so, I just found two independent posts, one from 10 years ago, another one from this year, commenting how mission running is better in high-sec, if you compare the ISK you get for your trouble.
I assume, the detailed argument goes like this:
lowsec and nullsec provide higher pay-outs (ISK and loyalty points), but eventually some human pirate will shoot your ship down and you would have been better off in High-Sec.
Of course, you can be smart about how to move around in lowsec and nullsec, but apparently even than the payout isn’t worth the hassle.
I am stubborn. I like the general principle in Eve where higher risk begets higher rewards. Someone here would challenge this notion that mission running in lowsec and nullsec isn’t worth it?
I will try, anyway, but maybe someone knows more than me and can qualify a bit, like, maybe there are circumstances where the odds are more favorable.
If it should turn out that the original comments remain true - well please CCP please do something about it! - and probably I will resort to abyssal deadspace or whatnot.
You say you will ‘try anyway’, so, hop in a ship and get out there? Good luck!
For me, doing L4 missions in Highsec is just convenient. There’s the odd spot of spice from ninja-looters and mission-baiters, but it’s ok ISK, LP, loot and salvage. I’m quite content.
When I lived in low-sec I earned T4 missions, when someone was bothering me I just flew in with all my alts or called my friends, I am of the opinion that if you want to live in low-sec you have to build some reputation so that players who want to destroy you they thought twice if they wanted to risk it.
I always found L4s in Curse with my Dominix to be quite rewarding in terms of money. Like 100-200M in 2-3 hours, sometimes more with a bit of luck. All you need is a group to fly with.
In the low you want to run lvl 5 missions and not below. I made it for may years with a thanatos or you join a small fleet. But you need blue standings with the locals.
So first, there is the obvious reward multiplier from truesec of the agent.
Then in LS you can do L5 which have higher reward AFAIK but you may need special fits to avoid being dunked on.
And in NS you have the stations with several agents which allow to request several missions at once.
The first one is the risk of being defeated by the NPCs. Controlling this risk is basically about bringing a bigger and/or more expensive ship that is designed to defeat those specific NPCs.
The second risk is other players. This risk is partially controlled by Concord in hisec, that imposes costs on people attacking you outside Concord’s rules. In losec there is less Concord protection and in nullsec none at all. Controlling this risk is basically about bringing a smaller, cheaper or more PvP fitted ship.
You can see how these two things conflict, especially when doing level 3- or 4 missions.
The best solution in my view is don’t do them solo. If you are part of a group that lives in that lowsec or nullspace, then you have access to intel channels warning of intruders, and should be part of a fleet that can help each other. The cost of this is that if intruders come in, then it’s expected you’ll dock up from your PvE ship, get into a PvP ship and start helping deal with those intruders. Once they are blown up or have run away, then you can get back to mission running.
Of course, if you insist on being a solo pilot who doesn’t want to be part of a corp who lives in that lowsec or nullsec space - with the implied responsibility to work together and help keep control of that space - then this works much less well.