Returning player ship choice crisis

PvE Gameplay Center Missions
1

I returned after many moons, and tried some of the “new” stuff like exploring and abyssals. Good stuff and i enjoy the tinkering but i would also like to run the occasional lv4 for you know fun.

So i just hopped in to my very dusty navy raven and accepted the very first lv4 from the station without looking anything up and proceeded to the mission in the very same system. I almost immediately got overwhelmed from the incoming damage (mobs where 40km from the acceleration gate warp in). I could not warp off since i got scrammed but with some luck and panicking i managed to get my ass off grid with disconcertingly low amounts of hull.

I have since been lost in a rabbit hole looking up fits and comparing ships etc. It was here that i found out that the navy raven apparently had eight launchers but for some reason mine had seven and a nosferatu. I have no idea if i was testing something aeons ago but i clearly need help.

The internet says that rattlesnakes can not die (unleass ganked) and any marauder is overkill for lv4s. Both of those sounds lovely. However any raven should not really struggle with lv4 so there is that. My missile skills are mostly 5 and i can use cruise and torp.

So i am looking to go either with my raven (since i still have one)with a fit that actually works, a shiny new rattle or a shiny new golem. Any advice and fits for me to compare would be greatly appreciated. I am looking for some chill experience to easy my way in.

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2

You’ve picked up a burner mission where you have very difficult npc to deal with. Usually you require to get assault frig like hawk with specific fit. Otherwise all standard lvl 4 won’t be a problem for any BS size missile ships. I’ve run these with purged navy drake or some faster tengu fits for blitzing.

3

what burner mission uses/allows Battleships?

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4

my bad, i forgot that :lying_face: i lost my fleet cyclon there but i thought it was bs hull

5

My recommendation is just go all T3 cruiser. Pick the one you like the best because its a lengthy training session to get the skills all maxed out. My pick was the Tengu….its a pretty awesome little lvl 4 runner, and i just didnt want to manage drones anymore. ( using the drake for so many lvl 3’s and some 4’s just made me bonkers ) I can post my T3 fit later today when i get home.

As far as BS’s go, they are just too slow for me. I tried the Navy Raven…and even though i did just fine, it was taking forever to get missions done. I also tried a rattlesnake eons ago. Again i was fine but my drone and sentry skills werent maxed so it was just another big time sink i didnt like. If your drone and sentry skills arent trained up pretty high then the rattlesnake will not be a good choice. Ive never seen the need for a marauder, so i have no opinion on those.

I recently came back to the game around two months ago after being gone for a pretty long while, and im finding out that many ships have had some balancing done to them, including the tengu. Its been just a slight challenge getting back used to seeing how far i can push the missions.

There are a lot of good fits out there that are still very viable.

6

Seems like a moment full of adrenaline, so grats for saving the ship!

L4s haven’t changed much and the NavyRaven had a bit of tweaking but I wouldn’t call that a “nerf”, so it is still totally viable for L4 missions. Like all non-Marauders it can get into trouble in L4s if NPC waves are triggered to early, the fighting range does not match the tank/damage concept of the fitting etc.. My guess would be that the ship itself is fine, but from all the years not playing you simply made a few mistakes that then multiplied into the scenario that you were facing.

You can use the Navy Raven in a very convenient Long-Range Cruise-Missile setup, that one can be pretty cheap and clears all missions reliably, but not very fast.
You can also use a very fast brawling setup with Torpedoes, but that one requires deep knowledge about each mission and some serious investment into your fit+clone and you can become a target for Gankers with that. It will clear the missions a lot faster tho…

If you post the fit you are using here, I can probably give you some recommendations what to improve and/or how to approach the L4 running with the ship.

7

The Dominix is a wonderful PvE starting battleship. Drones allow you to always pick the faction specific reset hole, and even heaviest will apply to frigates if you fit two omnidirectional tracking links with tracking scripts.

