EVE New Citizens Q&A

Hi.
I am new to the game (one week) and am almost done with my tutorials.
I traditionally prefer P v E playing, and I don't have a lot of time to devote to the game, so i figure on soloing a lot.
Any thoughts as to a good P v E solo profession?
fyi: I tried to do a search for this topic, but could not locate anything. Maybe wrong search "terms"?
Anyways....
thanks in advance

I'd go for lowsec/nullsec exploration, if you want to play it "safe" then just do missions. Can get boring after a while though.

^^^

Just one profession can become boring. I am PvE player for good few years now and I found myself even mining sometimes, when I need something relaxing.
PvP will find you anyway, just use to it. Avoid low sec if you want ISK.
In High sec solo you can try exploration and security missions. Exploration is crap cause they nerfed it in Odyssey patch. But still usefull cause it gives you access to wormholes or DED complexes. Security missions in different regions and different ships will provide you with unique views and enough ISK to fund your PvP activities.

TL;DR version of solo PvE activities, I found fun:
1. Level 4 security missions
2. Ded complexes
3. Wormhole diving
4. Mining
5. Planetary interaction
6. Exploration
7. Manufacture

Now wall of text, explaining why and how:
My current setup looks like this:
1. Two jump clones - one in Lanngisi running level 4 security misions in minmatar space for SoE corp. Other one is wondering across gallentian space running L4 security missions for different Gallente or minmatar corps. With Dominix using range (up to 150 km optimal range) as tank you do not need to carry much with you so it is a freedom of nomadic char...
2. Two empty PvP clones around Minmatar / amarr factional warfare. Nothing special to say cause it is not what you are looking for.
3. Special jump clone in Stratios, which is used to dig in wormhole or null space.

Security missions give you stable income. You can see bunkers, cathedrals, drone superstructures, all kind of NPC or celestial objects. Same missions done in sniping Rattlesnake or melee fited Machariel will give you very different experience. Fun and ISK, if you combine it with something else, like Wormhole diving.
Wormholes, if you find an empty one, will give you access to very good mining opportunities and different NPC, who are actually act very different, from NPC in mission pockets in high sec.
Ded complexes are chain of special missions, with interesting rewards in the end. Must be scanned down and you can not use battleship in some of them.
When you need to get away from keyboard too often, launch procurer to mine some ore. Cheap and robust it is not best mining vessel out there but surely will not let suicide gankers kill more ISk, than they will lose doing it. So it will most probably survive left alone in high sec. Simply because it is not worth the kill ;)
During mining you can manage your Planetary interaction colonies. Planets can be adjusted remotely, you only need to go there when you need to pick up the result. It is about 5 milions ISK in a day of passive income. Can be much more if you will start manufacturing planets or invest time to get all related skills to 5.
R&D agents are also passive income but they will cost you time to get your skills skill up.

What not to do:
1. Trading. It is a PvP, worst kind of it.
2. Scamming. Also PvP.
3. Distribution missions. Very low reward even compared with afk mining.
4. Incursions. Not a solo activity. You will wait ages till fleet is formed up. And once you are in team, you can not get out or you will lose your place. If you like to play according to some one else schedule - go defend null sec soverenity.


I seriosly doubt, you will stay away from PvP in the long run, cause it is what EvE mostly about. But PvE is a very big part of the game and there is nothing wrong to enjoy it 98% of your game time

As a matter of fact, I was in Null. Nothing for solo, little for PvE. Solo PvE is for high sec, team PvP is for the rest of Eve, IMHO. You suggest something very opposide to what OP wants.

Exploration
means dodging pvp'ers in losec, nul & wormholes
which you might find entertaining

Missions
Hisec - really easy, monotonous
Pirate Missions - losec & npc-nul, so similar to exploration
FW - losec, you get to dodge pvp'ers again

Mining
less interesting than hisec missions
but steady reliable income





if you want to try something a bit more 'with people'
there are several communities in eve

don't know the name but there is/was a mining fleet channel, im sure someone will post that info
you can also join the "Quafe Central" channel for pvp fun


edit
yes I read the ops basic premise

like the op I t get to log in sporadically and have limited time when im logged in

I suggested pvp as something to think about as it's really what makes eve eve
pve generates isk and standings
your ship exploding during pve is a rarity
once you have enough isk to replace your mission ship .. extra isk just sits there doing nothing
isk generation is a poor reason to play the game, and eves mechanics make it not very entertaining (in the long run)


solo pve in eve IS boring and poorly implemented ...
other MMO's do it better, sorry fanboi's but it's not CCP's strong point

where eve shines is group based activities versus other groups and individuals
that is CCP's strong point, and they pull it off reasonably well

"Solo pve player" is shorthand for "I'm going to unsub in a month".

Not only is a "PVE player" a non-existent thing, but EVE is a thoroughly miserable experience played by yourself.

The ultimate destiny of people who identify themselves that way is to either quit the game in short order or to die alone In their blinded out golem that they can't replace.

While most of you have offered excellent suggestions I am still staggered by the number who specifically mention PvP(blow up others stuff definition) even though the OP strongly indicated that it is not his preferred play style.

For a reasonably safe activity that can still make decent ISK for a casual player missions are a decent option.
Yes the security version of them will pay more but even distribution missions an generate a decent amount of ISk for a solo casual player.

sorry but dont agree with this.

"Exploration is crap cause they nerfed it" - still very profitable in nullsec and a worthy career.

"Avoid low sec if you want ISK" - not true you make more when you go down sec status so really if you want to "make good isk" get out of highsec.

"So it will most probably survive left alone in high sec. Simply because it is not worth the kill ;) " - no it wont, gankers will kill you for simply being afk regardless of how much isk they lose for killing your ship.

"If you like to play according to some one else schedule - go defend null sec soverenity." - again not true sov was quite relaxing, i wasnt forced to join fleets and i could pve as much as i wanted.

If you do exploration dont feel like you are forced to stay in highsec, highsec only carebears mostly think bad things happen when you go past the lowsec gate warning, lowsec and null can be very rewarding you just need a little awareness and caution

Sure, you are member of one of the most active pirate corps, who actually feast on those, who came to make ISK in low sec.


Exploration in high sec. I was talking about high sec activities.


With elementary pre-cautions you will be able to fly safely in high sec. Only place, when I lost some ships to other player was low sec. Regardless how vigilant OP will be - he will lose your ship there. Because of players like you. And this loss will mean for newbee much more, than it will be for you. Cause he does not want to lose his PvE ship. So frustration from the loss of the ship even if he can afford himself to buy 20 of such kind will be also on "no fun in this stupid game full of boolies" list. Low sec is where PvE ppl spend their ISK, not where we make them, IMHO. You are pirate - thats another story.



Check killboard for mining barges, pls. High sec and no war targets. You will see why I posted this.