Patch Notes: Update 85 DS9 Retribution (Part 2)

“Deep Space Nine cannot be the only location in the galaxy that hasn’t come into contact with Transogen. There must be others out there like us. It’s up to us to find them.”

The Node’s escalating campaign against the Borg has turned a once-prosperous Cardassian region into a devastated warzone, its scattered Nor-class outposts hunted by both factions. With the Cardassians withdrawing and relinquishing their claim, chaos spreads across the quadrant. In the Bajor system, Captain Benjamin Sisko and the crew of Deep Space Nine search for allies as the Hierarch psionically controls Transogen-exposed beings and the Borg increase their assimilation efforts. A few enclaves still survive, and if Sisko can unite them, hope remains but failure may force him to choose a side in a war with no end.

Watch the official Patch Notes here.

What’s in Update 85 Deep Space 9: Retribution Pt 2?

New Elite Solo Outposts
New Fleet Commander: Benjamin Sisko
New Updates to the Outpost Refinery
New Missions
A New Officer: Ezri Dax
New Chaos Tech
A new Outposts Battle Pass
A new DS9 Retribution Battle Pass
And a New Addition to Independent Archive: The Meridian

Quality of Life Updates

The Meridian Joins the Independent Archives

The Meridian is now part of the Independent Archives. To master its Archive, players must first reach:

Meridian Tier 9
Archives Level 56

What Mastery Includes:

Mastering the Meridian Archive consolidates multiple systems into one streamlined daily claim:

All 1★, 2★, and 3★ Isogen bundles
The Iso-Emulsion → Iso-Resin conversion bundle in the Territory Refinery
Parsteel, Tritanium, and Dilithium bundles in the Territory Store
All Territory Capture Services tied to the 1★–3★ Isogen bundles

Important:

Once mastered, players no longer rely on their Alliance to unlock these Territory Particle Services. Your daily Meridian Archive claim automatically includes their benefits. Players who haven’t mastered the Archive will still need these services for optimal Refinery returns.

Archive Pillar Rewards

Progressing through the Archive Pillars unlocks powerful buffs and cosmetics:

Meridian Ship Parts Cost Efficiency +10%
Meridian Cargo Capacity Increase +65%
Meridian Iso Mine Amount Increase +20%
FKR Ship Protected Cargo Increase +100%
Golden Meridian Avatar (awarded upon Mastery)

Improvements to The Hierarch’s Captain Maneuver – Twisted Blade

Based on player feedback, we’re implementing an update to The Hierarch’s Captain Maneuver, Twisted Blade, to make it more reliable and easier to use in the first round of PvP combat.

Previous Functionality:

“The Hierarch increases Shots by 120% (200% at max synergy) for 2 rounds on round start against players, if the opponent has any state.”
Previously, the maneuver only activated when the opposing ship already had a state applied, which prevented it from triggering in round one due to combat activation order.

Updated Functionality:

“The Hierarch increases Shots by 120% (200% at max synergy) for 2 rounds on round start against players.”
By removing the conditional requirement from the Captain Maneuver, the CM now activates regardless of the enemy’s state, ensuring the officer’s combat impact in round one finally matches player expectations.

For more information about this ability update and additional details about officer ability activation order, check out the blog post where we first covered it.

DS9 Retribution Pt. 2 Arc – Missions (Ops 51+)

Just like part one of this arc, new missions will roll out over the course of the month.

Week 1: Fragile Alliances Part 1–3

Sisko and the Commander, alongside Garak, Worf, and a reluctant Cardassian ally, work to unite scattered forces and reclaim control of the quadrant amid Borg and Node conflict.

Week 2: A Crowded House Part 1–3

Newly formed alliances are tested as Sisko and the Commander rescue surviving Federation forces and defend their fragile unity against mounting threats.

Week 3: Acquiescence Part 1–3

Sisko and the Commander head deep into Borg territory, where a tense encounter with the Borg Queen challenges their resolve and the possibility of an unlikely alliance.

Week 4: The Trap Part 1–3

Bound by a fragile alliance with the Borg, Sisko and the Commander deploy a powerful transwarp trap, navigating diplomacy, betrayal, and galactic stakes to set up the final confrontation.

Solo Outpost Expansion: Elite Solo Outposts (Ops 51+)

As mentioned in our November blog, Solo Outposts are now a permanent, always-on feature, and Elite Solo Outposts follow the same philosophy. These new, more challenging Outposts will remain available indefinitely, giving players the freedom to engage with them throughout December and beyond.

