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[[Category:PvP]]
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This page gives a ''brief'' overview of the abilities of each ship class, with a particular focus on PvP. It is intended to give an overall overview by ship class, not ship type. Learning what every ship type can do becomes necessary as you advance in your PVP career, but as a starting point it is good to have a general sense of each ship class's capacities.
[[Category:Guides]]
 
  
This Overview is designed to give a brief synopsis of the uses of each ship class in PvP.
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For more in-depth ship information, look at some of the other pages in the  [[:Category:Ships|Ships Category]], or click the "More Details" link at the end of each section.
  
==Frigate Class Ships==
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== Frigates ==
  
=== T1 Frigates ===  
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=== T1 Frigates ===
These will generally just be tacklers. Point, web, speed mod, overdrives etc in lows & mids, irrelevant dps or nos etc in highs.
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These will often just be [[Tackling|tacklers]]. Point, web, speed mod, overdrives etc in lows & mids, irrelevant DPS or [[NOS]] etc in highs. The Minmatar [[Slasher]] can achieve very impressive speeds for a basic tackling hull. T1 frigates can also use [[EWAR]]; the [[Griffin]], [[Maulus]], and [[Crucifier]], in particular, can have a significant battlefield impact.
Notable exceptions: Rifter
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The rifter is one of the best combat T1 frigs, and by most people even considered THE best. In a dogfighting fit with autocannons, afterburner, web and scram, it can take on most other frigs, and even some larger targets, and win (watch out for the Taranis (gallente combat interceptor) and all the assault frigates though). Punisher and Incursus are the Amarr and Gallente equivalents, but they don't quite reach the level of the Rifter.
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A group of T1 frigates, or one motivated pilot with time to work in, can take down a larger ship, though. The Caldari [[Merlin]] is tough and can put out surprising hybrid turret DPS. The Gallente [[Tristan]] can field a full flight of (potentially T2) drones.
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Some pirate frigates are very powerful opponents. The [[Worm]] is extremely tough and puts out good DPS; the [[Dramiel]] is very fast indeed; the [[Garmur]] points and kites at irritatingly long ranges.
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[[Frigate#Tech 1 Frigates|(More details)]]
  
 
=== T2 Frigates ===
 
=== T2 Frigates ===
====Interceptors (Inty / 'ceptor) ====
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==== Interceptors (Inty / 'ceptor) ====
These are the primary tacklers in anything but 0.0 (where dictors and hics take over). They have the highest scan resolution of any class, and only Vigils (Minmatar electronic warfare frig) can match their speed. Their main purpose is tackling, and that's what they do best, but many interceptors can also be refit to be effective combat ships in an interceptor only gang. Their firepower and tank will be low compared to other types of ships, but they have the advantage of very high speed (even when tank & gank fitted) and awesome agility.
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{{Main|Interceptors}}
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These are often primary tacklers. They have the highest [[scan resolution]] of any class, and only [[Vigil]]s) can match their speed.
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Their main purpose is tackling, and that's what they do best, but many interceptors can also be refit to be effective combat ships in an interceptor-only gang. Their firepower and tank will be low compared to other types of ships, but they have the advantage of very high speed (even when tank & gank are fitted) and awesome agility.
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A typical tackling interceptor will hold point at you from a long distance. If the pilot wants to turn off your MWD or MJD, they will spiral in for a "scram-pass", in which they slide past you, briefly warp scramble you, and then coast out of your own scram/web range using their high starting speed.
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==== Covert Ops ====
 
==== Covert Ops ====
They can warp cloaked, and are used as scouts and for probing stuff down. Can also be used for tackling stuff it has scouted/probed out, but that's only for experienced people that know what they can and can't hold long enough for help to arrive, and what targets are worth the risk.
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These can warp cloaked, and are used as scouts and for probing stuff down. Can also be used for tackling stuff it has scouted/probed out, but that's only for experienced people that know what they can and can't hold long enough for help to arrive, and which targets are worth the risk. [[Frigate#Covert_Ops|(More details)]]
  
 
==== Stealth Bombers (SB) ====  
 
==== Stealth Bombers (SB) ====  
Super high dps/alpha frigates that can warp cloaked and doesn't have a sensor recalibration delay after decloaking. In 0.0, they can also launch bombs (basically a large, higher damage smartbomb). They have trouble hitting small targets with their torpedoes though.
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Super high DPS/[[Alpha Strike|alpha]] frigates that can warp cloaked and doesn't have a sensor recalibration delay after decloaking. In 0.0, they can also launch bombs (basically a large, ranged, higher damage smartbomb). They have trouble hitting small targets with their torpedoes, though. [[Frigate#Stealth Bombers|(More Details)]]
  
 
==== Electronic Attack Ships (EAS) ====  
 
==== Electronic Attack Ships (EAS) ====  
These vary allot from race to race. Basically, they are frigate sized version of the combat recons that will be described below.
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These vary a lot from race to race. Basically, they are frigate-sized versions of the combat recons that will be described below. [[Frigate#Electronic Attack_Ships|(More details)]] Of particular note are the [[Kitsune]], which can provide powerful ECM jamming, and the [[Keres]], which can point from long ranges and delete an opponent's targeting range.
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==== Assault Frigates (AS / AF) ====
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High tank, usually high DPS frigates. If you get tackled by one of these, you're generally not going anywhere: they're a pain to get rid of when properly fitted. Their disadvantage compared to interceptors is that they're slower.
  
==== Assault Ships (AS / AF) ====
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The [[Jaguar]] is a particularly popular tackling AF. The [[Wolf]], [[Retribution]] and [[Enyo]] can muster particularly high DPS, and sometimes a gang can be just armor-tanked examples of these ships backed up by T2 logistics frigates.
High tank, usually high dps frigates. If you get tackled by one of these, you're generally not going anywhere, they're a pain to get rid of when properly fitted. The disadvantage compared to interceptors is that they're slower, and often sacrifice their MWD and fit an AB instead to be able to survive longer after getting the target tackled.
 
