Ships & Modules

So... I am a seriously new player and I need someone to guide me through outfitting a Merlin to run the Sisters of EVE missions.
I see that there are two ways to go with Hybrid turrets, either the ion/neutron/electron weapons that are real short range... or the railguns that are longer range but apparently slower to track their targets.

Which way should I go and what should I do as far as shield tanking? Can someone give me an outfitting and explain it for me? My SPs are really low as I have just been in the game for about a week and half the time I have been training various mining skills... I have about 25 million ISK that I've mined to buy the stuff I need...

Thank you in advance for your help. :)

-- Chandra Yadva

Generally for PVE you want to go long range. It helps you to do damage without having to fly back and forth to get into your weapon range, so actually you complete mission faster because in the increased dps from short ranger weapons does not make up for the time lost having to fly around. Also because, generally, NPC hurt more if they get closer so being able to keep them at range tends to lower incoming damage.

Here's a fitting idea that any newbie with cpu/pg skills at lvl 4 can use. Just adapt the resists based on the mission. Alternatively you can also use a destroyer, the Cormorant in your case which you got for free from the adv military tutorials.


[Merlin, Newbie]
Magnetic Field Stabilizer I
Magnetic Field Stabilizer I
Micro Auxiliary Power Core I

Experimental 1MN Afterburner I
Medium F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction
Upgraded Thermic Dissipation Amplifier I
Upgraded Kinetic Deflection Amplifier I

150mm Carbide Railgun I, Antimatter Charge S
150mm Carbide Railgun I, Antimatter Charge S
150mm Carbide Railgun I, Antimatter Charge S

Small Ancillary Current Router I
Small Core Defense Field Purger I
Small Core Defense Field Purger I

If you lacking fitting skills, dropping to 125mm rails wont really hurt you, fitting ships for t1 missions and the sisters arc is very easy, though there are couple missions which you just cannot solo as new player in t1 frigate. You will also face enemies which shoot you with lasers etc (EM damage) so remember that while fitting your ships resistances.
For last fights you need atleast destroyer, maybe even cruiser if you arent familiar with the game or get help.

He's not going to be able to beat Dagan with railguns; has to be a blaster fit if it has to be a Merlin.

The only mission in the arc where fit even matters and you're giving him fits that won't be able to do it.

a destroyer does very well for the SoE arc, and is what I would recommend. You can fit it very similarly to the merlin above, but with more guns. and get some blasters for the last few missions.

Not entirely true. Correct fit and tactics is also critical in "Burning Down the Hive" or you will find yourself webbed and disrupted and sitting there waiting to explode.

The rest of the arc (aside from one other mission, the one near the end of the arc where the guy neuts you) could probably be run in the free newbie frigate.

As for Dagan 150 DPS seems the magic number to break his tank.

I did it with a similar fit, although of a different race. I'd just bring some blasters for the last few missions where you pretty much 1v1 bigger ships.

destroyers are awesome for lv1 missions, just look at the npc frigs and they explode

Mission 46 - Chasing Shadows... I am against a Battle Cruiser and I just can't kill it. I end up running out of armor and start taking core damage before I can get away. I read that I need to be doing EM damage with EM resists... I do not know yet what to equip for that, but I am going to figure it out and see if that will help. This is a serious *****.

I went ahead and recruited 3 other ships, a destroyer and two frigates, and the four of us were able to blow the battlecruiser up in nothing flat... onward and upward!

yes he can, i killed dagan with a meta fit comet no problem