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Ethan Marcus
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Posted - 2009.10.22 23:58:00 -
[1]
Edited by: Ethan Marcus on 22/10/2009 23:59:15 Edited by: Ethan Marcus on 22/10/2009 23:58:24 I just got EVE 5 days ago and just got into my new Merlin. I don't have the cash for anything else at the moment but could someone recommend good skills, fittings, and weapons?
I really don't have many skills but I can work my way there. I'm also more of an up close and personal PvP style of player. Unless there is a big advantage from range, feel free to sell me on that.
Any advice will do, just before I got into the Merlin I was flying a Condor, and I couldn't even take out 5 npc pirates because my weapons/skills were so sub-par.
Thanks for the advice in advance. Please keep in mind I'm brand new so the lingo and terminology my go over my head!
Regards,
Ethan Marcus
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Duchess Starbuckington
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Posted - 2009.10.23 00:22:00 -
[2]
Edited by: Duchess Starbuckington on 23/10/2009 00:22:58 [Merlin, PVP tackle Cheap] Micro Auxiliary Power Core I Damage Control I
Phased Monopropellant I Hydrazine Boosters J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I 'Langour' Drive Disruptor I Medium Azeotropic Ward Salubrity I
'Limos' Rocket Launcher I, Foxfire Rocket 'Limos' Rocket Launcher I, Foxfire Rocket 75mm Compressed Coil Gun I, Antimatter Charge S 75mm Compressed Coil Gun I, Antimatter Charge S
Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I Anti-Kinetic Screen Reinforcer I Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer I
This would likely work for pvp as a tackler, Merlin has pretty solid tank for a frigate but needs decent fitting skills. If this is really too much, downgrade to a small shield extender. Key is to keep it cheap as you're going to die a lot. For PVE use a Kestrel, go with this:
[Kestrel, PVE Standard missiles] Micro Auxiliary Power Core I Ballistic Control System I
Cold-Gas I Arcjet Thrusters Small C5-L Emergency Shield Overload I Small F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction
TE-2100 Standard Missile Bay, Bloodclaw Light Missile TE-2100 Standard Missile Bay, Bloodclaw Light Missile TE-2100 Standard Missile Bay, Bloodclaw Light Missile TE-2100 Standard Missile Bay, Bloodclaw Light Missile
[empty rig slot] [empty rig slot] [empty rig slot]
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Allen Ramses
Caldari Typo Corp
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Posted - 2009.10.23 00:49:00 -
[3]
The Merlin is a very powerful PvE and PvP ship, but it is not very newb friendly. If you want to use the ship anyway, I would recommend a fit such as this. It's good if you want to learn game mechanics faster.
[Merlin, Rookie] Power Diagnostic System I Power Diagnostic System I
Monopropellant I Hydrazine Boosters Small Shield Booster I Heat Dissipation Amplifier I Kinetic Deflection Amplifier I
75mm 'Scout' I Accelerator Cannon, Thorium Charge S 75mm 'Scout' I Accelerator Cannon, Thorium Charge S 'Malkuth' Standard Missile Launcher I, Bloodclaw Light Missile 'Malkuth' Standard Missile Launcher I, Bloodclaw Light Missile
It's not a terrific setup, but it's cheap, and so it will hurt your wallet considerably less when you lose it (and you will). It's also not skill intensive, and is fit for NPCs that are native to Caldari space (Guristas). This kind of ship should be able to get you by for now, until you start understanding the game a bit more. ____________________ CCP: Catering to the cowards of a cold, harsh universe since November, 2006. |
Destrowig
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Posted - 2009.10.23 01:14:00 -
[4]
Somewhat related question, so minor hijack - how would a Merlin be fitted for pvp on a character that isn't a week old?
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Allen Ramses
Caldari Typo Corp
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Posted - 2009.10.23 02:00:00 -
[5]
Originally by: Destrowig Somewhat related question, so minor hijack - how would a Merlin be fitted for pvp on a character that isn't a week old?
Quote:
[Merlin, PvP] Power Diagnostic System II Power Diagnostic System II
1MN Afterburner II Medium Shield Extender II Stasis Webifier II Warp Scrambler II
75mm Gatling Rail II, Antimatter Charge S 75mm Gatling Rail II, Antimatter Charge S Rocket Launcher II, Phalanx Rage Rocket Rocket Launcher II, Phalanx Rage Rocket
Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I Small Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer I
This thing can swallow 33 DPS, has 6.17k EHP, and **** anything that is foolish enough to enter 8km. It also doesn't get melted by Scorch. Tight fitting, can sacrifice a PDU for a MAPC. ____________________ CCP: Catering to the cowards of a cold, harsh universe since November, 2006. |
Smabs
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Posted - 2009.10.23 02:26:00 -
[6]
An older player would usually fit a medium shield extender on a Merlin. If you have a damage control and a couple of shield rigs as well (which are really cheap these days), then it gets a ridiculous amount of HP. In the highs it's usually two rocket launchers and two guns (blasters, autocannons and lasers all work fine).