  
== Destroyer Class Ships ==
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Assault Frigates can fit the Assault Damage Control, which lets them bump their damage resistances up to nearly 100% for a brief moment.
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[[Frigate#Assault Frigates|(More details)]]
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== Destroyers ==
  
 
=== T1 Destroyers ===  
 
=== T1 Destroyers ===  
Anti-frig ships. Very good tracking, lots of small guns, however their tank is frig level, while they're almost as big as a cruiser. They die extremely fast, and are considered useless by many.
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Anti-frigate ships. Very good tracking, lots of small guns, but a frigate-level tank with a near-cruiser-sized footprint on enemy targeting sensors.
Some missioners use them as a cheap salvaging vessels. Due to its many high slots many salvagers and tractor beams can be fitted on a low cost ship where no other qualities are required.
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Destroyers can chew quickly through most L1 missions. Some mission-runnerss use them as cheap salvaging vessels. Due to its many high slots many salvagers and tractor beams can be fitted on a low cost ship where no other qualities are required. Most Destroyers feature enough CPU to mount multiple mining lasers, turning the destroyer into a small mining vessel that can easily rival the Procurer for mining efficiency, if not for cargo capacity.
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In PvP T1 destroyers are used in situations which call for cheap, expendable, mobile DPS. 
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[[Destroyer#Tech 1 Destroyers|(More details)]]
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=== T2 Destroyers ===
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==== Interdictors ('Dictors) ====
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These ships are of greatly reduced value in high and low sec, becoming mere gunboats or missile ships in most cases; however, in nullsec they become one of the most important ships available. Their role is launching warp disruption probes, usually called bubbles. Inside a bubble, nothing can warp, no matter how many [[Tackling|stabilizers]] they fit. Anyone trying to warp to a spot within or close to the bubble will be pulled to the edge of it, although only if the bubble is in line between the two objects that the ship warps between. Interdictors and HICs ([[Cruiser#Heavy Interdiction Cruisers|heavy interdiction cruisers]]) are the only ships that can tackle Titans and Supercarriers. [[Destroyer#Interdictors|(More details)]]
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==== Command Destroyers ====
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Like their bigger siblings, the [[Command Ships]], these are tough ships with the ability to grant bonuses to their fleetmates. They also have the unique ability to use Micro Jump Field Generators, which let them grab every ship in a 6 km radius and blink all of those ships 100 km away. This ability, commonly called "booshing", is used to cut key vulnerable ships, such as logistics ships or EWAR ships, out of their accompanying fleet.
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[[Command Destroyer|(More details)]]
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=== T3 Tactical Destroyers ===
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Like T3 Strategic Cruisers, tactical destroyers are unpredictable and flexible. Unlike T3Cs, though, they can only switch between three predetermined modes, Defense, Propulsion, and Sharpshooter, rather than a wider range of possible configurations. The Amarr [[Confessor]] is tough to destroy, the Minmatar [[Svipul]] has tracking bonuses which let it gobble up small ships, the Caldari [[Jackdaw]] can achieve absurdly long ranges, and the Gallente [[Hecate]] is fast, damaging, but fragile.
  
=== T2 Destroyers: Interdictors (Dictor) ===
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[[Tactical Destroyers|(More details)]]
These are useless in high and low sec, however, when they get into 0.0, they become one of the most important ships available. Their role is launching warp disruption probes, usually called bubbles. Those probes create a warp disruption field in a 20km radius from the probe, and inside that field, nothing can warp, nomatter how many stabs they fit. Anyone trying to warp to a spot within 150 (iirc) km of the edge of the bubble will be pulled to the edge of it, although only if the bubble is in line between the 2 objects that the ship is warping between. Interdictors and HICs (heavy interdictor) are the only ships that can tackle titans and motherships.
 
  
== Cruiser Class Ships ==  
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== Cruisers ==  
  
 
=== T1 Cruisers ===
 
=== T1 Cruisers ===
Can have many roles, from mining and logistics (Osprey, Auguror, Scythe, Exequror) and electronic warfare (blackbird, bellicose, arbitrator, celestis) to pure dps (the rest basically).
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T1 cruisers have many roles, from mining and logistics (Osprey, Augoror, Scythe, Exequror) and electronic warfare (Blackbird, Bellicose, Arbitrator, Celestis) to pure DPS (basically, the rest of them). Cruiser hulls are cheap and effective, and commonly seen in PvE and PvP. [[Cruiser#T1 Cruisers|(More details)]]
  
 
=== T2 Cruisers ===
 
=== T2 Cruisers ===
 
==== Recon Ships ====  
 
==== Recon Ships ====  
These come in 2 categories, combat recons and force recons. Force recons can fit a covert ops cloak and therefore warp cloaked, while the combat recon is generally better suited for the actual combat part, either trough stronger tank, higher dps or simply better range for their electronic warfare (EW) type.
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These come in two categories, combat recons and force recons. Force recons can fit a covert ops cloak and therefore warp cloaked, while the combat recon is generally better suited for the actual combat part, either through stronger tank, higher DPS or simply better range for their electronic warfare (EW) type.
Their main purpose is EW, but what they use vary from race to race.
 
  
Amarr:
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Force recons can light a [[Jump drives#Normal Cynosural Fields|hard cyno]] and the presence of one or more on the field implicitly threatens a capital ship escalation.
Drones for dps, strongly bonused neutralizers and nosferatus in the highs, tracking disruptor bonus for reducing incoming damage. The force recon, Pilgrim, does not get a range bonus and is therefore limited to roughly 12km range with its neuts, while the Curse reach about 36km with recon 5 and best named/T2 neuts.
 
  
Minmatar:
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Combat recons are invisible to the directional scanner.
Extreme range webs (normal T2 reach about 40km with recon 5 without overheating) and strength bonused target painters. No big difference between the combat recon, Huginn, and the force recon, Rapier, except for the cloak.
 
  
Caldari:
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[[Cruiser#Recon Ships|(More details)]]
ECM only. They can break all locks a hostile ship has and keep them from starting to lock anything again for 20 seconds, however, it's chance based and depends on luck. The Rook can fit 5 missile launchers and a full flight of light drones, the Falcon can cloak, but only get 3 guns and 2 drones.
 
  
Gallente:
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==== Heavy Assault Cruisers (HAC) ====
Sensor dampening and warp disruptor/scrambler range bonus. Recon 5 give 18km scram range and 48km disruptor range without overheating (for T2 mods). Just like with minmatar, there's no big difference between the cloaky Arazu and the Lachesis.
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Extremely versatile and powerful damage-dealing ships. They combine high speed and agility with either close range fits for high DPS and decent tanks, or very long range fits -- only outranged by sniper ships using battleship guns-- which still offer good DPS and a decent [[buffer]] tank. Like Assault Frigates, HACs can mount the Assault Damage Control, letting them bump their damage resistance up to nearly 100% for brief periods. [[Cruiser#Heavy Assault Cruisers|(More details)]]
  
==== Heavy Assault Ships (HAC) ====  
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==== Heavy Interdiction Cruisers (HIC) ====  
Extremely versatile and powerful ships. They combine high speed and agility with either high dps and decent tank when in a close range setup, or very long range where only sniper battleships will be able to fire back, while still offering good dps and decent buffer when in a LR setup.
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With the exception of some T3 cruiser fits these will have better tank than any other cruiser, and match that of most battleships. Their DPS is extremely low, but their role is tackling.  
  
==== Heavy Interdictors (HIC) ====
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In 0.0 they can create a 12-20 km radius warp disruption field similar to what the light interdictors create. However, while the light interdictor can launch its bubble and then get out, and the bubble will stay there for 2 minutes anyway, the HIC has to stay where it wants its bubble to be. While the bubble is up (30 second cycle time), it can not receive any type of remote support. Its normal speed remains the same, and afterburners and MWDs will have reduced effect. In return, the HIC's mass gets reduced, so they can get up to speed and change direction extremely fast.
With the exception of some T3 cruiser setups, these will have better tank then any other cruiser, and match that of most battleships. Their dps is extremely low, but their role is tackling.  
 
