EVE New Citizens Q&A

While I finish up my SOE arc on day 2 in here, I had a beginner PVP question to ask you.

Everyone keeps telling me to train up to Destroyer class. But reading up on tactics and other material, it says that class has larger signatures. All I would need is one ecm, and that ship is dead in the water for me to pick it off. Right?

To me, it seems smaller is better. Smaller and faster.

Is my thinking wrong here?

In terms of PvP, the best ship to use depends on what you're going up against. If you're going up against a smartbombing battleships, it's best to use something that can project damage and kite the target. If you're going up against a frigate, it's probably best to use something that can hit small targets easily (like a drone boat).

In EVE, there is no best ship. They're all good if you know how to use and fit them properly (except for shuttles and drakes).

In lowsec, and particularly in faction warfare space, you'll get a lot of mileage out of destroyers. They are particularly good at chewing up frigates due to their use of large amounts of small (frigate sized) weaponry, be they guns, missiles or drones.

Personally I don't have much experience using Destroyers, but I think twice about engaging them when in a frigate, if I'm solo I likely won't make the attempt.

If you're going up against frigates, I'm not sure the increased signature radius is really a concern. Against larger weapons, so, cruiser sized and up, that increased signature radius will be more of a problem because the larger weapons will have an easier time hitting a destroyer. Check this out to get an in depth look into signature radius and tracking mechanics (warning: brain overload is very possible).

Now, one advantage frigates have in faction warfare lowsec that you might not be aware of is that the T1 frigates can enter any of the acceleration gates barring access to complexes, so they can take any fight they feel like pursuing, whereas destroyers are barred from the Novice sites. This isn't a huge problem, and you'll still find trouble flying a dessy, but it's something to keep in mind if you operate in FW space.

If were you I'd train up both until you see which class you prefer. Luckily, the only skills you need for the destroyer that aren't shared with frigates is the Racial Destroyer skill itself, so Minmatar Destroyer is separate from Minmatar Frigate. Weapon, tank, and support skills for a destroyer are exactly the same as for frigates. Training destroyer to 3 takes about 8 hours I think, train up the one you want and give em a whirl, if you like them a lot, go to 4 or even 5 (if you REALLY like them).

TL;DR

Destroyers have many uses and are effective. The same is true for frigates. Train both as they overlap a lot in useful skill training.

I initially liked the bigger ships. But then I started thinking how slow they must be to maneuver around. The smaller, well equipped ships can take them with good tactics. Like the old tv series, the Rat Patrol. To me, it seems more of a challenge to take on a bigger opponent and come out ahead.

Reading up on ships, I decided to train and learn the Tristan. It's something I think I can grow with and not cry over losing it to better players.

Excellent ship with many different ways of flying and fitting it. Algos or Dragoon would be a good dessy to branch out into when you decide to do so. If you want to take on larger ships, definitely look to Ralph here, I'm sure he'll be back any minute to sing the praises of the Ishkur (drone using AF) any moment .

EDIT: Ralphspeed in action .

However enyo would be easier for the beginner since ishkur pretty much demands to have good drone skills along with t2 weapons.
That being said love me ishkur <3

This ship looks like it could be a lot of fun! Draining a target ships energy and using drones on it.

Yeah and no.


ECM has nothing to do with singature radius. And no matter what ship...1 ECM is enough to cripple you...period.

ECM has to do with sensor strength.

Signature radius impacts how fast you are locked and how hard enemy shots land on you.


And yes, destroyers have a role, as with any ship in EVE.

They hurt frigates...a lot. As a counteract, their tank isn't that high compared to their signature radius etc.

So...it really depends on what you want to do if a destroyer fits that job or not.

Not entirely true btw.


It's situation depending.


A Battleship vs a frigate...can go either way. It depends on the fits (a smart bombing BS is lethal to any frigate when it gets too close) and how you fight (I can garantuee, even a sieged dreadnaught with terrible tracking will hit you if you fly straight into him...and it will hurt your frigate - not that I did such a stupid thing in the past or something )

What about on the Minmatar side of things? I've been working mostly with the thrasher and rifter. I've only been doing mission running (just finished SoE, was able to solo the whole thing in my thrasher) and it seems like the thrasher/rifter would be the overall best Minmatar dessy/frig for PvP frig hunting and tackling.