EVE New Citizens Q&A

I am not sure if this should go on Q&A for new citizens, but since im still fresh! : D
I got myself a Retriever for a steady isk-source, now I can die without huge worries.
Can do highsec exploration, some combatsites work, and all hack/salvage/analyze.

So, now the idea is to do high-sec and low-sec exploring. probably lowsec later, or as soon as possible, depending on how much I must prepare myself.

The area I hang around in is a bit "populated", so exploration is rather hard, I just jump and explore in all directions I can, sometimes going from serpentis to other areas as blood, giving specific harders a bit annoying to try and "plan ahead".
I want to do some combatsites, that would be nice, but primary is Radar/mag sites (magsites in highsec sucks!)
Is it worth checking into ladar highsec? someone mentioned its good on lowsec atleast.


Should I go for Vexor or Myrmidon? is Myrmidon more limted in combat areas? (I am not switching ships for combatzones, one-size allthetime)
I had some issues with one or two highsec combat sites, which I couldn't complete what so ever.
Survival/damage was to bad, guess I could skip combatsites in lowsec for later, if it takes way to long time to prepare for.


I am currently skilling up for cloaked ships and improved probes/drones a bit.
Just got myself the power to rig my ships.

trying to use EFT, I dont get that good of a result, using API to get my skills to get a bit more accurate data.
this is what I land on as Myrmidon, no idea on weapons or if I should use 2 probe-rigs instead of one another.
I aim for using hobgobs and Hammerheads as drones, 3 hobs, 2 hammers, thats the dps I get in return.
http://i49.tinypic.com/9rmvsy.png


And Vexor. http://i48.tinypic.com/1jwx75.png almost same build.


I hope for some inputs, what I might done wrong and so on.
Ofc I know using II items instead is way better, but I try to aim for an "effective way" with what I can do now and within 3-4 days reach, then while using that I will ofcourse master what I can and fly it in the "best" fit later on.

Preferd talking in a weeks range, not in a month. : D

Thanks for that, I am running a Vexor at the moment, using some medium high-range "railguns", my issue is thou, when rats engange closer, I have to try and get away, with my microwarp I get a speed of around 300+, not always making it in time, so will have to try out different ways.
Is there any other item I could use to boost drones or suvival fitting instead of weapons in highslot?

I have been aiming for almost pure drone-ship, not sure if its really viable later on, myrmidon is something I should continue toward then. : )

I used the arbitrator for hisec all-in-one kind of thing. My plan was to take agro then let the drones do the work, while I keep an eye on their shields and recall them if theyre being targetted. Here's my setup ( I figure it will work with vexor too but yea just put your own taste in there )

Rigs: 2 Medium Gravity Capacitor ( for the probe bonuses )
Highs : Drone Link for the range
Sisters core launcher ( expanded is hard to fit )
Rapid light missile ( whatever you want I just happen to have missile skills )
Salvager
Mid: Afterburner
2 Large shield extenders
codebreaker ( I have analyzer in my cargo just in case )
Low: 2 meta 4 shield power relay
2 drone damage amp

I can get 170dps with my current skills and being a cruiser i can go to hideouts and 3/10 and can do 4/10 with manual piloting. The main problem is I cant do a 4/10 that quick so if a tengu decides to join I basically lose the race. Radars/mag sites are no problem at all. But if you're only planning to do 4/10's then yea stick with the myrmidon I guess, altho with my experience probably 40% of my hideouts turned into the Sooth Sayer expeditions that can drop implants and most of older explorers tend to just ignore it, and 3/10's can drop A-type modules so all in all not bad. Eventually I'll switch to a tengu for everything hisec. Hope it helps.

First of all you don't have to go to low sec to make "good isk" with exploration, it can be done in high sec just fine. Secondly the fit you linked (and also other fits in this thread) are just a mess :P Fit needed depends on where you do exploration and what type you're doing, focus your resists more and don't use the reactive armor hardener, it's rubbish in this situation because of its cap use.

Here's a fit (you're fine to translate it to T1/named) that will work, just realise that you will have issues (both tanking as dps wise) in the better sites, even in high sec, and this fit assumes you'll be in Gallente or Caldari space due to the resists types fitted. You don't need grav rigs in high sec, all the sites you can actually handle you'll be able to probe down using just the prober, no massive skills, sister gear or grav rigs required. Also I wouldn't bother fitting/using the analyser, generally those sites don't pay too well compared to other types of sites so you might as well forget about it. Radar sites (which need a codebreaker) ARE very much worth it. The "silly" civilian turret is just there to gain aggro, it uses no ammo so it's great for that.

