Ships & Modules

There is no end game in eve, only tools that have different uses.

Cap stability, tank and DPS are only metrics. Do not get hung up on them. Having the most of one thing means you are sacrificing something else. The game is about using the right tool for the job.

Well, then you will need to give more specifics as to what you are trying to achieve.

Like I said, its about using the right tool for the job.

1) Machariel and Vargur both qualify, if you're talking about mission blitzing.

2) The Vargur, hands down. (Even ignoring Bastion. EM shield resists.)

3) The Machariel (for now).

4) I use the Vargur. Though the Mach has a bit more DPS, the Vargur can loot and salvage an extra 5-11m isk/mission while speed running, which puts it on top in my book.

1. In you restrict end game to battleships, Machariel prior to last patch, now Vargur.

2. You have to count bastion. And this one is complicated. Mach or Vargur with 2 bill dumped on tanking is 1000 dps omni tanked. Add bastion on Vargur and you either end up at 2200 dps omni tanked or you downgrade tank in value to about 500ish mill to get same number of 1000 omni tank which is MORE then enough by far. Then again, Maelstorm can get good numbers, but you won't be putting 2 bill ISK on Maelstorm.

3. Most DPS -
Machariel with gardes, faction ammo and implants will top out at 1450 dps at 55 km max range (falloff)
Vargur with warriors, faction ammo and implants will top out at 1250 dps at 75 km max range (bastion falloff) or same range as Machariel without bastion.
Maelstrom will hardly get over 1000 dps.
But you need to to take into account applied DPS. Vargur can out dps Machariel by far. Why? Because you can't use Gardes always, and even though Machariel has 50ish dps more on guns alone, Vargur has bastion. You enter bastion and there is no jamming, no tracking disruption and no sensor dampening. That is a big game changer in any space other then minmatar for most cases.

4. Vargur.
After flying 5 bill Machariel around the space and having fun with it, after the patch simply can't ignore the fact that bastion Vargur fitted with faction gyros (200ish mill) and rest T2 modules can do almost same dps, track better, and be immune to ewar. Tank numbers are far lower till you get in bastion mode to compensate, but 1.1 bill ship doing the same job better then 5 bill ship is better in my book for that job.

Comparison image:
http://i.snag.gy/mH5cz.jpg

I'm assuming from your other thread that the context is L4 missions?

I'll skip the first three somewhat-contentious questions and answer #4: I fly the Vargur. Plenty sufficient tank even with only 2 slots (though I reserve the right to add a third for some missions), good DPS out to the max range of the bonused tractor beams, great tracking, and with 3 tractors and a flight of salvage drones, I have the trash almost completely cleared up already by the time I pop the last ship in the pocket. No need to manage bookmarks and come back for the loot/salvage later. It doesn't satisfy everyone's criteria, but it's perfect for mine.

1) Which one of these ships would be considered end-game?

Mach and Vargur

2) Which has the most tank? (Don't count Bastion)

How much tank something has is a function of how you fit it, and how much isk you spend on the tank. With their bonuses, vargur and mael have a nice boost to tanking, but that doesn't mean they're always the tankiest, if anything it means they are cheaper/easier to tank. All of those ships save the maelstrom have massive base HP, which is an important consideration.

3) Which can pull the most DPS?

Mach/Vargur

4) Which would you choose and why?[/quote]

Mach because its massive speed, dps, and base HP make it very easy to use. The enormous agility also means i would consider using it in lowsec/nullsec, something I would never do with a vargur. I also have both battleship skills at 5, as well as maxed drone skills (the mach can field sentry drones decently well).

I would choose the vargur if I wanted to use a marauder, because of its advantages over other marauders. Choosing it over the other 3 ships mostly is just a result of wanting the marauder functionality that those ships lack.

CCP Ytterbium mentioned it here.

Once you have a better understanding of damage application, your opinion will change. Especially in the context of lvl 4 missions.

This isn't true. I bought a Machariel and within 30 seconds a pop up occurred saying "YOU WON"... Next thing I saw was credits rolling... It's amazing!

That, imo, is wrong... I really don't think that people are flying rookie frigates in high isk reward missions or incursions or what ever else exists (in the end-game).

EVE has end-game content like any other game, regardless of how many options exist... back on topic now please.