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[GlyphGryph]

Actually, a single Ion Blast MKII is enough to take down any level shield.

Getting a decent gunner and an autoloader makes it far quicker and more likely, too.

Thow a single additional ion weapon on top of that, and breaking through their shield and then disable their bridge is is pretty much a given. And once that happens, well... you win! An additional ion weapon will easily disable their weapons, leaving you in control of the ship, and from their it's pretty much "do whatever you want" time.

[Neonivek]

I have to ask

How much of a luck factor does this game have or is there an optimal win most of the time strategy?

Since I am noticing that there are two basic ideas of ships: Ships that are good for most of the game on their own merits, and ships that will be good for one sector and you better hope they have something else but also come with a super rare amazing item/function.

[Shadowgandor]

On Easy at least it's mostly the choices you make during the game. Sure, sometimes you'll inevitably die but it's not like you're only rolling a dice which decides whether you live or not. Knowing when to fight or flee is pretty important and so is your ability in handling hazards like fire and boarders. How you're upgrading your ship is pretty important as well.

[Neonivek]

I am aware that there is skill involved but how much luck is involved?

How much can the game just lock you out of victory?

[gimlet]

I think for *most* ships, only the 1st sector is at all heavily luck-dependent if you play reasonably conservatively.  After that, unless you get really really screwed  (like by finding almost no shops 5 sectors in a row, say), I think you should be able to win at least 90% of the time.   Admittedly some ships are super-vulnerable until you can do the right upgrades - like the stealth ship meeting beam drone after beam drone.

Almost all my deaths now are self-inflicted - either "oops I wasn't watching autofire and blowed up my boarding party again",  not watching hull points or fuel, pushing too hard by picking fights when weakened/undergunned, "one more volley" instead of a retreat,  etc.

[Mephansteras]

Which is not to say that the game can't just decide you're going to die. I've had ships that were doing quite well suddenly run up against something that managed to kill me by having the perfect combinations of weapons and defenses to defeat my ship. An AI with 4 shields, a burst laser, 2 missiles, and a bomb was probably the worst. It took out most of my weapons with the first missile, and I think my helm with the second, and it went downhill from there. I couldn't hurt it because I could never get my full weapons systems in place, and couldn't keep up with the damage it was doing to my various systems to get out of the loop or flee.

[GlyphGryph]

Ultimately, yes, there's on element of chance. You can get unlucky and really lose out. I don't think this is common though. Usually when you die, it's your own fault.

Although that is only after you've learned to play prettty well. A lot of the early game is about DISCOVERY which is significantly more chance based (learning the good and bad event likelihoods to decide whether its worth it)

[Satarus]

A lot seems to be luck on finding good weapons.  Take too much damage early on or forced to run from too many fights and you won't have enough to upgrade your ship. 

[monk12]

A lot seems to be luck on finding good weapons.  Take too much damage early on or forced to run from too many fights and you won't have enough to upgrade your ship.

Even then, you should be able to handily win most fights in the first sector, and good exploration habits should reveal a shop or two every sector. Sometimes yes, the shops don't have weapons and you don't get a random event that gives you a new weapon, and in those runs you're in deep trouble by Sector 3. Most of the time, though, you can find something to use, even if you end up buying drones or teleporter+crew instead of weapons.

[Micro102]

I once got no weapons in any shops. All drones and systems. Got 1 augmentation shop in the last stand, and had to rely on nothing but missiles (one of which was a small bomb) and beam weapons (including beam drones). I died in phase 2 of the boss. So yes the RNG can screw you.

[Jim Groovester]

I hate Zoltan ships.

With their mini-beams and their beam drones and their dual lasers.

At least the rebel riggers have the courtesy to not have a supershield.

[GlyphGryph]

I once got no weapons in any shops. All drones and systems. Got 1 augmentation shop in the last stand, and had to rely on nothing but missiles (one of which was a small bomb) and beam weapons (including beam drones). I died in phase 2 of the boss. So yes the RNG can screw you.

Systems sounds like "teleporter" and drones are pretty powerful. Starting weapons for most ships, plus drones, is more than enough to take on the boss. Through in a Teleporter and Cloak, which you should be able to afford since you aren't wasting money on weapons systems, and you should be perfectly fine.

[Sirus]

I think the common consensus is "Yes, a skilled player can win most of the time, but every once in a while the Random Number God will screw you over just to remind you who's in charge".

[GlyphGryph]

This will almost occur within the first 3 sectors, thankfully. The longer you play, the lower the chance of the RNG asserting dominion over you.

[Sirus]

This will almost occur within the first 3 sectors, thankfully. The longer you play, the lower the chance of the RNG asserting dominion over you.

Still a chance, though. The Last Stand can be especially brutal at times. And some of the random events can be absolutely punishing to certain setups.