Odyssey Exploration Guide Part 4/8

(Draiv Solregard's Exploration guide is subject to change, based on updated information, new information, expansions, and the apocalypse.  If you notice any errors in this guide, wait for your booster side effects to subside.  If the error is still there let me know and I'll look into it.)

Introduction

Skills

Ships

Scanning

Hacking

Looting

Safety

Modules

These will be the tools which will help give you the best advantage for success and survivability.

While I had considered laying down set fits I realized that I would then have to do that for each ship due to the different fitting requirements that each ship has.  So instead I am going to outline modules and rigs which I recommend.

Implants:

Implants raise your attributes and enhance your abilities.  There are only 10 slots for implants and implants can only be plugged into specific slots.  Implants also come in various tiers where the lower/cheaper ones give small gains and provide bigger bonuses the further up the tier you go.  Following is just the general name of the implant you will want to get, but make sure you have the required Cybernetics level trained before you try plugging the implant in.

• Implant Slot 2:  Memory Augmentation - This will raise your Memory attribute which will reduce skill training time.
• Implant Slot 4:  Cybernetic Subprocessor - This will raise your Intelligence attribute which will reduce skill training time.

• Implant Slot 6:  Poteque "Prospector' Astrometric Pinpointing - This reduces your maximum scan deviation.
• Implant Slot 7:  Poteque "Prospector' Astrometric Acquisition - This reduces your scanning time.
• Implant Slot 8:  Poteque "Prospector' Astrometric Rangefinding - This increases your scanning strength.

Rigs:

You will fit two rigs which will help raise your hacking success chances.

·         Small Emission Scope Sharpener I - This will raise your virus coherence with relic analyzers by 10.

·         Small Memetic Algorithm Bank I - This will raise your virus coherence with data analyzers by 10.

High:

These modules will always be the same no matter what ship you use.  One launcher and one cloak should be the only things in your high slots.

·         Core Probe Launcher I - This is the cheapest option and the easiest to fit.  But it gives you no bonuses and is really only useful as far as being able to launch probes.

·         Core Probe Launcher II - I find this to be the best option when balancing cost with bonuses.  But it requires a training investment, you need Astrometrics V to be able to fit this module.  However when taking risks and you get blown up, having this fit hurts a whole lot less than using a Sisters.

·         Sisters Core Probe Launcher - By stats alone this will be the best launcher around.  It gives you a 10% bonus to probe scan strength while also only needing Astrometrics I to fit.  It is very costly though and should only be used if you're very good at not dying.

·         Prototype Cloaking Device I - You will fit this on your scanning frigate so you may remain hidden after you've launched probes.  You may not warp while this is active but you normally shouldn't need too.

·         Covert Ops Cloaking Device II - If you do not fit one of these on your Covert Ops ship, you need to hang your head in shame.  This module will be your saving grace and lifeblood, especially in low and null security space.  It allows you to warp cloaked and move your ship around at base speed instead of -90% of your base speed.

·         Sisters Core Scanner Probe - This will be the probes you use because they are all around better than anything else.  You can use regular Core Scanner Probes, but you should grab these as soon as possible.

Mid:

These modules will be your hacking and propulsion modules and if you have an extra mid you can also fit a scanning upgrade.

·         Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I - Hackable containers can sometimes be very far away and when you have to slow boat 50 km to the next container while watching d-scan to see if someone is going to come and kill you is stressful, so less time spent in the site, the better.  You could fit an afterburner but it still doesn't provide the speed you need.  This is also where my rating on the best Covert Ops ship comes into play, because the last two have 5 less powergrid, this means you can't fit a microwarpdrive and all the other modules.

·         Data Analyzer I & II - These are the money makers right here.  You will use the Tech 1 until you get trained up after which you will ONLY ever use the Tech 2 version.  The reason for this is with your skills at IV and when you use an Analyzer it will have 80 virus coherence and 20 virus strength.  When you hit V, things magnify to 110 virus coherence and 30 virus strength.  When used with a Covert Ops you will have 40 virus strength which will allow you to reduce most of the attacks you make on defensive nodes by 1.  Thus your virus will take less damage, look at the hacking section of this guide to catch a better understanding of why this is important.

