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Skill Discussions

 
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Optimizing Drone skills
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Ezpzy
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#1 - 2014-12-24 02:04:39 UTC
After hearing so much praise from the community how good drones are on the current meta game, I decided to build my character around droneboats and hoping to fly Ishtars one day. Currently I'm flying a Vexor and it feels rather underwhelming compare to my old destroyer catalyst. I didnt see any huge increase on my dps, sure vexor is more tanky but thats to be expected since its a cruiser size ship. I was thinking maybeI dont have enough drone skills to fly vexor and take advantage of its drones. I would appreciate if I can get some guidance regarding my skill plan to optimize my drone damage since I dont really know how the drone damage bonus gets factored in. Would like to know which skills to take first that would give me higher boost of damage.

This are my current drone skills:

Amarr Drone Specialization Level 1
Caldari Drone Specialization Level 1
Drone Avionics Level 3
Drone Durability Level 1
Drone Interfacing Level 3
Drone Navigation Level 3
Drone Sharpshooting Level 3
Drones Level 5
Gallente Drone Specialization Level 2
Heavy Drone Operation Level 1
Light Drone Operation Level 3
Medium Drone Operation Level 3
Minmatar Drone Specialization Level 1
Gallente Cruiser level 2

Current Vexor drone dps 132, turret dps 109

My Vexor Fit
Dual 150mm Prototype Gauss Gun
Dual 150mm Prototype Gauss Gun
Dual 150mm Prototype Gauss Gun
Dual 150mm Prototype Gauss Gun

Experimental 10MN Afterburner I
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array

Medium 'Accommodation' Vestment Reconstructer I
Prototype Armor Kinetic Hardener I
Prototype Armor Thermic Hardener I
Pseudoelectron Containment Field I
Drone Damage Amplifier I

Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I

Vespa x5 ( I'm mostly doing serpentis rats )
Hobgoblin I x5

Antimatter Charge M x1


I'm also not sure if its worth getting tech 2 drones right away since I believe the increase damage is very minimal? and its mostly for speed/hp/tracking upgrade than damage. I'm mostly ratting with my vexor so I'm using medium drones atm.
Hasikan Miallok
Republic University
Minmatar Republic
#2 - 2014-12-24 02:17:02 UTC
Ezpzy wrote:
After hearing so much praise from the community how good drones are on the current meta game, I decided to build my character around droneboats and hoping to fly Ishtars one day. Currently I'm flying a Vexor and it feels rather underwhelming compare to my old destroyer catalyst. I didnt see any huge increase on my dps, sure vexor is more tanky but thats to be expected since its a cruiser size ship. I was thinking maybeI dont have enough drone skills to fly vexor and take advantage of its drones. I would appreciate if I can get some guidance regarding my skill plan to optimize my drone damage since I dont really know how the drone damage bonus gets factored in. Would like to know which skills to take first that would give me higher boost of damage.

This are my current drone skills:

Amarr Drone Specialization Level 1
Caldari Drone Specialization Level 1
Drone Avionics Level 3
Drone Durability Level 1
Drone Interfacing Level 3
Drone Navigation Level 3
Drone Sharpshooting Level 3
Drones Level 5
Gallente Drone Specialization Level 2
Heavy Drone Operation Level 1
Light Drone Operation Level 3
Medium Drone Operation Level 3
Minmatar Drone Specialization Level 1
Gallente Cruiser level 2

Current Vexor drone dps 132, turret dps 109

My Vexor Fit
Dual 150mm Prototype Gauss Gun
Dual 150mm Prototype Gauss Gun
Dual 150mm Prototype Gauss Gun
Dual 150mm Prototype Gauss Gun

Experimental 10MN Afterburner I
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array

Medium 'Accommodation' Vestment Reconstructer I
Prototype Armor Kinetic Hardener I
Prototype Armor Thermic Hardener I
Pseudoelectron Containment Field I
Drone Damage Amplifier I

Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I

Vespa x5 ( I'm mostly doing serpentis rats )
Hobgoblin I x5

Antimatter Charge M x1


I'm also not sure if its worth getting tech 2 drones right away since I believe the increase damage is very minimal? and its mostly for speed/hp/tracking upgrade than damage. I'm mostly ratting with my vexor so I'm using medium drones atm.


Whilst you could do with more drone related skills (sentry drones will make a huge difference as the Vexor can deploy 3) your real issue may be more your fit. For a drone ship it has an awful lot of guns and cap mods. Also most people run sentries/lights and the odd gecko. mediums have their uses but are not great.

You need to squeeze in another DDA add one or more DLA and make room for at least one omni.

WRT to training:
- Weapon upgrades to IV so you can use a DDA II
- personally I would get Interfacing and sharpshooting to IV and then train sentries.
- light drones are more useful than heavies overall, take light drone ops to either IV or V
Nalelmir Ahashion
Industrial Management and Engineering
Mouth Trumpet Cavalry
#3 - 2014-12-25 21:48:41 UTC
The glory of drones is split into 2 section.. actually 3.

1. you can select damage type.
2. Sentry drones... << main reason.
3. when you are EWAR to death by frigates aggressive flight of 5 light scout drones will shred that frig in seconds.
Tau Cabalander
Retirement Retreat
Working Stiffs
#4 - 2014-12-26 18:25:23 UTC
Bring all your skills up to say level 3 first, then level 4.

Chances are you shouldn't be working on level 5 skills yet.

https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&m=5156936#post5156936
Frank Millar
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#5 - 2014-12-27 18:32:20 UTC
The thing that stood out for me was:

Quote:
Gallente Cruiser level 2

The Vexor gets 10% increase in drone hitpoints/damage per cruiser level. Getting it to 4 is a priority.

But yeah. what Tau^ said.
ArmyOfMe
Stay Frosty.
A Band Apart.
#6 - 2014-12-28 03:11:16 UTC  |  Edited by: ArmyOfMe
Tau and Frank sums it up perfectly. Cruiser to lvl 4, then drone related skills to 4, and then go straight for t2's.
Oh, and if you want a boost in dps right away, get faction drones. (and you really need t2 damage mods)

Other then that, your setup looks fine for a newish player, and you will see the ship increase in performance as you can replace more and more of those mods with t2 mods as time passes.

GM Guard > I must ask you not to use the petition option like this again but i personally would finish the chicken sandwich first so it won´t go to waste. The spaghetti will keep and you can use it the next time you get hungry. Best regards.