The final frontier of casual Star Trek Online gameplay, news reports, and reactions.
Mudd’s Dread-full Choices: Mudd’s Choice Pack of Dread – Through the Ages, Value Series Part 2
Today we look at the most boring part of Star Trek Online purchases: the math! Does the Dynamic Power Redistributor Module make up for the high price tag?
Dreading the Ages: Mudd’s Choice Pack of Dread – Through the Ages, Value Series Part 1: Showing Off
Cryptic has put out what’s likely their most anticipated Mudd Choice Pack/MEGA Bundle so far. What all did Mudd pack into this Dread(nought)ful choice?
Stuck in Mudd Choice Paralysis: How Multi-Ship Bundle Choices Work in Mudd’s Choice Packs and MEGA Bundles
Mudd offers a few multi-ship Bundle choices. Find out which Choice Packs/MEGA Bundles have multi-ship options and how to get all those Bundle account-wide reclaims for the multi-ship choices.
The New Account (or The New Player) and the 6 Month Check-in
It’s been a bit over 6 months since I created the Free-to-Play account. How’s it going, and how much longer does it potentially have until it reaches its goal?
The F2P Account and Event Campaign 6: Ships Galore For Free!
With Event Campaign 6 coming up, take a look at the changes and how that may affect your timing and ability to join the DPS elites.
The Rex Alliance Escort, or: “Why Newer Players Shouldn’t Pass Up a Literally Free DPS Boost.”
We’ve seen the Rex. Some people don’t like it because it’s a Pilot ship. But for the newer or Free to Play account, I’ll give you the reasons why you shouldn’t let that color your decision.
Joe’s Short STOs: Free T6 Ship Coupon for 14th Anniversary (Ended on PC; Likely March 12th for Consoles)
In this short “Joe and STO,” I make sure to let players know of a valuable giveaway available for the next few days on PC (and coming in March to Consoles).
Mudd’s Disco Inferno Keeps Burning! Value Series, Part 2: The Valuations
We’ve seen how the ships and other items in Mudd’s newest “Disco Inferno” Choice Pack/MEGA Bundle look and operate. The big question remains: Is it worth your hard-earned Zen?
Release the Disco Ba’ul! Mudd’s Disco Inferno Choice Pack Value Series Part 1: Histories and Visual Demonstrations
Cryptic has released likely one of the most desirable Promo ships into an account-wide Mudd Choice Pack. In the first part of this Value Series post, take a look at the Discovery-era D7 and 3 other Discovery-era ships being offered.
In a Mirror, Crossfieldly: The Mirror Crossfield Review for the 13th Anniversary Bundle, Ship #6!
At long last, the 13th Anniversary Bundle ship review series comes to a conclusion! How well does the Mirror Crossfield hold up to the other ships?
Styx-ing Around: The 13th Anniversary Review Series Continues with Ship #5!
In the penultimate review of the 13th Anniversary Bundle, I take a look at the Styx Terran Dreadnought Cruiser. While an older ship, does it still hold up in modern content?
Why You Should Whiten Your Torpedo Launchers with the Maelstrom Trifluoride Torpedo
We’ve heard how powerful the Maelstrom Quantum Torpedo from the Legendary First Strike Bundle is.
What if…we got a very similar torpedo for free? Find out about STO’s free Maelstrom!
The F2P Account Progress: 3 Month Check-In
It’s been a bit over 3 months since I started this fully F2P account. How have my system leveling and income generation gone, and what have I been able to do with that?
A Mix (Tape) of Value: The Value Series for Mudd’s Awesome Mix Choice Pack!
Mudd has an Awesome Mix Tape of ships in various themes. How awesome a value is it?
Value Series: The Legendary Battlecruiser Bundle!
The Legendary Battlecruiser Bundle brings a Legendary version of the Bortasqu’ and the arrival of an Inquiry variant and skin to the Z-Store. How do the ships and extras shape up for the asking price?
You Got a Ship…But You Didn’t: Part 2: The Resolute Ship Visual!
