Pages: [1] :: one page |
|
Author |
Thread Statistics | Show CCP posts - 1 post(s) |
Sam Redshift
Caldari PCG Enterprises
|
Posted - 2011.06.27 21:33:00 -
[1]
Hi all, started looking in exploration (mainly highsec in the moment) recently and got hooked :).
My main ship skills are Caldari ships but I switched from Buzzard to Imicus for the extra drones to run radar sites without ship switching all the time.
Now I am wondering what route I should choose for further ship training? T3 Tengu is far away skill and ISK wise and I would like a more gradual training curve with T1 - T2 cruisers first.
Right now I am a bit lost because I do not think that Caldari ships are a good choice.
However, what shall I do?
Gallente: Imicus-Vexor-Ishtar or Amarr: Arbitrator-Pilgrim
I tend to the Amarr ships because I think a T2 cloaky force recon is also great to venture in lowsec and 0.0 in the future.
Any pros-cons you could share with me? Suggestions? Opinions or love-hate this ship for explo comments?
Thx in advance, Sam
|
FloppieTheBanjoClown
|
Posted - 2011.06.27 22:57:00 -
[2]
The arbitrator is a great platform for exploration. I personally used a harbinger for a long time...then I got alts and could specialize more. Now I use an anathema, zealot, and noctis.
I would work backwards: pick the ship you want to be your top-end explorer (I'd recommend whichever T3 suits you best) and then look for ships that become accessible as you train to it. You want to choose ships that have the same weapon types and tank so your training time isn't wasted jumping from shield to armor and missiles to gunnery as you switch back and forth.
|
grumpyguts1
|
Posted - 2011.06.28 00:52:00 -
[3]
I recently switched to a Gila.. and am loving it. Great passive tank. I have 2 launchers in the high to attract aggro and a huge selection of drones. recently discovered how to get sentries to pop frigs, so pretty much use them all the time. Problem with the arbie and pilgrim is they don't have enough drone bandwidth to run 5 sentries.
at work.. but fit is something like this:
High, 2 x heavy missile launcher.. mostly to get aggro salvager sisters probe launcher tractor beam
mid 2 x lse mag scat invuln y-t8 codebreaker.. tend to stay away from mags, but carry an analyzer in cargo just in case
low 3x spr damage control.. wasn't cap stable with 4 spr's
rig 3 x purgers
drones.. whatever you prefer. but have light, medium heavy and bouncers(better range for what I do with them). I drop the bouncers off, mwd 20km away and get aggro.. the sentries have no trouble with frig orbit velocity this way as they orbit me and not the drones
|
Luciandra
|
Posted - 2011.06.28 08:40:00 -
[4]
Ishtar Explorer
Ive been using this setup (and variations of it) for a while now.
Hasnt let me down yet :) helps to have decent drone skills tho
|
Sam Redshift
Caldari PCG Enterprises
|
Posted - 2011.06.28 09:17:00 -
[5]
Originally by: FloppieTheBanjoClown
I would work backwards: pick the ship you want to be your top-end explorer (I'd recommend whichever T3 suits you best) and then look for ships that become accessible as you train to it. You want to choose ships that have the same weapon types and tank so your training time isn't wasted jumping from shield to armor and missiles to gunnery as you switch back and forth.
Exactly my problem :). In the long-term I would like to aim for the Tengu because most of my ship skills are already in Caldari ships, missiles and shields. However, there are no good all-in-one explorers in the line-up. I could only consider to explore in my Drake or train another alt up and fly with two ships, for example, Buzzard/Cerberus or Buzzard/Drake. Does not look like the best option for me.
|
Dekiri
Gallente Useless Inc.
|
Posted - 2011.06.28 10:31:00 -
[6]
Use a drake.
My dad can beat up your dad! |
Tchelor
|
Posted - 2011.06.28 14:12:00 -
[7]
A drake would be a good choice, but will only be able to enter 1/3 of the high sec escalation sites, but if you're fairly low skill or fairly cautious, these are less lucrative, as the final leg into losec (where you have the highest chance of drops) can be too much of a risk. low grade imps and faction mods can still drop in the hisec pockets though
If I were running as caldari, either Drake or Gila. Gila has a higher entry level, both in price and skills (sp required to be effective). These are skills characters need anyway, at least intermediate drone skills (enough to field 5 t2 light/medium) anyway though, so it's not waste.
Better yet, Drake can handle missions like a champ. If I recall, it has a utility high slot as well for a sisters core launcher.
Unless you already have solid armor tanking skills, I'd probably stick with caldari for exploration. The ishtar/vexor don't offer any real advantage over the Gila.
