Passive shield tanking
- The article covers the use of shields as a passive tanking strategy. As such, it focuses on the advantages of passive tanking and the process of fitting a ship to use a passive tank. It assumes that the reader knows the fundamental principles of how shields work.
The Basics
This section gives a quick overview of passive shield tanking techniques. A more detailed discussion follows.
There are three fundamental approaches to shield tanking:
- Active – uses modules that draw on the ship's capacitor to improve shield performance,
- Passive – prefers modules that do not draw on the ship's capacitor; mostly to improve shield recharge rate,
- Buffer – prefers modules that do not draw on the ship's capacitor; mostly to increase the shield's capacity and resistance.
These are discussed and compared in the E-UNI course on Shield Tanking. Passive Tanking is discussed in detail in this article.
When to Use Shields
The general article on Shields covers the advantages and disadvantages of shields as a means of defense. Shields and armor should NEVER be mixed in tanking for combat. In general, you should consider a shield tank whenever one or more of these conditions holds true:
- your ship has a bonus that favors shields over armor,
- your ship has a shortage of low slots or a surplus of mid slots,
- you need to favor modules that improve weaponry (which tend to fill low slots),
- you have less need for modules that support tackling and scanning (which tend to fill mid slots),
- your skills are biased towards shields.
The Passive Tank
The Passive approach to shield tanking:
- depends on the natural recharge rate of the shield
- uses modules and rigs that boost the recharge rate
- uses modules that increase the capacity of the shield, which in turn also boosts the recharge rate
- prefers modules that do not draw power from the capacitor.
The pilot should keep in mind that a shield tank is a defense. The ship has a purpose, and resources in support of that purpose must also be fitted. Too much defense can be as much of a mistake as too little.
Strategy
To construct a shielding system that will grow back at least as fast as it takes damage. This approach will works best in situations where damage is more or less constant, or growing slowly, preferably over a longer period of time. It will also work in situations where the pilot can remove the ship from combat periodically to let the shields recharge.
Tactics
These methods either limit damage to a manageble amount, or they provide time for the shield to rebuild itself.
- Kiting: by running from the enemy, and stringing them out "like the tail on a kite", and then slowing to match their speed, the pilot brings the enemy ships in one at a time, thus keeping shield damage constant.
- Long range combat: by using speed to stay beyond the range of enemy ships, and applying long range weaponry, the pilot keeps shield damage low.
- Acton breaks: through "hit and run" attacks, or by means of natural breaks in the fighting, the pilot allows the shields time to rebuild.
The Details
A passive shield tank fit wants to meet the goals listed above. On the other hand various other concerns, including such as stacking penalties, pilot skill levels, and power slot availability will impact on the final choice of modules and rigs.
Shield Recharge Rate
As you know, the Shield Regeneration Rate increases by more than double, based on Shield Capacity, as the shield takes damage. Since this change is a percentage, a ship that starts with a higher average regeneration rate will get a bigger boost in its optimum rate. In addition, since the shield regeneration time is constant, a larger shield will regenerate faster. What this means in practice is that modules that increase the shield capacity also increase its regeneration rate.
For example, these are all Caldari ships. Many Caldari ships prefer shield tanks.
| Ship Type | Shield Capacity (hp) | Shield Regeneration Time (sec) | Average Regeneration Rate (C/T) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frigate Kestrel | 500 | 650 | 1.3 |
| Destroyer Corax | 950 | 625 | 1.5 |
| Cruiser Moa | 2500 | 1250 | 2.0 |
| Battlecruiser Drake | 5250 | 1400 | 3.75 |
| Battleship Raven | 7000 | 2500 | 2.8 |
Without any modules, and assuming the pilots had the same skills, the Drake would rebuild its shield almost three times faster than the Kestrel. The Raven would rebuild about twice as fast as the Corax, but slower than the Drake. All other things being equal, the Drake, with its large shield capacity and very fast recharge time, would make the best candidate for a passive shield tank.
These cruisers and battlecruisers provide a representative sample comparison of ships by faction.
| Faction | Ship Type | Shield Capacity (hp) | Shield Regeneration Time (sec) | Average Regeneration Rate (C/T) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caldari Drake | Battlecruiser | 5250 | 1400 | 3.8 |
| Minmatar Hurricane | Battlecruiser | 4250 | 1400 | 3.0 |
| Gallente Brutix | Battlecruiser | 4000 | 1400 | 2.8 |
| Amarr Harbinger | Battlecruiser | 3000 | 1400 | 2.1 |
| Caldari Moa | Cruiser | 2500 | 1250 | 2.0 |
| Minmatar Stabber | Cruiser | 1600 | 1250 | 1.3 |
| Gallente Thorax | Cruiser | 1200 | 1250 | 1.0 |
| Amarr Omen | Cruiser | 1200 | 1250 | 1.0 |
The Caldari and Minmatar tend to have the larger shield capacities and higher shield recharge rates. Thus it is not surprising that ships of these factions are more likely to be shield tanked.