8

I tried to recreate what i had:

[Raven Navy Issue,]
Damage Control II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II

EM Shield Hardener II
Caldari Navy Shield Boost Amplifier
Pithi B-Type Small Shield Booster
Pithi B-Type Small Shield Booster
Multispectrum Shield Hardener II
Multispectrum Shield Hardener II
100MN Afterburner II

Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Heavy Knave Scoped Energy Nosferatu

Large Warhead Rigor Catalyst I
Large Warhead Rigor Catalyst I
Large Warhead Rigor Catalyst I

Hammerhead II x5

I since took the shieldboosters off since they are like 140m each (i hope they where cheap when i bought them…)

That is what is on my ship right now but untested by me:

[Raven Navy Issue]
Damage Control II
Power Diagnostic System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II

Dread Guristas Large Shield Booster
Caldari Navy Shield Boost Amplifier
Target Painter II
Target Painter II
Multispectrum Shield Hardener II
Multispectrum Shield Hardener II
100MN Afterburner II

Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II

Large Warhead Rigor Catalyst I
Large Warhead Rigor Catalyst I
Large Warhead Rigor Catalyst I

Hammerhead II x5

9

I actually got Caldari and Amarr Cruiser 5 and i am training support systems right now but i still need to decide If i go lasers vs missiles but probably missiles since i have the skills for launchers but not turrets. I actually rather enjoy using drones but the Gallente ships either look really cool or really goofy so i never fully invested in the lengthy train.

I looked at a Tengu fit for lv 4:

[Tengu]
Damage Control II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II

Shadow Serpentis 50MN Microwarpdrive
Gistum B-Type Medium Shield Booster
Shield Boost Amplifier II
Multispectrum Shield Hardener II
Multispectrum Shield Hardener II
EM Shield Hardener II

Heavy Missile Launcher II
Heavy Missile Launcher II
Heavy Missile Launcher II
Heavy Missile Launcher II
Heavy Missile Launcher II
Heavy Missile Launcher II
Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Auto Targeting System I

Medium Warhead Rigor Catalyst II
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit II

Tengu Core - Augmented Graviton Reactor
Tengu Defensive - Covert Reconfiguration
Tengu Offensive - Accelerated Ejection Bay
Tengu Propulsion - Chassis Optimization

Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Missile x3240

500 DPS with faction heavy missiles according to the site. That does not seem impressive but there is also a cloak so maybe the fit is wrongly labelled or intended for low/null missions? Would you mind sharing your fit?

10

So you just use heavys for everything and fiddle with scripts depending on the target? Do you put turrets in the high slot or just full drone support?

11

Ill post my fit. Give me a few minutes.

Edit: Okay here it is. This is an old fit but it still works really well for me. It does take extensive skill training and some implants to fit it out. Its about 1.8 bill. All opinions welcomed.

Tengu fit 2026
Tengu fit 2026401×779 76.5 KB

Tengu fit II 2026
Tengu fit II 2026293×445 61.2 KB

12

For the T1 Domi just drones are fine, as it has no gun bonuses. You can just leave the tracking scripts in, and let your drones AFK clear

Once you have good gun skills, T2 access for turrets, you can upgrade to the Dominix Navy. The T2 ammo really is just so much better.

13

Thank you for sharing this fit.

1 Like
14

Fly a Typhoon if you have Minmatar Battleship level 5 skill.

It is better than a Navy Raven (yes, the non navy version is better) because of the better damage application.

[Typhoon, Simulated Typhoon Fitting]
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Multispectrum Energized Membrane II
Multispectrum Energized Membrane II
Reactive Armor Hardener
Large Armor Repairer II

100MN Monopropellant Enduring Afterburner
Missile Guidance Computer II
Missile Guidance Computer II
Large Cap Battery II
Cap Recharger II

Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Cruise Missile Launcher II
Small Tractor Beam II

Large Explosive Armor Reinforcer I
Large Capacitor Control Circuit I
Large Capacitor Control Circuit I

Caldari Navy Hornet x5
Wasp II x3

Missile Range Script x2
Nova Fury Cruise Missile x1000
Scourge Fury Cruise Missile x690
Mjolnir Fury Cruise Missile x1430
Nova Precision Cruise Missile x982
Mjolnir Precision Cruise Missile x1026
Scourge Precision Cruise Missile x1456
Missile Precision Script x2

15

I strongly disagree with people claiming that Marauders are an “overkill” for L4s. They do good damage with just T2 modules, can be highly mobile and offer a bit of QoL like 48+ km tractor beams and a big cargo hold for anything you’d need. A great baseline to earn some isk in a predictable manner, especially for on-and-off players and a good option with a t2 fit in difficult areas like popular hubs with gankers.

