Difference between revisions of "Amarr Basic Ship and Skill Overview"
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The Amarr Empire is one of the four playable factions and, like the others, has a distinct line of ships with specific quirks and abilities. | The Amarr Empire is one of the four playable factions and, like the others, has a distinct line of ships with specific quirks and abilities. | ||
| + | {{RaceShipInfo|Amarr}} | ||
| − | == | + | == General Traits == |
| − | The Amarr | + | The following traits are shared by most or all Amarr ships: |
| − | * [ | + | * '''[[Armour tanking]]'''. Amarrian ships have high base armour, and several ships have direct bonuses to armour resistances: for example, the Punisher, Maller, Prophecy, and Abaddon. Armor tanks use up low slots, can slow ships down, and are hungry for powergrid, but they leave mid slots free, require relatively less CPU, and (in active tanks) place comparatively lower burdens on the capacitor than shield tanks |
| + | * '''[[Turrets#Energy turrets|Energy turrets]]'''. These are the standard for the majority of Amarrian damage-dealing vessels. Energy turrets (more usually "lasers") offer a reliable combination of range and damage when compared with projectile or hybrid turrets. Their ammo, energy crystals, can be swapped out instantly. Tech 1 crystals last forever, and faction and Tech 2 crystals wear out only slowly. On the other hand, energy turrets use a great deal of capacitor to fire, tend to have comparatively poor tracking speeds for their size, and can only ever deal thermal and EM damage, which can make it impossible to hit some enemies' weaker damage resistances. | ||
| + | ** The short-ranged energy weapons, pulse lasers, have long ranges compared to projectile autocannon and hybrid turrets but lack the raw punch of hybrid blasters or the selectable damage and forgiving falloff of autocannon. | ||
| + | ** The long-ranged energy weapons, beam lasers, have reliable DPS, but are shorter-ranged than hybrid railguns or projectile artillery, and lack the selectable damage and alpha strike potential of artillery. | ||
| + | * '''[[Drones]]'''. The Amarr ship line-up comes second only to the Gallente in terms of drone bays, bandwidth, and ships with drone bonuses. Amarr drone ships tend to have slightly larger drone bays than their Gallentean counterparts, which means more tactical flexibility and drone replacement, but also tend to have less drone bandwidth, which means a lower DPS cap. These differences even out at the battleship level, as the Armageddon and the Dominix match in these respects. | ||
| + | * '''Large capacitors.''' Amarr pilots rely heavily on their capacitors; lasers are heavy on the capacitor to such a degree that many Amarrian hulls have a bonus that decreases capacitor usage of energy turrets. Amarr hulls tend to have larger capacitors than the hulls of the other empires and many Amarrian pilots prioritize capacitor skills. | ||
| + | * '''[[Capacitor warfare]]'''. The Dragoon and the Armageddon have bonuses that make them particularly effective with energy neutralizers used to drain targets' capacitors. These synergise well with the naturally strong capacitors found on Amarr ships, and with the use of drones, which require no capacitor. Amarr proficiency with capacitor warfare continues in T2 ships with the Black Ops {{sh|Redeemer}} and the widely-feared {{sh|Curse}} and {{sh|Pilgrim}}. | ||
| + | * '''[[Electronic_warfare#Weapon_Disruption|Weapon Disruption]]''' is the Amarr EWAR specialism. Weapon disruption can cut the ranges and tracking speeds of turrets, or the ranges and precision of missiles. It is situationally powerful, but not as universally powerful as ECM or sensor dampening: different modules must be fitted to disrupt turrets or to disrupt missiles, which reduces tactical flexibility. | ||
| + | * '''Low speeds'''. Amarr ships tend to have low base speeds for their size and class, often fit armour plates which further reduce their speed and agility, and often use low slots for tank or damage rather than speed modules. Given the high low slots, Amarr ships ''can'' sometimes be speed-fitted, but at the cost of tank and damage. | ||
| + | * [[Missiles]]. No ''Tech 1'' Amarr ships focus on missiles, but there is a line of ''Tech 2'' Amarr ships with missile bonuses: the {{sh|Vengeance}}, {{sh|Malediction}}, {{sh|Heretic}}, {{sh|Sacrilege}}, and {{sh|Damnation}}. These are not a concern for Amarr pilots who are just starting out, but dedicated Amarr pilots might find themselves training into them one day. | ||
| − | + | If there is one broad characteristic that runs across Amarr ships, it is '''energy'''. Amarr ships aren't the most versatile, and they don't always have great speed or the highest on-paper DPS, but they have immense reserves of capacitor which they can use to pound opponents with extremely reliable and consistent laser damage—with potentially infinite ammo!—and to drain opponents dry with powerful capacitor warfare. | |
| − | + | == Notable Uses == | |
| − | + | '''PvE''' | |
| − | + | A classic progression of Amarr [[mission]] ships would be to train the Punisher and {{sh|Coercer}} for Level 1 missions, the {{sh|Omen}} or {{sh|Arbitrator}} for L2s, the {{sh|Harbinger}} for L3s, and finally the {{sh|Apocalypse}} for L4s. Amarrian laser ships are more restricted when running missions and [[ratting]] than the other races. Within Amarr space, against the Blood Raiders and Sansha's Nation factions, Amarrian ships are probably the most effective of all (as is typical with the other empires). However, lasers only do thermal and EM damage, so other typical NPC enemy factions are tougher for lasers. This is a concern for some Eve University pilots who want to try mission-running close to home, as the University is based in Gallente space where Serpentis are the common faction. | |
| − | + | One alternative option is to brush up on drone skills and use the line of Amarr ships which use drones rather than lasers as their primary weapon. Since drones are easily swapped and allow fully-selectable damage, this lets pilots target whatever type of damage NPCs are weakest to. A pilot doing this would progress through the {{sh|Dragoon}}, {{sh|Arbitrator}}, {{sh|Prophecy}}, and {{sh|Armageddon}} (though note that until the battleship stage and the Armageddon, the Amarr drone ships have a little less bandwidth than their Gallente counterparts). | |
