there is no reason to fight them. All you can normally do is avoid them…
What do they add to the gameplay experience?
The sole purpose of this kind of NPC is player harassment?
The haulers they spawn can be killed for the Industrial Livery skins. It’s the only way to get them AFAIK.
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I believe the term was “making space more dynamic”
Part of an ongoing evolution of NPC behavioral AI that started with sleepers and then drifters, obfuscated by a general lack of clear direction. The ◆ prefix simply indicates they are not old AI.
Its not only belt rats there are others. Those in particular spawn when a pirate stronghold, aka forwards operating base (FOB) is present in that system.
Further info on those can be found here Stronghold - EVE University Wiki
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Unlike regular belt rats, you can get positive standings and diamond rats will not attack you, and even better standings theyll defend you
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Like others said it’s to make the universe we live in more lively. Diamond rats are highly skilled and remember capsuleers are a small part in the power dynamic of new eden.
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If you mean the diamond NPC’s belonging to one of the npc mining corps, it’s what @Io_Koval said. It’s a challenge to dodge the response fleet and get the skins from the hauler.
If you mean the diamond pirate NPC’s, those are an indication of a nearby Forward Operating Base, kind of an invasion force. The objective in such a solar system is to kill their structure. That’s an even bigger challenge.
All in all, it’s a reminder that “nowhere is truly safe”. If you don’t like “unsafe” you may call it “harassment”. For the rest of us it’s merely part of the game.
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Along with numerous other changes such as scarcity, ore redistribution, roaming NPC’s, ect., it’s just another aspect of CCP’s lame and failed attempts to get players to leave High Sec space. CCP’s goal is to create more targets for PvP’ers in Low / Null / Wormhole space.
Maybe you should try it?
Due to your ignorance I’ll answer your question…
I travel all over New Eden…
Sounds like an exaggeration…
And then they removed the tritanium and pyerite from lowsec and nullsec, thus removing the main reason to avoid the diamond belt rats in the first place.
Maybe CCP realized it wasn’t working so they switched it back so NPC’s could get more player kills…
Cry more.
Just because NPC’s get more player kills then you is no reason for you to cry… 
Ok miner…
More scarcity nonsense to make t1 production pointlessly annoying despite t1 being obsolete in 2024