Before PL invaded Providence and drove out Provi-block, I used to alternate between running missions / events in my favorite hi-sec system and ratting in Provi. My tiny 2-man corp (with a dozen or so alts) knew the sov-holders in the Provi system we ratted in, and we didn’t have to join another corp to be there. The folks there were cool, and we had fun down there, jumping back to hi-sec when needed.
Is there a region where players are able to casually rat in null or low-sec now? Paying a minor rental fee is fine, but we don’t need a whole system, and I don’t want to have to pay 8 billion / month when we might not be there very often during any given month. Ratting is the most fun, but if I’m tired, mining can be mindlessly therapeutic sometimes, although I don’t really want to mine very often. So, quality ice belts or moons or other mining resources are not a high priority. I.e., we’re not picky about a system’s “quality”, but fun / friendly system “owners” who don’t mind us being in system are a big deal.
Where do players casually rat now? Where is the new Providence?
PL will drop sov in provi as soon as they get their faction citadels. they are not a space-holding alliance. I’d imagine provi-bloc will take back over soon enough, they have done so after being invaded many times in the past.
Although I don’t believe there are any other similar factions within the game that follow an NRDS policy in 0.0, you may find that npc null sec gives you what you need in the shorter-term until provi-bloc gets their mojo back, albeit with an NBSI engagement envelope. Living under such rules of engagement might even teach you and your friend how to grow a pair of balls that you can share between you.
Want it sooner, then I’d suggest you join provi-bloc and help them take back their space instead of merely leeching off the fruits of their hard work. Or join a null-sec alliance solely looking for care-bears (not many of them out there because of the risk of spies and/or awoxers).
Contrary to popular belief, Providence isn’t special just because of the role-players.
PL holds space to further their own ends. Not to farm, not to entice recruits - it has no need. It uses an alt alliance and reputation for that.
Looking at that link, the vast majority of the systems they hold are either in Providence or adjacent to it. Only 16 of the systems they control do not have an outpost in them, I do not know how many of those will turn into faction citadels admittedly, but I’d put money on it being a significant proportion.
I seriously doubt they will hold onto the space which, since time immemorial, nobody else wants. Maybe with time I’ll be proven wrong, but I doubt it.
Yeah, I’d guess you’re right regarding PL purposes in provi. I do wonder what they’re up to as it seems they’ve been holding places before provi invasion:
but PL certainly isn’t going to let little me in on their long-term (or short-term, for that matter) plans.
I wonder if Imperium will try and take provi before citadel switch. Sixth Empire “space pope” Max Singularity declared a crusade to claim provi at fanfest . He does not have anywhere near the forces necessary to try and take provi…but Imperium does…and he has been getting in good with goons/imperium both ingame and semi-irl. iirc cva/provibloc and max singularity don’t get along at all.
Regardless of what happens with provi, it promises to be interesting.
I suspect provi will not be similar to what it was…at least for a long time, and I can’t think of any other regions that operate nrds, sorry OP.
EDIT: Well, seems Legacy has invaded provi now…let the games begin:
what’s your goal? if it’s just ratting, well why not just stay in highsec and make even more isk running missions (unless you go crazy multiboxing or capital+ ratting). if it’s the null experience then might as well join a null group.
sure with the 15-20 1m+ BS criteia I’m not sure any missions match that, The Blockade probably comes closest, and World Collide isn’t far behind, but that isn’t even where the money is.
The real money for missions is in the LP. LP lets you buy faction items from the LP store and you can trade those for isk. The Best way to get LP is to run the anomic/burner missions and a handful of normal missions you can read more about that here: Blitz and Burner Guide v1.2.3
Tempting but there are so many people that say things like come out to null and VNI rat and you’ll make more isk than running missions, and it’s maybe right for some low SP pilots, but if people took the time to understand mission mechanics they’d find they could make more doing missions, especially when those null corps have 15% tax rates.
How about we stop pretending that just because missions and ratting both involve shooting red pips for isk that they’re the same, and not tell people that want to rat in null that they should just mission. No argument has been more beaten to death on these forums over the last 10 years than null ratting vs lvl 4s and which is better. Its completely legitimate to like one and not the other.
As for OPs point, while there isn’t a lot space like Provi, there’s a lot of empty nullsec and ninja ratting is a thing. The problem is getting there and getting back. You either need a ship that can sneak past camps easily, or you need to scout yourself constantly, or you need to be willing to stay out in null for longer periods of time. Alternatively you can find some npc stations or nullsec Freeports and get your ship there and jumpclone to it when you want to ninja rat. You can also make use of mobile depots to refit your ratting ship for traveling (mwd, cloak, stabs, nanos).
