Hey everyone. I’m looking for some help on energy weapons.
Before I ask anything, I have looked at everything on the compare tool and gotten all the information possible.
My problem is it is a little too much to comprehend for me. The community is always helpful so I figured it would be easier to just ask.
I want to know what is the best version of the pulse and beam weapon.
I have been adjusting my fits around but feel like I can still get better base dps. I’ve been using navy crystals to help, but then I run into tracking issues. I install a tracking mod, and loose dps.
I like the Pulse Laser II versions that can use Scorch and Conflagration crystals and Tachyon Beam Laser II that can use Aurora and gleam crystals. Faction and officer guns are of course somewhat “better” but for pve they’ll attract attention and are often comparatively costly for sometimes debatable gains. Tracking computer(s) in midslots with script(s) might be handy.
I use Mega Pulse II’s, but they can sometimes take some shoe-horning to get into a fit. I don’t use beam lasers much, but would agree with Xuxe Xu’s assessment on those as well. I’ll also second the putting at least one tracking computer into a mid slot. Two would be better if you can manage it.
Webs are also extremely effective at improving damage application (for both your main guns, your drones, and your fleetmates if you have any). The downside is that they are range limited, so they are worthless if you plan on fighting outside of that range. Naturally, they are better suited for brawling ships.
Anyway, if you post a fit and say what you want to use it for, you are likely to get some good feedback on it.
As others have alluded to: Best depends heavily on the situation.
It is often a balance - trading absolute DPS for Application (tracking), trading DPS for range, or DPS for capacitor efficiency; whether that trade is a good idea is very much dependant on the objective.
Generally:
For each size of weapon there are Pulse lasers (short range, low damage, high rate of fire) and Beam lasers (long range, high damage low rate of fire).
Within each there are high tracking, medium tracking and slower tracking versions. The trade off is the high tracking weapons have shorter range but often easier fitting requirements.
Because crystal changing is nearly instant then get used to the idea of swapping crystals often to ensure you are at optimal range.
Add in that some Amarrian ships have bonuses to Optimal Range and Tracking - which indirectly translates into a damage/application bonus then this can get quite complicated.
There is no Best Weapon - if there was then the brutal optimisation that is life in Eve would drive everyone to use the same gun. And they don’t.