Power and Shields
In progressPower and shields are connected parts of ship management in FTL: Faster Than Light, where the player manages the distribution of the ship's power during battle Steam store page and can reroute power to the shields. Original official FAQ
Distribute power during battle
EditThe developers' original FAQ describes fighting enemy ships as real-time management of crew, power distribution and weapons. Original official FAQ
Rerouting power is one answer to a crisis. The store page asks what you would do if a heavy missile barrage shuts down your shields, and its suggested answers include rerouting all power to the engines in an attempt to escape and powering up additional weapons. Steam store page
Extra power
EditAdvanced Edition added a Backup Battery subsystem. In their preview of 18 February 2014, before the expansion came out, the developers described it as extra reactor power for players who cannot power all of a fully upgraded ship, find Zoltans unreliable or need more power in Ion Storms. They wrote that a fully upgraded battery provides 4 extra reactor bars for 30 seconds, with a 25-second cooldown between uses, and takes a new fourth subsystem slot instead of room that other systems would use. Developer blog, 18 February 2014
Zoltans are another source of extra power, which the 1.03.0 patch notes call "Zoltan Bonus power". Patch notes 1.03.0, 19 December 2012
Shields and other defenses
EditShield systems can be ionized, and they repower after ionization. Patch notes 1.03.0, 19 December 2012
The Hacking system from Advanced Edition can drain enemy shields. Patch notes 1.5.10, 10 April 2014 In the developers' February 2014 preview, launching a hacking drone costs a drone part, the drone attaches to a chosen enemy system, and a hacking pulse against the shields drains them, "giving you a brief moment to get your shots in". Developer blog, 18 February 2014
Shots can also be evaded: patch 1.03.0 made cloaking provide its +60 evasion even without a pilot. Patch notes 1.03.0, 19 December 2012
Achievements that involve power and shields
EditThese achievements on Steam's list involve ship power, the reactor, shields or the battery. The rates are Steam's global unlock rates on 18 October 2026. Steam achievement list
| Achievement | Official description | Global unlock rate |
|---|---|---|
| I don't need no stinkin' upgrades! | Get to sector 5 with no system/reactor upgrades. | 10.6% |
| Manpower | Get to sector 5 without upgrading your reactor in the Zoltan Cruiser. | 11.8% |
| Givin' her all she's got, Captain! | With the Zoltan Cruiser, have 29 power in systems at the same time. | 9.8% |
| Astronomically Low Odds | Fail to evade 5 shots in a row with a fully powered and upgraded engine. | 14.7% |
| Shields Holding | Destroy a ship before it gets through the Zoltan Shield. | 22.3% |
| Advanced Mastery | Have Hacking, Mind Control and the Battery active at once. | 9.2% |
This page covers distributing power, extra power sources and what can take down shields; it does not prescribe a fixed build for every run. Tips for Beginners covers pausing to give orders and when to escape a fight, and The United Federation covers a crew achievement for the Kestrel Cruiser.
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