Combat Situations
Because a Passive Tank depends on the shield's recharging, it works best in situations where the damage is constant or builds slowly over time. It works least well in situation where the shield will take a large amount of damage in a very short time. Passive tanking can be used, then in situations where the pilot can "kite" the enemies to control how much damage comes in – or in situations where the pilot is using long range weapons and depending on speed to keep away from enemy fire.
In fleet situations the assigned combat role may be a factor. If the ship is to be tackling other ships, for example, its mid power slots may be needed for e-war modules, and it may be exposed to high, brief peaks of damage. Thus, an armor tank is likely to be preferable.
Modules and Rigs for Passive Shield Tanking
The following influence the passive shield tank. Marked modules (†) are especially useful.
| Unit | Slot | Capacitor Drain | Effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| † Shield Extender | mid | - | Capacity | |
| Core Defense Field Extender | rig | - | Capacity | increases Signature Radius |
| Shield Booster | mid | medium | Capacity | uses batteries stored in cargo |
| Power Diagnostic System | low | low | Recharge Rate and Capacity | small benefit |
| † Shield Power Relay | low | - | Recharge Rate | reduces capacitor recharge rate |
| Shield Flux Coil | low | - | Recharge Rate | lowers capacity |
| Shield Recharger | mid | - | Recharge Rate | small benefit |
| † Core Defense Field Purger | rig | - | Recharge Rate | increases Signature Radius |
| Damage Control | low | small | Resistances | limit of one per ship |
| Shield Resistance Amplifier | mid | small | Resistances | stacking penalty |
| Shield Hardener | mid | small | Resistances | stacking penalty |
| Screen Reinforcer | rig | - | Resistances | increases Signature Radius, stacking penalty |
Initial Fit
The usual starting point is to try to fill several low slots with Shield Power Relay modules, several mid slots with Shield Extender modules, and to fit all three rig slots with Defense Field Purger rigs. Of course, this will need to be modified to fit slot availability, stacking penalties and other considerations, but it is a good place to start.
Stacking penalties are particularly troublesome. In short, some kinds of modules are reduced progressively in effectiveness if they affect the same attribute. For shield attributes, this means:
- Penalized: Shield resistances; Shield boost
- Not Penalized: Shield recharge rate; Shield hit points
The penalty will only apply to the module's impact on the affected attribute, and will progress as follows:
- 1st mod: 100.0% effectiveness
- 2nd mod: 86.9% effectiveness
- 3rd mod: 57.1% effectiveness
- 4th mod: 28.3% effectiveness
... and so on – the weakest module is penalized first, the strongest is not penalized at all.
With that in mind, although Shield Power Relays reduce capacitor recharge rate, they have no stacking penalties, and they are the most powerful modules in terms of increasing shield regeneration.
Shield Extenders increase the capacity of the shield, and this in turn increases the recharge rate. These modules have a Signature Radius penalty associated with them, and they impact on the power grid, but they have no stacking penalties, and their benefits outweigh these costs. In addition, it is often possible to "upsize" Shield Extenders ... putting Large Shield Extenders on a Cruiser, for example, or Medium Extenders on a Frigate.
Finally, Defense Field Purger rigs are almost always more effective than Defense Field Extender rigs in a passive shield fit. The extender increases the capacity of the shield, which does have the effect of also increasing its recharge rate. However, the Purger directly increases the recharge rate by enough to make a difference. The Purger does, however, have a larger impact on Signature Radius.
Possible Alterations
- Most ships have "damage holes", a type of damage from which they are not well defended. A specific damage type shield hardner may need to be equipped to cover such holes. Hardener modules for other types of damage may be added to account for the primary damage types expected in the encounter. Keep in mind the stacking penalties that arise if a second hardener module is used to alter the same type of damage.
- If the pilot's skills are not sufficient to install T2 modules, substitutions may be in order. You will have to experiment with T1 modules ... or you may find it better to just wait until your skills improve.
- Once your tanking modules are set, check to see if your ship's capacitor is stable. If it isn't, and the amount is significant, consider swapping one or more Shield Power Relays for Shield Flux Coils. If you have to swap more than two Shield Relays for Shield Coils, consider putting back all but one of the Shield Relays and adding a Capacitor Power Relay.
Full Scale Example: Minmatar Hurricane
Without the use of modules that incur stacking penalties, the calculation for passive shield regeneration rate is multiplicative; the more fittings added, the greater effect each fitting has.
Consider the Hurricane, a Minmatar Battlecruiser.
