I'm mainly doing exploring so want distance but want fire power when needed suggested best builds appreciated.?
Cheers Cmdr Craigorious
Cheers Cmdr Craigorious
Kraft Phantom
- Thread starter commander craigorious
- Start date
Elite Dangerous Ship builds: Exploration — CMDRs ToolBox
A list of exploration build for Elite Dangerous
cmdrs-toolbox.com
The Krait frame performs really well with plasma accelerators and rail guns, which also are devastating weapons in case of being interdicted by hostile spacecraft out in the dark. It's a dangerous galaxy out there, full of space pirates, asteroid bases, weird things living in lagrange clouds, various sized moons with possibly hostile intent.
No such thing as "combat exploration" I'm afraid. Some things (like Guardian Beacons) react if poked with a weapon, but a small pulse laser is enough for that.
If you're considering exploration in Thargoid controlled space, weapons&combat are probably not what you're looking for either. Usually, you'd want to have something fast and tanky enough to wake out as fast as possible after each interdiction without getting shot to pieces.
If this is about running into hosile players in open: Unless you travel to a tourist destination or return to the bubble, you're very unlikely to run into other players. But IF you run into other players and IF they are hostile (aka griefers/gankers), no combat setup will save you.
Still, I've thrown something together that might be a start for your own design Krait Phantom
Engineering still needs to be added, although I included a 5A FSD with increased range and mass manager and a 7D PowerPlant with Armored/Thermal Spread to get you an idea where to start. Limpet controller is optional and can be replaced with an AMFU (I always liked having the option to take a tissue sample of lifeforms I run into)
You might want to go for 6A Thrusters as well. It's a small trade-off between increased jump range (D) and more speed (A)
You could go with something like this:
s.orbis.zone
It has enough fire power and can jump ~63 ly.
You should get the pre fabricated 5A FSD.
As an alternative, when having more credits...
s.orbis.zone
This is my "weaponized" Anaconda. She still makes ~69 ly. Without weapons it's 75ly.
Normally, no weapons on board (but I should get at least a small one, as Astaran pointed out, that there are structures reacting to weapon fire).
Coriolis EDCD Edition
A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous
s.orbis.zone
It has enough fire power and can jump ~63 ly.
You should get the pre fabricated 5A FSD.
As an alternative, when having more credits...
Coriolis EDCD Edition
A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous
s.orbis.zone
This is my "weaponized" Anaconda. She still makes ~69 ly. Without weapons it's 75ly.
Normally, no weapons on board (but I should get at least a small one, as Astaran pointed out, that there are structures reacting to weapon fire).
Wrong. There is a variant.
My "exploration" config of phantom got like 47LY range, and it has interdictor along 4x salvation plasma chargers and 587 boost speed. It is absolute compromise of minimum viable PVP bulid that can also explore if needed. Of course for regular PVP in bubble, its not enough shielded and armoured for that, but it can kill anything that is not made for serious PVP, with rather ease... that preety much includes any random cmdrs and thier exploration ships.
Apart of regular exploration duties, it is used mainly to remind cmdrs that running rahter weakned exploration bulids whenever new thing is found out, as they tend to flock into such place for day or two (last time it was when titans was first found out, behind barnards loop), that Open is never 100% safe even out in the black, and flying underpowererd bulids just to have bit more range can be fatal... sometimes thats it... dangers of open, yup.
Kraft Phantom
Would this help? ...
P.S. ... sorry but I was bored waiting for my shopping to be delivered.
...
Would this help? ...
P.S. ... sorry but I was bored waiting for my shopping to be delivered.
Last edited:
So, you have long range gank boat with a DSS. Congrats. That's not exploration though.
Like I said, its just main purpose of bulid... other purpose is just regular exploration, as it can do that all of it as well.. Whenever you like it or not. Its what you can call "combat explorer", while in ealier post that you claimed that such thing dont exist. My point was to prove it otherwise, because it does, and my ship is very good example of that.
