Amarr Basic Ship and Skill Overview
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.
Amarr General Information
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.
Characteristics
The Amarr lineup is characterized by the following:
- Armour tanking. Amarrian ships have high base armour and several ships have direct bonuses to armour resistances (Tech 1 examples: Punisher, Maller, Prophecy, and Abaddon). Armour tanks can be extremely powerful in both PvP and PvE applications.
- Energy turrets. These are the standard for the majority of Amarrian damage dealing vessels in the same way that Gallente and Caldari tend to use Hybrid turrets (although Caldari make greater use of missiles) while the Minmatar make extensive use of Projectile turrets. Energy turrets (more usually 'lasers') offer an excellent combination of range, tracking and damage when compared with projectile or hybrid turrets. Frequency crystals, the Energy ammo type, can be changed instantly and Tech 1 crystals are unlimited ammunition as they do not degrade like Faction or Advanced Tech 2 variants. Unfotunately this all comes at a price; there is no variation on damage types and Energy turrets use a great deal of capacitor as well as tending to be quite demanding on a hull's powergrid for fitting.
- Large Capacitors. Amarrian pilots rely heavily on their capacitors; lasers are heavy on the capacitor to such a degree that some Amarrian hulls have a bonus that decreases capacitor usage of Energy turrets rather than a damage bonus. Thus Amarrian hulls tend to have larger capacitors than the hulls of the other empires and many Amarrian pilots prioritize capacitor skills.
- Drones. Amarrian hulls have some of the best drone using hulls outside of the Gallentean hull line-up, including the only hulls with drone bonuses that are not Gallentean.
- Lack of Speed. Amarrian ships tend to have lower than average base speeds, fit armour plates which further reduce their base speed and agility, and often use low slots for tank or damage rather then speed modules. At the cost of tanking potential (or damage), a typical Amarrian hull's numerous low slots can be used to achieve a great deal of speed if desired.
- Electronic Warfare. The primary form of Amarrian electronic warfare is Tracking Disruption, which reduces the optimal range, falloff and tracking speed of turrets fitted to the target. Tracking disruption is fairly difficult to counter but limited in application as it affects only turrets. The secondary form is Capacitor Warfare but bonuses to this are only found on Tech 2 hulls, which are beyond the scope of this guide.
PvE
Amarrian ships are more restricted when running missions 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 Electromagnetic damage, so other factions are more difficult to combat than would be the case for pilots from the other empires fighting in Amarrian space. This is a concern for some Eve University pilots who want to try missioning close to home, as the University is based in Minmatari space where Angels are the common faction but there are effective solutions, such as the Arbitrator (which relies on drones and could carry another empire's drones with proper training) or using alternative turret weapons systems (such as a Punisher with projectile turrets). A classic progression of Amarr mission ships would be to train the Punisher and Coercer for level 1 missions, move to the Omen or Arbitrator for level 2 missions, then Harbinger for level 3 missions, and finally the Apocalypse for level 4 missions.
For salvaging, the Coercer can fill the role until the Noctis can be purchased.
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.
The Harbinger is the first T1 ship that can run Incursion Vanguard sites effectively, and the Abaddon can be used by more experienced players. The best armour incursion fleets in highsec currently run with T2 and T3 Amarr ships.
PvP
Exceptional tanks, large capacitors and a combination of good damage and range make Amarrian ships a firm favourite in armour fleets, though fits with shield tanks or alternate weapon systems also see some use. Amarr ships are less common in PvP fleet doctrines than Minmatar ships, but they are still very widely used. Most notably, the AHAC and Hellcat fleet doctrines are centered around Amarr ships.
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 'exceptions to the rule' than in other races' line-ups. As a result Amarrians are sometimes said to be the simplest race to fly. There are some good candidates for 'breaking the mould' even for a new player (Punisher fitted with Autocannon turrets is a classic) but they are more skill intensive and often require cross-training. New pilots are likely best served by playing to the Amarrian formula until they know when and how to break the rules.
For PvP progression, there are countless possibilities, but the conventional roles are as follows. In frigate hulls, the Punisher is used for tackling, and the Crucifier for EW. In cruiser hulls, the Omen is very difficult to fit for damage dealing, so the Arbitrator is most often used for a mixed EW and DD role with tracking disruptors, neuts, and damage drones. In battlecruiser hulls, the Harbinger makes an excellent damage dealer. In battleship hulls, the Armageddon, Apocalypse, and Abaddon all have their uses. The Armageddon is used by pilots that do not wish to risk too much ISK with a short range pulse fit. The Apocalypse is used as a sniper (sometimes with a very weak tank to maximize damage potential). The Abaddon is used by those who can afford it, and it performs excellently in fleets with logi and tackling recon support.