As far as the force recon goes, it's my understanding that that caldari model is solid, though the Pilgrim may be better against active tanks.
|
Darryl Ward
|
Posted - 2011.06.28 15:48:00 -
[8]
For all races, the best all-in-one explorers are the T3's. Best of them all is probably the Tengu. What I did was use a Buzzard / Drake / Hookbill for exploration. Yeah, this does mean you will need to change ships.
The Tengu is expensive, and it does take a lot of skills. The nice thing is, you can train for a Drake and work those skills up and most of those skills fit nice on a Tengu. You can then use this Drake to earn money in missions for the Tengu. It's a pretty natural training path that has a lot of synergy.
|
Scortched Merc
|
Posted - 2011.06.28 15:52:00 -
[9]
I use an ubber Tengu... faction and officer fitted of course.
|
Sam Redshift
Caldari PCG Enterprises
|
Posted - 2011.06.28 16:01:00 -
[10]
Originally by: Darryl Ward The Tengu is expensive, and it does take a lot of skills. The nice thing is, you can train for a Drake and work those skills up and most of those skills fit nice on a Tengu. You can then use this Drake to earn money in missions for the Tengu. It's a pretty natural training path that has a lot of synergy.
Thanks for the reply. I have already skilled up shield tanking and missiles for my Drake. So this sounds like a good strategy. Just hoped to be able to avoid ship switching all the time .. I never really worked out how to to exploration with ship swapping efficently.
|
|
grumpyguts1
|
Posted - 2011.06.29 20:15:00 -
[11]
Originally by: Scortched Merc I use an ubber Tengu... faction and officer fitted of course.
I have found some sites which wouldn't let my Tengu in.. but oddly let the Gila in.
|
|
CCP Dropbear
|
Posted - 2011.06.29 20:48:00 -
[12]
The general idea is that in highsec you want to focus on time efficiency. Therefore, you want as much overkill as you can get away with.
In lowsec and beyond, manouverability becomes a factor (meaning, it is important that you are able to move between systems in relative safety).
So while a Drake might excel in highsec, it will struggle to survive gate camps and probers out in lowsec. Ultimately, there's a lot more ISK to be made in lowsec and 0.0 so training towards ships that can better survive out there is advisable.
Since you seem to like drones, a path like Vexor - Sin might work (if another covert cyno character is an option, of course). You could train the Ishtar on the way if you wanted to start out with exploration in lowsec (mwd+cloak trick keeps it safe there - google that if you don't know about it). I'm yet to test it myself, but I think the Sin would be a really solid lowsec and 0.0 exploration ship.
|
|
syphurous
Gallente Center for Advanced Studies
|
Posted - 2011.06.29 21:29:00 -
[13]
In this thread, people trying to produce shiny targets, including Devs.
Gila / Ishtar will suit you all the way to null. Though a few sites will require a scimitar friend. Most people will read this thinking it's part of my post, when its actually my sig :P
|
PhotonBeard
|
Posted - 2011.06.29 22:02:00 -
[14]
Edited by: PhotonBeard on 29/06/2011 22:02:43
Originally by: CCP Dropbear The general idea is that in highsec you want to focus on time efficiency. Therefore, you want as much overkill as you can get away with.
In lowsec and beyond, manouverability becomes a factor (meaning, it is important that you are able to move between systems in relative safety).
So while a Drake might excel in highsec, it will struggle to survive gate camps and probers out in lowsec. Ultimately, there's a lot more ISK to be made in lowsec and 0.0 so training towards ships that can better survive out there is advisable.
Since you seem to like drones, a path like Vexor - Sin might work (if another covert cyno character is an option, of course). You could train the Ishtar on the way if you wanted to start out with exploration in lowsec (mwd+cloak trick keeps it safe there - google that if you don't know about it). I'm yet to test it myself, but I think the Sin would be a really solid lowsec and 0.0 exploration ship.
Thanks a lot for the clarification re: high/low sec. Good to keep in mind.
The Sin is something that never occured to me, yet. I was always believing that BS's would be to slow and cumbersome to run exploration sites and plexes efficiently. I will think about it. Cheers
Edit: Sorry wrong Alt. Still Sam here
|
Sam Redshift
Caldari PCG Enterprises
|
Posted - 2011.06.29 22:09:00 -
[15]
Originally by: syphurous In this thread, people trying to produce shiny targets, including Devs.
Gila / Ishtar will suit you all the way to null. Though a few sites will require a scimitar friend.
Thanks, mate! I am still wondering what the pros and cons between Ishtar and Pilgrim would be? Any opinion on this?
In addition, because I mainly fly Caldari ships in the moment and explore in Gurista space, I still consider the Cerebus as next step. Should be great for running the plexes but it would need refitting in station to switch between scanning and runnibg plexes, I guess. Would be efficient for my skill training but does not look like an optimal solution.