·         Relic Analyzer I & II - Same explanation as Data Analyzers.

·         PL-0 Shipment Probe - This will allow you to see inside a container before you hack it.  If you think you don't need to know what's in a container before you hack it, think again.  Being able to see what loot is going to spew forth will allow you to make good judgment calls on which mini-containers you need to grab when they are spewed forth into space.  This also does the same thing as the Tech 2 version but is ridiculously cheaper.

·         Scan Pinpointing Array I & II - While not essential, but if you happen to like a ship with 5 mid slots, then you will want this scanning upgrade.  The reason for this is that your scanning skills should be pretty decent where you normally don't need more strength and you're not hunting ships so faster scan time is pretty useless.  This module will affect the margin of error in where the signature shows up and how far you need to move your probes after you re-scan.  This will actually allow you to spend less time scanning.

Low:

The modules fit in these slots are for maneuverability.  When you need to change direction while  chasing mini-containers these modules will allow you to grab that 1 or 2 extra mini-containers.

·         Local Hull Conversion Nanofiber Structure I - This module increases velocity and allows your ship to maneuver more quickly.  Both of which are essential in the explorer's life.  While you can use the tech 2 version the difference in the velocity increase is negligible, plus they are more expensive.

·         Micro Auxiliary Power Core I - This module uses CPU and gives you power which is needed when fitting propulsion modules.  This really only needs to be fitted if you can't fit a microwarpdrive e.g. if you fly the Buzzard or Cheetah.  You can skip this and use an afterburner for the lower powergrid cost but I'm pretty sure that after the first few sites the lack of speed will drive you crazy.

·         Warp Core Stabilizer I - NEVER fit these if you are planning on doing some actual exploring.  While the appeal of being able to break free of someone's warp disruption is nice, the truth is that you shouldn't ever be in a situation where they can lock you.  While the stabilizer gives you +1 warp core strength it greatly reduces your locking distance and your scan resolution (locking time).  "Why should I care about that, when I'm provided the extra security of the stabilizer?" you may ask, the reason being is that pirates have adapted.  Since they know what they are hunting (a scavenger aka  "explorer") and from past experience most explorers have fit warp core stabilizers.  Pirates will now have 2 or 3 warp disruption modules when they try to kill you and no amount of stabilizers will save you from that.  So in reality you will be impeding your progress by fitting these. 

Let me throw a scenario out there.  You scan down a site in low security space and the system is kind of active.  The site contains 4 hackable objects and are 25km from each other while also being at most 60km from the warpin.  You now have a ship fit with warp core stabilizers and one without.

A.  Without Stabilizers - You warp to the site, lock all 4 objects, scan all 4 objects in order 1, 2, 3, 4, and container 3 has the most value so you choose to run that one first.  On your way to the next container a pirate uncloaks and starts locking you, because of your increased agility from the nanofibers you have a greater chance to align and warp out before he can gain a positive lock.

B.  With Stabilizers - You warp to the site, but because the stabilizers reduce your scan range you have to fly to each one separately to scan it, but the stabilizers also lowered your scan resolution so now it takes you ten times as long to lock the container, you then have to fly to the next container to repeat the process.  This will take awhile after which you have to return to the one with the most value.  (Container 3 in this example, which is the third one you checked.)  While hacking a pirate uncloaks and begins locking you, you immediately align out, but your agility is slower since you lack the nanofibers and the pirate gains a lock.  No worries, you have stabilizers, except the pirate figured you would and is using 3 warp scramblers, the end result being pretty fireworks.

Roughly the same amount of time would have passed in both scenarios, one of them will cause you to spend more time in a site allowing people to find out you're there and warp to the site before you've even had a chance to find out what's in all the containers.  While you are free to fit the way you want I highly recommend not fitting warp core stabilizers.  If you think I'm saying this just because I'm a pirate, you are sadly mistaken.  It's because I'm a pirate I'm telling you not to, because when I hunt explorers I use 2 J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I's with a strength of 4 warp core disruption with both scramblers running, the most strength you can give yourself on a covert ops is +3; 4 is greater than 3 so I will always keep you from warping away once I gain a positive lock.  So keep fitting those stabs if you think you'll be safer.