[Top 10] Star Trek Online Best Starship Traits

STO best starship traits
Sit in the Captain's seat and lead your way through battle


Utilize these traits to help maximize your advantages in battle against enemy fleets!

In addition to the many enhancements that can add to your ship’s power, damage and survivability, you have many options.

However, console slots are limited, and weapons can only upgrade so far. Turning to starship traits, when researched and implemented correctly, you can increase your ship’s ability to do more damage, survive and recover faster and create effects that can have devastating results for your enemies.

With large numbers of traits to choose from, depending on your needs, faction, ship type and personal preferences, there is an endless combination of traits to choose from. Let’s look at the ten best in the game. 

10. Going the Extra Mile

Go the extra mile with shield ability and increased maximum hit points

The starship trait, Going the Extra Mile, is available in three distinct variants. Choosing from Basic, Improved or Superior, you can decide which part of this Miracle Worker trait to use based on how many specialization points you wish to dedicate to it. 

What Going the Extra Mile adds to your Build

  • The basic version of this trait, achieved with 15 Miracle Worker specialization points, generates a +10% increased shield and hull healing ability. If the healed target is already at 90% health or above, it increases maximum hit points by 10% for 20 seconds.
  • In the improved version, this bonus is increased to +15% after spending 30 points.
  • In the superior version, this bonus increases to 20% after spending 30 points in three of the available primary specializations.

How to get Going the Extra Mile and Why it’s an Awesome Trait Name

  • Activate the Miracle Worker Specialization in your trait path selections.
  • As you earn specialization slots, add them to your Miracle Worker trait path until you have enough points to earn Going the Extra Mile.
  • Going the Extra Mile is an awesome name because it does exactly what it promises. It keeps you in the fight and gives you the chance to continue battling, keeping the fight alive longer.

9. Parting Gift

The mic drop of parting gifts!

Originally part of the Privateer Lockbox, the starship trait Parting Gift gives you two gifts for the price of one. Slotting this as one of your starship traits is an excellent endgame strategy as well as an in-battle advantage. 

What Parting Gift Adds to your Build

  • Your target receives a -10 damage resistance while under the influence of your tractor beam.
  • Through kinetic damage, you receive 100% shield penetration.
  • You will knock the enemies offline for five seconds.

This trait gives the added bonus of leaving behind a devastating warhead that detonates after a few seconds of delay.

  • How to get Parting Gift and Why it’s an Awesome Trait Name
  • Currently available through the Infinity Prize Pack: Starship Trait Award.
  • Look for this trait on the exchange.

Parting Gift does exactly what it says as you part ways with the enemy. They may think they’ve escaped, but when they realize the warhead’s detonation is imminent, you can warp out knowing the battle is won.

8. Unconventional Tactics

Fifteen seconds is a lot of time for dealing extra damage

If you’re seeking to increase your damage like the rest of us, Unconventional Tactics brings a lot for a little with this Strategist Specialization Trait.

What Unconventional Tactics Adds to your Build

  • With the standard Unconventional Tactics, activating Brace for Impact will create a +15% on all damage for 15 seconds.
  • If you spend 90 points total throughout all available specializations, the bonus increases to +20% on all damage for 15 seconds.
  • This trait only requires a 15-point investment in the Strategist Specialization.

How to get Unconventional Tactics and Why it’s an Awesome Trait Name

  • Be sure to have your Strategist Specialization set to Secondary Activation to ensure you get this bonus. Also, make sure that one of your bridge officers has Brace for Impact in their arsenal.
  • Unconventional Tactics is an awesome trait name because it uses your strategic ability to enhance what is already a great defense in Brace for Impact.
  • This trait works well because just by being a strategist, it gives you what many see as an unconventional advantage of a 5% increase in your Maximum Shield Capacity just by utilizing this specialization trait.

7. Inspirational Leader

Lead your crew to powerfully defeat your enemy

Inspirational Leader adds in enhanced behaviors for your ship based on what is obviously related to your excellency in command and your ability to lead. This is a worthwhile trait to consider obtaining for your defense capabilities.

What Inspirational Leader Adds to your Build

  • You will have a 10% greater chance of adding +10% to all starship skills for 15 seconds.
  • This trait can stack 3 times.
  • Quickly vanquish your enemies with these stackable and powerful increases to your ship’s power.

How to get Inspirational Leader and Why it’s an Awesome Trait Name

  • Inspirational Leader is part of the Genetic Resequencer Pack Space Trait which can be obtained through the Elachi Lockbox. 
  • It can also be found on the exchange as it is unbound until opening.
  • Inspirational Leader is an awesome trait name because it truly reflects your command abilities and allows your entire ship and crew to come together, work harder and defeat the enemies with more firepower than ever.

6. Scramble Fighters

Maximize pet capabilities to aide your fight

The addition of hangar pets with your carrier can add significant damage potential during any battle. As with any hangar pet launch, they too are susceptible to damage or destruction.

Then, you must wait for your cooldown to launch a fresh set from your hangar bay. Scramble Fighters is a great trait to boost your pet’s capabilities in space. 

What Scramble Fighters Adds to your Build

  • The use of this trait will grant immunity to all pets for 5 seconds.
  • Experience a damage increase of +25% for 5 seconds.
  • All pets will receive a +50% heal of their maximum hull capacity.