[Vexor, Explorer]
Medium Armor Repairer II
Armor Thermic Hardener II
Armor Kinetic Hardener II
Drone Damage Amplifier II

10MN Afterburner II
Cap Recharger II
Codebreaker I

Civilian Gatling Railgun, Civilian Railgun Charge
[empty high slot]
Salvager I
Small Tractor Beam I
Core Probe Launcher I, Core Scanner Probe I

Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I


Hammerhead II x5
Hobgoblin II x5

Thanks for all the replies, managed to buy almost everything I need.
Even bought 2 x 100mn microwarps by accident. woop. ;) cost to much power to use, hehe.

Will I really need all that power with rigs and everything thou? Seeing I dont use guns, can a repair drain all that fast?

Training to use specific hardeners and cap recharger II.
Might be putting a cloak on the ship, almost completed the training for it.
Tractorbeam is for wrecks right? does it really save time? :o

EDIT:
Hm, overload, is it something worth checking into, or should I skip it as an explorer in highsec?
Started off nicely 3-4 locations where my vexor cant go.. : D oh well

Do you really need all those Capacitor rechargers, Control Circuits for 'that' fit? Cripes, I did my first Radar site in a Probe in a 0.5, and only had to jump out to grab a ship to kill the fighter at the can. I think I went and grabbed a catalyst or a Thrasher for that. ..ah.. Armor Hardeners; I see now. Maybe a little extreme.

If you're going to do that, Shield Tank it. One Adaptive Invuln will chew Cap, but not that much, and even a Vexor can get a better tank that way. Besides that, you have no buffer, and if you're looking at 0.0 or Lowsec, you're probably going to need one.

Also, the fit I linked was actually more along the lines of a Null Ratter. Not exact I'm sure, but somewhere in there. Too tired at the time to make a serious effort and I didn't have EFT on my PC at the time.

Why is everyone linking tech2 fits for this guy?

As said above get the Myrm and the Vexor, the Myrm won't be allowed in some sites but the Vexor will be too tiddly to do the ones the Myrm can. You need more than just drone DPS on there, 40-50dps isn't going to cut it for many sites. Both fits you linked had spare highslots, the Myrm one had a duel rep too. You could swap out one repper (remember armor reps eat cap like fat kids do cupcakes) for another resist or a plate and hopefully have enough PG and CPU to fit a railgun or two.

Duel repping (or even triple) is a valid strategy for the Myrmidon but i feel with low skills and low incoming DPS this would be counter productive for you at this stage. Also remember you can find out what damage types to expect and tank specifically. Swapping out those 2 adaptive nano's for dedicated 50% resists will see your tank doing much better. Just keep a 50% resist for each damage type in cargo for quick swaps.

"They tech2 because i fit them with.. err.... tech2..... just kinda thought it was a cool fit y'know?"

Very nice but a glance at the fits he posted gives you an context for the question. He can achieve way over the 50dps in those 2 fits with some small adjustments, and downgrading to a frigate isnt going to do him any favours for the sites he mentioned he wanted to run.

Get the Myrm, but fly it for ages and watch as it blossoms into a killing machine as your skills do.

Thanks for all the answers, yeah the dps is crap, im working on improving dronedamage with skills.
If I were to bring a weapon, im not sure what kind of weapon I would want, a longrange medium perhaps?

Seeing the times I have been playing with my vexor, going to any distance closer then 16km hurts like hell in some holes, staying around 16+ and tossing drones for king and country works like a charm. ;D takes a while as it currently is thou.

I just managed to get my hands on the skill to use cloak, is it even worth using in highsec? since I am kiting them with drones, and.. second.. do cloak and drones even work together?

Combat drone operations (extra damage)
5 drones (3 days left to that)
Gallente cruiser (extra damage)
Besides range and that dronedamage equipment, is there anything else that improves Hobgoblin I and Hammerhead I ?
Will look into II of those later down the road,

Cap stability isn't strictly necessary, at least not for the sites I've been running in highsec. Pulse the armor rep as needed and use an afterburner to maintain range from the pack.