  
In 0.0 they can create a 12-20 km radius warp disruption field similar to what the light interdictor create, however, while the light interdictor can launch its bubble and then get out, and the bubble will stay there for 2 minutes anyway, the HIC has to stay where it want its bubble to be, and while the bubble is up (30 second cycle time), it can not recieve any type of remote support, and while its normal speed remain the same, afterburners and microwarpdrives will have reduced effect. In return, their mass gets heavily reduced, so they can get up to speed and change direction etc extremely fast.  
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In high and low sec, the bubble can't be used, but a script allows it to work as a normal disruptor with infinite strength and 50% more range.
  
They're best used in pairs with logistics ships as backup so that 1 HIC can bubble the hostiles while the other one is being remote repped, and if the enemy starts shooting the bubbling hic, it can drop its bubble and be repped back up again while the second hic put up its bubble instead.
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[[Cruiser#Heavy Interdiction Cruisers|(More details)]]
  
The bubble can not be used in low or high sec, however, the bubble mod comes with a script.
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==== Logistics ====
 
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Each race does it a bit differently here, but overall, these ships are supposed to increase the survivability of the fleet in one way or another.  
The script increase the range of the point by 50% and allows it to be used in empire, but it comes at a price: It no longer create a bubble, but instead act like a normal warp disruptor, with the difference that no amount of stabs can counter it. Scripting it also removes all penalties caused by using it, except for the can't be RRd part, and make it use more cap/s, even though the cycle time is now only 6 seconds and it use less cap/activation.
 
 
 
If you see a hic in empire that seem to have its bubble up, don't worry though, it's just a graphical bug caused by loading the grid after the point was activated, it doesn't create an actual bubble. These are the only ships that can tackle super caps in low sec (well, in high sec too I guess, but super caps can't go there, and it has never been possible to get one in there afaik). This bug has supposedly been fixed now, but I haven't confirmed it, and you may still see it in some old videos.
 
  
==== Logistics ====
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Gallente and Amarr repair armor, Caldari and Minmatar repair shields. In addition, Gallente and Minmatar can boost fleet members' tracking, and Amarr and Caldari can add extra energy to fleet members' capacitors (which is an extremely powerful utility when two Amarr or Caldari logistics ships are used in tandem with one another). Amarr and Caldari logistics ships can form a "cap chain" in which each logi ship boosts other logi ships' capacitors; this is excellent for large gangs or fleets. The Gallente and Minmatar logistics ships function well on their own, and are meant for smaller gangs with only a few logi pilots, or even only one logi pilot.
Each race do it a bit differently here, but overall, these ships are supposed to increase the survivability of the fleet in 1 way or another.  
 
  
Gallente and Amarr repair armor, Caldari and Minmatar repair shields.
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[[Cruiser#Logistics|(More details)]]
  
Amarr and Caldari gain 2 high slots compared to Minmatar & Gallente, but lose 2 lows/mids. They also get a cap transfer bonus instead of the tracking link bonus that Gallente and Minmatar have. What this means is that Guardian (Amarr) and Basilisks (Caldari) usually use either one (Logistics V) or two (Logistics IV, don't fly a logi ship with less than that) large energy transfers in their extra highs to create cap from nowhere and some ECCM, tank and speed in the low/mid slots, which means they have to operate in groups of at least two ships, and if any of them get jammed, they both become practically useless since one is obviously jammed and can't do anything, while the other is no longer receiving the cap it needs to keep operating from its buddy.
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=== T3 Strategic Cruisers ===
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[[CCP]] deliberately designed Strategic Cruisers to be highly flexible and able to take on many roles. Depending on their fits, they can
  
Scimitar (Minmatar) and Oneiros (Gallente) doesn't have this weakness since they rely on CCC rigs and cap power relays/cap rechargers to keep themselves running with their extra lows and mids, however, that internal cap is not enough to run as many reppers as the cap transferring logistics ships can. Scimitars / Oneiros can usually run three reppers with logi 4, and four reppers with logi 5, while Basilisks / Guardians can run 4 reppers with logistics 4 and 5 reppers with logistics 5, while also keeping a stronger tank.
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* mount outsized tanks
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* travel while cloaked
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* use EWAR
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* deal high DPS
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* repair other ships
  
=== T3 Cruisers: Strategic Cruisers ===
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[[Strategic Cruisers|(More details)]]
You can't get more versatile then this. Depending on what subsystems you put on it, it can basically do anything except for bubbling. With the right sub system, you can even become immune to bubbles, which is a unique ability that no other ship has, but you can still be tackled by hics with the script in and normal disruptors/scrams. They can be fitted to use their racial warfare links with an even stronger bonus then fleet command ships (described below), but it can only fit 1 link by default. However, by fitting 2 command processors, that can be increased to 3.
 
  
== Battlecruiser Class Ships ==
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== Battlecruisers ==
  
 
=== T1 Battlecruiser (BC) ===
 
=== T1 Battlecruiser (BC) ===
Very good mix between gank, tank, agility, speed and cost. Usually short range fitted (especially harbingers due to the awesome scorch), although some people that can't afford/can't fly a heavy assault ship (hac) use them with a long range fit.  
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Standard battlecruisers mount medium-sized weapon systems, like cruisers, but with bonuses extending their reach. These battlecruisers represent a good balance of speed, tank, damage potential, SP requirements, and cost, making them popular for PvP and for Level 3 missions. They can mount [[Command Bursts]] with bonuses for their use, making them popular additions to small PvP gangs.
  
HACs are way better for that role though, with better dps and range, so experienced pilots usually do not have a reason to use a LR fit on it since most of them can also fly hacs, and therefore only use the BCs for close range stuff.  
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Attack battlecruisers can fit large-sized weapon systems, but have fragile tanks. They are often used as snipers. The [[Tornado]] is often used for suicide ganking because it can mount a battleship-sized artillery alpha strike on a cheaper hull.
  