Elite Solo Outposts are an enhanced version of Common Solo Outposts, offering access to higher-value rewards along with substantially increased Retaliation Medals and Retaliation Plunder. Though they present a tougher challenge, their overall reward potential is significantly greater than that of their Common counterparts.

Key characteristics of Elite Solo Outposts:

Present a higher challenge to defeat at level
Drop Elite Outpost Credits, unlocking access to new rewards in the Outpost Refinery like Federation, Klingon, and Romulan Faction Reputation Bundles for G5 – G7 Players.
Drop significantly higher quantities of Retaliation Medals
Drop significantly higher quantities of Retaliation Plunder
Enable access to more powerful and more numerous Outpost Upgrade buffs

Elite Solo Outposts are initiated with Elite Solo Outpost Strike Directives, which can be earned through the free track of the Outpost Battle Pass. Additional directives will also be distributed during the release period, allowing players to try out and explore the new content as early as possible.

Elite Solo Outpost Entities (Ops 51+)

Elite Solo Outposts follow the familiar structure established by Common Solo Outposts, offering a two-layer encounter: first, the Outposts themselves, and second, the Outpost Retaliation Hostiles that strike back after an Outpost is defeated. Like their Common counterparts, Elite Solo Outposts remain immune to non-generic Armada and Marauder power, while still being fully affected by Outpost-specific buffs and abilities.

As you explore the galaxy, you’ll encounter Elite versions of the Cardassian, The Node, and Borg Outposts, now expanded across G5, G6, and G7 space. These Elite variants deepen the existing faction themes and introduce more demanding challenges.

Elite Solo Outposts retain the same core abilities and upgrade systems but push them further. Their Outpost Upgrade Buffs feature higher potency, stronger scaling across levels, and additional upgrade tiers, resulting in dramatically more powerful effects as you progress.

Cardassian Elite Solo Outposts

Levels: 53, 56, 60, 63, 66, 70, 73, 76, 80.
Systems: Pyranthis (53), Ophyria (53), Dravari (56), Neijuhma (56), Altharis (60), Cahndos (60), Zephorix (63), Karyndor (63), Tehnohay (63), Lysandur (66), Qyrathon (70), Vaelora (73), Orvexis (76), and Draxalon (80).

All Cardassian Elite Solo Outposts Buff
G5 / G6 / G7 (max values)

Increase Apex Shred vs. Cardassian Outpost Retaliation Hostiles
+100% / +200% / +500%

Cardassian Elite Solo Outposts Level 53 / 63 / 73 Variants
G5 / G6 / G7 (max values)

Increase Maximum Cargo (all ships, requires redeploy)
+220% /+285% / +400%
Increase Loot from Hostiles & Armadas (requires redeploy)
+50% / +70% / +100% (max)
Increase chance to trigger Morale for 1 round
33% / 50% / 100% (max)

Cardassian Elite Solo Outposts Level 56 / 66 / 77 Variants
G5 / G6 / G7 (max values)

Increase all Officer Stats
+660% / +1000% / +1500%
Increase HHP (all ships)
+800% / +1300% / +2000%
Increase chance to trigger Hull Breach for 1 round
33% / 50% / 100%

Cardassian Elite Solo Outposts Level 60 / 70 / 80 Variants
G5 / G6 / G7 (max values)

Increase Mining Speed (all ships)
+850% / +1200% / +1800% (max)
Increase Hazard Protection (all ships)
+80% / +110% / +150% (max)
Increase chance to trigger Burning for 1 round
33% / 50% / 100% (max)

Node Elite Solo Outposts

Levels: 53, 56, 60, 63, 66, 70, 73, 76, 80.
Systems: Simonedes (53), Luzui (53), Zytheron (56), Turulion (56), Velrion (60), Kel’Tyhr (60), Othara (63), Klinithilas (63), Alistrun (63), Nexulon (66), Kythera (70), Thalvorn (73), Cerulon (76), and Tessie (80).