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In Wormholes, the Harbinger can run C1 and C2 combat sites, although it may have trouble with either range or tracking due to the variety of sleeper hulls that can orbit either close or far. Like the other turret-based BCs, the Harbinger does much better in fleets than solo for wormholes. C3 wormholes can also be done in a Harbinger with a fleet of sufficient size. | In Wormholes, the Harbinger can run C1 and C2 combat sites, although it may have trouble with either range or tracking due to the variety of sleeper hulls that can orbit either close or far. Like the other turret-based BCs, the Harbinger does much better in fleets than solo for wormholes. C3 wormholes can also be done in a Harbinger with a fleet of sufficient size. | ||
| − | + | For salvaging, a {{sh|Coercer}} makes a very good, cheap salvager. | |
| − | + | Amarr ships are also highly popular with armour [[Incursions|incursion]] fleets, especially the {{sh|Paladin}} and {{sh|Legion}}. While not technically an Amarrian ship, the {{sh|Nightmare}} is one of the most sought after ships for shield incursion fleets and uses energy turrets, so is a natural progression for an Amarr pilot willing to cross-train. | |
| − | + | '''PvP''' | |
| − | At the basic level Amarr ships tend to stick to the formula of lots of armour for defence and lots of lasers for damage with fewer | + | Exceptional tanks, large capacitors, and reliable damage and range make some Amarrian ships a firm favourite in armour fleets, though fits with shield tanks or alternate weapon systems also see some use. At the basic level, Amarr ships tend to stick to the formula of lots of armour for defence and lots of lasers for damage with fewer atypical ships than in other races' line-ups. As a result, Amarr are sometimes said to be the simplest race to fly. There are some good candidates for 'breaking the mould' even for a new player (a {{sh|Punisher}} fitted with projectile turrets is a classic), but they are more skill intensive and often require cross-training. |
| − | + | In frigate hulls, the Punisher or Executioner are typically used for tackling, and the Crucifier for EW. The Arbitrator makes an excellent DPS-and-EWAR boat, the Omen is a focused damage-dealer, and the Maller's massive potential tank makes it great (if obvious) bait. In battleship hulls, the {{sh|Armageddon}}, {{sh|Apocalypse}}, and {{sh|Abaddon}} all have their uses. The Apocalypse can be used as a sniper (sometimes with a very weak tank to maximize damage potential) and the Abaddon's bonus to armor resists grants it gigantic tank, making it one of the most survivable battleships when supported by [[Logistics|logistics]], although a combination of (relatively) weak capacitor and no cap use bonuses can make it power-hungry. The Armageddon's bonus to energy neutralizers makes it the best base T1 capacitor warfare platform in the game. | |
| − | + | == Skills == | |
| − | + | Amarr ships share many core skills with the ships of the other three main factions. Very new pilots should consider EVE University's [[Short Skill Plan]]; relatively new pilots should consider [[The Magic 14|the 14 skills which affect every ship]], the [[Fitting skills|fitting skills]] which make it easier to fit modules onto ships, and the [[Support skills|support skills]] which underpin much of your ship's performance. For longer-term training, EVE University's [[Pyramid Skill Plan]] offers one useful way of conceiving of your goals. | |
| − | + | That said, there are some considerations that are specific to Amarr ships. Capacitor skills are especially crucial for Amarr pilots, and should be an early priority; these are mostly found in the [[Skills:Engineering|Engineering]] category, though {{sk|Controlled Bursts}}, in Gunnery, is also very important. [[Skills:Armor|Armour]] skills will be essential for flying any Amarr combat ships, and being able to mount a T2 armour tank can help bring out the strengths of many T1 Amarr hulls in PvP and PvE. [[Skills:Drones|Drone skills]] are also important for any pilot taking the drone ship path through the Amarr ships, and eventually for an Amarr pilot: at around cruiser size, all Amarr ships begin being able to fly a full flight of 5 drones, making Drones V a highly desirable tain. | |
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| − | + | Cross training into or out of Amarr can be quite skill intensive. The easiest prospect is probably [[Gallente Basic Ship and Skill Overview|Gallente]], as the two ship lineups share armour tanking, gunnery, and drone synergies. A combination of Amarr and Gallente ship skills also opens up the popular [[Pirate_Faction_Ship_Overview#Servant_Sisters_of_EVE|Sisters of EVE ships]]. Pilots cross-trained for Caldari ships will be able to make good use of the niche set of T2 Amarr ships with missile bonuses. | |
| − | + | == Ships == | |
| − | + | Here are the Amarr T1 ships. Please follow the links to the specific pages of the ship database for more details and particular fits. | |
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| − | = | + | === Corvette === |
| − | + | Little more than slower, armed shuttles, corvettes (or "noobships") are the basic frigates that new pilots start with. You can acquire a new corvette at no cost (together with a civilian weapon, a civilian mining laser, and one unit of Tritanium) by clicking on the "Board my corvette" button available in the station menu when you're docked up. On their own, corvettes are useful for little other than basic errand-running, though since the ship is free a corvette can be spawned as a makeshift small station container when no other containers are available. | |
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{{Ship|Impairor|box}} | {{Ship|Impairor|box}} | ||
| + | The corvette is the first ship you start with. If you are Amarr, it will be an Impairor. | ||
| − | + | === Frigates === | |
| − | + | {{Ship|Crucifier|box}} | |
| − | + | The Crucifier is the Amarr EWAR frigate and works great as an extremely cheap long range EWAR platform for very new pilots. | |
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| − | + | {{Ship|Executioner|box}} | |
| + | The Executioner is the Amarr fast frigate. The Executioner was buffed in the Inferno expansion, gaining an extra mid slot and a bonus to propulsion jamming so that it now resembles a T1 interceptor, making it a great stepping stone for new tacklers. | ||
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{{Ship|Inquisitor|box}} | {{Ship|Inquisitor|box}} | ||
| + | The Inquisitor is the Amarr logistics frigate. It acquired this role in the Retribution expansion. | ||