Hello, Joe and STOers! Earlier this week, the people behind Star Trek: Resurgence and Cryptic announced the USS Resolute, from the game Star Trek: Resurgence, would be available in STO for free until November 30th. Yay, free stuff! … But it’s not a ship. It’s a ship costume/visual. “Wait…What?” Yes, for the first time in…
The New Player and the 20,000 DPS F2P Jem’Hadar Escort
So you started your Jem’Hadar character and you’re working on getting it performing better. How did I start off, and what lessons could you learn from it?
Tweet Series: Economic Update for the New Player and the F2P Account
It’s been a little bit since I provided any update on the Free to Play account. Take a quick look at what a week of EC grinding looked like and its results!
The New Player and Prepping for Tier 5 Reputation Rewards
If you’re following roughly along with how I’ve been progressing, you’re likely at or near a Tier 5 Reputation point. What happens at Tier 5, and what should you do with its rewards?
The New Player and Why Ferengi Tour of Duty is Worth Focusing
We all know Admiralty is a great, relatively easy way to get extra Energy Credits, Dilithium, and some help with Admiralty itself, but how lucrative can it really be? An example and some numbers to consider follow.
The New Player and the New Account: The Three-Week Roundup
Here’s a brief update on my 3-week tenure with the 3rd, F2P account in Star Trek Online.
I’m short on time this weekend, so I hope to have more details for everyone next week.
Mudd’s a Light(Cruiser)weight: Financial Value of the Mudd’s Cruiserweight Bundle!
Now that the show-off portion of the series is done, let’s look and see if Mudd’s Cruiserweight Choice Pack weighs in at the heavier weight classes or if it truly is a lightweight.
Mudd’s a Light(Cruiser)weight! The Mudd’s Cruiserweight Bundle Visual and Historical Overview
Mudd’s gained a bit of weight…some Cruiserweight! Check out some visual and performance videos on the ships in this Choice Pack before I delve into the math of the Bundle costs.
The New Player and Why Upgrade Weekend Saves You Hard-Earned Dilithium
When to Upgrade your items is a pivotal part of managing your resources wisely. Here’s why you’d likely want to wait for an Upgrade Weekend to upgrade items, and if you’re new I break down how to even Upgrade in the first place.
The New Player and the New Adventure: Starting Out with the Jem’Hadar
For this new run at the “New Player and” series, I start on a Jem’Hadar again. But why? And what can you learn from my playthrough of the first mission that could help you overall?
JOE’S SHORT STOs: Completing the Nimbus Dance Competition Universal Endeavor
Learn how to quickly dance into one of the easiest Universal Endeavors…at least, if you’re on PC or good with Emote tags on PlayStation or XBox.
The New Player and Taking Advantage of Giveaways: Free Experimental Ship Upgrade Token! (Through August 31st, 2023)
Sometimes, you get lucky with freebies to help your Star Trek Online progress. If you’re newer to STO, click here to find out about a couple general ways to get free stuff, sometimes unannounced.
THIRD ACCOUNT, WHO DIS? Starting a New Star Trek Online Account in 2023
It’s been about 4 years since I started Joe and STO. One of the original intents of this blog, to help a F2P player learn how to farm for Zen, is getting a reboot. Read up on the details of this go-around. It might be quite…Legendary.
Siriusly Tankful: 13th Anniversary Bundle Ship Review #4!
I’m trying to get a bit more Sirius with this 13th Anniversary Review Series (see what I did there?). Come see a never-Tanked player take on the challenge of a budget Tank!
Value Series: Is This As Worthwhile a Set of Ships “As Seen in TNG”?
In this Value Series post, I look at Mudd’s “As Seen in TNG” Choice Pack/MEGA Bundle. Can a Ferengi Damon convince you of its worth? Or should it stay stuck in an alternate subspace warp field reality?
Mudd’s Next Generation of Bundle: The “As Seen in TNG” Choice Pack, Visual Overview
With a new Mudd Choice Pack comes time to revisit some old favorite ships…and perhaps not so favorites? If you’ve never seen the 3 ships in this Choice Pack, click through to see what’s on offer from Cryptic!
VALUE SERIES: My First Strike at the Legendary First Strike Bundle
Last week, the Legendary First Strike Bundle hit all platforms (expected for PC, unexpected for Console players). While I’m not a meta person, I do like to show numbers, and this has a LOT of cash and Zen numbers to consider!