BCs also have the ability to fit a single warfare link, which can give extra bonuses to your gang. This will be described more closely in the next section.
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[[Battlecruisers#Tech 1 Battlecruisers|(More details)]]
  
 
=== T2 Battlecruisers ===
 
=== T2 Battlecruisers ===
 
==== Command Ships (CS) ====  
 
==== Command Ships (CS) ====  
These come in two classes, field command ships, which are basically just a stronger version of the T1 BC with a bit more dps and tank and better resists, and fleet command ships. Fleet command ships get a bonus to their racial warfare links, and in general have extremely good tanks with great resists. The racial links are: Armor for Amarr, Shield for Caldari, Skirmish for Minmatar and Information for Gallente, and there are 3 types of links in each class. If the command ship is in a leadership position in the fleet, everyone below him in the command chain (including normal members) get the following bonus, assuming the command chain is  complete (for example, if the CS is wing commander, and there are no squad commanders, or more squads then the CS can handle with its current wing commander level, no bonuses will be applied).
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These come in two classes, field command ships, which are basically just a stronger version of the T1 BC with a bit more DPS and tank and better resists, and fleet command ships. Fleet command ships get a bonus to their racial Command Bursts, can mount at least 2 bursts, and in general have extremely good tanks with great resists. They are excellent, but SP-intensive, force multipliers.
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[[Battlecruiser#Tech 2 BBattlecruisers: Command_Ships|(More details)]]
  
Armor/Shield links:
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== Battleships (BSs, BBs) ==
# Armor/shield resist bonus (stacking penalized with resist mods on the ship)
 
# Armor/shield repper (both local and remote) cycle time reduction
 
# Armor/shield repper (both local and remote) cap use reduction (combine 2 and 3 to get RRs with lower cycle time, but same cap use/second as before)
 
  
Skirmish:
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=== T1 Battleship ===
# Increase speed mod of afterburners and MWDs, so you go faster with them activated.
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The heaviest subcapitals, with great potential buffer tanks and very high DPS when close-range fitted. Long range fits have the best range in the game, while still maintaining good DPS. Some notably unusual battleships are the Caldari [[Scorpion]], which is the only T1 electronic warfare BS, and uses ECM; the Gallente [[Dominix]] and Amarr [[Armageddon]], which are bonused for drones (and in the 'geddon's case, neutralizers); and the Minmatar [[Typhoon]], which can go surprisingly fast.
# Increase the range of warp disruptors/scramblers and webs. HIC points do not receive this bonus.
 
# Lower signature radius of all ships in gang, making them harder to hit and lock.
 
  
Information:
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Battleships' weaknesses are low speed and agility combined with slow locking speed (low scan resolution) and trouble applying their high DPS potential to smaller targets. Battleships are also currently (fall 2021) expensive to build, limiting their deployment in PvP.
# Boost the strength of EW mods, like ecm and damps
 
# Increase range of EW mods
 
# Increase sensor strength (make it harder to jam them, I think it's stacking penalized with ECCM)
 
  
The links themselves only give a 2 or 3% boost, but that can be increased ALLOT by training relevant skills, fitting it on the fleet command ship (or a T3 ship with the proper subs, as described above, or to a titan, described below), and by using the racial mind link implant. With all that taken into account, a 2% bonus is increased to 26%, and a 3% bonus become a 39% bonus. That probably make it obvious why fleet command ships can have such a huge impact on the outcome of the battle, despite doing very low dps.
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[[Battleship#Tech 1 Battleships|(More details)]]
  
== Battleship Class Ships ==
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=== T2 Battleships ===
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Both types of T2 battleship effectively squeeze one capital ship function into a subcapital hull. Marauders are stable-point damage-dealers like dreadnoughts, and Black Ops battleships can create cyno bridges.
  
=== T1 Battleship (BS) ===  
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==== Marauders ====
You can't get heavier then this and still stay in sub capital ships, although there are of course variations. Great buffer tanks, very high dps when close range fitted, long range fits have the best range in the game, while still maintaining good dps (usually Apoc, Mega, Maelstrom/Tempest and Rokh, however, Mega and Mael/Tempest can also be close range fitted and still perform better then/as well as the other BS of their race). One notable exception here: The Caldari Scorpion, which is the only T1 EW BS, and use ECM.  
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All four [[Marauder]]s are very tough, high-damage platforms popular for high-level PvE combat. They have bonuses which let them fit fewer weapons, and more utility high slot modules. They can enter Bastion Mode, which immobilizes them but hardens their defenses and boosts their damage.
  
The battleships weakness is low speed and agility combined with slow lock speed and bad tracking, so it's hard to force an opponent in smaller ships to engage if the odds are in your favor, or to actually kill them since you'll be missing allot if you do get a fight.
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Although the Marauders are most commonly seen in PvE, they are sometimes encountered in PvP. The Minmatar [[Vargur]], in particular, can be a difficult PvP opponent.
  
=== T2 Battleships ===
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[[Battleship#Marauders|(More details)]]
==== Marauders ====
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These are basically PVE only ships. Decent dps and good local tank, but in PVP you generally want a buffer tank instead, and marauders have very low sensor strength, making them easy to jam. However, the Paladin and Kronos can be situationally useful if you really need a target webbed down as much as possible, and don't mind using a ship worth over half a bill that's not insurable, since they both get a 50% bonus to web strength, so a T2 web reduce the targets speed by 90%. I've only seen this used by one person, and that was on the Tama station since it's a kickout to prevent people from getting back in dock range, and that was with carrier support just in case.
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==== Black Ops (BO, Blops) ====
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These are the big brothers of the force recon ships but, while they do get bonus to how fast they move while cloaked (which actually means that they'll move faster when cloaked than when not cloaked with the BO skill at a decent level), they can't fit a covert ops cloak and warp while cloaked. They cost about 700m or so before fittings, so they aren't casually risked in combat.
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However, they do have a very useful role to play in PvP: the covert jump bridge. Covert cyno fields can be lit even in cyno jammed 0.0 systems and don't appear as a beacon in the entire system like a normal cyno. A BO battleship  can then lock onto a covert cyno and create a bridge to it, which then allows other covert ops ships (any ship that get a bonus to cloaking, including T3 cruisers with the cloaking sub) to jump.
  
They're even less useful now that Blood Raider and Serpentis ships get a 10% bonus/level of minmatarr frigate/cruiser/battleship depending on which class it is, which also adds up to a total of 50% bonus at level 5.
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A common tactic is to have a T3C or Force Recon tackle a juicy target, and then light a covert ops cyno so a Blops battleship can bridge in a force of stealth bombers to atomise the enemy.
  
==== Black Ops (BO) ====
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[[Battleship#Black_Ops|(More details)]]
These are the big brothers of the recon ships, however, while they do get bonus to how fast they move while cloaked (which actually means that they'll move faster when cloaked than when not cloaked with the BO skill at a decent level), but they cost about 700m or so before fittings, so they're not really worth the risk of bringing it into combat. Despite that though, they do have a very useful role to play in PVP: the covert jump bridge. Covert cyno fields can now be lit even in cyno jammed 0.0 systems and doesn't appear as a beacon in the entire system like a normal cyno, and a black ops can then lock on to that field and create a bridge to it, which then allows other covert ops ships (aka any ship that get a bonus to cloaking, including T3 cruisers with the cloaking sub) to right click the BO and click jump to the system the bridge was set up to, so it basically becomes a 1 way stargate. However, only BOs, recons and cov ops can fit and light covert cynos.
 