Or you can make a longer range fit with rails and standard launchers, with a cap booster in one of the mids to permarun the mwd.
The merlin is a bit weird because it starts off pretty poor and gets much, much better with more SP invested into it.
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Ethan Marcus
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Posted - 2009.10.23 02:37:00 -
[7]
Edited by: Ethan Marcus on 23/10/2009 02:39:35 Thanks everyone, I'm amazed at how fast everyone replied, the community in this game just keeps getting better and more impressive. I'm going to work a bit on decoding this, I'm still so new that I have to investigate what each of those skills does and review the weapons etc. I look at it like homework even though I'm a grown ass man. Anyways, I might have tons more questions so thanks again and be sure to check back in the thread.
Regards,
Ethan Marcus
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Airborne Ninja
Minmatar Virtual HitMen
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Posted - 2009.10.23 02:48:00 -
[8]
Originally by: Smabs The merlin is a bit weird because it starts off pretty poor and gets much, much better with more SP invested into it.
I think most ships are like that.
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Smabs
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Posted - 2009.10.23 02:50:00 -
[9]
Well, yeah that's true. I meant that you can get a good rifter/incursus/punisher within a few weeks, but the merlin takes a bit longer because of the split weapon systems and the need for high fitting skills.
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Marko Riva
Adamant Inc.
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Posted - 2009.10.23 09:07:00 -
[10]
Just a thought, you wrote "up close and personal PvP style of player." in the OP, which doesn't exactly blend very well with flying Caldari ships. They have some (very good) short range options but on the whole their ships tend to favour range and while Caldari certainly has some good pvp choices they will have more 'issues' than other races most of the time.
There's nothing keeping you from going "I want Caldari and I'm gonna make it work" and most of the time this can be the case, it's just that your options are very limited to the few decent ships they have for short range pvp.
----------- ADM-I |
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Toshiro GreyHawk
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Posted - 2009.10.23 10:17:00 -
[11]
OK ...
There are some strong tendencies in PVE and PVP that make for very different fits, especially for Level I missions.
Mostly ... what you have in PVP is a tendency toward short range combat where the ratio between Damage Per Second and Effective Hit Points between the ships involved determines the winner. The reasons for that are the Micro Warp Drive, The Webifier and the Warp Scrambler. The most common strategy is - to use the MWD to close the range, then orbit your target (to make yourself harder for their weapons to track) while you immobilize them with your webifier (to make them easier to track) and keep them from warping away with your warp scrambler/disruptor (so you can destroy them). Your opponent will be doing the same thing to you. This reduces the contest to a slug fest pitting your DPS against his EHP and vice versa. Whoever blows up first loses.
Go watch some EVE duels on You Tube and that's what you'll see - two ships, locked in place by each others webs pounding the hell out of each other.
PVE - isn't like that at all.
In PVE - at least for the earlier missions, what the rats try and do - is to overwhelm you with numbers of small crappy ships firing short range, powerful weapons. So - in PVE - your tactic is to Kite the rats, getting their aggro and then staying away from them. Here, you use your Afterburners to keep your distance from the rats (MWD's mostly won't work in mission spaces) while your long range weapons hit the rats from beyond their weapons range. Rats will rarely web you and even when they do they usually won't warp scramble you as well. They also don't tend to use MWD's either. Thus, you can control the range of the engagement and wipe out huge numbers of rats without even getting your shield scratched.
Thus, the basic fit for a Merlin for PVP centers around rockets and blasters (yes the Caldari can use blasters) which will give you the most hitting power at short range. Fit an MWD to help you close the range.
The basis fit for a Merlin for PVE is missiles and rail guns - which have longer range. Here, you want to fit the 125mm rail guns, not the 75's as their range won't match with your missiles and is to short to keep you out of range of the rats. You would want to use the 150mm rail guns if they would fit but they won't (which is why what you really want is a Cormorant instead of a Merlin anyway). Fit an AB to help you stay away from the rats. Cold Gas Arc Jets are best but expensive if you can't get one as loot.
So - fit those weapons - then work the rest of your fit around them. I'm not going to go into detailed fits here as other people already have and what you as a new person is going to be determined as much, if not more, by what you have collected as loot rather than what you can afford to buy as - being new - you don't have any money. As you will see - it is not at all uncommon for single modules to exceed the cost of the ship they are being put on. Which is one of your problems with insurance. Insurance ONLY pays for your ship - not - the fittings.
