" predates all of the modern Houses, and is a symbol of great honor in Klingon culture. Continuously refit over the years to remain capable of leading Klingon fleets into combat, this ship's primary strength lies in its severe resilience and unique cloaking and tractor beam technologies.

Sarcophagus Dreadnought Cruisers come equipped with a Console - Universal - Multi-Target Tractor Arrays. These tractor arrays were initially designed to facilitate the retrieval of fallen warriors, for preparation and storage aboard the Sarcophagus, but has since been weaponized to debilitate and damage foes in close-quarters ship combat. When this console's power is activated, specially mounted Tractor Beam Arrays capable of immobilizing and debilitating nearby foes will activate over a brief period of time. A total of 12 tractor arrays will be activated by this ability, each targeting nearby foes and severely slowing them while dealing a moderate amount of Kinetic Damage directly to their hull. If any foe is caught by more than one tractor, the damage of each is increased as the Tractor beams tear the unfortunate ship in opposite directions, while dragging them closer to the Sarcophagus starship.

Completing the Starship Mastery Path on the Sarcophagus Dreadnought Carrier [T6] grants Captains access to the following Starship Trait:

Honored Dead

In times of war, the honored dead will serve as your shield. As your Hull is depleted in combat, the casualties you suffer will be added to the defensive capabilities of your vessel, resulting in stacking benefits to Damage Resistance and passive Hull Regeneration. Once you reach maximum stacks of this, additional damage will instead grant a small amount of Temporary Hit Points.

Due to this cross-faction availability, the above Consoles may be equipped on any class of starship.

FEDERATION:

Console Pack = Multi-Target Tractor Arrays

Starship Trait Pack = Honored Dead

KLINGON:

Console Pack = Multi-Target Tractor Arrays

Starship Trait Pack = Black Alert

Last in our new starship offerings, but certainly not least, is the Walker-class Light Exploration Cruiser [T6]. The Lobi Store will see the addition of easily the most massive and powerful Intelligence vessel ever offered. The Walker class represented one of the many workhorse mid-range vessels of 23rd Century Starfleet, suited to a wide variety of missions within Federation space. It is resilient enough that even when ambushed by an armada of Klingon vessels at the Battle of the Binary Stars, the U.S.S. Shenzhou was capable of resisting destruction despite overwhelming odds.

Light Exploration Cruisers come equipped with a Console - Universal - Obfuscation Screen. This unique suite of sensor screens succeeds in convincing nearby foes that your starship has been disabled, though it comes with the requirement of holding the ship in place and preventing all abilities from being activated. During this period of time, your ship's hull and shields will rapidly replenish. This mode may be disabled voluntarily at any time after a brief activation period, at which point the advantage gained from this ruse is translated into increased damage from all sources. The duration of this Ambush Bonus is equivalent to the amount of time your ship remained disabled (20 sec max).

Completing the Starship Mastery path for the Walker-class Light Exploration Cruiser [T6] grants Captains access to the following Starship Trait:

Vulcan Hello

During early encounters with the Klingon Empire, it became apparent that only an outward show of force would earn their respect, and open lines of communication with their warriors. The Vulcans were the first to adopt this tactic in a widespread manner, and this technique is named in honor of those early encounters. When entering combat, your Weapons gain a Shield and Armor Penetration bonus, and Weapon Power Drain from energy weapon activation is reduced for a brief duration. Strike first, strike hard. It is only logical.

The ability to purchase and fly the Walker-class Light Exploration Cruiser [T6] will be restricted only to Federation-aligned characters. However, Klingon-aligned captains will instead be offered the ability to purchase a Light Exploration Cruiser Package from the Lobi Store which includes both the Console and the Starship Trait unlock for a lower price than that of the full starship.

(** Complete stats and additional information on all of the listed Starships will be contained in a separate Developer Blog.)

Players may also obtain a new set of Genetic Resequencers in order to unlock access to two new Ground Traits, and two new Space Traits

Ground:

Universal Law is for Lackeys While in combat, each second, you gain bonus damage if you haven’t been damaged in the past second, or a boost to Damage Resistance Rating otherwise (stacks up to 10 times)

Brutal Impetus Nearby enemies dying increases your damage for a short duration



Space:

Context is for Kings While in combat, each second, you gain bonus damage if you haven’t been damaged in the past second, or a boost to Damage Resistance Rating otherwise (stacks up to 10 times)

Duelist’s Fervor Nearby enemies dying increases your damage and accuracy rating for a short duration



Scientists and engineers from our time have also managed to get their hands on a few examples of personal tech from the era of Star Trek: Discovery, and replicated their techniques in the form of new Universal Kit Modules:

Choose Your Pain Decreases the target’s damage resistance rating. That target picks one of their nearby allies. A portion of the damage dealt to your primary target is also dealt to the foe chosen for pain this way.

Para Bellum (Prepare for War) Anyone who shoots the marked target has their kit modules’ cooldowns reduced

Miniaturized Spore Relay Teleports you a short distance forward, leaving mines behind





Rounding out the offerings of new equipment from the Discovery Lock Box will be new unique Space Weaponry. When opened, each Special Equipment Pack - Discovery Disruptor or Phaser Weapons will offer the player a choice between Disruptor Beam Weapons, Disruptor Cannon Weapons, Phaser Beam Weapons, or Phaser Cannon Weapons.

Unlike most space weapons, these space weapons come in 3 variants, each of which grants a set of passive stats to your character while equipped. Emitter-Linked weapons give an increase to Shield Restoration and Shield Capacity, Integrity-Linked weapons give an increase to Hull Regeneration and Hull Capacity, and Sensor-Linked Weapons give an increase to Weapon Amplification and Defensive Maneuvering.

The Discovery Lock Box also features a new type of space device, Mini-Tech. Mini-Tech are consumable devices that grant one activation of an ability otherwise found on a ship console. The ones available from the Discovery Lock Box will be the following abilities:

Temporal Rift Stabilizer

Multidimensional Wave-Function Analysis Module

Enhanced Induction Coils

Shield Destabilizer

Ablative Hazard Shielding

The Discovery Lock Box will also arrive with several exciting additions to the Lobi Store. For those captains looking to catch up on how they dress, the outfit worn by Harry Mudd is also being made available on the Lobi Store.

For those looking to pack a punch on ground, there’s the all new Phaser Full Auto Rifle (Dsc). This weapon features a unique primary fire that cycles through shots at increasing speed.

And for the captains looking to catch up on mining or other activities without an atmosphere present, there’s the all new Discovery Environmental Suit, available for all Federation characters.

Last, but not least, if you’re not afraid of creepy-crawlies, there’s the all new Insect Vanity Pets being added to the Lobi Store.

The Discovery Lock Box, and the new offerings appearing on the Lobi Crystal Store, will become available beginning on January 23rd, 2018.

Jette “CrypticSpartan” Leavens

Systems Designer

Star Trek Online