  
 
== Capital Ships ==
 
== Capital Ships ==
Capital ships, aka dreads, carriers, supercarriers ("motherships"), titans and rorquals (although the last one isn't a combat ship) can't use gates, and the supercarriers+titans can't even dock. Instead they use their own jump drive to travel around, but in order to do that, they require fuel (racial isotopes, helium for amarr, oxygen for gallente and the rorqual, nitrogen for caldari and hydrogen for minmatar) and a cynosural field to jump to. Those cyno fields can be created in 2 ways, either by anchoring and onlining a cyno gen pos mod which will always be online and available for use for the corp/alliance the POS belongs to, however it requires the corp/alliance to have the relevant upgrades installed to the hub in the system before it can be used, and it's impossible to have both that and a cyno jammer online in the same system. Jump freighters and black ops also require a cyno field to use their jump drive, but they have the ability to use gates aswell, and black ops can lock on to a covert cyno field too, which is an unique ability for them.
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Capital ships -- dreadnoughts, carriers, supercarriers ("motherships"), titans and Rorquals (the last one isn't a combat ship) -- can't use gates, and the supercarriers and titans can't even dock. Instead they use their own jump drive to travel around. In order to do that, they require fuel (racial isotopes, helium for Amarr, oxygen for Gallente and the rorqual, nitrogen for Caldari and hydrogen for Minmatar) and a cynosural field to jump to.
  
Cynos can not be lit in high sec, so capitals can't go there, however, it was once possible to build capitals there, so there are still a few that never jumped out of the system they were built in. If they ever do jump out, they will never be able to return. However, they are not allowed to be used for anything that gives the owner any kind of advantage compared to someone that does not own a high sec capital ship, and durpng wars, they're not even allowed to undock. If the pilot break these rules, he or she will recieve a temporary ban, and the capital ship will be moved to a station in a nearby low sec system.
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Those cyno fields can be created in two ways. One can be created by anchoring and onlining a cyno generator POS mod. This will always be online and available for use for the corp/alliance the POS belongs to, but requires the corp/alliance to have the relevant upgrades installed in the system before it can be used, and cannot be online at the same time as a cyno jammer in the same system. Alternatively, a Cynosural Field Generator module can be mounted on a ship (usually a throwaway frigate) which can then 'light' a cyno in any system which doesn't have an online cyno jammer. [[Capital Ship|(More details)]]
  
 
=== Dreadnoughts (Dread) ===
 
=== Dreadnoughts (Dread) ===
If you want pure dps, this used to be as good as it gets, but they have now been surpassed by supercarriers doing 8k dps (10k for the nyx) with max skills and a full flight of fighter bombers, and Titans which can reach similar dps numbers as dreads, but also get a super gun that does 3m damage/shot, but can only be fired once every 10 minutes. Dreads do amazing damage, and can reach almost 5k dps when in siege even in a long range fit. When not sieged though, they generally just match a BS. Their tracking though is extremely bad, so they can basically only hit other caps and POSs/outposts, unless the target isn't moving at all. The exception is the moros, which gets an awesome 50%/level bonus to drone damage and hitpoints, so the drones are lethal for any size of ships, but especially frigs. 5 T2 warriors with a 250% damage bonus before counting drone interfacing and stuff like that will kill any frig, except possibly for an AF (but that will die pretty fast too), in almost no time at all.
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For pure DPS this used to be as good as it gets, though they have now been surpassed by supercarriers doing 8k DPS (10k for the Nyx), and Titans which can reach similar DPS numbers as dreads, but also get the doomsday device. Dreads can reach almost 5k DPS when in siege mode even in a long range fit. When not sieged, though, they generally just match a BS. Their weapons' tracking is extremely bad, so they can basically only hit other caps and POSs/outposts, unless the target isn't moving at all. [[Capital_Ship#Dreadnoughts|(More details)]]
  
The effects of the siege mod (which only dreads can fit) when activated, are:
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=== Force Auxiliaries ("FAX") ===
* -75% scan res
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These are giant logistics platforms, with bonuses to either shield or armor repairs depending on race. The Amarrian Apostle and the Gallentean Ninazu are armor logistics platforms, while the Caldari Minokawa and the Minmatar Lif are shield logisitcs platforms. They can carry some drones, but unlike the triage-fit carriers they superseded, cannot carry and launch fighters. They are the only ships that can fit the Triage module, which enhances their remote repair ability and makes them immune to electronic warfare.
* +625% damage mod
 
* -50% tracking
 
* -60% explosion velocity
 
* -100% speed
 
* +100% shield boost/armor rep amount
 
* -50% shield booster/armor rep cycle time
 
* Can't recieve remote support
 
* Immunity to EW
 
* Max amount of targets lockable set to 2
 
 
 
Cycle time is 10 minutes and require 500 - (level of tactical weapon reconfiguration skill)*50 strontium clathrates (stront), during that time you can't move in any way, not even by warping/jumping out.
 
  
 
=== Carriers ===
 
=== Carriers ===
These are giant logistics platforms. They have the ability to store 1.000.000 m3 of '''assembled''' ships in their ship maintenance bay so that people that lose their ship can quickly pick up a new one, and other ships from your corp (or fleet if you have configured your carrier for that) can use you to refit in space. They get a 50%/level range bonus to 2 of the following, varying depending on which racial carrier it is: Capital energy transfer, capital shield transporter and capital remote armor repairers. The amarr archon get cap transfer and armor rep, the gallente thanathos and minmatar nidhoggur get shield and armor and the caldari chimera get cap transfer and shield. In addition to that, all carriers get an additional 5%/level bonus to the following: the Chimera and Archon get a resist bonus (armor for Archon, shield for Chimera), the Nidhoggur get a capital remote rep amount bonus and the Thanatos get a fighter damage bonus. All carriers get the ability to control one extra drone in addition to the normal 5/level of racial carrier and the ability to use fighters (but not fighter bombers). They can't fit any guns or launchers at all, so the high slots are usually used for neuts, smartbombs (drone/small ship defense) and remote reps.
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These are giant [[fighter]] DPS platforms. They have the ability to store 1.000.000 m3 of ''assembled'' ships in their ship maintenance bay so that people that lose their ship can quickly pick up a new one, and other ships from their corp (or fleet if the carrier's configured for that) can use them to refit in space.
However, just like dreads, carriers also get a special module that only they can fit (5 minute cycle): the triage module.  
 
  
The effects of it are:
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In addition to that, all carriers get an additional 5%/level bonus to the following: Carriers can use fighters, and for every level of the racial carrier skill all carriers can control one extra drone or fighter in addition to the normal five. They can't fit any guns or launchers at all, so the high slots are usually used for neuts, smartbombs (drone/small ship defense).
* -100% speed
 
* -100% amount of drones controllable
 
* +900% scan res
 
* +4 max targets
 
* +100% shield boost/armor rep amount (both local and remote)
 
* -50% shield booster/armor repper cycle time (both local and remote)
 
* +100% remote hull rep/cap transfer amount
 
* -50% remote hull rep/cap transer cycle time
 
* +9999900% EW cap use (all EW mods will therefore take more cap then the ship could ever get, making them impossible to use)
 
* Immune to EW
 
* Can't recieve remote support
 
* Can't jump out or warp away
 
  
The triage mod also use stront, just like the siege mod. The amount used per cycle is 250 - 25 * (level of tactical logistics reconfiguration).
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Just like dreadnoughts' siege modules, carriers also get a special module that only they can fit: the networked sensor array. [[Capital_Ship#Carriers|(More details)]]
Carriers and supercarriers can also use warfare links, but just like with battlecruisers and field command ships, they don't get a ship bonus to strength.
 