If you can fly a Marauder already, look at this:

[Golem, t2 torps]

Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Missile Guidance Enhancer II

Missile Guidance Computer II, Missile Precision Script
Missile Guidance Computer II, Missile Precision Script
Missile Guidance Computer II, Missile Precision Script
Large Micro Jump Drive
500MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive
Gistum C-Type Medium Shield Booster
Multispectrum Shield Hardener II

Torpedo Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Torpedo
Torpedo Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Torpedo
Torpedo Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Torpedo
Torpedo Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Torpedo
Bastion Module I
Small Tractor Beam I
Small Tractor Beam I
[Empty High slot]

Large Warhead Flare Catalyst II
Large Warhead Rigor Catalyst II

The other ammunition you’d use are Caldary Navy scourge torps for targets 50 km and closer.

Just about 300 mil for the fitting, half of which are the rigs and 1 bil for the ship itself - fairly safe to run around high sec unless someone wants to kill you just because. Does good damage at good ranges vs varied targets, permatanked and without target painter so you can focus on target selection and looting, can move around quickly if needed(ie jump 100 km away if surrounded, mwd to the next gate after the room is clear etc). Offers some room to pimp it up: invest in high-grade hydras(that’ll be 3 bil, though) and you will kill stuff even faster at even farther ranges with regular CN ammo while still appearing as a cheap t2 fit and not worthy of interest.

It’s not as comfortable as Marauders with insta-hitting weapons under some circumstances, but on the other hand you should be able to run missions anywhere vs any faction with just a single ship.

16

I like your fit. I think I will try it.

1 Like
17

In general I’d agree, just some hints:

  • Quad-Lif MWDs are always better than the Compact ones if you can fit them, both capacitor penalty and signature bloom are lower.
  • 3 missile Guidance Computers and one Missile Guidance Enhancer is too much stacking penalty. The ship as a bonus for Target painters, use it. Especially with Torpedos, which you will mostly use within your Target Painter’s optimal range.

Marauders offer a chance to run L4 missions extremely fast and just using real cheap T2/Meta4 modules, not offering Gankers any kind of profit, while still requiring a lot of chars or multiple hundreds millions in Tier3 Battlecruisers to bring you down.

@GyokZoli Never ever does a normal Typhoon beat a Navy Raven in Performance, if both ships are fitted properly. Nobody stops you to fit application support modules on an RNI as well while still maintaining a comfortable tank and range - and then having quite a bit more DPS.

1 Like
18

My bad about the MWD, you are absolutely right - but it makes hardly much difference. The Missile Guidance Enhancer is for increased range - try to unfit it and see the change. No target painter is one of the core design priciples - reducing waiting time until launching the next volley. Handling that kind of modules is simply asinine when you can manage wrecks with juicy loot instead.

edit: changed the mwd module in the previous post.

19

I never experienced this “problem”, since Marauders farm L4s so fast that any time spent trying to collect “wrecks with juicy loot” is just a waste of time and effort. I use one T2 Tractor Beam to quickly get a nessessary mission item if that is needed for completion, besides that the loot can be totally ignored. And a Target Painter will definitely speed up your killing against Cruisers by far more than a third Missile guidance Computer or the Rigor II rig. With a TP on the target you will have close to 100% damage on Cruisers even with Faction Torps and 100% damage on Battlecruisers even with Rage Torps.
Also the C-Type Medium Shield Booster has - for my taste - too little peak tanking power, I know at least a handful of missions where you would basically need to kite and only use Javelin Torps, else the close range DPS of some waves would kill you with that little tank. A fit around an X-Large Clarity Ward Booster or an Dread Guristas Large booster would allow you to tank ~1000 DPS for a short duration, allowing you to jump right into the middle of the NPCs and obilterate them with Rage Torpedoes, nearly doubling your DPS.

I don’t want to debate that to death tho, if your fit works for you, totally okay. I personally would aim for a higher burst performance both in tank and DPS and less for a capstable semi-kite solution. You can simply use skill and risky maneuvering a lot better.

20

I actually can fly marauders, i trained it to the maximum years ago when i was not playing but i never used one. Battleship wise only Caldari is lv 5 for the others i would have to wait. I am surprised that torpedos seems to apply well even without a target painter.

As i have neither used the bastion module or a MJD… they are mutually exclusive right? So is the idea to use bastion from the get go for room clearing and stand your ground for “normal” encounters and only MJD to reposition if landing in to many rats at warp in?

I also would like thank everybody that took the time for some feedback, i will save those fittings for endless comparisons.