All Node Elite Solo Outposts
G5 / G6 / G7 (max value)

Increase Apex Barrier vs. The Node Outpost Retaliation Hostiles (max values)
+20,000 / +40,000 / +60,000

Node Elite Solo Outposts Level 53 / 63 / 73 Variants
G5 / G6 / G7 (max values)

Increase Apex Barrier for the first 10 rounds in PvP
+25,000 / +35,000 / +50,000
Increase Critical Damage Bonus in PvP & Station Combat
+300% / +400% / +600%
Increase Iso Damage in PvP & Station Combat
+90% / +120% / +170%

Node Elite Solo Outposts Level 56 / 66 / 77 Variants
G5 / G6 / G7 (max values)

Increase Iso Defense for the first 10 rounds in PvP
+100% / +135% / +180%
Increase Apex Shred in PvP
+50% / +70% / +100%
Increase Critical Damage Bonus in PvP & Station Combat
+300% / +400% / +600%

Node Elite Solo Outposts Level 60 / 70 / 80 Variants
G5 / G6 / G7 (max values)

Reduce enemy Critical Damage for the first 10 rounds in PvP
-250% / -350% / -500%
Increase Iso Damage in PvP & Station Combat
+90% / +120% / +170%
Increase Apex Shred in PvP
+50% / +70% / +100%

Borg Elite Solo Outposts

Levels: 53, 56, 60, 63, 66, 70, 73, 76, 80.
Systems: Tyrvax (53), Elyndra (53), Azrythic (56), Euronyses (56), Vorulith (60), Robhva (60), Cylarnis (63), Vadiqea (63), Amantorus (63), Fenrithar (66), Zyntheris (70), Vurnaxis (73), Oculon (76), and Embrathil (80).

All Borg Elite Solo Outposts Buff
G5 / G6 / G7 (max values)

Increase Iso Defense vs. Borg Outpost Retaliation Hostiles
+300% / +400% / +560%

Borg Elite Solo Outposts Level 53 / 63 / 73 Variants
G5 / G6 / G7 (max values)

Increase Iso Defense vs. all Hostiles & Armadas
+80% / +110% / +150%
Increase Critical Hit Chance vs. Hostiles & Armadas
+30% / +40% / +55%
Increase Critical Damage vs. Hostiles & Armadas
+375% / +500% / +700%

Borg Elite Solo Outposts Level 56 / 66 / 77 Variants
G5 / G6 / G7 (max values)

Increase Mitigation vs. Hostiles & Armadas
+800% / +1000% / +1400%
Increase Iso Cascade Damage vs. Hostiles & Armadas
+50% / +65% / +85%
Increase Critical Hit Chance vs. Hostiles & Armadas
+30% / +40% / +55%

Borg Elite Solo Outposts Level 60 / 70 / 80 Variants
G5 / G6 / G7 (max values)

Increase Apex Barrier vs. all Hostiles
+2,000 / +3,000 / +4,000
Increase Critical Damage vs. Hostiles & Armadas
+375% / +500% / +700%
Increase Iso Cascade Damage vs. Hostiles & Armadas
+50% / +65% / +85%

Outpost Entity Currencies

Elite Solo Outpost Basic Directive: Sourced through Events/Store; starts Elite Solo Outpost assaults

Elite Solo Outpost Credits: Earned by defeating Elite Solo Outposts or defending Elite Outpost Retaliation attacks; spend in Outpost Refinery

Epic Solo Outpost Components: Upgrade Outpost buffs; earned from the Outposts Battle Pass or Store.

Outpost Rewards & Refinery (Ops 51+)

The Outpost Refinery is unlocked when the Outpost Control Center is built. Engage with Elite Solo Outposts to earn currencies that can be used in multiple bundles, which deliver significantly higher-value Resources, Materials, and Fleet Commander progression items.

Elite Solo Outpost Exchanges

G7: Elite Solo Outpost Exchange → Available at Ops 71; improves at Ops 73/76/80 (max at 80) (Provides significantly more value than non-Elite Exchanges.)
G6: Elite Solo Outpost Exchange → Available at Ops 61; improves at Ops 63/66/70 (max at 70) (Provides significantly more value than non-Elite Exchanges.)
G5: Elite Solo Outpost Exchange → Available upon unlocking the Outpost Refinery; improves at Ops 53/56/60 (max at 60) (Provides significantly more value than non-Elite Exchanges.)

FKR Faction Reputation Bundles

Elite Solo Outposts also provide access to the Federation, Klingon, and Romulan faction reputation bundles across G5–G7. These bundles can be exchanged for Elite Solo Outpost Credits and are available in the Outpost Refinery.

