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Skill Discussions

 
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Scanning, probing & Covert Ops.
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Alphea Abbra
Project Promethion
#1 - 2012-02-15 20:44:14 UTC
I've trained to use a Covert Ops ship and some rudimentary scanning skills, but I'm wondering where to go from now to get maximum out of my training times, and to avoid training something needlessly.

My current skills are:
Astrometrics: 4
Astrometric Acquisition: 2
Astrometric Pinpointing: 2
Astrometric Rangefinding: 2
Covert Ops: 3
Frigate: 5

I'm thinking about training Covert Ops 4 first, since that enables me to fit covert cloaks much easier and it adds 10% scan strength, but in terms of raw scanning strength it would seem that for the same SP I can get the astrometric support skills to 3, and that would give lesser maximum deviation and shorter scan time.

My intention for the fit & skills are to make low-sec or perhaps null-sec roams later, so I'll need covert ops 4 sooner or later.
Tau Cabalander
Retirement Retreat
Working Stiffs
#2 - 2012-02-15 21:06:25 UTC  |  Edited by: Tau Cabalander
Rule of Thumb: Any skill worth training is worth training to level 4.

I wouldn't train Covert Ops 5, unless you are an avid Stealth Bomber user, as a Strategic Cruiser makes for a better probe ship (though much more expensive).

Astronomic Acquisition has a very low return (1 less second of scan rime per level), so I personally wouldn't put much time into training it, unless you plan to become a dedicated PvP prober. The skill really doesn't make a huge difference to exploration.

Astrometrics 5 is useful for deep space probes (256 au), which makes signature strength based exploration probing easier, but it is not an essential skill (you can cover a system with 64 au combat probes).

I'd recommend you train a battlecruiser as a higher priority.
Hathrul
School of Applied Knowledge
Caldari State
#3 - 2012-02-15 22:57:06 UTC
in general id get all of the skills to level 4 first.

personally, i think covert ops level 5 is a great skill to have. it makes it much easier to fit the ships, more scanstrenght etc. but it all depends how much you scan, which goes for every scanning skill beyond 3-4

astrometrics 5: using 8 probes is fantastic if there are a lot of signatures (15+). i have no idea if this happens often in 0sec (wh pilot) but in wh its damn good to have
acquisition 5: most underestimated scanning skill. if you scan a lot youll spend more time waiting for results then missing a few % scan strenght. for combat scanning this is the difference between warping in and getting a tackle or seeing someone warp off

the other 2: theyre both good, but still depend on how much you scan. if you do it the majority of the time theyre a great investment, if not, it takes ages to train them all to 5
Jack Miton
School of Applied Knowledge
Caldari State
#4 - 2012-02-16 01:28:49 UTC
training priority should be this:

Astrometrics
Covops
Pinpointing
Rangefinding
Aquisition

if you do probing regularly, you should have astro and covops 5.
bump the rest to 5 if you want to be pro.
minimum skills i probe with on any of my probing toons is astro 5, rest at 4.
(astro 4 is fine in kspace tbh.)

I have many probing toons of varying skill levels and i can tell you that probing with a toon with all skills at 5 is a big step up from skills at 4, even if it may not look like it on paper.

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