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{{Ship|Magnate|box}} | {{Ship|Magnate|box}} | ||
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Magnates are a perfect platform to practice probing skills which will come in handy later both for exploration and PvP probing. | Magnates are a perfect platform to practice probing skills which will come in handy later both for exploration and PvP probing. | ||
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| − | {{Ship| | + | {{Ship|Punisher|box}} |
| − | + | This is easily the most tenacious of the T1 frigates. Due to excellent armour HP together with the bonus to armour resistances and the 5 low slots, this platform can handle a surprising amount of damage for a T1 frigate. The Punisher's 4 turrets can give it decent dps, but its 2 Mid slots prevent it from fitting the [[Tackling_Guide|tackling]] trinity: a propulsion module, a point, and a web. | |
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| − | + | Along with the Executioner, the Punisher is a popular E-UNI tackler for new Amarr pilots. However, it does not excel at this role due to the limited mid slots, low base velocity, and mediocre scan resolution. | |
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| − | + | {{Ship|Tormentor|box}} | |
| − | + | While lacking the resistance bonus of the Punisher, or the speed of the Executioner, the Tormentor makes a good middle ground; four low slots allow for a good armor tank, and the three medium slots allow for better tackling than the Punisher. | |
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| − | + | === Destroyers === | |
| − | + | {{Ship|Coercer|box}} | |
| − | + | The Coercer sees some use in PvE activities or as a cheap Noctis substitute. It was recently changed in the Retribution patch to have two mid slots, making it a very viable PvP ship. | |
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| − | + | {{Ship|Dragoon|box}} | |
| − | {{Ship| | + | The Dragoon was introduced in the Retribution expansion. It is a drone / ewar ship. It is the only T1 ship smaller than a battleship to have a bonus to energy neutralizer and energy vampire range, allowing it to have a very unique combat style. |
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| − | == | + | === Cruisers === |
| − | {{Ship| | + | {{Ship|Arbitrator|box}} |
| + | You can easily argue this is the most flexible and capable platform for Amarr T1 cruisers, and even make a strong case for it being the best T1 drone cruiser in the game. There are many effective configurations for both PvE and PvP with this ship. | ||
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| − | | | + | {{Ship|Augoror|box}} |
| − | + | The Augoror is the Amarr logistics cruiser. It is one of the two armor logistics cruisers, the other being the Gallente Exequror. While the Exequror is bonused for more of a solo role, the bonus to Energy Transfer amount on the Augoror means it works best when paired with one or more other logistics ships with an Energy Transfer bonus. | |
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| − | | | + | {{Ship|Maller|box}} |
| − | }} | + | The Maller was buffed in the Retribution patch to have a bonus to medium laser damage rather than a capacitor use bonus. It can obtain a good tank while retaining decent DPS. However, due to the lack of a capacitor use bonus, for PvE, an Omen might be a better choice for lower skilled players. The Maller is likely to become much more popular in PvP. |
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| − | | | + | {{Ship|Omen|box}} |
| − | + | The Omen is one of the two dedicated DPS cruisers. It is more adept at speed tanking than the Maller because of the lower signature radius and higher base velocity. | |
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| − | + | === Battlecruisers === | |
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| + | {{Ship|Harbinger|box}} | ||
| + | The Harbinger is an extremely capable Combat Battlecruiser and is well balanced with its competitors from the other races. It is the first real laser powerhouse in the Amarr lineup. | ||
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| − | | | + | {{Ship|Oracle|box}} |
| − | + | The Oracle is the Amarr Attack Battlecruiser, swapping the tank of most Battlecruisers for the ability to fit battleship-sized weaponry. This allows it to project heavy DPS while maintaining the agility of a battlecruiser. | |
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| − | | | + | {{Ship|Prophecy|box}} |
| − | }} | + | The Prophecy is a Combat Battlecruiser that is primarily focused on being a tanky drone carrier. |
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| − | == | + | === Battleships === |
| − | {{Ship| | + | {{Ship|Abaddon|box}} |
| + | The Abaddon has a bonus for laser damage and armor resistances, but the normal bonus for laser capacitor use is conspicuously missing. This makes the Abaddon a "high skill" ship because it requires good core skills to keep its lasers firing while powering its tank. The bonus to tank and the high damage makes the Abaddon a popular PvP ship, where its difficulty staying cap stable is also not so much of an issue. | ||
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{{Ship|Apocalypse|box}} | {{Ship|Apocalypse|box}} | ||
| + | The Apocalypse has a bonus to optimal range that with the Amarr ability to switch crystals instantly can be turned into a damage bonus quite easily. Pulse laser Apocalypses with T2 Scorch ammunition are able to deliver good damage at a decent distance and the tracking bonus can allow it to hit smaller ships quite well. Apocalypses are also well suited to beam laser sniper fits, making the hull surprisingly versatile for any Amarr ship. The Apocalypse does not have the raw firepower of the Abaddon however but is an easier ship to skill for. | ||
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| − | | | + | {{Ship|Armageddon|box}} |
| − | | | + | While previously all Amarr battleships were fairly similar, the Armageddon's new face makes it an entirely different beast. With the bonus to cap warfare range, the Armageddon is now the premier T1 neuting battleship, whilst still being able to put out a very respectable amount of DPS through its drones. |
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| + | === Haulers === | ||
| + | [[Haulers]] are useful to transport large amounts of cargo, but they are vulnerable to suicide ganks in highsec, and piracy in lowsec. For war time hauling, a hauling alt is recommended. See the [[Creating an Alt Hauler]] article for more information. | ||