Now ... as to playing PVP ... don't do it in your Mission Ship. Your Mission Ship is what you use for making money through PVE - your PVP ship is what you use for getting blown up in. If you only have one ship - don't PVP. PVE until you have the money to buy several of whatever ships you want to use (as you will need them) and then go get blown up. As in ANY MMO combat game, you will initially spend a lot more time getting blown up than blowing other people up.
There is a school of thought which says - don't wait - get out there and get hit in the face - and you'll get used to it. If you wait and spend a lot of time care bearing ... you'll get reluctant and never end up PVPing. There is a lot to be said for that school of thought. Just DO NOT take your Mission Ship out to PVP - it isn't fit for it anyway.
Orbiting vs. Kiting Faction Schools |
Tippia
Raddick Explorations Controlled Chaos
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Posted - 2009.10.23 11:16:00 -
[12]
Originally by: Toshiro GreyHawk Edited by: Toshiro GreyHawk on 23/10/2009 10:52:00 NM
No! That was a good post! Put it back! ——— “If you're not willing to fight for what you have in ≡v≡… you don't deserve it, and you will lose it.” — Karath Piki |
Tyslas
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Posted - 2009.10.23 11:22:00 -
[13]
What about putting a tracking disrupter as the 4th midslot?
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Smabs
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Posted - 2009.10.23 13:49:00 -
[14]
Quote: What about putting a tracking disrupter as the 4th midslot?
Yeah, that'd work. Either a TD or a web in my opinion if you're talking about the close range type.
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GenJoe
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Posted - 2009.10.23 15:37:00 -
[15]
[Merlin, newbie] Magnetic Field Stabilizer I Magnetic Field Stabilizer I
1MN Afterburner I Small Shield Booster I Small Capacitor Booster 1 Warp Scrambler 1
Light Electron Blaster I Light Electron Blaster I Small Energy Neutralizer I Small Energy Neutralizer I
Ancillary Current Router I
The Merlin definitely isn't the best frigate out there but it can still work if its the only thing you can fly. First of all fitting rockets on a Merlin is ******ed. They will dish out some 5 extra dps, if that. Use neutralizers instead to shut off enemies disruptor/ab and even guns if you're lucky. This will let you disengage at any time if the fight isn't going that well, which is pretty important as a newbie if you can't risk loosing a 500k-1mil isk every 15 minutes.
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Tagami Wasp
Caldari Sarz'na Khumatari Ushra'Khan
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Posted - 2009.10.23 16:44:00 -
[16]
Since someone asked about one that is not newb friendly.
[Merlin, merlin] Micro Auxiliary Power Core I Damage Control II
1MN MicroWarpdrive I Medium Shield Extender II Warp Scrambler II X5 Prototype I Engine Enervator
Light Ion Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S Light Ion Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S Rocket Launcher II, Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket Rocket Launcher II, Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket
Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I Small Ancillary Current Router I Small Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer I
This needs AWU 5 but can take a lot of damage and come out on top in 1 vs 1s. No implants or other stuff required to fly it. You can switch DCU II for Magstab II for more damage, but I usually fly it as heavy tackle so I prefer the EHP.
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Zhilia Mann
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Posted - 2009.10.23 20:11:00 -
[17]
Originally by: Tagami Wasp Since someone asked about one that is not newb friendly.
[Merlin, merlin] Micro Auxiliary Power Core I Damage Control II
1MN MicroWarpdrive I Medium Shield Extender II Warp Scrambler II X5 Prototype I Engine Enervator
Light Ion Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S Light Ion Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S Rocket Launcher II, Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket Rocket Launcher II, Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket
Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I Small Ancillary Current Router I Small Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer I
This needs AWU 5 but can take a lot of damage and come out on top in 1 vs 1s. No implants or other stuff required to fly it. You can switch DCU II for Magstab II for more damage, but I usually fly it as heavy tackle so I prefer the EHP.
Works. But you might as well swap the blasters for 75mm rail IIs for the fitting needs and tactical flexibility. At which point you might consider dropping the web for a TD again.
(Oh, the rail fit doesn't require AWU5 or an ACR either. Or an implant or whatnot. Since we're all supposed to specify that now, right?)
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Tagami Wasp
Caldari Sarz'na Khumatari Ushra'Khan
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Posted - 2009.10.23 21:17:00 -
[18]
However, 75mm IIs are 65 dps and Light Ion IIs are 105 dps (for me). If you can fly it manually with web and scram you can even go after ceptors and have a good chance of beating them. Having 5.5K EHP on a frig is no little thing.
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