The Crystalline Entity is back and stronger than ever. After the success of the updated Crystalline Cataclysm Event last year, we’re bringing those changes to the regular Crystalline Catastrophe Task Force Operation.

The Crystalline Catastrophe Task Force Operation has undergone some improvements! Our goal was to provide a deeper experience when taking on the Entity. The mechanics in place had the potential to do this, but weren’t able to shine.

The following are some of the bigger changes:

• There is now a 30 second mission briefing time before the queue begins. This allows players time to join the queue and read the briefing if necessary, before taking on the Entity.
• The Entity shards that it deploys are now immune to control effects, this allows the feature more room to breathe as the queue progresses.
• Small Shards will no longer buff the Entity’s damage for the entire queue. Instead, they will give the entity buff stacks towards a more powerful Energy Release after its Absorption Phase.
  • This change results in a potentially stronger Energy Release attack. In response to that, we’ve added a growing AoE indicator to show the area of the Energy Release and how long it will be before it goes off.
  • The Entity Beam attacks no longer apply a Flight Speed debuff to players.
    • Instead, Large Shards on Advanced Difficulties will apply a Flight Speed debuff if they are able to explode on a player.
• The Entity is now entirely Immune to damage while in its Absorption Phase. We wanted this phase to be about avoiding the Energy Release and preventing the shards from buffing the attack.
  • The Entity Absorption Phase is now 15 seconds long rather than 30 seconds. This was the case on Advanced versions of the queue but is now in parity with Normal.
• Once the Entity has been destroyed it will explode into many Small Salvageable Crystal Fragments, these fragments can be destroyed to gain 1-5 Salvage from each of them!

We hope you enjoy this refreshed Crystalline Catastrophe!

Matthew “CulturedSoup” Campbell

Staff Systems Designer

Star Trek Online