I will definitely look in to the prices for the Gila. Thx
|
grumpyguts1
|
Posted - 2011.06.30 00:25:00 -
[16]
Originally by: CCP Dropbear The general idea is that in highsec you want to focus on time efficiency. Therefore, you want as much overkill as you can get away with.
In lowsec and beyond, manouverability becomes a factor (meaning, it is important that you are able to move between systems in relative safety).
So while a Drake might excel in highsec, it will struggle to survive gate camps and probers out in lowsec. Ultimately, there's a lot more ISK to be made in lowsec and 0.0 so training towards ships that can better survive out there is advisable.
Since you seem to like drones, a path like Vexor - Sin might work (if another covert cyno character is an option, of course). You could train the Ishtar on the way if you wanted to start out with exploration in lowsec (mwd+cloak trick keeps it safe there - google that if you don't know about it). I'm yet to test it myself, but I think the Sin would be a really solid lowsec and 0.0 exploration ship.
Don't think its so much about like as having dps and highs for utility at a fairly decent price. If we could get T3's for 200mil I am sure we would all be using them instead. Maybe one day when I find that elusive isk faucet I will switch to a T3 for LS/NS exploration, or maybe CCP will make them this years Christmas present
|
Akuma Tsukai
Amarr
|
Posted - 2011.07.01 03:42:00 -
[17]
well they may cost much but they pay of really fast. I bought Proteus (which i consider best "all in one" T3 exploration ship) for like 550mil total with fit and it payed off in a week of kinda passive exploration in low sec. ---- Drones eat everything. Trust me. |
Sam Redshift
Caldari PCG Enterprises
|
Posted - 2011.07.01 07:18:00 -
[18]
Originally by: Akuma Tsukai well they may cost much but they pay of really fast. I bought Proteus (which i consider best "all in one" T3 exploration ship) for like 550mil total with fit and it payed off in a week of kinda passive exploration in low sec.
Not bad at all. That seems very economical. My biggest concern is that I have not enough experience and sound skill training yet to skill up for a T3. Pretty sure if I loose a shiny T3 quickly because I am not up to it, I would feel really stupid.
With all the comments I got so far (thx to all of you), I think I complete the skill trainng for my Drake followed by training for some HAC's (Ishtar & Ceberus). With an Ishtar, I can learn to explore (... and to survive ...) in low/0.0 without being ruined when I get podded. Afterwards I hope I am expirienced enough to go for a Tengu.
|
Mnemosyne Gloob
|
Posted - 2011.07.01 08:10:00 -
[19]
Originally by: Sam Redshift With an Ishtar, I can learn to explore (... and to survive ...) in low/0.0 without being ruined when I get podded. Afterwards I hope I am expirienced enough to go for a Tengu.
Take a t1 cruiser like a Vexor or Arbitrator, and hop into lowsec to get the hang of it. You won't be able to handle much except radars (and magnetometrics if you want), but i would say it's good practice and you don't lose much if you get shot down.
|
Rastlor
Caldari The Forgotten Angels
|
Posted - 2011.07.01 09:19:00 -
[20]
To me hi-sec exploration is all about finding the site and running it as quickly as possible and moving onto the next.
Competition for sites (certainly in Caldari space) is high so the ability to tank everything at once (if gate allows you to jump without clearing everything to me is important) as well as laying down enough DPS to clear the site at pace.
As others have mentioned T3 are the dog's hairy ones for exploration so pick which one your looking to get into and train toward that. Drake > Gila > Tengu (was the path I choose)
Personally I use a Tengu (with fraction items I found myself) for scanning / running highsec sites (often still scanning whilst running the site) with a alt in a Orca. In the Orca I have a salvaging destroyer (donĘt use it much but do sometimes If the wrecks are worth it) and assault frig and a Drake setup for low-sec escalations so as not to risk the Tengu .
If other people are in the site already don't be afraid of running the site (lot's of people just warp off) - just go for it if you get the prize you get the prize. People like to whine in local about how it's their site etc - it's not and I have plenty of people in sites I've run take the loot. All's fair game just avoid drawing agro - or have a plan if you do. If they moan you took the final drop - always tell them it was a Dread Inv Shield - that always cheers them up
DonĘt forget to always salvage the fraction ships - they leave some nice stuff.
|
|
Sam Redshift
Caldari PCG Enterprises
|
Posted - 2011.07.01 11:20:00 -
[21]
Thanks Mnemosyne & Rastlor, great advice Using the Vexor for lowsec learning does fit nicely with skill progression for a Gila. A mix of Gallente and Caldari ship skills is looking a better choice than jumping to Amarr (Arbitrator-Pilgrim).
Memo to myself: Check pricing for Gila.
|
|
|
|
Pages: [1] :: one page |
First page | Previous page | Next page | Last page |