Ships & Modules

I have been in a long standing internal debate with myself on whether or not to go ahead and buy a Golem once I get the isk to purchase and fit it to fly for lvl4's/DED.

Would it be logical at all at my current skills to fit into a Golem at this time or should I really just wait until I have some more time for training skills and what could be a decent fit to use? Any and all Feedback is appreciated!
current skills below
http://eveboard.com/pilot/HollowDragoon_Kring
Pass:1234
Thanks in advance,
HollowDragoon Kring

Edited Main post for stats, also I will be doing high/low/and null sec areas for PVE.

Can't say I suggest a Golem in low sec unless you've got friends simply because something like that makes for a really juicy target. The point you should consider getting a Golem should be when you can use T2 cruise or T2 Torps (Torps preferred but I might just be a little old fashioned that way), can fly a RNI with zero issues, want something that is simply better than the RNI, and are willing and able to fork over the money for it.

The Golem is simply the best missile boat you can use, end of story. Better damage, better damage application when combined with Target Painters, easier fitting, room for slots where it matters, and some stupidly good tank with just T2 modules. If you get creative with your fit the thing would probably do fine in low, but again you will be making yourself a target, and Bastion modules do not protect your capacitor.

If you can't fully T2 fit the thing, and you don't have all possible support skills at or close to lvl 5, don't bother. Stick to something less expensive until later.

Just my thoughts as a Golem pilot.

Unless you really like the looks of the Raven, you may want to look at the ship first.

When I decided to get a Golem, I already had been flying a CNR for many years. Why didn't I get a Golem sooner? Don't have a good reason.

Anyway, what has to be done is to actually have the isk to buy the Golem. If you're going to earn the money by running L4 missions, you need a BS to do those missions. You have to have the isk for that BS. (That's a lot of L3s)

A Raven (177M) will get the job done, but you still should have decent support skills. So while you "working" for the isk for the Golem (1.1B), you can be completing the skills required to fly the Golem, and grinding out L4s. (Maurader skill 64M)

The L4s don't give out a lot of isk as a reward. You'll earn isk by salvaging those missions, selling the modules. You can actually earn between 25m to 40m per mission, it all depends. So, get a Noctis (90M)

But some real money can be made from the loyalty points. The loyalty points can range from 3500 to 9000 per mission (up to 12000 in those burner missions, but that's another topic). You just have to find something that sells well and often.

I made 1b in one month. That is not benchmark by any means as others has made more, but for me I thought that was pretty good. (so that was doing 2-3 L4 missions every night, and selling the salvage, and turning over the loyalty points.)

Another way, if you want to buy your way into the game is to buy plex, CCP has allowed an "instant win". But you still have to have to wait for all the skills to complete.

(CCP has allowed players to buy their way thru the game, as compared to us "bitter vets" who actually earned our wings, and everything we have thru game play. I feel that those who have bought their way into the game, will never become a "bitter vet".) IMHO

-Kirst

The only thing I dislike about the golem is, that it doesn't have the cool-gray look of the default raven. (and the low sensor strength!)

Who knows, maybe one day we'll see a nice paintjob for the golem that is not "a bit rusted". XD

It's a very very solid mission boat with easy start and much room for improvement.

Oh ... oh my... oh dear YES! CCP! .... TAKE MY MONEY!!!

Absolutely wonderfull. Add a calcari-Skin for the golem, please? Original-Raven-Gray! I miss that.

So far it looks like upcomming kaalakiota golem and police kronos. Maybe the guristas one... but... yeah, still longing for the default raven boring gray. :D

Take into account incomes from Level 4 missions vary widely! One mission gives you several million ISK while another one several dozen millions ISK. In fact flying Level 4 missions you earn ISK from: mission reward, bounties, loot and LP store transactions. I can say mission reward constitutes a minor share of your overall income (typically about 1-2 mil. ISK) while loot and bounties are worth a lot more (many millions or even over ten million ISK each). Therefore I advice you to loot wrecks in every mission you have just accomplished using Noctis which gets job done quickly with good salvaging skills. Some folks say about earnings equal to 100 mil. ISK per hour but I think if you can get 100 mil. ISK daily it's still a fairly good, quick and...easy money.

As for the best level 4 mission runner I have flown CNR for a long time and it is quite good but after switching to Rattlesnake I can say this beast is a complete joke and overkill! Rattlesnake with MJD, sentry drones and cruise missiles can do well over 1000 DPS at 100 km being completely safe with minimal tank. I think now Rattlesnake is better choice than Marauders aside from Bastion module's bonuses but opinions vary.