The Joys of Ratting in Low-Sec

Ratting is a great way of getting some isk and xp. Always stay aligned out, if possible. Watch local and spam d-scan. Check out the guides to running and blitzing PVE.




If you go rat in low and 0.0 it is always good to follow some of the tips below, found on r/eve:

[GERMAQ]

1) Rat in PvP fit ships.

2) Don't use more ship than you need. Belt rats can be done in Vexors, DED sites require more than that. Changing what you rat in will matter.

3) Pirates use unburnt characters specially to avoid you running.

4) Know the system size (120au warps between gates vs 10) If someone stays longer than the system size indicates, consider moving positions.

5) Don't stay anywhere too long. Keep moving and you won't get as much attention, rotate where you rat between different spheres of influence.

6) Don't stay on the complex entrance/zero at a belt.

7) Go somewhere quiet. Back pockets, off pipes, no FW zone, etc.

[Crownie]

My first advice would be: don't. Lowsec ratting is not, generally, worth the risk/effort combination.

Failing that, belt spawns can usually be done in cheapish ships. I used to farm sec tags in a pvp fit assault frigate, and the same can be done in a t1 cruiser. That will let you tangle with solo roamers (assuming they're not rolling around in a pimped out l33tpvp death chariot). An AF in particular can move from system to system in relative safety, and you'll need to do that anyway if you're grinding tags. A backwater ring constellation is the ideal, since generally no one goes there.

As far as safety goes, don't waste your time checking zkill if a gang jumps in. Warp to a safe/station. You're in lowsec. Likely as not, anyone in a combat ship will try to kill you if they notice you and think they can take you. The belts aren't going anywhere, and a lost ship will cost you several hours of work.

If you really feel like living dangerously, have one person watch short scan (some small distance, usually 1 AU outside of plexes), and another person watch long scan. If you see pvp ships on long scan, align. If you seen them on short scan, warp out.

[Basia3000]

Dont rat in anoms, dont rat while there are neuts in local - lots of people use out of corp clean scouts, have a safe ready, have a mobile depot ready with a travel refit, pay attention to pilots active in space, pods/ships killed in map and dotlan, know the area you are making money in and make friends with the locals, focus on only one or two regions, drop off loot in station.

Something people didnt mention yet is doing only combat sigs. they are significantly more profitable than anoms, and must be scanned down by enemies giving you a heads up. People significantly underestimate lowsec combat signature payouts.

another thing to do is have one of you in a scanning ship to quickly scan down a constellation or two while the other one completes sites.

As a new account I would suggest you sit in a scanning ship for now. If you wanna contribute to the fighting I suggest the following newbie accessible ships: VNI at first, and then move into either a Gila or a Stratios. I personally prefer the stratios for an all-in-one low SP ship, as blitzing sigs is easy.

Dont rush into an expensive ship before you are confident in your ability to stay alive and have a bank roll. I've lost ~5b learning to do sansha lowsec to a very profitably extent.

Skip drone DED's, do drone unrated.

additional advice - keep it unborn. I suggest you practice two things separately:

1) your ability to find, and effectively run sites. This will include scanning practice, googling/reading on: tags, escalation triggers, expedition triggers, and overseer triggers, worthwhile expeditions, sites you can enter in your current ship, and ability to blitz sites. Also fitting is important. MWD is essential for blitzing many many sites, afterburner is good for harder sites (if youre struggling with a 4/10 initially). BC's are terrible due to slow warp speed. Cruisers are are really good. I'd stick to ones that have an extra highslot that isn't occupied by PEW PEW PEW - Vexors, stabber, rupture, and many faction cruisers.

Practice this in highsec. Blood space is the best for this as there are LOADS of .5-.6 systems in Kor-azor/khanid area, competition is very low, payouts are low. expect to make 20-100m/hr. T1 cruiser can handle this np. With your lower skillpoints, this will make more money per effort as compared to struggling in the more profitable but harder lowsec sites. I definitely advise to start in highsec. Youll be able to pimp out your ship and thus run sites faster while remaining very safe.

Jonny Pew's channel on youtube has plenty of vids on highsec combat exploration. Guristas are the most profitable per site, however low amount of sites and high amount of competitions. Many of his fits are sub-optimal and outdated by now, so i suggest asking around or msging me with w.e you prefer to fly.

Some anom ratting in highsec is possible when there is a lack of sigs. Check otu the link to anoms from the last post to identify which anoms escalate. you ought to attempt to receive a 4/10 escalation that can net you 300m in a guristas site.

Most people underestimate highsec combat exploration too. however it is :

a) engaging. more so than missions, null ratting, or incursions.

b) profitable: good ship and experienced pilot can make 20-100m/hr. for a 2/3 week old pilot its not too bad. Jackpots of 120m sentient drops, or ded propmods can boost this by a lot. bounties are insignificant.

c) safe.

d) could be social. i hang out in the help channel and invite newbies along which later become either partners in lowsec exploration, friends, or scam victims if youre into that. Hanging out in the help channel also improves the quality of your memes.

2) staying alive in lowsec. dis is hard.

Ideal as i said is gila/stratios for low sp. save your SP and specialize in the ship you think is coolest. try it out with T1/faction cruisers, if you enjoy the activity, consider training to a HAC after you are done with basic skills. The Ishtar is the AAA of lowsec combat sigs. If you hate drones i suggest the cerberus, as it can reach a higher dps, albeit half the tank of the ishtar. Dont rush into a HAC as it is a long train.

P.S. Use the right ammo types:



Large Version here (eve.aeonoftime.com).
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Happy ratting!

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