13th Anniversary Bundle Ship Review #3: Remember to HYDRAte!
The Terrans have built their own version of our Prometheus Multi-Vector Advanced Escort. Can it multi-head up a task force? We’ll see!
Value Series: Mudd’s Forced…*COUGH*…Forged Alliance Choice Pack!
This Mudd’s Choice Pack/MEGA Bundle is the first time Event Ships have NOT gone to Mudd’s as single-ship entries. Read on to see if you can still get value or if it’s bad from the start.
13th Anniversary Bundle Ship Review #2: Monitoring the Terran Monitor!
Who monitors the Monitor? … THIS GUY! Check out my impressions on the 2nd ship I’ve worked on for this 13th Anniversary Bundle review series, the Terran Monitor.
Joe’s Short STOs, Tweet Series: Mudd’s Forged Alliance Choice Pack Value (brief overview)
Due to lack of time, I haven’t had a chance to get a larger Value Series post out yet, but if I don’t get to it before this Choice Pack launches, check out 1 or 2 of my perspectives on this.
The Grand Experiment, Update 5: Week 8…and DONE!?
It’s the 5th update and 8th week of the challenge…and it’s already effectively done!? Maybe. See how close I am and help me decide on a short-term future for this series. 🙂
13th Anniversary Bundle Ship Review #1: The Terran Eagle Pilot Raider!
The first review of the 13th Anniversary Bundle, provided by my Ko-Fi Supporters (thank you all again!), is the Terran Eagle! Find out what this demure little super-shuttle can do against the Borg and see if it’s the right fit for you.
“The Grand Experiment” Update 4: Weeks 6 and 7
In this “Joe and STO” fan Star Trek Online blog update, I give fairly minimal updates on the past couple weeks’ worth of grinding Dilithium for Zen. Check out how close I may be to finishing my original goal!
Value Series: The 13th Anniversary Bundle, the Real Terran Gambit!
We have the 13th Anniversary Bundle available in-game now, but is it worth your cash? Click in, view the numbers, and see how you feel after reading this.
KDF Recruit and You: Priorities and Strategies
With another Klingon Recruitment Event run right around the corner, I share the Recruit objectives I’d focus if I were a newer player with multiple characters.
13th Anniversary Bundle & Joe and STO: A Crowdfunding Partnership Opportunity
More content means more purchases means more money is needed. Find out how the 13th Anniversary Bundle can be the way you help direct Joe and STO for coverage of it!
“The Grand Experiment,” Update 3: Weeks 4 and 5 and a 1-Month Summary
The first month worth of Dilithium has either sold or is listed. Just how far did my from-scratch Dilithium earning get me?
Free to Play Guide: Seneca Command Carrier, Part 4: Comparison to the Suliban Silik
The Seneca and Hiawatha can complete Normal content fine, but let’s put up a strictly better challenger and see just how much a difference we’re really talking about.
The Grand Experiment, Update 2: Weeks 2 and 3, and Maximizing Ferengi Tour of Duty Dilithium Bonus Pools
It’s been a couple weeks since I’ve updated everyone on the “Grand Experiment.” See what the past 2 weeks have brought!
The Grand Experiment, Update 1: Week 1
Hello, Joe and STOers! Earlier this week, I posted about a plan to get enough Zen for a Mudd’s Choice Pack by the end of the year, having to get what I can within 300 days in case the Dilithium Exchange is backlogged ~60 days by the time I make my final offer for Zen.…
The Grand Experiment, 2023: Earning Enough Zen for a Mudd Choice Pack
Good day, Joe and STOers! With all the talk of the Dilithium Exchange being effectively broken, I decided to take on a large-scale task for 2023. I’m looking to pick up a Mudd Choice Pack at no additional cost. YOU CAN’T DO THIS FOR FREE! Oh, no. I didn’t say this was intended for Free…
Free to Play Guide: Seneca Command Carrier, Part 3: The Upgrades and the Re-Test
In Part 3 of this series, we see what some swaps in both the ship and its gear can do for our damage output while still staying in the F2P range.
