what if there was a rogue drone (or similar) that could mine and battle like the ones that can do E-WAR and damage.
No. Mining is already AFK enough without you not needing to use a single Hornet I among your Miner IIs.
A drone which rocks and at the same time attempts to shoot the rock?
A drone which shoots enemies and at the same time tries to mine them?
In both cases you’re wasting half your capabilities against a target that’s not suitable for your laser or gun.
Hybrid rogue drones work well because EWAR and guns apply to the same target.
Mining and fighting do not.
Just swap to between drone set. It’s not like mining requires too much attention that you don’t have time to manage drone sets.
i use miner 1s most of the time
I wouldn’t be adverse for some experimental cross over hybrid drones. The ECM/TP/SD would be interesting as a support option. But I think most players would rather have just straight PVP or Mining Drone sets.
Now…if you could get a Tri-Function Hybrid Drone (Combat + EWAR + Mining) now that might be a very bad scare for alot of hunters. They wouldn’t like that at all.
I wouldn’t be against some Mining Drones within the Medium/ Large/ Sentry classes. its kind of weird we have combat drones in almost every class and overlap. But not in mining. All current mining drones are classified as lights. With the exception of the Excavators which are classified as XL drones per se.
The other oddities of the mining drones…is they really can’t be buffed…unless you use some absolutely cracked stuff. Mining Drones yield only goes up with rigs. [Outside of Industrial Core and Mutating the Mining Drone] There is not alot of modules that increase the mining drones functionality and effectiveness.
Their waste is kind of stuck at 1 out of 3 cycles. (33-34%) Even factional drones have waste…which is opposite of current dogma in mining…factional modules don’t have waste. We do have the “Pluto” Excavators coming in game…but I don’t think they will give the mining community low waste smaller mining drones.
Mining Drone Mining (optimal) Range…can be affected by the Hydra implant set. And the speed and defense by other implants…and modules. But some items like drone damage mods…do not really affect anything positive. Mining Drones have a damage stat…that can be modified…but for what reason is a good question. Drone control range mods…also do not make any sense with mining drones.
Drone Mining could use some upgrades and variations…before we get into to truely crazy territory of rogue hybrid combat+ EWAR+ mining drones. But I get why there is some interest in this field because majority of added materials are very heavily weighted towards PVP/PVE centric interests.