  
=== Supercarriers ("Motherships", MS) ===
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=== Supercarriers ("Supers") ===
A larger carrier with the ability to use fighter bombers, greatly increasing their dps to roughly twice as much as a sieged dread with a full flight of bombers and max skills. It gets +3 drones/carrier level instead of 1, but it can't dock and it has shorter jump range (equivalent to a dread/jump freighter). However, it is no longer able to triage, but they're always immune to EW anyway due to being a super capital. They can only be tackled by dictors and HICs (well, and anchorable bubbles I guess, but that's not practical due to the anchoring time required before they activate combined with limited range).
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A larger carrier with the ability to use fighter bombers, greatly increasing their DPS to roughly twice as much as a sieged dread with a full flight of bombers and max skills. These get +3 drones/carrier level instead of 1, but can't dock and have shorter jump range (equivalent to a dread/jump freighter). Supercarriers can't enter triage mode, but are permanently immune to electronic warfare anyway. They can only be tackled by [[interdictor]]s and [[Heavy Interdictors|heavy interdictors]] (and anchorable bubbles, but that's not practical due to the anchoring time required before they activate combined with limited range). [[Capital_Ship#Supercarriers|(More details)]]
  
 
=== Titans ===
 
=== Titans ===
Like supercarriers, they are immune to EW and can only be tackled by dictors and hics. They're all able to fit and activate the largest and most lethal gun in the game: a doomsday device, which does 2-3m damage depending on skills, but can only be fired once/10 minutes, cost 50k racial isotopes to activate, and prevents the titan from moving at all for 30 seconds and it can't use its jump drive for 10 minutes. Activating it takes 10 seconds, so you have some time to get out before the damage is applied, and the range of it is 250 km (aka the hard coded max lock range, nothing can do damage at longer range then that). Titans can also fit a jump bridge module, which works in a similar way to the cov ops jump bridge described above that the black ops use, but this one can bridge any type of ship, has longer range and can only lock on to normal cynos, not cov ops ones. They have bonuses to their racial capital weapons, and after dominion, most titans actually fit them and take part in capital fights. The doomsday device create a very effective counter against people playing docking games with capitals, the 3m damage it does is enough to kill any capital that is not either tanked specifically for that damage type (which is a stupid thing to do, unless you know that a specific titan is ready to jump in and DD someone and want to bait it) or fitted for max ehp. It is possible to tank a capital against every type of DD at once, but it requires completely gimping the fit, loosing damage and range mods on a dread, or the vital cap recharge on a carrier, combined with good leadership bonuses and preferably slave implants. Titans also have the ability to give out great leadership bonuses, even if they don't have any warfare links fitted (they are able to fit 1/titan skill level). Depending on the race of the titan, it gives out 7.5%/titan skill level to armor amount for gallente, shield amount for caldari, cap recharge for amarr and signature radius for minmatar.
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Like supercarriers, these are immune to EW and can only be tackled by dictors and HICs. They're all able to fit and activate the largest and most lethal gun in the game: a doomsday device, which does 2-3m damage depending on skills, but can only be fired once every 10 minutes, costs 50k racial isotopes to activate, prevents the titan from moving at all for 30 seconds and from using its jump drive for 10 minutes. Activating a doomsday device takes 10 seconds, so targets have some time to get out before the damage is applied. Its  range is 250 km (the hard-coded max lock range -- nothing can do damage at longer range than that).
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Titans can also fit a jump bridge module, which works in a similar way to the cov ops jump bridge described above that the black ops use, but can bridge any type of ship, has longer range and can only lock on to normal cynos, not cov ops ones. [[Capital_Ship#Titans|(More details)]]
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=== Capital Industrial Ship: The Rorqual ===
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This ship is primarily intended for mining support with its huge tractor beam range and speed, ability to fit bonused mining leadership links and ability to compress ore. However, it does have a 50%/level range bonus to capital shield transfers, and a 20%/level drone damage bonus, so while it's not intended as a PvP ship, some people have been known to use it for that. [[Capital_Ship#Capital_Industrial_Ships|(More details)]]
  
== Capital Industrial Ships: Rorqual ==
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[[Category:Ships]]
This ship is primarily intended for mining support with its huge tractor beam range and speed, ability to fit bonused mining leadership links and ability to compress ore. However, it does have a 50%/level range bonus to capital shield transfers, and a 20%/level drone damage bonus, so while it's not intended as a PVP ship, some people have been known to use it for that.
 

Latest revision as of 13:37, 6 July 2024

This page gives a brief overview of the abilities of each ship class, with a particular focus on PvP. It is intended to give an overall overview by ship class, not ship type. Learning what every ship type can do becomes necessary as you advance in your PVP career, but as a starting point it is good to have a general sense of each ship class's capacities.

For more in-depth ship information, look at some of the other pages in the Ships Category, or click the "More Details" link at the end of each section.

Frigates

T1 Frigates

These will often just be tacklers. Point, web, speed mod, overdrives etc in lows & mids, irrelevant DPS or NOS etc in highs. The Minmatar Slasher can achieve very impressive speeds for a basic tackling hull. T1 frigates can also use EWAR; the Griffin, Maulus, and Crucifier, in particular, can have a significant battlefield impact.

A group of T1 frigates, or one motivated pilot with time to work in, can take down a larger ship, though. The Caldari Merlin is tough and can put out surprising hybrid turret DPS. The Gallente Tristan can field a full flight of (potentially T2) drones.

Some pirate frigates are very powerful opponents. The Worm is extremely tough and puts out good DPS; the Dramiel is very fast indeed; the Garmur points and kites at irritatingly long ranges.

(More details)

T2 Frigates

Interceptors (Inty / 'ceptor)

Main article: Interceptors

These are often primary tacklers. They have the highest scan resolution of any class, and only Vigils) can match their speed.

Their main purpose is tackling, and that's what they do best, but many interceptors can also be refit to be effective combat ships in an interceptor-only gang. Their firepower and tank will be low compared to other types of ships, but they have the advantage of very high speed (even when tank & gank are fitted) and awesome agility.

A typical tackling interceptor will hold point at you from a long distance. If the pilot wants to turn off your MWD or MJD, they will spiral in for a "scram-pass", in which they slide past you, briefly warp scramble you, and then coast out of your own scram/web range using their high starting speed.