Free to Play Guide: Seneca Command Carrier, Part 2: The Combat Video, Parse, and Build Details
Now it’s time to see what the Seneca can do. See how it performs in an Infected: the Conduit queue solo on Normal difficulty, then stay for the build details.
Free to Play Guide: Seneca Command Carrier, Part 1: Reason for the Challenge
The Seneca got some rough reviews. Thankfully, your friendly neighborhood professional noob is here to try and make something of a bad situation!
Piloting Around Mudd’s New Choice Pack! Part 2: The Valuation
Are you wondering what Mudd’s Fighter Pilot Choice Pack is REALLY worth? Do the possible combinations have you as mixed up as a Kwejian ship transforming? Let me try to set some of your minds at ease, one way or another.
Piloting Around Mudd’s New Choice Pack! Part 1: Ship Show-Off and Other Items
Mudd has a new bundle just in time for a lot of players’ Thanksgiving Break in the US. See what’s on offer, including videos of reviews and battles!
FLEET WEEK! Favorite Starships in STO within Cryptic Studios (CONTEST ENDED; WINNERS DRAWN)
I approached Kael about an idea of what I could do for Fleet Week: Cryptic’s favorite starships! It…snowballed a bit from there, including adding a Contest!
Community Compilation: Event Campaign IV Prize Suggestions
With many people coming up on grabbing their Event Campaign IV grand prize, I thought I’d help accumulate some Event Campaign prize advice from YouTube into one place.
I’m Back! Mudd’s Primary Faction Choice Pack Valuation Post
With “Mudd” releasing more Lockbox/Promo ships, I dive into the effective cost of each ship and other item and what that effectively means for your wallet.
Tweet Series: Quick Stormfall Giveaways for PC!
PC players have a few giveaways to look for relating to Stormfall’s release. This is an archive of Twitter posts on those so you can claim them if you haven’t already.
The Basics of the Phoenix Prize Pack Changes: Rarities Rearranging
We have a number of changes coming to the Phoenix Prize Box, but what seems to be getting lost in the shuffle is the non-Phoenix Upgrade Token changes. Find out what all those are in this post!
Mudd’s Market: The Updated Review
Mudd’s got many old, formerly exclusive items for sale as account unlocks! Are they as dirty a deal as his name implies? Check out this update for the various newer items and some slightly different opinions.
Mudd’s Secret Value Intel: Value Series for Mudd’s “Secret Intel” Choice Pack
Mudd thinks he holds all the secrets, but we can see what the market says everything’s worth. Can you make up the value for what you want from this?
Mudd’s Secret Intel Visual Preview
Mudd acts like he has Secret Intel. What’s inside this new Choice Pack dossier?
Now & Later: When’s the Best Time to Buy “Mudd Is In Command?”
So…Muddsday last year brings a bit of a wrinkle into the, “Should I buy ‘Mudd is in Command’,” question. Let’s take a look at the likely scenarios and some suggestions on how to best approach known sales versus theoretical discounts to help you make the best decision in the present.
Value Series: “Mudd is in Command!”…Unless We Know Better
Now that you’ve seen what the ships and items can do, how do the values compare to the current going prices between the C-Store and the player Exchange?
Mudd’s In Command! The Contents of the Choice Pack In Action
Mudd has commande(re)d quite a few ships from previous Lock Boxes and Promo Boxes. What does he have, and what other goodies are up for offer?
VALUE SERIES: The Legendary Romulan Warbird Bundle
Better late than never, here’s my and another Twitter user’s views of the value in the Legendary Romulan Warbird Bundle. I hope it’s of some use to you in making the decision that’s right for YOU!
TUTORIAL: Claiming the Prize You Want for Event Campaign 3
Wondering what all your options are and what’s bound to your character? Want to be sure your ship selection won’t be bound to the wrong character? Here’s the tutorial on using your Event Campaign 3 prize box correctly to avoid issues and errors.
(SALE INACTIVE) Lockbox Vanity Shields in the Dilithium Store: Why, and Worth It?
STO’s taking an unprecedented step, allowing the purchase of account-bound vanity shields from previously being character-bound Lockbox-based drops. I look at why this happened and if you could save big despite the high Dilithium price.
