Skill Discussions

Hello, all.

This is my third attempt at training a character; I've deleted two in the short time I was playing because I was not happy with the direction I was headed. I have found various skill plans, but I am having difficulty prioritizing skills. My goals, after completing the career missions and Sisters of Eve story arc, are to join Amarr factional warfare, as well as mining and planetary interaction for ISK. Yes, I know those professions bore many, but I find what little I've done of them relaxing and interesting.

So, what skills in what order do I need to train? I know that there are core skills, but I how should I train into Amarr combat, mining, and PI? I apologize if there are similar posts.

I know that I do not have to train Amarr ships; I want to train Amarr ships. However, I also plan on cross training into Gallente ships because of their similarities. What I am really trying to do is incorporate career skills ,while simultaneously training piloting skills. I dont want to be severely handicapped in my piloting, but I also want to have the skills necessary to do what jobs I want to.

I know. There were a few reasons, but I probably should have stuck to one character.

Remember the diminishing returns on skill training.

For any given skill, you can usually train it up to level 3 in just a few hours, but that gives you 60% of the benefits of the full skill. As a rule of thumb, it will take about 5x as long to train it from 3 to 4 as it took to train from 0-3, and that increases the benefits from 60% to 80%. Then it will take about 5x as much time to train a skill to 5 as it took to train from 0-4, for that last 20% of the benefit. So the takeaway from this is: Train all the skills that benefit your ship to 3. Then go back and train them all to 4. Then think about which ones are worth training to 5.

My second piece of advice is to pick one thing and get proficient at it (not perfect) before branching out to something else.

Start with Amarr Frigates. (If you really want Gallente instead of Amarr first, then replace the "Amarr Frigate" skill with "Gallente Frigate" and replace "Small Energy Turret" with "Small Hybrid Turret".

Train the following skills up to 3:
Basic Ship skill: Amarr Frigate
Weapons: Small Energy Turret, Gunnery, Controlled Bursts, Motion Prediction, Sharpshooter, Surgical Strike, Trajectory Analysis
Armor Tank: Hull Upgrades, Mechanics, Repair Systems, Armor Layering
Mobility: Spaceship Command, Evasive Maneuvering, Navigation, Warp Drive Operation, Acceleration Control, Afterburner, Fuel Conservation, High Speed Maneuvering
Capacitor: Capacitor Management, Capacitor Systems Operation,
Fitting: CPU Management, Power Grid Management, Weapon Upgrades, Energy Grid Upgrades
Targeting: Targeting, Long Range Targeting, Signature Analysis
PVP: Propulsion Jamming, Thermodynamics
(There are probably a few more I have forgotten, or that I left off that others may argue are important.)

At this point, you have a servicable, cheap frigate to throw into Faction Warfare for fun. Then, as you continue training the above skills to 4, add Amarr Destroyer. This gives you a sturdy PVE ship for level 1 missions and the Sisters of Eve story src. (It would also be good for Faction Warfare, but a bit more expensive to lose.)

Once you have a couple good ships to choose from, add to your abilities:
Do you want to fly cruisers for level 2 Missions? Train Amarr Cruiser, Medium Energy Turrets, and Drones.
Do you want to mine? Train Ore Frigate, Mining, Mining Upgrades, and Astrogeology.
Do you really, really want to mine? Train Exhumers and mining drones.
Do you want to cross train to Gallente? Train Gallente Frigate, Gallente Destroyer, Small Hybrid Turret, and Drones.
Do you want to do Planetary Interaction? Train Gallente Industrial, and everything under the Planetary Interaction tab.
Need to sell the ore you mine, your PI goods, and your FW loot more efficiently? Look under the Trade tab.
Did you decide that you love the Punisher (or fill in the blank with any other ship you can fly)? Start training Tech 2 weapons and the skills that benefit your specific fit to level 5.


TL:DR:
1. It is better to have many skills at level 3 than one at level 5.
2. Pick a goal. Become proficient at it. Then pick another goal.
3. Nobody can give you a comprehensive skill plan because your skill plan should be somewhat fluid and based on what you enjoy doing in game and what goals you have set for yourself.
4. Don't worry if you end up with skills which you don't use anymore. Everyone has some of them. Also, they may become useful again in the future.

Thanks! That helps a lot!