| − | {{ | + | {{Ship|Bestower|box}} |
| − | | | + | Arguably the best of the T1 haulers from a skill training time per cargo capacity perspective, the Bestower is a favourite for alternate character hauling setups. If only training an alt to the faction's hauler III, the Bestower has the highest capacity for less than 18 hours of training time. With the Odyssey expansion, it is only necessary to train to faction's hauler III instead of V on the way to faction's freighter I. Additionally, the removal of faction's frigate III as a requirement for Haulers means that any faction can select the Bestower as their hauler of choice on the way to becoming a freighter alt. |
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| − | | | + | {{Ship|Sigil|box}} |
| − | + | Although lacking the cargo capacity of the [[Bestower]], it is significantly faster, more agile, and more flexible with five low slots that can be swapped between nanofibers, expanders, or warp core stabilizers as needed. It can easily be expanded to hold 8000 {{m3}}, the max needed for [[Making Money with Hauling - Level 4 Cargo Missions|running L4 distribution missions]], while still having three nanofibers for an under eight second align, or a nanofiber and a couple of stabs if the mission takes you into lowsec. | |
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| − | + | ==Energy Turret Tips== | |
| − | | | + | {{main|Turrets#Energy_turrets|Energy Turrets}} |
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| − | + | Since ammo crystals can be swapped instantly, you should feel able to shift rapidly between crystals as the situation demands. You will want to swap crystals in and out to keep up with the ranges of your targets: lasers have little falloff range, which means little margin for error at the edge of your range. The Tech 1 crystals offer a three-way trade-off of range, damage, and capacitor use: short-ranged crystals do high DPS and are cap-hungry, long-ranged crystals do low DPS and are cap-hungry, and mid-ranged crystals do moderate DPS and are gentler on the capacitor. | |
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| + | Tech 2 pulse laser crystals are widely liked and well worth using. Conflagration manages excellent DPS but will struggle to track evasive/fast targets. Scorch pushes pulse lasers out to truly impressive distances for a "short"-range weapon. | ||
| − | + | Of the Tech 2 beam laser crystals, Gleam only offers a small boost over comparable faction ammo and see only limited use, but Aurora offers a massive range bonus and is popular for PvP sniping fits. | |
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| − | + | ==Drone Tips== | |
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| − | + | Small drones should be used against frigate-sized enemies, medium drones should be used against cruiser-sized enemies, and heavy drones should be used against battleship-sized enemies. Sentries are mostly meant for battleship-sized enemies, but if smaller enemies are far enough that tracking and signature radius isn't an issue, they can deal relatively well with those too. | |
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| − | + | All four races' drones are viable in PvE and you should select drones that deal the damage type which your target NPCs are weakest. | |
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| − | + | Watch out for enemies attacking your drones. If you're in a dedicated drone boat and see your drones taking damage, recall them: they are your main weapon and you don't want to be defanged. In PvE combat, try to get the NPCs to attack you before you launch your drones. | |
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| − | + | Keyboard / auxiliary mouse button shortcuts are recommended for drone management. Shortcuts can be set for attack and return to drone bay commands. One group of drones in the drone window can be designated as your "favorite", and a button can be assigned to the command "launch favorite group of drones". | |
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| − | + | In general, it is better to keep drones in Passive mode. In missions and wormholes, drones set to Aggressive can trigger a new wave earlier than desired. In PvP, drones set to Aggressive can give you an unwanted [[Timers#Weapon_Timer|weapon timer]] which then prevents you from docking up or jumping through a gate to safety. | |
| + | == Related Links == | ||
{{ShipGuideLinks}} | {{ShipGuideLinks}} | ||
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[[Category:Ships]] | [[Category:Ships]] | ||
Latest revision as of 16:47, 13 March 2024
This guide provides general information and recommendations for T1 ships of a single player faction.
For more advanced and in-depth information on specific ships refer to EVE ships. This guide simply gathers the characteristics and overview of racial lineups in an easy to browse format for the very new player.
The Amarr Empire is one of the four playable factions and, like the others, has a distinct line of ships with specific quirks and abilities.
Amarr Empire Characteristics
| Tank Type: |  Armor
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| Main Weapon Systems: |  Energy Turrets and  Drones
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| Electronic Warfare: |  Weapon Disruption and  Energy Neutralizers
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General Traits
The following traits are shared by most or all Amarr ships:
- Armour tanking. Amarrian ships have high base armour, and several ships have direct bonuses to armour resistances: for example, the Punisher, Maller, Prophecy, and Abaddon. Armor tanks use up low slots, can slow ships down, and are hungry for powergrid, but they leave mid slots free, require relatively less CPU, and (in active tanks) place comparatively lower burdens on the capacitor than shield tanks
- Energy turrets. These are the standard for the majority of Amarrian damage-dealing vessels. Energy turrets (more usually "lasers") offer a reliable combination of range and damage when compared with projectile or hybrid turrets. Their ammo, energy crystals, can be swapped out instantly. Tech 1 crystals last forever, and faction and Tech 2 crystals wear out only slowly. On the other hand, energy turrets use a great deal of capacitor to fire, tend to have comparatively poor tracking speeds for their size, and can only ever deal thermal and EM damage, which can make it impossible to hit some enemies' weaker damage resistances.
