# Unfair Loss in Highsec – Overpowered Drifters at NPC Station (Stoure 0.7) **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** pve\ **Created:** [May 28, 2025, 1:42pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736 "2025-05-28T13:42:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tomoosijek](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/tomoosijek/32/458600_2.png) [@tomoosijek](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/tomoosijek)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 1:42pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/1 "2025-05-28T13:42:07Z")
Hello fellow capsuleers and CSM members, I want to raise serious concern about an event that happened on **2025.05.28 @ 06:12** in the **Stoure system (0.7 Highsec)** in front of the **Poteque Pharmaceuticals NPC station**. My fully fitted **Golem** , with full tank, was **destroyed within seconds** by a group of **Drifter (Sleeper) NPCs**, including a **Vigilant Tyrannos Battleship** , right **20 km from the undock point**. I was **in Bastion mode** , locked them just to check their stats — **I didn’t even shoot** — and they immediately aggressed. Within seconds, I took **over 47,000 damage** and lost a 3B ISK ship **without a chance to escape, align, or react**. ⚠ **This is not wormhole space. This is Highsec.** Players who want to enjoy solo PvE content in distant regions like Solitude shouldn’t be punished with **capital-level NPC threats** spawning in mission hubs. I have never complained about ganks — even though I’ve lost billions in Highsec — and I purposely relocated to this remote system to **avoid PvP disruption** and play peacefully. This time, I was punished by a **PvE mechanic** that feels entirely **out of place for Highsec**. 🧠 **I respectfully ask CCP and CSM to review the spawn behavior of these Drifter fleets** , especially near NPC stations in high security space. PvE players deserve a fair playing field, not instant deathtraps at station undocks. Fly safe — and fairly, **tomooosijek** ---
**Author:** ![Arthur\_Aihaken](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/arthur_aihaken/32/504104_2.png) [@Arthur\_Aihaken](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Arthur_Aihaken)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 1:51pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/2 "2025-05-28T13:51:40Z")
Not this sh\*t again… ---
**Author:** ![tomoosijek](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/tomoosijek/32/458600_2.png) [@tomoosijek](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/tomoosijek)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/3 "2025-05-28T13:53:07Z")
Hey Arthur, I get that you might have seen complaints before — but this isn’t just whining. I’m not asking for PvE to be “easy mode.” I’ve lost billions to ganks and never complained once. This was different: - Fully tanked Marauder in Bastion - No aggression from me - 47,000+ damage from NPCs - Right outside an NPC station in 0.7 Highsec That’s not typical PvE risk. That’s a PvE trap with no warning, no scaling, no gameplay counter. If you’re okay with that, cool — but a lot of us aren’t. And we deserve a voice too. Fly safe. ---
**Author:** ![Arthur\_Aihaken](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/arthur_aihaken/32/504104_2.png) [@Arthur\_Aihaken](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Arthur_Aihaken)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 2:11pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/4 "2025-05-28T14:11:37Z")
Look, if you want to minimize the lethality of Edencom and Triglavian fleets in high-sec - I’m all for that (you probably want to add Drifters to the list). But seeing as how this mechanic has already been in-place for quite some time and how often CCP takes suggestions on the forums into consideration, well… PS. To me “fully-tanked” means something on the order of 200k+ EHP. ---
**Author:** ![tomoosijek](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/tomoosijek/32/458600_2.png) [@tomoosijek](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/tomoosijek)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 2:15pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/5 "2025-05-28T14:15:07Z")
Thanks Arthur, I appreciate your perspective. I agree — Drifters belong in the same conversation as Trigs and Edencom when it comes to unexpected lethality in high-sec. Just to clarify: I was in a mission-fit Golem (around 160–170k EHP in Bastion) designed for PvE, not PvP. I wasn’t expecting capital-level damage at the undock of an NPC station in 0.7 space. The goal here isn’t to nerf all threats — just to flag when those threats feel **out of context** for the environment. Appreciate the dialogue. Fly safe. ---
**Author:** ![Uriel\_the\_Flame](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/uriel_the_flame/32/490165_2.png) [@Uriel\_the\_Flame](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Uriel_the_Flame)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 2:16pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/6 "2025-05-28T14:16:24Z")
Aren’t the roaming drifters only shoot you if you’ve aggressed them in the past? 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![tomoosijek](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/tomoosijek/32/458600_2.png) [@tomoosijek](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/tomoosijek)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 2:18pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/7 "2025-05-28T14:18:03Z")