How to get Scramble Fighters and Why it’s an Awesome Trait Name

  • This trait is available when opening the Delta Alliance Duty Officer Pack as a bonus.
  • Scramble Fighters can also be purchased from the Zen store or off the Exchange.
  • This is such an awesome trait name because it really gives your pets the ability to truly scramble and regroup with powerful bonuses that get them back in the fight quickly and keep your DPS high, where you want it.

5. Need-to-Know Basis

The name speaks for itself!

Section 31, the mysterious and often misunderstood secretive branch of Starfleet (but you didn’t hear that from me!), unleashes a trait that is so secretive that they’ve dubbed it Need-to-Know Basis. 

What Need-to-Know Basis Adds to your Build

  • Your slotted Bridge Officer abilities from your ensign slots will stack for 60 seconds.
  • After ten stacks, a Section 31 Interdictor will appear for exactly 31 seconds.
  • Joining you in the fight, the Interdictor will help repel existing enemies until time is up.

How to get Need-to-Know Basis and Why it’s an Awesome Trait Name

  • Need to Know Basis can be obtained from the Section 31 Lock Box.
  • Find this trait on the exchange in the Genetic Resequencer Trait: Starship Trait section.
  • This trait has an awesome name because it truly reflects the secret nature of all of Section 31.

4. Psychological Warfare

Shake things up by adding in factors other than weapons to win against an enemy

In the vast reaches of space, encountering an enemy can be dealt with in many ways, but if there is no cooperation and your enemy is determined to destroy you, you will need all the tricks of the trade to avoid annihilation. Adding Psychological Warfare to your toolbox is one way to even up the odds.

What Psychological Warfare Adds to your Build

  • All abilities that control are improved with this trait.
  • Knock, placate, repel, root, slow, confuse, disable and hold are all affected by this trait.
  • A +20% bonus control will apply to all these abilities.

How to get Psychological Warfare and Why it’s an Awesome Trait Name

  • Psychological Warfare is a random reward from the Undine Lockbox.
  • Unbound until open, this can be sold, traded or found on the Exchange.
  • The reason that Psychological Warfare is such an awesome trait name is because there are so many ways to control the enemy through conventional weapons. However, the addition of psychological tactics with the addition of this trait seems to add a layer of deeper control that is harder to repel, making it a killer trait to use.

3. Neutral Zone

Brush up on your history for this territory!

Previously a large buffer zone between the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire, the Neutral Zone is not mentioned in Star Trek Online anymore.

However, the memories of its existence have not been lost on the factions existing in the game and hostilities are not always absent between them. 

What Neutral Zone Adds to your Build

  • Incoming attacks made by foes you have not previously encountered receive increased resilience.
  • This resilience extends to enemies previously encountered, but in the more distant past.
  • In the game, receive a +30% resilience for enemies not attacked in the past 30 seconds.

How to get Neutral Zone and Why it’s an Awesome Trait Name

  • This trait can be obtained from the Kelvin Timeline Lockbox.
  • Neutral Zone can be found on the Exchange for purchase.
  • This trait has such an awesome name for Star Trek fans who have followed the history of the Federation, The Romulans and the many battles and encounters in the Neutral Zone.

2. Blaze of Glory

Show your enemy that you won't go down without a fight!

One would believe that upon the destruction of your ship, you and your crew are destined for total and complete eradication. However, with Blaze of Glory, the tables are momentarily turned in your favor, although the endgame remains the same.

What Blaze of Glory Adds to your Build

  • When your ship is defeated in battle, it will return momentarily to full functionality, immune to all damage, yet able to deliver it, for 8 seconds.
  • After 8 seconds, you are defeated, and this cannot be prevented.
  • It does not occur in all circumstances and it cannot be triggered again for 120 seconds.

How to get Blaze of Glory and Why it’s an Awesome Trait Name

  • Blaze of Glory is available from the Year of Hell Lockbox.
  • The Year of Hell Lockbox is found as a random lockbox drop in the game.
  • The trait name is awesome because it truly enables you to picture going down in an actual blaze of glory. Knowing full well that destruction is imminent, you use your final 8 seconds to deal as much damage as you can before your inevitable fate.

1. Context is for Kings

Gain bonuses for damage not taken in battle

For every second spent under attack, you risk the loss of shields, engines, subsystems and your chance of survival. Boosting any and all systems is your goal if you are to survive the many dangerous enemies one can encounter in space. 

What Context is for Kings Adds to your Build

  • Gain a valuable damage bonus for each second that you do not take incoming damage. 
  • If damage is taken in the previous second, gain +3% damage resistance for 10 seconds.
  • If you did not take damage in the previous second, you will gain +1% bonus on all damage for 10 seconds.

How to get Context is for Kings and Why it’s an Awesome Trait Name

  • This trait can be obtained as a random reward in the Discovery Lock Box.
  • You can also purchase this trait on the Exchange.
  • The name Context is for Kings is a reference to Star Trek Discovery. In order to not mention any possible spoilers for those who have not seen the episode of its name, I will just say that it fits with the subject matter within. 

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From the captain's chair of her Federation ship, armed with coffee, Michele boldly goes. Whether taking down a dragon in Elswyr, eliminating Stormtrooper hordes or zapping Romulans, she's ready to go!
Gamer Since: 1982
Favorite Genre: RPG
Currently Playing: STO, ESO
Top 3 Favorite Games:Star Trek, The Elder Scrolls Online, Star Wars: Battlefront


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