EVE New Citizens Q&A

Train basic social skills - you will get access to L2 missions. L1 missions are only for those, who has very bad standings toward some faction. Like if you have caldari standings -2,1 or lower, you will be able to do only L1 missions till you get your standings to -2. L2 missions offer a bit better reward, than L1.

Mission path is not about flying cheapiest ship to be able to do highest mission, though some ppl use assault frigates to do L4 missions. It is about how quick you can chew through mission. So your ISK/time ratio is bigger. Thats why destroyers are always better, than frigates for L1 mission. And cruiser will be expensive but save you time to do L2 more effectively, than destroyer, cause you can tank more damage in it. Better tank = closer range. Closer range = more effective ammo used. More effective ammo = mission done quicker.

TL;DR version:
1. Learn "social" skill to get rid of L1 missions.
2. Get cruiser to do L2 mission.
3. Get Gnosis to do L3 mission and stick with it untill you get enough skills to fly Dominix effectively.
4. Get Dominix and start making money with L4 missions.

From my point of view tristan PvE fit is totaly irrelevant. Yes, you can mine in battleships, but it is not what they are made for. Get destroyer for L1 missions if you do need repair faction standings, skip L1 missions if you do not.