> Good question, Uriel. > > I haven’t aggressed Drifters in this or any nearby system — I only _locked_ them to check their stats out of curiosity. > > I was in Bastion mode, didn’t fire a single shot. Yet they insta-aggroed and melted a 3B ISK Golem in seconds. > > This wasn’t wormhole space, this was Stoure 0.7 — near a mission-running NPC station. That kind of reaction seems out of line for highsec expectations. ---
**Author:** ![Uriel\_the\_Flame](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/uriel_the_flame/32/490165_2.png) [@Uriel\_the\_Flame](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Uriel_the_Flame)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 2:20pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/8 "2025-05-28T14:20:18Z")
Not necessarily in the same gaming session. Maybe you shot them in the past and after several days or weeks they still maintain their aggro. If I recall correctly there are specific measures you have to take to remove it. Also not sure if they abide standings and what your standings are with the drifter faction. ---
**Author:** ![tomoosijek](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/tomoosijek/32/458600_2.png) [@tomoosijek](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/tomoosijek)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 2:26pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/9 "2025-05-28T14:26:39Z")
**@Uriel the Flame** Yes, I’ve killed Drifters in highsec — but only the types specifically balanced for highsec PvE, like standard roaming versions that a Golem can handle without issues. **I did not fire on these particular Drifters in Stoure.** I only locked them to check their stats, and they immediately opened fire. If CCP allowed us to use **Dreadnoughts in highsec** , I’d gladly take them down too — but right now, **there is no ship in highsec that can survive their alpha strike and reliably kill them**. They deal damage and aggression **on par with level 5 missions** , yet they’re inserted into highsec where players have no access to the tools needed to deal with them properly. **This is not balanced PvE.** PvE should have clear mechanics and counterplay, not be a death trap with 47k damage just seconds after undocking from an NPC station. Fly safe, **tomooosijek** ---
**Author:** ![Uriel\_the\_Flame](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/uriel_the_flame/32/490165_2.png) [@Uriel\_the\_Flame](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Uriel_the_Flame)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 2:44pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/10 "2025-05-28T14:44:05Z")
> [@tomoosijek](#): > > I did not fire on these particular Drifters in Stoure. In case of these specific NPCs that doesn’t matter. [https://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Drifters#Autothysian\_Lancer](https://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Drifters#Autothysian_Lancer) > When engaged they usually warp in another wave of Autothysian Lancers but there is also a chance a drifter battleship will warp in. > Tip- Preliminary investigations show the Autothysian Lancers will continue to aggress you until they destroy a ship your character owns. If you accidentally engage them and survive the initial encounter board a cheap frigate and let them destroy it. Authothysian lancers cannot be scanned down but they can be attracted to your position if you enter within 50km of a Jove Observatory (only do this to sacrifice a ship). Once they destroy your ship that character will be cleared from aggressor status and you will no longer be targeted by roaming patrols. A frigate or larger ship is suggested as a corvette is not typically engaged by Autothysian lancers, even if your character is on their aggro table. Also: > if you’re near a Jove Observatory or a [Drifter Wormhole](https://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Wormholes#Known_Space_to_Drifter_Wormholes) and Autothysian Lancers or Drifter Battleships show up So if you’ve warped to an observatory site (that session or maybe even in the past not sure about the latter) maybe that was what triggered them. If I recall correctly they tend to follow you around even if you warp away. Further info: > [@Drifter aggro](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/drifter-aggro/281147/9): > > Some friends tend to hunt them. Usually not such an issue as long as there are no Tyrannous NPCs about with them as they are MUCH MUCH tougher and do way more damage! If there are Unknown Wormhole beacons in system (on OV) then often you may find if you aggress the Lancers then they will get back up help from much nastier Cruisers/Battleship drifters. those may also then decide to station camp you in and try to get you for some time after. Seems they have long memories as friend said they we… Seems to describe your situation thus it is likely you have aggressed or triggered them in some manner that session or in a past one. Further reading: [https://support.eveonline.com/hc/en-us/articles/212103929-Autothysian-Lancers-and-Drifters](https://support.eveonline.com/hc/en-us/articles/212103929-Autothysian-Lancers-and-Drifters) > [@Autothysians on high sec gates](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/autothysians-on-high-sec-gates/424603/3): > > I don’t enjoy giving out this information, because I would rather see people’s dank kill reports smiley But since you asked, you will kill the cruisers, but later on the scary stuff will spawn in the system and find you no matter where you are, they have a memory and they will remember you for quite some time > [@Autothysians on high sec gates](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/autothysians-on-high-sec-gates/424603/5): > > It still happens - shoot lancers and drifters will show up and doomsday you. Is how I lost my loki not so long ago smiley > [@Autothysians on high sec gates](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/autothysians-on-high-sec-gates/424603/10): > > Slight Necro here so my apologies. As a person who hunts Drifters, killing the lancers are rather easy. They do hit harder than a typical highsec rat so i typically hunt for the spawns in a T3C for the sake of faster travel. Spawn in groups of up to 5, no scram, nothing too nasty. After they’re dealt with, ~15 minutes later, Drifters spawn and begin to roam. Typically its Cassandra(cruiser with DD) which in a well tanked Marauder shouldn’t pose much threat. Ive seen up to 4 in a group with 1 o… ---
**Author:** ![Tiger\_space\_Thedark](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/tiger_space_thedark/32/373728_2.png) [@Tiger\_space\_Thedark](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Tiger_space_Thedark)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 2:47pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/11 "2025-05-28T14:47:54Z")
Good lord, people still fall for the drifter doomsday ? ---
**Author:** ![Yahamssi\_Judihuijj](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/yahamssi_judihuijj/32/392777_2.png) [@Yahamssi\_Judihuijj](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Yahamssi_Judihuijj)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 2:58pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/12 "2025-05-28T14:58:20Z")
Unfair ? Who said Eve is supposed to be fair ? ---
**Author:** ![tomoosijek](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/tomoosijek/32/458600_2.png) [@tomoosijek](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/tomoosijek)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 2:59pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/13 "2025-05-28T14:59:25Z")
Thank you for the detailed information and sources — I genuinely appreciate it. Yes, I now understand that I must have unknowingly triggered the Autothysian/Drifter aggression mechanics earlier by attacking Lancers in high-sec. The fact that they retain aggro for days or even weeks and follow you between systems is honestly impressive in terms of coding, but from a game design perspective — I respectfully believe it’s _unfair and unbalanced_ in high-security space. 🛑 **High-sec is not wormhole space.** In WH space, players expect to fight off capital-level threats. But in high-sec, if I want to “clear” myself from being hunted by these roaming fleets, I am literally _forced to let them destroy one of my ships_ to reset the aggro. That’s not an engaging mechanic — that’s a punishment without recourse. I don’t mind fighting them. In fact, I’d _love_ to face Drifters in proper combat — even in a C5 or C6 wormhole one day, flying a Dreadnought. But in high-sec, I have no realistic way to fight back. My Marauder (Golem) was vaporized despite being full tank and bastioned, with no warning, no escape, and no counterplay. That’s not PvE — it’s just execution. ⚖ If CCP wants to keep these mechanics in high-sec, then at least give us the **tools to respond fairly** : - Let us bring the proper ships (capitals), - Or limit Drifter/Triglavian aggression to _non-lethal scouting_, - Or introduce a **proper high-sec mechanic to clear aggro** without needing to _lose a ship on purpose_. I’m not asking for safety — I’m asking for fairness and the ability to engage with the mechanic, not suffer from it without agency. Fly safe, **tomoosijek** ---
**Author:** ![Aisha\_Katalen](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/aisha_katalen/32/387724_2.png) [@Aisha\_Katalen](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Aisha_Katalen)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 3:54pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/14 "2025-05-28T15:54:08Z")
You seem to lose Golems pretty much on the daily, 6 in the last 30 days, and this isn’t even remotely your dearest one. At that point we have to ask if it’s “nasty NPC that can’t be avoided and this is bad game mechanics” or “player is a lost cause and that is why it happened”. ---
**Author:** ![Uriel\_the\_Flame](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/uriel_the_flame/32/490165_2.png) [@Uriel\_the\_Flame](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Uriel_the_Flame)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 3:56pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/15 "2025-05-28T15:56:02Z")
> [@Aisha\_Katalen](#): > > You seem to lose Golems pretty much on the daily, 6 in the last 30 days, and this isn’t even your dearest one. `Safety. locator agent usage intensifies` 🤔 🤭 ---