- Base shield capacity: 4250 hp
- Base recharge time: 1400 sec
- Average regeneration rate = 4250 / 1400 = 3.0 hp/s
- Base peak regen rate = 2.5 x 3.0 = 7.5 hp/s
- Note that the Hurricane's shields are weakest for EM, followed by Thermal, damage.
Why put a passive tank on a Hurricane? As an L3 Security Mission runner:
- It has good shield capacity and a high recharge rate
- It has six low slots – 3 for Shield Power Relays and 3 for offensive modules
- For mission running the mid slots can be dedicated to propulsion and shields
- Bonuses to medium projectile turrets and six turret hardpoints support artillary for PVE
- Increases in signature radius matter less in PVE
Shield Power Relays
Shield power relays increase the recharge time directly. They have no stacking penalty, but they do reduce the recharge rate of the capacitor.
- Shield Power Relay II
- Recharge time bonus: -24%
- No shield support skills
- (Penalty: Capacitor Recharge Rate -35%)
The first module reduces the Recharge Time by 24%, from 1400 sec to 1400 - 336 = 1064 sec This gives a new Average Recharge Rate of 4250/1064 = 4.0 hp/sec And a new Peak Recharge Rate of 2.5 x 4.0 = 10.0 hp/s
Repeating the calculation:
| Modules | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recharge Time | 1064.0 | 808.6 | 614.3 | 466.9 | 354.9 | 269.7 |
| Peak Regeneration Rate (rounded) | 10.0 | 13.1 | 17.3 | 22.8 | 30.0 | 39.3 |
While this illustrates the power of the module, fitting six of them to a ship would be unrealistic. Three modules is a common fit, with the other slots used for other purposes. Thus, with no other skills or fittings, three Shield Power Relays would increase the Peak Recharge Rate to 17.3 hitpoints per second.
For comparison, a medium Phased Plasma projectile does about 18 hp base shield damage plus 24 hp type damage; a medium Lead Hybrid charge does about 10 hp base shield damage plus 16 hp type damage.
Shield Extenders
Shield extenders add hitpoints to the Capacity of the shield. The do not have stacking penalties, but they do increase the Signature Radius of the ship.
- Large Shield Extender II
- Shield Capacity Bonus: 2600 hp
- No shield support skills
- (Penalty: Signature Radius 25 m)
Base recharge time: 1400 sec
Shield Capacity: 4250 + 2600 = 6850 hp
Average regeneration Rate = 6850 / 1400 = 4.9 hp/s
Peak Recharge Rate = 2.5 x 4.9 = 12.3 hp/s
The original base Peak Recharge Rate was 7.6 hp/s. So adding a large shield extender increases the recharge rate by 4.7 hp/s; an increase of 62%.
Core Defense Purger Rigs
These rigs produce a percentage increase in Shield Recharge Rate. They have no stacking penalty, but they do increase the Signature Radius of the ship.
- Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
- Recharge Rate Bonus: -20%
- No shield support skills
- (Penalty: Signature Radius 10%)
Since these are usually the last items to be fitted, this example will build on a fit that includes one Large Shield Extender II and three Power Shield Relay IIs.
The bare ship had:
- Base shield capacity: 4250 hp
- Base recharge time: 1400 sec
- Average regeneration rate = 4250 / 1400 = 3.0 hp/s
- Base peak regen rate = 2.5 x 3.1 = 7.6 hp/s
After one Large Shield Extender II (see above):
- Shield capacity: 6850 hp
Three Power Shield Relay II (see above):
- Modules reduce recharge time @ -24%
- Shield capacity: 6850 hp
- Peak Recharge Rate = Shield Capacity/Recharge Time x 2.5
| Modules | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recharge Time | 1064 | 808.6 | 614.3 |
| Peak Regeneration Rate | 16.1 | 21.2 | 27.9 |
The Core Defense Purger Rigs impact on Recharge Rate in the same way that the Power Shield Relays do ... by reducing the Recharge Time by a percentage.
Three Core Defense Purger Rigs:
- Rigs reduce recharge time @ -20%
- Shield capacity: 6850 hp
- Starting Recharge Time: 614.3 sec
- Peak Recharge Rate = Shield Capacity/Recharge Time x 2.5
| Rigs | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recharge Time | 491.4 | 393.1 | 314.4 |
| Peak Regeneration Rate | 34.8 | 43.6 | 54.4 |
So with this fit in place, an no pilot shield skills, the Peak Shield Regeneration Rate will be 54.4 hp/sec.
Shield Skills
Shield Management: 5% bonus to shield capacity per skill level
Shield Operation: 5% reduction in shield recharge time per skill level
Any pilot considering a passive shield tank would want to train these to at least Level IV. At that level, their effect would be considerable.