The G5 variant unlocks at Ops level 53 and improves at Ops 56 and 60
The G6 variant unlocks at Ops level 63 and improves at Ops 66 and 70
The G7 variant unlocks at Ops level 71 and improves at Ops 76 and 80

New Retaliation Plunder Rewards

Earned from defending against Elite Outpost Retaliation waves; exchange in the Outpost Refinery for:

FC Benjamin Sisko Shards
FC Sisko Skill Points
Sigma Commander Rankup Credits
Fleet Commander Seat Unlock

New Outpost Retaliation Medal Rewards

Status Control Team Ezri Dax (New Epic Officer)

Tradedown Bundle

Outpost Upgrade Material Trade down:

Epic Outpost Components → Rare Outpost Components

Fleet Commander Benjamin Sisko (Ops 51+)

Bringing tactical expertise to the front lines, Fleet Commander Sisko specializes in Outpost Combat and Loot Efficiency while providing hybrid benefits for both PvE and PvP. His Active Ability, Written by the Victors, and three unique Skill Trees, Tactician, Combatant, and Mechanic, add depth and flexibility to any fleet. His shards and resources will also be available from day one through the Outpost Refinery, allowing Commanders to begin leveling him immediately.

Tactician Skill Tree

The Tactician Skill Tree enhances overall combat performance with a focus on Outpost encounters, providing substantial boosts to Weapon Damage, Isolytic offense and defense, Apex Barrier, and Apex Shred. It delivers specialized advantages in Outpost battles while strengthening fleet resilience through a balanced mix of offensive and defensive abilities. As a major bonus, Sisko’s Active Ability, Written by the Victors, instantly repairs a portion of HHP for all deployed ships no matter where they are in the galaxy.

Combatant Skill Tree

The Combatant Skill Tree focuses on PvP combat, improving durability by increasing Hull Health and reducing enemy Critical and Weapon Damage, while providing Apex Barrier bonuses whenever Hull Breach, Morale, or Burning are active. It boosts Isolytic Damage, raises Officer Stats through abilities like It’s a Good Day to Die, We Do Not Retreat, and Self-Evident Truth, and adds resistance to the Borg Cutting Beam via Command Presence. This tree offers a flexible, well-rounded mix of offense, defense, and state-driven bonuses, with strong synergy alongside Status Control Team officers for high-intensity PvP battles.

Mechanic Skill Tree

The Mechanic Tree focuses on resource efficiency, Outpost optimization, and improved utility, offering increased cost efficiency for G7 Station Uncommon materials, faster mining speed, increased cargo capacity, stronger Faction Reputation gains, enhanced Outpost rewards and component/credit earnings, and even the ability, through Frontier Command, to deploy an additional ship in Outpost combat, making it ideal for long-term progression and optimization.

Fleet Commander Benjamin Sisko brings a new level of strategy and customization to STFC. Whether you’re battling through Elite Solo Outposts, dominating PvP, or maximizing cargo space and hostile loot, Sisko ensures your fleet is ready for anything.

To learn more about FC Sisko and his skill trees, check out the preview blog we published last week.

New Epic Officer: Status Control Team Ezri Dax

Epic Officer Ezri Dax joins the Status Control Team, completing the trio built to counter the Freeman crew in PvP battles.

Epic SCT Ezri Dax:

After the death of Jadzia Dax, Ezri Teegan, an unjoined Trill serving aboard the U.S.S. Destiny was unexpectedly chosen to host the Dax symbiont . With only minutes to prepare, she underwent the joining procedure, becoming Ezri Dax, the ninth host, and later joined Captain Sisko’s crew on Deep Space Nine as the station’s counselor.

Captain Maneuver: Tigan Mining Defenses

Increase Isolytic Cascade Damage by 1500% when attacked by a player while on a Survey Ship. (Always at max value and does not benefit from synergies.)

Officer Ability: Grief Counseling

Increase Isolytic Cascade Damage on round start vs. players, if the opponent has any State for 2 rounds
100% / 130% / 160% / 180% / 200%

Additional Content

Chaos Tech

New Chaos Tech aimed at PvP encounters with the U.S.S. Vengeance, and optimizations for the U.S.S. Reliant against the Augment Exiles.

Portable Transwarp Beaming Device (USS Vengeance)

Increase Apex Shred in PvP if opponent has Hull Breach
Increase Apex Barrier in PvP
Increase Crit Chance in PvP

Mark VI Photon Torpedo (USS Reliant)

Chance to apply Hull Breach to WOK Hostiles
Increase Champion Trophy rewards from hostile chests
Increase base Hull Health

Event Updates & Battle Pass (Ops 51+)

Battle Passes

Deep Space Nine: Retribution Pt. 2 brings two main Battle Passes for players Ops 51+. The DS9 Retaliation Battle Pass features shards of Ezri Dax, and the Outpost Battle Pass includes shards of The Hierarch.