- The short-ranged energy weapons, pulse lasers, have long ranges compared to projectile autocannon and hybrid turrets but lack the raw punch of hybrid blasters or the selectable damage and forgiving falloff of autocannon.
- The long-ranged energy weapons, beam lasers, have reliable DPS, but are shorter-ranged than hybrid railguns or projectile artillery, and lack the selectable damage and alpha strike potential of artillery.
- Drones. The Amarr ship line-up comes second only to the Gallente in terms of drone bays, bandwidth, and ships with drone bonuses. Amarr drone ships tend to have slightly larger drone bays than their Gallentean counterparts, which means more tactical flexibility and drone replacement, but also tend to have less drone bandwidth, which means a lower DPS cap. These differences even out at the battleship level, as the Armageddon and the Dominix match in these respects.
- Large capacitors. Amarr pilots rely heavily on their capacitors; lasers are heavy on the capacitor to such a degree that many Amarrian hulls have a bonus that decreases capacitor usage of energy turrets. Amarr hulls tend to have larger capacitors than the hulls of the other empires and many Amarrian pilots prioritize capacitor skills.
- Capacitor warfare. The Dragoon and the Armageddon have bonuses that make them particularly effective with energy neutralizers used to drain targets' capacitors. These synergise well with the naturally strong capacitors found on Amarr ships, and with the use of drones, which require no capacitor. Amarr proficiency with capacitor warfare continues in T2 ships with the Black Ops
Redeemer and the widely-feared Curse and Pilgrim. - Weapon Disruption is the Amarr EWAR specialism. Weapon disruption can cut the ranges and tracking speeds of turrets, or the ranges and precision of missiles. It is situationally powerful, but not as universally powerful as ECM or sensor dampening: different modules must be fitted to disrupt turrets or to disrupt missiles, which reduces tactical flexibility.
- Low speeds. Amarr ships tend to have low base speeds for their size and class, often fit armour plates which further reduce their speed and agility, and often use low slots for tank or damage rather than speed modules. Given the high low slots, Amarr ships can sometimes be speed-fitted, but at the cost of tank and damage.
- Missiles. No Tech 1 Amarr ships focus on missiles, but there is a line of Tech 2 Amarr ships with missile bonuses: the Vengeance, Malediction, Heretic, Sacrilege, and Damnation. These are not a concern for Amarr pilots who are just starting out, but dedicated Amarr pilots might find themselves training into them one day.
If there is one broad characteristic that runs across Amarr ships, it is energy. Amarr ships aren't the most versatile, and they don't always have great speed or the highest on-paper DPS, but they have immense reserves of capacitor which they can use to pound opponents with extremely reliable and consistent laser damage—with potentially infinite ammo!—and to drain opponents dry with powerful capacitor warfare.
Notable Uses
PvE
A classic progression of Amarr mission ships would be to train the Punisher and Coercer for Level 1 missions, the Omen or Arbitrator for L2s, the Harbinger for L3s, and finally the Apocalypse for L4s. Amarrian laser ships are more restricted when running missions and ratting than the other races. Within Amarr space, against the Blood Raiders and Sansha's Nation factions, Amarrian ships are probably the most effective of all (as is typical with the other empires). However, lasers only do thermal and EM damage, so other typical NPC enemy factions are tougher for lasers. This is a concern for some Eve University pilots who want to try mission-running close to home, as the University is based in Gallente space where Serpentis are the common faction.
One alternative option is to brush up on drone skills and use the line of Amarr ships which use drones rather than lasers as their primary weapon. Since drones are easily swapped and allow fully-selectable damage, this lets pilots target whatever type of damage NPCs are weakest to. A pilot doing this would progress through the Dragoon, Arbitrator, Prophecy, and Armageddon (though note that until the battleship stage and the Armageddon, the Amarr drone ships have a little less bandwidth than their Gallente counterparts).
In Wormholes, the Harbinger can run C1 and C2 combat sites, although it may have trouble with either range or tracking due to the variety of sleeper hulls that can orbit either close or far. Like the other turret-based BCs, the Harbinger does much better in fleets than solo for wormholes. C3 wormholes can also be done in a Harbinger with a fleet of sufficient size.
For salvaging, a Coercer makes a very good, cheap salvager.
Amarr ships are also highly popular with armour incursion fleets, especially the Paladin and Legion. While not technically an Amarrian ship, the 
Nightmare is one of the most sought after ships for shield incursion fleets and uses energy turrets, so is a natural progression for an Amarr pilot willing to cross-train.
PvP
Exceptional tanks, large capacitors, and reliable damage and range make some Amarrian ships a firm favourite in armour fleets, though fits with shield tanks or alternate weapon systems also see some use. At the basic level, Amarr ships tend to stick to the formula of lots of armour for defence and lots of lasers for damage with fewer atypical ships than in other races' line-ups. As a result, Amarr are sometimes said to be the simplest race to fly. There are some good candidates for 'breaking the mould' even for a new player (a Punisher fitted with projectile turrets is a classic), but they are more skill intensive and often require cross-training.
