Crystalline CatastropheGiven by:
50+
Yes
Challenge:
You will receive the following reward:
Nukara Marks or
Fleet Marks
Plus one of the following:
| Skill |  |
Elite mark | R&D |
|
480 | x |  
|
|
720 | x | 
|
During the "Crystalline Cataclysm" Featured TFO:
Choice of Marks- [Featured TFO Commendation] (1 every 20h)
Crystalline Catastrophe is a PvE Queue event available for all factions in a normal and an advanced mode.
Mission Text[]
Admiral, a crystalline entity has been sighted. Join in the battle against this enormous destroyer of worlds!
Goal[]
Destroy the Crystalline Entity
Objectives[]
- Destroy the Crystalline Entity (0/1)
- (Optional) Defeat Crystalline Entity Within 5:00
- (Optional) Don't Lose More than 30% of Ships during Absorb and Pulse (First Pulse)
- (Optional) Don't Lose More than 30% of Ships during Absorb and Pulse (Second Pulse)
- Crystalline Entity Destroyed
Mission Dialogue[]
Admiral Grigori Yanishev:
Glad to have your assistance in these efforts, Admiral.
I can give you information regarding the Crystalline Entity's combat capabilities and recommended countermeasures.
What is the situation?[]
We're under attack by a massive crystalline lifeform. The U.S.S. Enterprise encountered one of these nearly forty years ago, and the creature was destroyed. At the time, we believed that the creature was one of a kind and hadn't prepared for the eventuality of encountering another.
When this one was discovered traveling through this region of space, attempts at communication were made, but the creature responded by violently destroying the ships that were sent to make contact. As a result, Starfleet and the Klingon Defense Force have both authorized immediate action to end the threat caused by its presence.
The Tholians seem particularly interested in this Entity. Perhaps they hope to communicate with it, based on their biological similarities as crystal-based life-forms. As usual, the Tholians are enigmatic, and we're not really sure what they have planned. We should be prepared to defend ourselves from their forces, as we move to engage the Crystalline Entity.
When this one was discovered traveling through this region of space, attempts at communication were made, but the creature responded by violently destroying the ships that were sent to make contact. As a result, Starfleet and the Klingon Defense Force have both authorized immediate action to end the threat caused by its presence.
The Tholians seem particularly interested in this Entity. Perhaps they hope to communicate with it, based on their biological similarities as crystal-based life-forms. As usual, the Tholians are enigmatic, and we're not really sure what they have planned. We should be prepared to defend ourselves from their forces, as we move to engage the Crystalline Entity.
During the special Crystalline Catastrophe event, you can earn Crystal Shards. These are used with the new Event Reputation to earn special bonus rewards. You may earn one shard every 20 hours for participating in the Crystalline Catastrophe queued event.
What do we know about the entity's combat capabilities?[]
It focuses a Matter Conversion Beam in a similar manner to starship weaponry, and uses this to lash out randomly at nearby vessels. This beam deals substantial damage to starships, it is capable of disabling and killing crew at an alarming rate.
The crystal regenerates at very high speeds, and is incredibly resilient to our fire power -- especially that derived from directed energy weapons. Massive amounts of sustained firepower will be needed over the course of our encounter in order to overcome this.
The crystal regenerates at very high speeds, and is incredibly resilient to our fire power -- especially that derived from directed energy weapons. Massive amounts of sustained firepower will be needed over the course of our encounter in order to overcome this.
- Matter Conversion Beam Weapon (Antiproton damage)
- High Health Regeneration
- High Kinetic Resistance
- Very High Energy Weapon Resistance
There is a high chance that dealing damage to the Entity will cause a Large Crystalline Fragment to break off into space. We've observed these Large Fragments seek out starships and ram into them, destroying them in as little as a single hit. If you find yourself being followed by a Large Fragment, it's recommended that you either destroy it, or outmaneuver it.
Large Fragments that impact a starship will shatter into Small Fragments which return to the entity and apply a "Re-Crystalize" effect that will amplify the magnitude of the entity's attacks. The Small Fragments can be destroyed, but targeting them has proven exceedingly difficult.
Large Fragments that impact a starship will shatter into Small Fragments which return to the entity and apply a "Re-Crystalize" effect that will amplify the magnitude of the entity's attacks. The Small Fragments can be destroyed, but targeting them has proven exceedingly difficult.
- When damaged, spawns Large Fragments which will attempt to ram vessels, but will ignore smaller targets (mines, fighters, etc).
- If they impact a ship, will split into Small Fragments. Destroying them before they can impact a ship will prevent Small Fragments from spawning.
- Small Fragments will apply a buff that will increase the Entity's damage.
As a strange side effect of the Entity's unique crystalline structure, certain combat abilities that are typically used to drain enemy shields and subsystem power, have been proven to break down newly-formed crystals along the entity's surface. These abilities are specifically effective against Small Fragments that have attached to themselves to the entity and applied the "Re-Crystalize" effect.
Use of such abilities is recommended, in hopes of keeping the magnitude of the entity's devastating attacks in check.