Covert Ops

These can warp cloaked, and are used as scouts and for probing stuff down. Can also be used for tackling stuff it has scouted/probed out, but that's only for experienced people that know what they can and can't hold long enough for help to arrive, and which targets are worth the risk. (More details)

Stealth Bombers (SB)

Super high DPS/alpha frigates that can warp cloaked and doesn't have a sensor recalibration delay after decloaking. In 0.0, they can also launch bombs (basically a large, ranged, higher damage smartbomb). They have trouble hitting small targets with their torpedoes, though. (More Details)

Electronic Attack Ships (EAS)

These vary a lot from race to race. Basically, they are frigate-sized versions of the combat recons that will be described below. (More details) Of particular note are the Kitsune, which can provide powerful ECM jamming, and the Keres, which can point from long ranges and delete an opponent's targeting range.

Assault Frigates (AS / AF)

High tank, usually high DPS frigates. If you get tackled by one of these, you're generally not going anywhere: they're a pain to get rid of when properly fitted. Their disadvantage compared to interceptors is that they're slower.

The Jaguar is a particularly popular tackling AF. The Wolf, Retribution and Enyo can muster particularly high DPS, and sometimes a gang can be just armor-tanked examples of these ships backed up by T2 logistics frigates.

Assault Frigates can fit the Assault Damage Control, which lets them bump their damage resistances up to nearly 100% for a brief moment.

(More details)

Destroyers

T1 Destroyers

Anti-frigate ships. Very good tracking, lots of small guns, but a frigate-level tank with a near-cruiser-sized footprint on enemy targeting sensors.

Destroyers can chew quickly through most L1 missions. Some mission-runnerss use them as cheap salvaging vessels. Due to its many high slots many salvagers and tractor beams can be fitted on a low cost ship where no other qualities are required. Most Destroyers feature enough CPU to mount multiple mining lasers, turning the destroyer into a small mining vessel that can easily rival the Procurer for mining efficiency, if not for cargo capacity.

In PvP T1 destroyers are used in situations which call for cheap, expendable, mobile DPS. (More details)

T2 Destroyers

Interdictors ('Dictors)

These ships are of greatly reduced value in high and low sec, becoming mere gunboats or missile ships in most cases; however, in nullsec they become one of the most important ships available. Their role is launching warp disruption probes, usually called bubbles. Inside a bubble, nothing can warp, no matter how many stabilizers they fit. Anyone trying to warp to a spot within or close to the bubble will be pulled to the edge of it, although only if the bubble is in line between the two objects that the ship warps between. Interdictors and HICs (heavy interdiction cruisers) are the only ships that can tackle Titans and Supercarriers. (More details)

Command Destroyers

Like their bigger siblings, the Command Ships, these are tough ships with the ability to grant bonuses to their fleetmates. They also have the unique ability to use Micro Jump Field Generators, which let them grab every ship in a 6 km radius and blink all of those ships 100 km away. This ability, commonly called "booshing", is used to cut key vulnerable ships, such as logistics ships or EWAR ships, out of their accompanying fleet.

(More details)

T3 Tactical Destroyers

Like T3 Strategic Cruisers, tactical destroyers are unpredictable and flexible. Unlike T3Cs, though, they can only switch between three predetermined modes, Defense, Propulsion, and Sharpshooter, rather than a wider range of possible configurations. The Amarr Confessor is tough to destroy, the Minmatar Svipul has tracking bonuses which let it gobble up small ships, the Caldari Jackdaw can achieve absurdly long ranges, and the Gallente Hecate is fast, damaging, but fragile.

(More details)

Cruisers

T1 Cruisers

T1 cruisers have many roles, from mining and logistics (Osprey, Augoror, Scythe, Exequror) and electronic warfare (Blackbird, Bellicose, Arbitrator, Celestis) to pure DPS (basically, the rest of them). Cruiser hulls are cheap and effective, and commonly seen in PvE and PvP. (More details)

T2 Cruisers

Recon Ships

These come in two categories, combat recons and force recons. Force recons can fit a covert ops cloak and therefore warp cloaked, while the combat recon is generally better suited for the actual combat part, either through stronger tank, higher DPS or simply better range for their electronic warfare (EW) type.

Force recons can light a hard cyno and the presence of one or more on the field implicitly threatens a capital ship escalation.

Combat recons are invisible to the directional scanner.

(More details)

Heavy Assault Cruisers (HAC)

Extremely versatile and powerful damage-dealing ships. They combine high speed and agility with either close range fits for high DPS and decent tanks, or very long range fits -- only outranged by sniper ships using battleship guns-- which still offer good DPS and a decent buffer tank. Like Assault Frigates, HACs can mount the Assault Damage Control, letting them bump their damage resistance up to nearly 100% for brief periods. (More details)

Heavy Interdiction Cruisers (HIC)

With the exception of some T3 cruiser fits these will have better tank than any other cruiser, and match that of most battleships. Their DPS is extremely low, but their role is tackling.

In 0.0 they can create a 12-20 km radius warp disruption field similar to what the light interdictors create. However, while the light interdictor can launch its bubble and then get out, and the bubble will stay there for 2 minutes anyway, the HIC has to stay where it wants its bubble to be. While the bubble is up (30 second cycle time), it can not receive any type of remote support. Its normal speed remains the same, and afterburners and MWDs will have reduced effect. In return, the HIC's mass gets reduced, so they can get up to speed and change direction extremely fast.

In high and low sec, the bubble can't be used, but a script allows it to work as a normal disruptor with infinite strength and 50% more range.

(More details)

Logistics

Each race does it a bit differently here, but overall, these ships are supposed to increase the survivability of the fleet in one way or another.

Gallente and Amarr repair armor, Caldari and Minmatar repair shields. In addition, Gallente and Minmatar can boost fleet members' tracking, and Amarr and Caldari can add extra energy to fleet members' capacitors (which is an extremely powerful utility when two Amarr or Caldari logistics ships are used in tandem with one another). Amarr and Caldari logistics ships can form a "cap chain" in which each logi ship boosts other logi ships' capacitors; this is excellent for large gangs or fleets. The Gallente and Minmatar logistics ships function well on their own, and are meant for smaller gangs with only a few logi pilots, or even only one logi pilot.

(More details)

T3 Strategic Cruisers

CCP deliberately designed Strategic Cruisers to be highly flexible and able to take on many roles. Depending on their fits, they can

  • mount outsized tanks
  • travel while cloaked
  • use EWAR
  • deal high DPS
  • repair other ships

(More details)

Battlecruisers

T1 Battlecruiser (BC)

Standard battlecruisers mount medium-sized weapon systems, like cruisers, but with bonuses extending their reach. These battlecruisers represent a good balance of speed, tank, damage potential, SP requirements, and cost, making them popular for PvP and for Level 3 missions. They can mount Command Bursts with bonuses for their use, making them popular additions to small PvP gangs.

