Skill Discussions

I'm training leadership skills, working towards being an effective command ship pilot.

I want to start with the Damnation. What "support skills" will I want to have trained?

I am in no rush, but I am an inexperienced player. End goal would be running warfare links in a large fleet while also able to dish out some damage, and take some damage.

Is the Damnation a good choice or should I focus my efforts on another ship?

First look at this. It's the changes coming down the pipe to CS's as soon as CCP gets to them for Tiericide. Second, understand Off-Grid Boosting probably has it's days numbered so as you say you have the time, I'd work on making a ship capable of dealing with enemies. Third, ALL CS's are getting a DPS boost come Tiericide for them, we just don't know how much yet but there will no longer be a distinction between Fleet/Field.

Now, it depends on what your Alliance will need of you down the road but most fleet boosters have max leadership skills and 1 of the combat oriented Mindlinks in slot 10 (requires Cybernetics 5 + whichever Warfare Spec 5 that it is). If however, your doctrine calls only for Armor fleets then you could skimp some on the leadership skill (the Warfare Specs only) and train only Armor Warfare Spec 5 for say the Damnation. Keep in mind that photo, as Amarr gains Info gang bonus soon so that'd be another Warfare Spec you'd need to have at 5.

As for tank/DPS the rule of thumb is this. ALL Core skills to LvL 5 (Mechanics, Shield Management, etc) so that not only can you fit all the required T2 modules for tanking, but have the best chance of staying alive a little longer. You will be primaried at some point (probably sooner rather than later) just for sitting in a CS, even if you're not the booster. For DPS, if you can fit whatever T2 weapon system the ship you fly has, that'd be good enough for most FC's.

The path isn't as long as it seems, you're talking 4-7 months for a damn fine gang booster including all support skills to use T2 modules. They may not all be at LvL 5 but most would be LvL 4 by then.

Actually, Amarr will have skirmish as the second boost.