In frigate hulls, the Punisher or Executioner are typically used for tackling, and the Crucifier for EW. The Arbitrator makes an excellent DPS-and-EWAR boat, the Omen is a focused damage-dealer, and the Maller's massive potential tank makes it great (if obvious) bait. In battleship hulls, the Armageddon, Apocalypse, and Abaddon all have their uses. The Apocalypse can be used as a sniper (sometimes with a very weak tank to maximize damage potential) and the Abaddon's bonus to armor resists grants it gigantic tank, making it one of the most survivable battleships when supported by logistics, although a combination of (relatively) weak capacitor and no cap use bonuses can make it power-hungry. The Armageddon's bonus to energy neutralizers makes it the best base T1 capacitor warfare platform in the game.
Skills
Amarr ships share many core skills with the ships of the other three main factions. Very new pilots should consider EVE University's Short Skill Plan; relatively new pilots should consider the 14 skills which affect every ship, the fitting skills which make it easier to fit modules onto ships, and the support skills which underpin much of your ship's performance. For longer-term training, EVE University's Pyramid Skill Plan offers one useful way of conceiving of your goals.
That said, there are some considerations that are specific to Amarr ships. Capacitor skills are especially crucial for Amarr pilots, and should be an early priority; these are mostly found in the Engineering category, though Controlled Bursts, in Gunnery, is also very important. Armour skills will be essential for flying any Amarr combat ships, and being able to mount a T2 armour tank can help bring out the strengths of many T1 Amarr hulls in PvP and PvE. Drone skills are also important for any pilot taking the drone ship path through the Amarr ships, and eventually for an Amarr pilot: at around cruiser size, all Amarr ships begin being able to fly a full flight of 5 drones, making Drones V a highly desirable tain.
Cross training into or out of Amarr can be quite skill intensive. The easiest prospect is probably Gallente, as the two ship lineups share armour tanking, gunnery, and drone synergies. A combination of Amarr and Gallente ship skills also opens up the popular Sisters of EVE ships. Pilots cross-trained for Caldari ships will be able to make good use of the niche set of T2 Amarr ships with missile bonuses.
Ships
Here are the Amarr T1 ships. Please follow the links to the specific pages of the ship database for more details and particular fits.
Corvette
Little more than slower, armed shuttles, corvettes (or "noobships") are the basic frigates that new pilots start with. You can acquire a new corvette at no cost (together with a civilian weapon, a civilian mining laser, and one unit of Tritanium) by clicking on the "Board my corvette" button available in the station menu when you're docked up. On their own, corvettes are useful for little other than basic errand-running, though since the ship is free a corvette can be spawned as a makeshift small station container when no other containers are available.
RELATED UNI-WIKI REFERENCES
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Role Bonus: The Impairor-class corvette has been mass-produced by the Amarr Empire for decades. It is the most common space vessel sighted within the Amarrian boundaries, and is used both as a basic trade vessel and as a small-scale slave transport. |
The corvette is the first ship you start with. If you are Amarr, it will be an Impairor.
Frigates
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Frigate bonuses (per skill level): The Crucifier was first designed as an explorer/scout, but the current version employs the electronic equipment originally intended for scientific studies for more offensive purposes. The Crucifier's electronic and computer systems take up a large portion of the internal space leaving limited room for cargo or traditional weaponry. |
The Crucifier is the Amarr EWAR frigate and works great as an extremely cheap long range EWAR platform for very new pilots.
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Frigate bonuses (per skill level): The Executioner is another newly commissioned ship of the Amarr Imperial Navy. The Executioner was designed specially to counter the small, fast raider frigates of the Minmatar Republic; thus it is different from most Amarr ships in favoring speed over defenses. With the Executioner, the Amarrians have expanded their tactical capabilities on the battlefield. |
The Executioner is the Amarr fast frigate. The Executioner was buffed in the Inferno expansion, gaining an extra mid slot and a bonus to propulsion jamming so that it now resembles a T1 interceptor, making it a great stepping stone for new tacklers.
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Frigate bonuses (per skill level): In YC114 each major empire faction, having been embroiled in a harrowing, extensive, long-term war, recognized the growing need for support and logistics functionality in their vessels during the kind of protracted interstellar warfare that might otherwise prove exhausting for its participants. In the Amarr Empire, this led to the redesign and redeployment of the Inquisitor. |
The Inquisitor is the Amarr logistics frigate. It acquired this role in the Retribution expansion.
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Frigate bonuses (per skill level): This Magnate-class frigate is one of the most decoratively designed ship classes in the Amarr Empire, considered to be a pet project for a small, elite group of royal ship engineers for over a decade. The frigate's design has gone through several stages over the past decade, and new models of the Magnate appear every few years. The most recent versions of this ship – the Silver Magnate and the Gold Magnate – debuted as rewards in the Amarr Championships in YC105, though the original Magnate design is still a popular choice among Amarr pilots. |
Magnates are a perfect platform to practice probing skills which will come in handy later both for exploration and PvP probing.
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Frigate bonuses (per skill level): The Punisher is considered by many to be one of the best Amarr frigates in existence. As evidenced by its heavy armaments, the Punisher is mainly intended for large-scale military operations, acting in coordination with larger military vessels. With its damage output, however, it is also perfectly capable of punching its way right through unwary opponents. |
This is easily the most tenacious of the T1 frigates. Due to excellent armour HP together with the bonus to armour resistances and the 5 low slots, this platform can handle a surprising amount of damage for a T1 frigate. The Punisher's 4 turrets can give it decent dps, but its 2 Mid slots prevent it from fitting the tackling trinity: a propulsion module, a point, and a web.
Along with the Executioner, the Punisher is a popular E-UNI tackler for new Amarr pilots. However, it does not excel at this role due to the limited mid slots, low base velocity, and mediocre scan resolution.