Attack battlecruisers can fit large-sized weapon systems, but have fragile tanks. They are often used as snipers. The Tornado is often used for suicide ganking because it can mount a battleship-sized artillery alpha strike on a cheaper hull.

(More details)

T2 Battlecruisers

Command Ships (CS)

These come in two classes, field command ships, which are basically just a stronger version of the T1 BC with a bit more DPS and tank and better resists, and fleet command ships. Fleet command ships get a bonus to their racial Command Bursts, can mount at least 2 bursts, and in general have extremely good tanks with great resists. They are excellent, but SP-intensive, force multipliers.

(More details)

Battleships (BSs, BBs)

T1 Battleship

The heaviest subcapitals, with great potential buffer tanks and very high DPS when close-range fitted. Long range fits have the best range in the game, while still maintaining good DPS. Some notably unusual battleships are the Caldari Scorpion, which is the only T1 electronic warfare BS, and uses ECM; the Gallente Dominix and Amarr Armageddon, which are bonused for drones (and in the 'geddon's case, neutralizers); and the Minmatar Typhoon, which can go surprisingly fast.

Battleships' weaknesses are low speed and agility combined with slow locking speed (low scan resolution) and trouble applying their high DPS potential to smaller targets. Battleships are also currently (fall 2021) expensive to build, limiting their deployment in PvP.

(More details)

T2 Battleships

Both types of T2 battleship effectively squeeze one capital ship function into a subcapital hull. Marauders are stable-point damage-dealers like dreadnoughts, and Black Ops battleships can create cyno bridges.

Marauders

All four Marauders are very tough, high-damage platforms popular for high-level PvE combat. They have bonuses which let them fit fewer weapons, and more utility high slot modules. They can enter Bastion Mode, which immobilizes them but hardens their defenses and boosts their damage.

Although the Marauders are most commonly seen in PvE, they are sometimes encountered in PvP. The Minmatar Vargur, in particular, can be a difficult PvP opponent.

(More details)

Black Ops (BO, Blops)

These are the big brothers of the force recon ships but, while they do get bonus to how fast they move while cloaked (which actually means that they'll move faster when cloaked than when not cloaked with the BO skill at a decent level), they can't fit a covert ops cloak and warp while cloaked. They cost about 700m or so before fittings, so they aren't casually risked in combat.

However, they do have a very useful role to play in PvP: the covert jump bridge. Covert cyno fields can be lit even in cyno jammed 0.0 systems and don't appear as a beacon in the entire system like a normal cyno. A BO battleship can then lock onto a covert cyno and create a bridge to it, which then allows other covert ops ships (any ship that get a bonus to cloaking, including T3 cruisers with the cloaking sub) to jump.

A common tactic is to have a T3C or Force Recon tackle a juicy target, and then light a covert ops cyno so a Blops battleship can bridge in a force of stealth bombers to atomise the enemy.

(More details)

Capital Ships

Capital ships -- dreadnoughts, carriers, supercarriers ("motherships"), titans and Rorquals (the last one isn't a combat ship) -- can't use gates, and the supercarriers and titans can't even dock. Instead they use their own jump drive to travel around. In order to do that, they require fuel (racial isotopes, helium for Amarr, oxygen for Gallente and the rorqual, nitrogen for Caldari and hydrogen for Minmatar) and a cynosural field to jump to.

Those cyno fields can be created in two ways. One can be created by anchoring and onlining a cyno generator POS mod. This will always be online and available for use for the corp/alliance the POS belongs to, but requires the corp/alliance to have the relevant upgrades installed in the system before it can be used, and cannot be online at the same time as a cyno jammer in the same system. Alternatively, a Cynosural Field Generator module can be mounted on a ship (usually a throwaway frigate) which can then 'light' a cyno in any system which doesn't have an online cyno jammer. (More details)

Dreadnoughts (Dread)

For pure DPS this used to be as good as it gets, though they have now been surpassed by supercarriers doing 8k DPS (10k for the Nyx), and Titans which can reach similar DPS numbers as dreads, but also get the doomsday device. Dreads can reach almost 5k DPS when in siege mode even in a long range fit. When not sieged, though, they generally just match a BS. Their weapons' tracking is extremely bad, so they can basically only hit other caps and POSs/outposts, unless the target isn't moving at all. (More details)

Force Auxiliaries ("FAX")

These are giant logistics platforms, with bonuses to either shield or armor repairs depending on race. The Amarrian Apostle and the Gallentean Ninazu are armor logistics platforms, while the Caldari Minokawa and the Minmatar Lif are shield logisitcs platforms. They can carry some drones, but unlike the triage-fit carriers they superseded, cannot carry and launch fighters. They are the only ships that can fit the Triage module, which enhances their remote repair ability and makes them immune to electronic warfare.

Carriers

These are giant fighter DPS platforms. They have the ability to store 1.000.000 m3 of assembled ships in their ship maintenance bay so that people that lose their ship can quickly pick up a new one, and other ships from their corp (or fleet if the carrier's configured for that) can use them to refit in space.

In addition to that, all carriers get an additional 5%/level bonus to the following: Carriers can use fighters, and for every level of the racial carrier skill all carriers can control one extra drone or fighter in addition to the normal five. They can't fit any guns or launchers at all, so the high slots are usually used for neuts, smartbombs (drone/small ship defense).

Just like dreadnoughts' siege modules, carriers also get a special module that only they can fit: the networked sensor array. (More details)

Supercarriers ("Supers")

A larger carrier with the ability to use fighter bombers, greatly increasing their DPS to roughly twice as much as a sieged dread with a full flight of bombers and max skills. These get +3 drones/carrier level instead of 1, but can't dock and have shorter jump range (equivalent to a dread/jump freighter). Supercarriers can't enter triage mode, but are permanently immune to electronic warfare anyway. They can only be tackled by interdictors and heavy interdictors (and anchorable bubbles, but that's not practical due to the anchoring time required before they activate combined with limited range). (More details)

Titans

Like supercarriers, these are immune to EW and can only be tackled by dictors and HICs. They're all able to fit and activate the largest and most lethal gun in the game: a doomsday device, which does 2-3m damage depending on skills, but can only be fired once every 10 minutes, costs 50k racial isotopes to activate, prevents the titan from moving at all for 30 seconds and from using its jump drive for 10 minutes. Activating a doomsday device takes 10 seconds, so targets have some time to get out before the damage is applied. Its range is 250 km (the hard-coded max lock range -- nothing can do damage at longer range than that).

Titans can also fit a jump bridge module, which works in a similar way to the cov ops jump bridge described above that the black ops use, but can bridge any type of ship, has longer range and can only lock on to normal cynos, not cov ops ones. (More details)

Capital Industrial Ship: The Rorqual

This ship is primarily intended for mining support with its huge tractor beam range and speed, ability to fit bonused mining leadership links and ability to compress ore. However, it does have a 50%/level range bonus to capital shield transfers, and a 20%/level drone damage bonus, so while it's not intended as a PvP ship, some people have been known to use it for that. (More details)