Skills
The skills which are important to Amarr characters are the same skills which are crucial to every pilot who wants to use the same basic systems. There is already good information on Basic Skills and Support Skills elsewhere. So if you want maximize turret weapon damage you will train the same gunnery support skills as other projectile or hybrid users (but pay particular attention to Controlled Bursts and Sharpshooter). Similarly the skills are the same for all pilots who want to survive with an armour tank, or use drones effectively, and all of this backed up by solid support and fitting skills (prioritize the capacitor skills such as Energy Systems Operation and Energy Management). Amarr pilots should aim for a full T2 armour tank early in their careers.
Amarr pilots should eventually acquire T2 energy weapon skills, though this is often done after having stepped into a battleship, or earlier in their career for dedicated PvPers.
Cross Training
Cross training into or out of Amarr can be quite skill intensive. The easiest prospect is probably Gallente (armour tanking, gunnery and drone synergies) with Minmatar second (some gunnery and armour tanking synergies). Caldari have the fewest skills in common, despite Khanid missile ships at the Amarr Tech 2 level, and could require the most retraining.
However, the main benefit of cross training is to get more options for ship and fitting selection and being able to conform to fleet doctrine in both PvE and PvP. Thus, cross training into minmatar or caldari often gives the most benefit, to expand on ship selections capable of shield tanking.
Cross training to Minmatar will give access to Blood Raider pirate faction ships. Cross training to Caldari will give access to Sansha ships. While cross training to Gallente will not give any access to pirate ships.
Rookie Ship
The rookie ship is the first ship you start with. If you are Amarr, it will be a Impairor. A new rookie ship is given whenever you dock at a station where you do not have any ships.
Impairor
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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. |
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Frigate
Executioner
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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, although only having two mid slots makes it unloved for tackling in PvP despite its speed and high scan resolution. It can serve as a level 1 mission runner until Amarr Frigate III is trained for the Punisher and Destroyers I for the Coercer. For tackling, the Punisher is used more often since they have the same number of mid slots, but the punisher can fit a sturdier tank.
Inquisitor
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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 only Amarr T1 ship with missile bonuses. Even with good missile skills, it has less than impressive attributes.
Tormentor
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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. |
Fledgling Amarr miners will want to start here.
Punisher
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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 4 low slots, this platform can handle a surprising amount of damage for a T1 frigate. The Punisher's 3 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.
This the E-UNI tackler for new Amarr pilots, but it does not excel at this role due to the limited mid slots, low base velocity, and mediocre scan resolution.
Crucifier
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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. |
Magnate
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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. |
Destroyer
Coercer
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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. |
Cruiser
Arbitrator
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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. |
Augoror
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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's bonused towards capacitor transfer, which if of limited use by itself. While cap transfer is strong when paired with armor remote repair, as on the Guardian or some remote repair battleship gangs, the Augoror is limited enough that it is rarely used in PvP. Granted, the Augoror can have a tough tank, but it's hard to make that tank useful.
Omen
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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. |
Maller
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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. |
For PvE, both the Omen and Arbitrator are more common choices, as each can fit a sufficient tank for L2 missions while maintaining a higher damage output than the Maller. Because it's only significant ability is to tank, the only role it can fill in PvP is bait. However, because this is the only role it can fill and it is well known for being used this way, it makes a poor bait ship.
Battlecruiser
Prophecy
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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 not a commonly used ship. It certainly can fit a excellent tank for slightly less cost than the Harbinger, but it has a comparatively weak damage output with fewer turrets than the Harbinger, and no damage bonus. Because it's only significant ability is to tank, the only role it can fill in PvP is bait. However, because this is the only role it can fill and it is well known for being used this way, it makes a poor bait ship.
Harbinger
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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. |
Battleship
Armageddon
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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. |
Apocalypse
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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. |
Abaddon
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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. |
Industrial
T1 industrials 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.
Sigil
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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. |
Bestower
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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 industrials from a skill training time per cargo capacity perspective, the bestower is a favourite for alternate character hauling setups.
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.