Any ship can explore if it has 3 things: SRV, fuel scoop and DSS. Maxed out jump range is not really relevant.... before horizons max jump range was about 41.17 on conda, and cmdrs was still able to reach beagle point or sagitA* or any other place with that, just like modern ships can, but litte bit slower. These days you can make fully armed combat viable ships that can go over 40-50LY, while not being one-shoot target practice paper thin bulids, that has nothing but jump range.
I've never tried the Salvation modded plasma for PvP, but they work rather well for PvE.
Here are my two Krait Phantoms:
- Ranger III - very long range jump, but no weapons (still shielded and fast)
- Bad Romance - still good jump range, armed, in Bubble hopper/explorer
Well, you can have a combat explorer ship. Mine certainly fits that criteria.
s.orbis.zone
It is a compromise though, but having travelled flown from the bubble to Colonia in a Corvette a 50 ly jump range really isn't an issue for me.
Coriolis EDCD Edition
A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous
s.orbis.zone
It is a compromise though, but having travelled flown from the bubble to Colonia in a Corvette a 50 ly jump range really isn't an issue for me.
Kraft Phantom
...
Would this help? ...
View attachment 358053
P.S. ... sorry but I was bored waiting for my shopping to be delivered.
I see I got it wrong.
AX restoration missions give you exploration rank. Just saying (for the "no combat exploration" guys"
Grinding missions is not exploration. It also sounds more like a bug to me.
The simple truth is:
Yes, I can fit weapons to my exploration ship, but when I'm 15,000+ ly away from the Bubble, I don't need them. There are no hidden pirate bases, hostile alien threats or any other game mechanics at all that require some sort of combat loadout for my exploration ship. The only notable exception is charging Guardian Beacons, but a small pulse laser is more than enough for that.
The only situation where a combat loadout on an "exploration" vessel makes some sense, is the current AX content in the Thargoid War. But unless someone wants to "explore" Thargoid occupied space (which is a different and valid topic imo), there's not much point in adding a whoop-ass of firepower to an explorer.
I have a 50LY jump Annie Explorer with full weapons load out (inc AX) 'just in case' but its more role play than anything else.
I play solo when im exploring and the chances of meeting a hostile npc are Zero, if i did, the ships i mainly use (Phantom, Python, AspEx) could easily evade capture.
What i am trying to say is whilst you can explore in anything you want (yes ignore some of the explorer must have 70LY jump snobs) its not really worth taking guns.
If you meet anything decent in Open or a Thargoid your dead anyway (most exploration ships wont boost enough to get away from bugs).
Your biggest threat out in the black is yourself, complacency and late night jumping, all you need in my opinion is a decent shield (don't skimp on protection for jump range) and ideally (though not needed) something over 50LY jump range just to make things easier.
O7
This thread has given me intense Dairylea cravings.Kraft Phantom
...
Would this help? ...
View attachment 358053
P.S. ... sorry but I was bored waiting for my shopping to be delivered.
I love Phantom as an exploration ship because it can fit some not strictly necessary stuff. It has room for it and it won't impact the jump range too much. I have an APA with plasma slug. An Imperial Hammer would be better for dumping fuel but I just like plasma better. I also have a missile rack for raining down destruction upon alien drones. Advanced just because it has more ammo. A beam laser might be good for poking things, but I don't bother with one any more.
If you are more serious about firepower and care less about secondary uses, the salvation modified Guardian weapons mentioned before sound pretty good to me. There is a significant power and distributor draw, requiring upping those components, however.
If you are more serious about firepower and care less about secondary uses, the salvation modified Guardian weapons mentioned before sound pretty good to me. There is a significant power and distributor draw, requiring upping those components, however.
Really?! I mean, I can understand why VIP sightseeing tour passenger missions count, but AX Restoration?AX restoration missions give you exploration rank. Just saying (for the "no combat exploration" guys"
Not complaining, just surprised. Might also be a bug... like the one where all ground kills in settlements, that aren't a CZ, grant Combat (ship) rank and not Mercenary rank. That one still irritates me.