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Multiple 3's or lvl4's with a decent drake?
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Denal Umbra
Coffee Hub
#1 - 2012-07-26 12:02:06 UTC
Currently, i've been running loads of lvl 3's because their quite fast and doesn't take forever to pop the tank on the bigger bs's but was wondering if it would be more beneficial to run a few slower lvl4's or quicker lvl3's instead?

Fit i am running at is:

7x arbalest heavy launchers
drone link augmentator

2x active limited hardeners
1 limited invulnerability
10mn experimental afterburner
2x t2 large shield extend

3 beta shield power relay
caldari navy ballistic control unit

3 shield recharge rigs

with 3% rof, damage, exp velo, exp radius hardwiring

That setup has 242 dps but since it is overtanked much, i often swap out 2 spr's for 2 bcu's instead while running 3's.

I could fly a raven also but not comfortable doing so since it is too expensive + not sure if i have the basic skills needed to make it viable. Also, i am planning on getting a tengu instead and skilling up support skills now before remapping over to perc/will to finish the missiles/ship skills which are quite low.

So i was wondering if with this setup (or possibly with adjustments). Would it be more beneficial to run a few lvl4's instead of a lot of quick lvl3's? Or just bite the bullet, get the missing skills and just start flying the raven?

Any help or advice is much appreciated.
Daniel Plain
Doomheim
#2 - 2012-07-26 12:15:14 UTC  |  Edited by: Daniel Plain
stick to lvl3s. the people who brag about running lvl4s in a drake usually have near perfect skills and also do it for the lulz or for the challenge more than anything.

edit: not saying you couldn't do it but from an ISK/hr perspective 240dps won't get you far in lvl4s.

I should buy an Ishtar.
Signal11th
#3 - 2012-07-26 12:19:21 UTC
Stick to threes until you can either fly a Raven/CNR (with decent skills) or my personal fav a tengu.

God Said "Come Forth and receive eternal life!" I came fifth and won a toaster!
Snow Axe
Republic Military School
Minmatar Republic
#4 - 2012-07-26 12:33:18 UTC
I've never ran missions, but from my experience starting out in anoms, trying to break a BS rat's tank with T1 heavy missiles is an exercise in pain and misery.

"Look any reason why you need to talk like that? I have now reported you. I dont need to listen to your bad tone. If you cant have a grown up conversation then leave the thread["
Marc Callan
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#5 - 2012-07-26 13:06:09 UTC
Yeah, cracking an NPC BS's tank with tech-1 missiles is an exercise in extreme patience (and worry about emptying your shot locker before you've taken care of business). But a slightly more worrying aspect to your fit is that most of your shield modules aren't at T2 level - L4's can throw lots of DPS at you, and if your resists aren't high enough, they'll crack your tank a lot more easily.

My recommendation would be to keep up with the Level 3's in the Drake; that Drake of yours can rip through them easily enough as you pump up your skills (especially your shield skills), and with salvaging and cashing in of LP's, they should make decent enough money to buy you a battleship once your skill plan has you ready to fly one properly.

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." - Kurt Vonnegurt
Denal Umbra
Coffee Hub
#6 - 2012-07-26 16:00:12 UTC
thanks for the advice.

Tried running a mish with 10 bs and it took 2 hours to kill em and salvage it for a "profit" of 25mil. Running 3's usually nets even more per hour + LP and a chance to pick up a storyline mish eventually for a +3 imp or better.
Klymer
Hedion University
Amarr Empire
#7 - 2012-07-26 19:20:10 UTC
Yeah Drake is only passable for solo L4 work when you have T2 missiles and near, if not perfect HML skills. Of course this isn't to say the Raven is a magic bullet for them either. With low skills, all missile support skills at 4, Caldari BS 4 and T1 cruise missiles, the stock Raven is still a bit lackluster and doesn't really come into it's own until you can fit T2 cruise launchers. When that occurs then you should move to the CNR for it's extra launcher and invest in faction BCS modules. This will tide you over while you get all your missile skills to 5 and Caldari BS 5 or you get bored with missions and move on to something else.
kdog666
Private Equity and Novel Industry Solutions
#8 - 2012-07-27 17:33:38 UTC
Speaking from experience, it is possible to do lvl 4s with this fit:

[Drake, PvE 4]
Shield Power Relay II
Shield Power Relay II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II

Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
EM Ward Field II
Large Shield Extender II
Large Shield Extender II
Large Shield Extender II

'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Scourge Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Scourge Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Scourge Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Scourge Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Scourge Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Scourge Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Scourge Heavy Missile
[empty high slot]

Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I


Hobgoblin II x5

I don't have good missile skills, only 1.3 mil in missile launcher operation, I only get 332 dps w/ drones and an omni tank of 569 dps. I have standard shield skills, improved passive shield tanking cert.