**Author:** ![Bakster\_Kane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/bakster_kane/32/460913_2.png) [@Bakster\_Kane](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Bakster_Kane)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 3:59pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/16 "2025-05-28T15:59:24Z")
This is called powercreep and it makes the game better. I mean whats the point of adding new stuff like NPCs if they arent significantly more powerful than the existing ones. Yes players will get pissed off, but its not a big deal. Do you know what i mean? /s ---
**Author:** ![tomoosijek](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/tomoosijek/32/458600_2.png) [@tomoosijek](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/tomoosijek)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 4:02pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/17 "2025-05-28T16:02:20Z")
Thank you for checking my kill history, Aisha. I’m fully aware of my losses, and I stand by each one. I never once complained about losing Golems to gankers, PvP, or player-based threats. In fact, I moved far away from Jita routes to a dead-end pocket of Highsec _specifically_ to enjoy peaceful Level 4 missions — not because I can’t handle danger, but because I value predictable, manageable PvE risk. The issue isn’t that I “lost a ship.” It’s that I lost a **3B ISK Marauder in a 0.7 Highsec system** to **capital-level NPCs** (Drifters) **within seconds** of undocking — despite being in Bastion mode, fully tanked, and not even engaging. This wasn’t a mistake. It was a forced, **unavoidable PvE death** triggered by a background mechanic most players don’t even understand, with no tools in Highsec to counter or recover from it. If this were Nullsec or Wormhole space, I’d accept it. But **what options are available to a Highsec PvE player to defend against 47,000+ alpha strikes from invisible NPC fleets?** So yes, I lose Golems. And I fund each one myself through mining, mission running, and LP trade. I just didn’t expect to need a Dreadnought to safely undock in Highsec. Thanks for your concern. I’ll be sure to lose the next one even better. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Aisha\_Katalen](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/aisha_katalen/32/387724_2.png) [@Aisha\_Katalen](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Aisha_Katalen)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/18 "2025-05-28T16:11:21Z")
> [@tomoosijek](#): > > It was a forced, **unavoidable PvE death** Untrue, it’s entirely avoidable. If you had a history of being careful and not losing Golems in silly ways your words might be more convincing, but you DO lose Golems in silly ways in high sec (not just ganks) and then the conclusion becomes “player just isn’t paying attention for whatever reason and keeps making bad decisions”. > [@tomoosijek](#): > > a background mechanic most players don’t even understand Explosions are a great learning moment, welcome to EVE. ---
**Author:** ![Bakster\_Kane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/bakster_kane/32/460913_2.png) [@Bakster\_Kane](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Bakster_Kane)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 4:12pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/19 "2025-05-28T16:12:50Z")
Its always the same responses when someone raises a concern with the game design ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/original/4X/0/9/b/09b691d7b6c8df748b6ed35e0046a749cdee5e47.png) ---
**Author:** ![tomoosijek](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/tomoosijek/32/458600_2.png) [@tomoosijek](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/tomoosijek)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 4:16pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736/20 "2025-05-28T16:16:23Z")
Thank you for your feedback, Aisha. I understand the temptation to dismiss this as “just another careless Marauder loss,” but your conclusion overlooks the core issue: **this wasn’t a result of gank, poor tanking, or even PvP misjudgment**. I lost the Golem to **PvE NPCs that instantly aggroed and dealt 47,000+ alpha** outside an NPC station in **0.7 Highsec**. If I made a tactical mistake, I’d own it — I’ve accepted every previous loss. But what I’m highlighting here isn’t carelessness. It’s a **background PvE mechanic that has little visibility, no UI warning, no standing indicator, and no available Highsec counterplay**. I’m not asking to be protected from consequences. I’m asking why Highsec PvE content includes mechanics that: - Track aggression across multiple sessions - Spawn capital-level NPC fleets - Aggro silently without standing feedback - Leave players with **no combat tools to respond** , and - Offer **no way to “earn back” safety** without sacrificing ships If this were WH or Null, fine. But in Highsec? That’s not game difficulty — that’s poor PvE transparency and balance. Fly safe. Some of us are just trying to run missions in peace. 😉 [Next page](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/unfair-loss-in-highsec-overpowered-drifters-at-npc-station-stoure-0-7/487736.md?page=2)