[EVE] Recommendations for becoming PvP

Freshbrew

I will probably be flamed for this post, but to make a long story short, I am tired of being a bitch when it comes to PvP. Can anyone help me understand what path to take to become a good PvP player. I am tired of being Pwnd (read: a Bitch) and would like to improve in this area. My character is Caldari and am currently working toward all the certificates for the Drake. I am not whining, I merely would like to be able to at least put up a fight. I know a lot depends on the ship fitting and my skills. I guess what I would like to be able to do is understand what fittings are needed to be at least somewhat of a challenge to those who would like to kill me and the skills that will help with that. Also, I would like to understand some strategies for this, like using jump clones, etc.

Thanks and I stand ready to be flamed, but if you flame me could you at least leave some useful advise. o_O

Anon the Felon

There are only a few things you need to understand about Eve PvP. Despite what anyone says, very little of it can be attributed to "Pilot Skills", In my (extensive) pvp experience, you live and die by your understanding of the game, the mathematics involved in countering turrets and missiles, and tactical knowledge.

Basic Rules:
1. You will loose that ship you are in. When you undock to pvp, write the ship off. Fly like a dead man.
2. Know every ship in the game inside and out. When your scout/FC says "We have 2 brutix and an abso jumping". You need to know: "The abso is probably bait with a huge tank, save it for last, get tackle on the Brutix's and test tanks, they are probably T2 gank fitted, be ready for them to burn to the gate if your fleet is larger or engage and deal an average of 500-600 DPS". There are certain assumptions you can make about various ships. You need to know these off the top of your head.

If you are having to ask "Hey, whats a rook again?" You're already dead.

3. LISTEN. The guy that signed up to be your FC, and the guy your FC said is your +1 and/or +2 scout? Those guys know everything. They are your master and commander. If they say Jump on contact, you jump. If they call out a target, you get tone and fire without question. Most pvp fleets die because either people stopped listening, or they got out gunned eventually. The former is much more common.

4. Know your role. If you are a fast tackler, get in, and get point on. If you are ECM, get jams on primary and secondary and vital targets (your FC should tell you these). Fly ships you know how to fly, sign up for fleet roles you know you can perform in your sleep. Don't agree to fly the Falcon you just got recon I for and are using T1 ECM mods, and have no idea how jamming works. If the fleet is a T2 frig raiding fleet and you can't fly a T2 frig well? Don't X up.

The PvP fleet is a living, breathing beast. One bad pilot can bring the whole thing down in a pitched fight.

Now. If you have all those down, and are still getting slaughtered, there's a few other things you can do, and should know.

Caldari suck in non fleet PvP. There are a few exceptions.
Falcon. this ship wins fights. A good T2 roam fleet with a falcon or two is unstoppable. Train for it, learn it, love it.

Kitsune. For T2 frig fleets this is a god-send. Webs kill frig fleets, Kitsunes' stop webs. Train for it, learn it, love it.

Cerberus. In a HAC fleet these are great to have around, good burst damage, and pretty survivable (as long as they aren't set up to tackle...which they shouldn't be). I've flown with a good number of great Cerb pilots...I won't take a HAC fleet out with out one now.

Thats it for non-fleet pvp (not counting interceptors, they are universally good). They have the Onyx (pretty good HIC, not the best, but not terrible), and Rokh for fleet engagements/BS gate camps.

If you don't like any of those. Cross train. The drake is no good for pvp, its slow, and damage sucks. It makes an OK heavy tackler, but Amarr HAC's do it better. If you are rolling in a BC fleet, fine, take your Drake. But I will never take out a roaming fleet with a drake in it. They are to slow for what little gank they contribute.

Disclaimer: I have been a pirate, mercenary, Fleet FC, Corp leader, alliance executor, capital pilot. I have over 350 solo kills in my HAC (love that ship class!), an thousands of small fleet/large fleet kills. I am sure some one from Merchi will come in here and be like "NUH-UH". But unfortunately for them, I do know what I am talking about. I am more then happy to discuss other tactics/tips though. If anyone wants to engage in intelligent conversation.

There is always an exception. That one time you popped a Merlin in your Drake does not count as as a golden rule.

Edit: Also, you don't need to be flamed, everyone started as "that guy" who got instagibbed and had to figure everything out from scratch. Its just a question of: Are you really willing to learn? or just bitch that its hard!

hazywater

The first step in successful eve pvp comes from posting in the right thread.

http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=101329

Freshbrew

Oops sorry Hazy. Thanks Anon