Missions & Complexes

i can load the numbers on EFT all i want but is there someone who has the set that noticed a WTF difference? Are they worth the extra isk?

Thanks

yes if you have below max skills.

altho once you get used to scaning even without implants a system wont take more than 4-6 mins to pin down 4-6 sites (wh's not included as they are gay and take a bit longer to probe)

Well in my case im considering them fora max skilled probing tengu. all scan skils 5, can already scan stuff epic fast but wondering if i can save that one last scan very time or detect that damn WH one scan sooner..

Depends on how much scanning you do. According to pyfa, the virtue set will give you about a 32% increase in scan strength. The AR-810 implant gives 10% by itself, for about 5% the cost of virtues. I'd definitely start with the cheaper implant and see how that works first.

You can. And bm strong signals like K162's with 4au formations too.
But it's not really a huge advantage, it's just a bit faster and more convenient.

For PvP probing, well, if it's borderline without imps it'll be a hit with them, but, I doubt that's going to matter very often.

I have a dedicated scanner alt with virtue set but I use other imps on a primarily combat char that also scans a lot. I always groan a bit when I end up scanning my way through several wh systems on the char without virtue set, but it's not such a big difference in time. Noticeable for sure, but not so much as to have "tactical" significance.

yes, once youre skills are up, you will be able to tell the type of site at 4AU, even without the virtue set.
I was hoping the virtue set would increase that to 8AU, but it doesnt, hence I did not find it super useful.

(I think the only real reason to get it is if you want to probe down nearly 'unprobable' ships)

Theyre very much worth it, if you have a scanner alt.
Anyone saying otherwise either doesnt probe regularly in WHs or does it badly.

Combined with the 10% prospector (if youre spending 2+ bil on virtues and dont have this 150mil implant then youre doing it wrong) they let you ID/BM sig at 1 step higher probes in all situations ive come accross.

In a real world situation, I used to probe with max skills and no implants and could ID around 30-35 sigs in 16min (RSS probe life time) depending on the number of high end sites, which meant very rare relaunching.
With the virtues, I have yet to find a system where I have to relaunch and the highest number of sigs ive come accross in a system was 54.

Combat probing is MUCH easier with virtues and they also have the nice benefit of letting you probe out ECCMed T3s which you can't do without them.

You also have to be functionally ret*rded to lose a covops so you really shouldnt be losing them.

PS:
while you may be able to ID most sigs on a 4au (you can't do them all but you can guess the rest), i find it's always beneficial to scan at 1 bump below your max ID size as it cuts down a lot on deviation and you'll be able to BM a bunch of sigs you normally couldnt.
nothing more annoying than hitting WHs at 98% because youre probes are slightly off center.

The Low Grade Virtue set can be worth it, but only if you are:

a) living in a wormhole for an extended period of time, or
b) do a lot of combat scanning.

With 7 propes and max skills ship and equipment bonuses*, you would get a base scan strength of 198.39, allowing you, for the hardest signatures (=1/80 or 1.25%), to Id the signature group at 4 AU, read the site's name at 1 AU and get a 100% scan at 0.5 AU.

The Virtue set also allows you to get a ~ 123% hit on the smallest signature for ships (=1.14%)

*) calculation done for sister's scanner probes, not for the RSS probes, but the difference in neglectable.

I like numbers!

For a dedicated scan character, IMO get the first 5 Virtues but skip the Omega. Then get the 10% scan strength implant for slot 8, it will give you nearly or equal to the same strength bonus of the Omega when combined with the other 5 Virtues, and it frees up slot 6 for the 10% scan deviation implant. Deviation is often more important than scan strength, as minimizing the deviation lets you go down 2 or 3 sizes in one shot, which greatly reduces the time you'll spend narrowing down signatures. Toss the 10% scan time implant into slot 7 and you've got yourself one mean dedicated scanner.