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Frigate bonuses (per skill level): The Tormentor has been in service for many decades. For most of that time it saw service as a mining ship, its size barring it from making any kind of impact on the battlefield. As with most Amarr ships, however, its strong defenses always made it a tough opponent to crack, and with recent advances in turret capacitor use and damage output, its lasers have now stopped digging into dead ore and are instead focused on boring through the hulls of hapless vessels in combat. |
While lacking the resistance bonus of the Punisher, or the speed of the Executioner, the Tormentor makes a good middle ground; four low slots allow for a good armor tank, and the three medium slots allow for better tackling than the Punisher.
Destroyers
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Destroyer bonuses (per skill level): Noticing the alarming increase in Minmatar frigate fleets, the Imperial Navy made its plans for the Coercer, a vessel designed specifically to seek and destroy the droves of fast-moving frigate rebels. |
The Coercer sees some use in PvE activities or as a cheap Noctis substitute. It was recently changed in the Retribution patch to have two mid slots, making it a very viable PvP ship.
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Destroyer bonuses (per skill level): The Dragoon follows old religious tenets - ones thought rather dark by the majority of the cluster, but found perfectly normal by Amarr minds - that to exist as God's chosen people means fulfilling a very definite and often forceful role. This includes not only imposing the will of God, often through the time-honored methods of mindless proxies, but also profiting, even being nourished, off the energies of others. |
The Dragoon was introduced in the Retribution expansion. It is a drone / ewar ship. It is the only T1 ship smaller than a battleship to have a bonus to energy neutralizer and energy vampire range, allowing it to have a very unique combat style.
Cruisers
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Cruiser bonuses (per skill level): The Arbitrator is unusual for Amarr ships in that it's primarily a drone carrier. While it is not the best carrier around, it has superior armor that gives it greater durability than most ships in its class. |
You can easily argue this is the most flexible and capable platform for Amarr T1 cruisers, and even make a strong case for it being the best T1 drone cruiser in the game. There are many effective configurations for both PvE and PvP with this ship.
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Cruiser bonuses (per skill level): In YC114 each major empire faction, having been embroiled in a harrowing, extensive, long-term war, recognized the growing need for support and logistics functionality in their vessels during the kind of protracted interstellar warfare that might otherwise prove exhausting for its participants. Both Frigate and Cruiser-class ships were put under the microscope, and in the Amarr Empire the outcome of the re-evaluation process led, among other developments, to a redesign and redeployment of the Augoror. |
The Augoror is the Amarr logistics cruiser. It is one of the two armor logistics cruisers, the other being the Gallente Exequror. While the Exequror is bonused for more of a solo role, the bonus to Energy Transfer amount on the Augoror means it works best when paired with one or more other logistics ships with an Energy Transfer bonus.
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Cruiser bonuses (per skill level): Quite possibly the toughest cruiser in the galaxy, the Maller is a common sight in Amarrian Imperial Navy operations. It is mainly used for military duty, although a few can be found in the private sector acting as escort ships for very important dispatches. |
The Maller was buffed in the Retribution patch to have a bonus to medium laser damage rather than a capacitor use bonus. It can obtain a good tank while retaining decent DPS. However, due to the lack of a capacitor use bonus, for PvE, an Omen might be a better choice for lower skilled players. The Maller is likely to become much more popular in PvP.
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Cruiser bonuses (per skill level): The Omen is a stereotypical example of the Amarrian School of thinking when it comes to ship design: thick armor and hard hitting lasers. Advancements in heat dissipation allow the Omen to fire its lasers faster than other ships without this technology. |
The Omen is one of the two dedicated DPS cruisers. It is more adept at speed tanking than the Maller because of the lower signature radius and higher base velocity.
Battlecruisers
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Battlecruiser bonuses (per skill level): Right from its very appearance on a battlefield, the Harbinger proclaims its status as a massive weapon, a laser burning through the heart of the ungodly. Everything about it exhibits this focused intent, from the lights on its nose and wings that root out the infidels, to the large number of turreted high slots that serve to destroy them. Should any heathens be left alive after the Harbinger's initial assault, its drones will take care of them. |
The Harbinger is an extremely capable Combat Battlecruiser and is well balanced with its competitors from the other races. It is the first real laser powerhouse in the Amarr lineup.
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Battlecruiser bonuses (per skill level): In YC 113 Empress Jamyl Sarum I challenged Amarr ship manufacturers to build a new battlecruiser that would break the stalemate of the Empyrean War. Deviating from the doctrine of brute-force and heavy armor, the engineers at Viziam took inspiration from Caldari history. |
The Oracle is the Amarr Attack Battlecruiser, swapping the tank of most Battlecruisers for the ability to fit battleship-sized weaponry. This allows it to project heavy DPS while maintaining the agility of a battlecruiser.
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Battlecruiser bonuses (per skill level): The Prophecy is built on an ancient Amarrian warship design dating back to the earliest days of starship combat. Originally intended as a full-fledged battleship, it was determined after mixed fleet engagements with early prototypes that the Prophecy would be more effective as a slightly smaller, more mobile form of artillery support. |
The Prophecy is a Combat Battlecruiser that is primarily focused on being a tanky drone carrier.
Battleships
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Battleship bonuses (per skill level): The Abaddon class ship is a celestial tool of destruction. It is designed to enter combat from the outset, targeting enemies at range and firing salvo after salvo at them, and to remain intact on the battlefield until every heretic in sight has been torn to shreds. |
The Abaddon has a bonus for laser damage and armor resistances, but the normal bonus for laser capacitor use is conspicuously missing. This makes the Abaddon a "high skill" ship because it requires good core skills to keep its lasers firing while powering its tank. The bonus to tank and the high damage makes the Abaddon a popular PvP ship, where its difficulty staying cap stable is also not so much of an issue.