Mudd’s Kelvin Timeline Bundle, Part 2: Valuation
In the boring part of the series looking at Mudd’s latest Choice Pack, I break down the numbers to find what everything’s worth and if this is Con or Congrats.
Mudd’s Kelvin Timeline Bundle, Part 1: The Ships and Items
This Mudd Choice Pack has a solid unifying theme relating to the Kelvin Timeline. Read what all’s in it and see some great STO content from various creators while you’re at it.
Mudd’s “Outta This Wormhole,” Part 2: Valuation
Good evening, Joe and STOers! Today, I want to look at the value of the Mudd’s “Outta this Wormhole” Choice Pack options. As a refresher, my previous post looked at what the options were and how helpful the ships could be to your performance if you were to select any of them. METHOD When I…
Mudd’s “Outta This Wormhole” Choice Pack: Introduction And Ship Breakdowns
Do you see these ships and wonder what the big deal is? I do a quick breakdown of what they are and why you may consider them as valuable choices.
STO Is Not Your Game, But You Can Choose How You Enjoy It
A controversial change in ship display caused a disturbance among the community. Here’s my take. Buckle up. You’re probably not going to like it.
The 2021 Legendary Bundle Isn’t Overpriced…Or Is It? Value Series, Part 2
“Overpriced” is a word used to describe this Legendary Bundle. And it is!…and it isn’t? Let’s take a look! (It’s not in a book this time.)
SWAG! Or, “You’ve Not Experienced Gre’thor Lore Until You’ve Read It in the Original Klingon”
So it started when I got a message from someone at Cryptic about my shipping address…
2021 Anniversary Legendary Bundle, Part 1: Initial Info and Real Cash Pricing
A new Anniversary Legendary Bundle was unveiled yesterday. What is it, and what’s the actual cost (in USD)?
Joe’s Short STOs: Starship Cross-Faction Unlocks
A short tutorial on how to get your KDF ships to your Federation characters or vice-versa.
Joe’s Short STOs: Alienware Arena and In-Game Giveaways!
Good afternoon and welcome to Joe and STO! Today, I have a quick giveaway link for you all. It’s not mine, and I wasn’t the one who found it, but it’s available publicly. ALIENWARE ARENA https://na.alienwarearena.com/ucf/Giveaway Alienware Arena is giving away a Key for the following items: 12 Inventory Slots Once claimed, this will go…
Analyzing Our “Pretty Starter” T6 M’Chla Refit
The T6 M’Chla Refit seems a tad weak. I analyze it in comparison to other Birds of Prey.
Cross-Faction Ship Unlocks: Expectations and Reality
The ramblings of one player trying to view all the angles (or some, at least) of one of STO’s biggest changes yet.
11th Anniversary Event: Hints at Release Timing
Using logic and a bit of Tribble information, I try to reach for a possible 11th Anniversary Event launch date.
CONSOLE vs. PC: Who Got the More Legendary Deal?
Consoles got a 50% Legendary discount. PC got 35% but with some Zen bonuses/discount. Who really won…or did they?
The Best Bangs for your Non-Gambling Buck: Keys vs. Promo Boxes
Maybe you figure Keys are the better way to get what you want from the Lobi Store or the Exchange. Maybe it’s Promo Boxes. Which is right, and how can you tell?
TUTORIAL: Buying, Finding, and Using Your Mudd’s Choice Packs
Whether at the 75% sale price or a new Choice Pack comes along at 50% off, how do these work on the player side of things?
Mudd’s Choice Packs: Who’s Cheatin’ Who? (75% Off Sale Currently Ended)
Harry Mudd’s at it again, but as the country song goes, “Still you gotta wonder who’s cheatin’ who.” So who’s doing the cheating, and who’s getting cheated?
From Performance-Focused to Casual, Three STO Black Friday Picks for Each
You read up on what I thought about the overall sales Cryptic’s doing for STO during Black Friday, but here I give a few more hand-picked selections for performance and themed players alike. Also, what could you get for a AAA game price?
The Black Friday 2020 STO Guide!
With STO’s Black Friday sales already being active, I look at the 8 categories of specific sales and weed out what’s worthwhile and what’s best to skip…and a suggestion for IF a certain item becomes available again.
(OUTDATED) STO and the Epic Games Store: An Epic Deal?