I can tell you that although this may survive most missions, it will be slow as hell to bring the battleships down. Stick with 3s, you will earn way more with those, especially if you salvage after, preferably with an alt or let your friends do it for a cut.
Aldstealth Senx
Imperial Academy
Amarr Empire
#9 - 2012-07-28 01:41:00 UTC  |  Edited by: Aldstealth Senx
Well, one thing that we all are forgetting here is about salvaging.

If you are going to stick with L3s, exchange the drone link for a salvager. You will get a lot more isk/h.

For that, get close. Sheer dps is never the only answer. Get HAMs and a prop mod, and for tanking use the new ASB that every team at ATX used.

Get some EW like a painter, will get dps applied properly.

And the drones... have some ECM drones to stop a bigger ship's lock. :-)

Hope this opened your mind a little. :-)
Klymer
Hedion University
Amarr Empire
#10 - 2012-07-28 03:06:52 UTC
......ecm drones Ugh
Chill5
Thirsty Spacers
#11 - 2012-07-30 07:52:42 UTC  |  Edited by: Chill5
This fitting works fine in lvl4's

Shield Power Relay II
Shield Power Relay II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II

Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Shield Recharger II
Large Shield Extender II
Large Shield Extender II
Large Shield Extender II

'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Scourge Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Scourge Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Scourge Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Scourge Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Scourge Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Scourge Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Scourge Heavy Missile
Drone Link Augmenter

Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I


Hobgoblin II x5

DPS isn't the best, but once you get T2 launchers it makes a big difference.
Bereza Mia
Trade Federation of EVE
#12 - 2012-07-31 10:19:24 UTC
Denal Umbra wrote:

7x arbalest heavy launchers
drone link augmentator

2x active limited hardeners
1 limited invulnerability
10mn experimental afterburner
2x t2 large shield extend

3 beta shield power relay
caldari navy ballistic control unit

3 shield recharge rigs

with 3% rof, damage, exp velo, exp radius hardwiring

That setup has 242 dps but since it is overtanked much, i often swap out 2 spr's for 2 bcu's instead while running 3's.


That Drake is enough for any 4 lvl mission. And yes – it overtanked, I suggest even 3 bcu's (sometimes you'll have to run from the battlefield, but BS's would be destroyed much faster).

3 or 4 lvl missions on Drake – not so much difference in efficiency, but much difference in fun and experience.

My opinion: go for 4 lvl, find out more about the mission triggers etc and enjoy real challenge.
When you get your navy raven/tengu (remember that at medium skills CNR has less tank than the Drake) you already will know how to properly and without sudden spawns do every 4 lvl mission.
Mara Rinn
Cosmic Goo Convertor
#13 - 2012-07-31 11:36:57 UTC
You'll take forever to finish L4 missions, but the payouts in terms of ISK and LP are far higher than L3 to start with. Learn the triggers, see which missions you can blitz and which you can't. You'll figure out quickly that as long as you can complete them, there are L4 missions you can already fly which will be much more rewarding than the L3s.

Salvage from L4 missions is much better due to battleships.

Of course I did things differently, flying L4s in a speed tanked Drake with just enough shield HP to get through. Three CN BCUs and an overdrive injector along with a faction afterburner. The Drake doesn't have to have a signature radius larger than a battleship: that's just how most people choose to fit it.

Day 0 Advice for New Players
Denal Umbra
Coffee Hub
#14 - 2012-08-18 16:45:06 UTC
Thanks for the follow up advice. The speed tanking in a drake was actually massive damage reduction even w.o. an overdrive or the ab turned on.

Actually, if anyone else has the same question then with that setup (+t2 hardeners) i was able to run 20-30m/h doing caldari lvl 4 missions. Probably 30-40m for amarr missions due to the
Elinarien
Doomheim
#15 - 2012-08-19 14:59:15 UTC
On my main I've ran lvl 4s with a drake mainly in galente space and as long as the pulls were well managed it worked ok. But my main does have excellent drone skills and the dps from 5 hobgoblin IIs should not be underestimated.

As for Ravens I just could not work with them - the DPS felt lethargic, especially against non-BS rats. Now for lvl 4s my main uses a Rattlesnake which I find far more effective.