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S H I P B O N U S E S
Amarr Battleship bonuses (per skill level): In days past, only those in high favor with the Emperor could hope to earn the reward of commanding one of the majestic and powerful Apocalypse class battleships. In latter years, even though now in full market circulation, these golden, metallic monstrosities are still feared and respected as enduring symbols of Amarrian might. |
The Apocalypse has a bonus to optimal range that with the Amarr ability to switch crystals instantly can be turned into a damage bonus quite easily. Pulse laser Apocalypses with T2 Scorch ammunition are able to deliver good damage at a decent distance and the tracking bonus can allow it to hit smaller ships quite well. Apocalypses are also well suited to beam laser sniper fits, making the hull surprisingly versatile for any Amarr ship. The Apocalypse does not have the raw firepower of the Abaddon however but is an easier ship to skill for.
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Amarr Battleship bonuses (per skill level): The mighty Armageddon class is one of the enduring warhorses of the Amarr Empire. Once a juggernaut that steamrolled its way into battle, it has now taken on a more stately and calculated approach, sending out a web of drones in its place while it drains the enemy from a distance. |
While previously all Amarr battleships were fairly similar, the Armageddon's new face makes it an entirely different beast. With the bonus to cap warfare range, the Armageddon is now the premier T1 neuting battleship, whilst still being able to put out a very respectable amount of DPS through its drones.
Haulers
Haulers are useful to transport large amounts of cargo, but they are vulnerable to suicide ganks in highsec, and piracy in lowsec. For war time hauling, a hauling alt is recommended. See the Creating an Alt Hauler article for more information.
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Amarr Hauler bonuses (per skill level): The Bestower has for decades been used by the Empire as a slave transport, shipping human labor between cultivated planets in Imperial space. As a proof to how reliable this class has been through the years, the Emperor has used an upgraded version of this very same class as transports for the Imperial Treasury. The Bestower has very thick armor and large cargo space. |
Arguably the best of the T1 haulers from a skill training time per cargo capacity perspective, the Bestower is a favourite for alternate character hauling setups. If only training an alt to the faction's hauler III, the Bestower has the highest capacity for less than 18 hours of training time. With the Odyssey expansion, it is only necessary to train to faction's hauler III instead of V on the way to faction's freighter I. Additionally, the removal of faction's frigate III as a requirement for Haulers means that any faction can select the Bestower as their hauler of choice on the way to becoming a freighter alt.
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Amarr Hauler bonuses (per skill level): The Sigil is a recent ship from Viziam based on an old slave transport design. |
Although lacking the cargo capacity of the Bestower, it is significantly faster, more agile, and more flexible with five low slots that can be swapped between nanofibers, expanders, or warp core stabilizers as needed. It can easily be expanded to hold 8000 m3, the max needed for running L4 distribution missions, while still having three nanofibers for an under eight second align, or a nanofiber and a couple of stabs if the mission takes you into lowsec.
Energy Turret Tips
- Main article: Energy Turrets
Since ammo crystals can be swapped instantly, you should feel able to shift rapidly between crystals as the situation demands. You will want to swap crystals in and out to keep up with the ranges of your targets: lasers have little falloff range, which means little margin for error at the edge of your range. The Tech 1 crystals offer a three-way trade-off of range, damage, and capacitor use: short-ranged crystals do high DPS and are cap-hungry, long-ranged crystals do low DPS and are cap-hungry, and mid-ranged crystals do moderate DPS and are gentler on the capacitor.
Tech 2 pulse laser crystals are widely liked and well worth using. Conflagration manages excellent DPS but will struggle to track evasive/fast targets. Scorch pushes pulse lasers out to truly impressive distances for a "short"-range weapon.
Of the Tech 2 beam laser crystals, Gleam only offers a small boost over comparable faction ammo and see only limited use, but Aurora offers a massive range bonus and is popular for PvP sniping fits.
Drone Tips
- Main article: Drone mechanics
Small drones should be used against frigate-sized enemies, medium drones should be used against cruiser-sized enemies, and heavy drones should be used against battleship-sized enemies. Sentries are mostly meant for battleship-sized enemies, but if smaller enemies are far enough that tracking and signature radius isn't an issue, they can deal relatively well with those too.
All four races' drones are viable in PvE and you should select drones that deal the damage type which your target NPCs are weakest.
Watch out for enemies attacking your drones. If you're in a dedicated drone boat and see your drones taking damage, recall them: they are your main weapon and you don't want to be defanged. In PvE combat, try to get the NPCs to attack you before you launch your drones.
Keyboard / auxiliary mouse button shortcuts are recommended for drone management. Shortcuts can be set for attack and return to drone bay commands. One group of drones in the drone window can be designated as your "favorite", and a button can be assigned to the command "launch favorite group of drones".
In general, it is better to keep drones in Passive mode. In missions and wormholes, drones set to Aggressive can trigger a new wave earlier than desired. In PvP, drones set to Aggressive can give you an unwanted weapon timer which then prevents you from docking up or jumping through a gate to safety.
Related Links
- Basic skills and Support skills - Training support skills is a key step towards flying a ship well. Read up on support skills here.
- Fitting Guidelines - Some general guidelines for fitting ships.
- Fitting Modules and Rigs Guide - A list of rigs and module types with short descriptions.
- NPC damage types and NPC Ship Attributes - To see which resists to use and damage types to deal against NPC rats.
- Creating an Alt Hauler - Having an alt hauler can be useful for shopping trips during wartime, if you are living in highsec.
