Looking toward learning PVP as a Alpha. What is the optimum build for a Alpha account?
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There’s no such thing as a “best” ship, for solo PvP, or for Alpha/Omega.
Rather, let us know what your ideal budget is (what kind of ships you’re comfortable losing a lot of), what weapon systems you prefer, whether you want to start with brawling, scram-kiting, or kiting. We can make recommendations, but there’s never a “best”.
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I find brawlers easiest as a new player. Would like to find a viable scram-kiting build. Missiles is my current weapons path. Open to change. Budget any build under 500M. This would be my aspirational budget.
A Kestrel seems like the best prescription here. Move to the Breacher when you want to practice your module management and active tanking.
I still reckon Tristan is the best alpha pvp frigate. You can fit it in so many ways. Extremely versatile.
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I agree on the Tristan, as the Kestrel is pretty one dimensional solo fit.
Even then, TD with optimal range scripts preloaded is not bad on ab armor Kestrel. Sometimes it’s nice to leave the em hole and throw an anti-kinetic rig and do your best against comets. If you notice he’s pulling in and is AB, throw the tracking script in and try your best to do sharp angles to the side of him.
If you fail to catch him or he pulls out with rails and ab, you have some time with the damage mitigation to pull out. GL
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If you are new to PvP it is good to have ship, that will last at least some time before POP. Passive armor tanked tristan, punisher, shield tanked merlin, etc… So you will at least have time to turn on your weapons 
I would second the above posts re starting out with strongly tanked T1 frigates. The tristan is a very flexible platform that allows you to learn various fighting styles (brawling, scram-kiting, kiting or just being a very annoying neut).
While you mention a $500M build budget please don’t fall into the newbie trap of thinking bigger is better. Many players who enjoy PvP stick to frigates as 1) fights are still just as much fun and 2) there are no tears when you loose your ship. Loosing 50 $10 million frigates will be a lot more fun, and teach you a lot more, then loosing 1 $500M ship.
A well piloted frigate can take down much larger ships (always a good feeling), and the short duration of frigate fights means you have to be on your toes re reaction times and required responses.
I’m having a lot of fun with an alpha account and a scram-kite incursus. Regardless of the ship or play style practice makes perfect. Think about what actions need to happen in what order during a fight, and test out on npcs. Learn to assign hot keys and set up a decent overview to facilitate this. Video your fights and critically review: are you targeting, moving and engaging modules as quickly as can be?
Cheers
DRP.
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depends on where you are fighting and who you are fighting with
i used a pretty unorthadox beam punisher for fw gangs and i liked it a lot
really good tank keep good range to gtfo
scram ab worked nice when roaming complexes in a small gang
really good survivabily and unexpected surprise for brawler afs who try to close you down from 30km
not sure how well it will work with alpha skills tho
but it worked nicely for me
Thanks for the tips
I’m an on again off again player, and despite my 28m SP I have my noobish qualities because I am in and out so much (56 years old, family to tend to.) but I am going to come back. Alpha for now but could go Omega at any point.
I was playing around with Pyfa and came up with what I hope is a good roaming fit.
I’d like a critique for it, not just for myself but for anybody who needs an example of what to do or not to do.
Thank you.
EDIT:
First mistake I see, no tackle…
Okay, I give up, what’s a good fit?
I’m not sure if speed makes up for lack of tackle.
Redid the fit…
Tristan,algos,vexor damn just go with gallente
Also can suggest Navy issues ships, like federation navy comet or imperial navy slicer.
Raven with torps, painters, scram and webs with hull tank.
You heretic!
So you want to fly a Crucifier then, good choice! Don’t do that to the poor Kestrel.
Hey. AB Armor Kestrel’s are a thing you know!
Oh? That’s the first time I hear about it.
alright, so here’s the thing: alpha’s suck ass. Just a bit, but it’s enough to ensure that in most 1v1 situations you cant win a straight up brawl against competent pilot. This still leaves like 50% of the rest who arent competent, but that’s kind of difficult (and crappy) to rely on as a strategy. so you’re kind of forced into asymetrical warfare, which in practice means: NUETS! And lots of them!. train gallente as drones have a nice synergy with neutboats, for example neuting VNI can have 500 dps, 35k ehp and 3 medium neuts while still being realonably fast as an alpha!, which is pretty damn cool. try thinking outside the box, have fun, and you should be fine.