Does the name of the new Epic Starter Pack live up to its hype? No surprises, just read.
Experimental Upgrades, Part 2: The X-iting Part!
With T5-U information fresh on our minds, let’s look at the new T6-X in more detail plus my recommendation.
Experimental Upgrades, Part 1: The Upgrade Before the Upgrade
Before you consider getting an Experimental Upgrade for your Tier 6 ships, take a walk down memory lane with a look at Tier 5-Upgraded!
The Speed of Progress: Reputations and The Tier 5 Buyout
Cryptic announced a new monetization item for players who want to skip the grind of the Reputation System. What does some math have to say about the worth of this new offering?
BUDGET ALERT: KDF Elite Starter Pack for Under $5 (Limited Time)
Good evening, and welcome to Joe and STO! While I write up on the Tier 5 Reputation Buyout coming this week, I wanted to point you to something I found on Reddit. The Federation has gotten more than its fair share of Starter Pack giveaways, and while this isn’t a giveaway, it’s also the cheapest…
EMERGENCY POST: Inquiry-class Battlecruiser Reward Box Bound to Character UPDATE 2: Binding To Be Fixed
Hello, all, and welcome back to Joe and STO! Today, we have what we presume to be a bug in the ship reward for the Inquiry-class Battlecruiser reward box. While I’m unsure of who took the picture, it was easier to embed Timberwolf’s tweet. Seeing as no one is aware of an intended change to…
Buying Into Star Trek Online in 2020: The Good
So much has been said about Cryptic/PWE’s monetization system, but they don’t hold everything from you.
Tweet Series: Support Carrier Bundle Value
When I don’t feel I have time to write a proper article, I Tweet…a ton. Catch up on my evolving Twitter thoughts on the Support Carrier Bundle!
Do Yourself a Favor(s), Make Tons of EC This Summer Event!
What do Lohlunat Favors and a Tholian ship have in common? It turns out…plenty, if you’re willing to work for it.
EVENT SHIPS BLOG 2: Tier 6, Event Ship Reclaim, and Admiralty Eras
It was only 4 ships, but it was a prolific time for STO and Event Ships.
EVENT SHIPS BLOG 1: The Tier 5 Era
Ship rewards feel like a time to skip out if you don’t like the ship being rewarded…but read why you may not want to doze off on these ships.
Faith of the (Choice Pack) Heart? Mudd’s NeXt Offering
(See what I did there? Capitalized the “N” and “X” in “next” because this has an NX-class ship? Bah, you’re no fun…onto what you came here for!) Hello, all, and welcome back to Joe and STO! Today, we got news of a new Choice Pack hitting Mudd’s Market, the “Faith of the Heart,” Choice Pack!…
Canon Playability, Defiant Part 8: Thirty-Something (K)
“Tough little ship,” is it? Look and see!
(OUTDATED) Mudd’s Market: The Pitfalls and the Promises
Mudd’s got many old, formerly exclusive items for sale as account unlocks! Are they as dirty a deal as his name implies?
Passing Along Info: Contests/Giveaways for House Divided!
Hello, all, and welcome back to Joe and STO! I’m just passing along a couple quick links to a contest and a giveaway, and hopefully you’ll be able to enter or grab them while they’re available. First is a giveaway from AlienWare for a Klingon Miracle Worker BOFF (account-unlocked) and an Elite Services Starter Pack…
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Welcome to “Joe and STO” (pronounced like “Joe and Stow.”). I’m a casual player. I have over 8 years’ experience inside Star Trek Online and have little to no in-depth understanding of the game, but I fly starships and have fun doing it. Here, you can expect as casual a perspective as I can give on hot-button topics in the community; showing off ships, gear, even item acquisition progress; and perhaps posting build advice here and there for the new or returning STO player. And if I start streaming, you may see links to videos pop up, as well. If you like what you see, feel free to subscribe to get updates to this blog. But overall, enjoy and I hope you get a valuable perspective on this game from Cryptic and Perfect World Entertainment.
Social Media handles: @cardgamenut on Twitter (this may change soon); cardgamenut on Reddit; CardGameNut on Twitch (not currently streaming but may in the future).
Joe and STO 