The following abilities will periodically remove multiple "Re-Crystalize" charges from the Entity:
Use of such abilities is recommended, in hopes of keeping the magnitude of the entity's devastating attacks in check.
The following abilities will periodically remove multiple "Re-Crystalize" charges from the Entity:
- Tachyon Beam
- Charged Particle Burst
- Energy Siphon
- Tyken's Rift
The entity is also capable of going into a sort of resonance trance. It is nearly immune to energy damage while in this state, and incoming weapons fire only seems to feed its rage. After it has concluded this trance state, any energy absorbed is violently expelled in a shockwave that can be extremely devastating.
It is recommended that our strike force switch targets during this phase to avoid feeding the shockwave, and resume fire on the Entity after it has expelled its shockwave. Allowing it to absorb too much incoming energy will allow its shockwave to potentially vaporize our entire fleet.
It is recommended that our strike force switch targets during this phase to avoid feeding the shockwave, and resume fire on the Entity after it has expelled its shockwave. Allowing it to absorb too much incoming energy will allow its shockwave to potentially vaporize our entire fleet.
- Can enter an Absorption phase: Any damage dealt during this phase is absorbed by the Entity.
- This phase lasts 30 seconds, after which all absorbed energy is expelled violently in a massive Antiproton energy shockwave.
- If the Entity has been allowed to fully charge up with absorbed energy, and has any charges of Re-Crystalize, it's highly likely that this blast will destroy all ships within a 10km range, in a single hit.
- The shockwave will damage any nearby Fragments and Tholian ships. It may be possible to use this to your advantage, but not recommended.
Do you have any load-out recommendations?[]
This is a creature we're dealing with, not a starship. Weapons and abilities which impact starship subsystems will generally have no effect on the entity, except where previously noted to remove Re-Crystalize buffs.
Abilities which can control the movement of Large or Small Fragments, or deal damage over a large area, could both come in handy to control the number of targets on the battlefield.
Maneuverability is also important to avoid collision with Large Fragments.
Abilities which can control the movement of Large or Small Fragments, or deal damage over a large area, could both come in handy to control the number of targets on the battlefield.
Maneuverability is also important to avoid collision with Large Fragments.
- Weapons: The special abilities found on Phasers, Tetryons and Polarons will not affect the entity. (It does not possess Shields or Subsystems)
- Weapons: The entity is less resistant to Kinetic Weapons than it is to Energy Weapons.
- Abilities: Subsystem Offline abilities have no effect on the Entity or Fragments. (Boarding Party and Viral Matrix, for example)
- Abilities: Jam Sensors, Scramble Sensors and other similar effects are unlikely to affect the Entity, but will befuddle the Large Fragments.
- Abilities: Movement control and multi-target damaging abilities recommended for use on shards. (Gravity Well and Photonic Shockwave, for example)
- Abilities: If you can't destroy the Large Fragments, find a way to outrun them. They will find a new target once you are far away from them.
What are all of these strange energy readings?[]
As far as we can tell, the entity is throwing off a large amount of strange subspace distortion. As a result, we're seeing various spatial anomalies. Be careful -- as the entity changes energy states, it's likely that the anomalies will change as well.
Accolades[]
| Icon | Name | Requirements | Points | Unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Shattered | 1st Place in the Crystalline Entity Fleet Action | 10 | "Crystalline Entity" floor trophy |
Walkthrough
- For a walkthrough of this mission, visit the Walkthrough page.
NPCs[]
Notes[]
- This is a medium-size Fleet Action. A minimum of 10 players are required to start the mission. The zone will cap off at 10 players.
- The Tholian ships present in this mission do not seem to use their web abilities, such as the Mesh Weavers' web wall and the web trap used by Orb Weavers. Currently after the most current update (post 04/20/2013) the web weavers can form webs and all players now receive full damage from attacks from the entity.
- For a description of the infamously difficult original mission as it existed before the April 2013 overhaul, see Crystalline Catastrophe/Walkthrough - Original Mission.
- Like in some other Fleet Actions, the players with the most heal will receive a Rare for 2nd and 3rd or 2 Very Rare rewards for 1st place.
Federation trophy
Klingon trophy
Versions[]
| Date (PC) | Date (Console) | Unique reward |
|---|---|---|
| 11 April - 2 May 2013 | N/A | Crystalline Shard non-combat space pet |
| 20 September - 21 October 2013 | N/A | Mariah Kilara Marr |
| 21 August - 11 September 2014 | N/A | Emergency Conn Hologram |
| 5 March - 26 March 2015 | 29 September - 20 October 2016 | Crystalline Energy Torpedo Launcher |
| 13 August - 3 September 2015 | 11 May - 2 June 2017 | Universal Kit Module - Crystalline Spike |
| 19 May - 9 June 2016 | N/A | Console - Universal - Crystalline Absorption Matrix |
| 3 November - 24 November 2016 | N/A | Crystal Radiation Projector |
| 16 August - 6 September 2018 | 13 September - 10 October 2018 | Antiproton Matter Conversion Dual Heavy Cannons and Beam Array |
| 6 June - 27 June 2019 | TBD | Black Ops Mine Launcher |