Shield Management @ Level IV
- 20% increase in Shield Capacity
This would increase the Base Shield Capacity to: 4250 + 0.20 x 4250 = 5100 hitpoints
It would also increase the benefit of the Large Shield Extender II by 20%: 2600 + 0.20 x 2600 = 3120
Making the total shield capacity: 5100 + 3120 = 8220 hitpoints
Shield Operation @ Level IV
- 20% decrease in Shield Recharge Time
This would decrease the Base Shield Recharge Time: 1400 - 1400 x 0.20 = 1120
And that value would be used in the three Shield Relay computations followed by the 3 Core Purger Rig computations
- Relay @ -24%
- 851.2, 646.9, 491.6
- Purger @ -20%
- 393.2, 314.5, 251.6
giving a final Recharge Time of: 251.6 seconds
These two values compute the final Peak Recharge Rate.
Recharge Time: 251.6 sec Average Recharge Time = 8220/251.6 = 32.7 Peak Recharge Rate: 32.7 x 2.5 = 81.7 hp/sec
Final Fit
Thus, a Minmatar Hurricane fitted for this particular skilled, passive tank would have a Peak Shield Regeneration rate of approximately 82 hp/sec. Again, for comparison, a medium Phased Plasma projectile does about 18 hp base shield damage plus 24 hp type damage; a medium Lead Hybrid charge does about 10 hp base shield damage plus 16 hp type damage. A complete fit might look like this:
PvE T2 Passive Shield Tank
650mm Artillery Cannon II
650mm Artillery Cannon II
650mm Artillery Cannon II
650mm Artillery Cannon II
650mm Artillery Cannon II
650mm Artillery Cannon II
Rapid Light Missile Launcher II
10MN Afterburner II
Large Shield Extender II
EM Ward Field II
Thermic Dissipation Field II
Shield Power Relay II
Shield Power Relay II
Shield Power Relay II
Gyrostabilizer II
Gyrostabilizer II
Gyrostabilizer II
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Hobgoblin II x6
Republic Fleet Phased Plasma Mx1
Caldari Navy Inferno Light Missile x1
- Minmatar Frigate IV
- Minmatar Cruiser III
- Spaceship Command IV
- Minmatar Battlecruiser II
- Gunnery III
- Sharpshooter IV
- Small Projectile Turret V
- Small Artillery Specialization IV
- Capacitor Systems Operation V
- Capacitor Management IV
- Power Grid Management V
- CPU Management V
- Electronics Upgrades V
- Long Range Targeting IV
- Signature Analysis IV
- Medium Projectile Turret V
- Medium Artillery Specialization I
- Missile Launcher Operation V
- Shield Upgrades IV
- Tactical Shield Manipulation IV
- Afterburner IV
- Energy Grid Upgrades IV
- Target Management V
- Advanced Target Management I
- Navigation IV
- Evasive Maneuvering III
- Warp Drive Operation III
- Hull Upgrades IV
- Shield Management IV
- Mechanic V
- Gunnery V
- Rapid Firing IV
- Motion Prediction IV
- Trajectory Analysis IV
- Weapon Upgrades IV
- Mechanic III
- Jury Rigging III
- Shield Rigging I
- Scout Drone Operation V
- Drones V
- Gallente Drone Specialization I
- This is a passive shield tanked PvE fit suitable for L3 Security Missions
- The mid slot hardeners should be swapped to match the damage type appropriate to the enemies the pilot expects to encounter.
- With one shield hardener running, the capacitor is stable. A second hardener will run the capacitor down in about fifteen minutes.
- If skills are insufficient for power, consider swapping a gyrostabilizer for an Auxilliary Power Control.
- This is a highly skilled fitting. Weapons and modules can be scaled back to meet pilot skills. Watch dps and shield recharge rate and try to balance the decline.
- The mid slot hardeners should be swapped to match the damage type appropriate to the enemies the pilot expects to encounter.
- With one shield hardener running, the capacitor is stable. A second hardener will run the capacitor down in about fifteen minutes. Since this fit is intended for L2/L3 Security Missions, that should not be a problem. If it becomes a concern, consider replacing one of the low slot gyrostabilizers with a Capacitor Flux Coil.
- Low slot modules can be replaced by Auxilliary Power Controls, Capacitor Flux Coils, and/or Power Diagnostic Systems as needed.
More Example Fits
Certain ships are often fit out with passive tank. Rather than copy those fits here, this article links to their Wiki pages, where you can see the full information about each ship.
- Caldari Drake: battlecruiser - level 3 mission runner, wormhole pve explorer
- Caldari Caracal: cruiser - level 2 mission runner
- Gallente Myrmidon: battlecruiser - level 3 mission runner
- Minmatar Rupture: cruiser - level 2 mission runner
- Minmatar Stabber: cruiser - level 2 mission runner
- Minmatar Rifter: frigate - level 1/2 mission runner