Mid-Ops Events (Ops 20-50)

This month brings a full Strange New Worlds–themed arc, featuring a new story where Commanders team up with the crew of the Enterprise to rescue Sam Kirk while engaging with SNW content across Star Trek Fleet Command.

Featured Ships

U.S.S. Franklin (Ops 20-29
Mantis (Ops 33-39)
Serene Squall (Ops 30-39)
Gorn Eviscerator (Ops 40+)

Officer Sourcing

Several SNW officer shards, including Sam Kirk and Captain Pike, will be available this month. Commanders who fully complete the arc’s events, including Heroics, will also have the opportunity to fully unlock SNW D’Chok or Black Ops M’Benga.

Community Corner

Over on the STFC Official Discord, Community Managers SimPauly and Obsidian Hamster are brewing up something special for the holidays: Wintrek Holiday: The Galactic Advent-tures.

Beginning December 12th, they’ll be launching a series of festive challenges inspired by the Twelve Days of Christmas, with a new thread and a new task going live each day. Expect treasure hunts, alliance activities, favorite game memories, and even Klingon carols!

Simply follow the daily challenges, drop your entry into the thread, and earn points by joining in on the fun.

Everyone who participates will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a pack of their choice—excluding New, Limited-Time, and Weekly Offer packs, with five total winners selected.

Head over to the STFC Official Discord for full details

Bug Fixes & Improvements

Officers

Fixed an issue where The Hierarch and Nog were not promotable even after all shards were acquired.
Updated The Hierarch’s CM ability, Twisted Blade, to match the tooltip and increase shots for 2 rounds instead of 1.

Outposts

Addressed an issue where a green arrow appeared on the “Capture Outpost Upgrade” button even when the Outpost was not captured.
Fixed an issue where player ships could become stuck and unable to be recalled after an Outpost attack.
Fixed an issue where Level 63/64 Retaliation Attackers were appearing in the Othara, Zephorix, and Cylarnis systems, which contain Level 60/61 Outposts.
Resolved an issue where “Outpost_Error_15” appeared when a player attempted to capture two Outpost Nodes before the first capture completed.
Resolved an issue where attempting to set a course to another system while an Outpost was captured displayed an incorrect error message, showing “Armada Zone” instead of “Outpost Zone.”
Fixed an issue where Cardassian Revenge Hostiles had the wrong in-game description. The text has been updated to: “This Galor-class warship stands as a testament to the might of the Cardassian Union.”
Addressed an issue where the systems Romero 9″, “Lynch 9” and “Vejvoda 9” showed extra planets that were not intended.
Resolved an issue when clicking on an Outpost the “Realta” ship thumbnail appears immediately for a fraction of a second before the correct content loads.

Game Introduction for New Players

Fixed an issue where a tool tip was cut off during the upgrade Operations Mission
Addressed an issue where the game becomes unresponsive when a player waits for the full repair timer to finish and taps the “Free” button.
Resolved an issue where planets were missing from the home system.

Localization

Fixed a localization issue where Swarm Hostiles were displaying incorrectly.
Addressed an issue in Objective 4 in the Conscription Pt. 3 mission where the Romulan Praetor’s name was unlocalized.
Resolved an issue for the 3rd Objective for the mission “To Thieve a Catch” where the description showed up as “retrieving”.

Alliance Star Base

Resolved an issue where scanning an ASB after a battle could result in a blank battle report and an accompanying error.

Away Teams

Fixed an issue where no Away Team missions were displayed in the Shuttle Bay even after completing Away Team Research.

Battle Reports

Resolved an issue where the player total strength and ship strength values overlap within the battle report screen

Solo Armadas

Addressed an issue when a player starts a Solo Armada, the game displays an Outpost notification and icon. Additionally, when the user leaves the armada circle, the same Outpost notification and icon appears again.

Forbidden Tech

Fixed an issue where the tooltip did not accurately display the maximum tier-up chance based on the player’s current Forbidden Tech progression.

Ships

Fixed an issue on the Revenant info graphic that instructed players to scrap their ship at Tier 14 instead of the correct Tier 15 to obtain the relevant refit.

Live Long and Prosper,

-The Star Trek Fleet Command Team