I have a 315P as starter ship from 2015 but I would like to get another ship to play as well. I am thinking about a Drake Cutlass Black but I am open to options. What would be the best ships to be able to try out the different parts of the game?
Which is a good couple of ships to start with.
- Thread starter Solaric
- Start date
Greetings & welcome to TEST. Normally I would've suggested an Avenger Titan if you were using either a 100 series, Aurora or Mustang, but the 315P is only different by having its front weapon replaced by a tractor beam hard point that isn't currently usable & can carry 4SCU more cargo. From here the next step up would be to either a Cutty Black or 1 of the Freelancers. Personally, I prefer the Freelancers, but it's pretty well split preference across the SC community. What sorts of game play aspects are you looking to do? That could definitely help you in making your decision.
Don't get me wrong on this as I love the Drake Cutlass (except the Steel...which is at best meh), but with the addition of in-atmosphere bounties there is a significant issue impacting all Cutlasses, above SCM speeds they nose down with such extreme bias that it makes traveling to ground destinations annoying and either exceedingly dangerous or requires an excessive amount of time.
If you want a Cutlass Black to use in the future, then getting one is fine (I have a Cutlass Red in my hanger waiting to be usable again), but if you're wanting a ship you can use now, then I unfortunately would have to discourage you from the Cutlass Black as the current experience with it could sour you on the entire line.
I personally greatly dislike MISC ships, but the ship that on paper matches up the best with the Cutlass Black is the Freelancer, so that is an option if you don't mind piloting a flying soda can with a mail slot to look out.
Typically, I'd recommend the Avenger Titan, but it would likely feel extremely redundant paired with a 315p. There's also the Nomad, which does have a lot of crossover with the 315p, but with the external cargo ramp at the back (YAY Space Pick-up Truck) it does open up game play options such as taking a ROC to do some mining.
Beyond those ships, I wouldn't feel comfortable making any additional recommendations without knowing what type of budget you'd like to keep within.
If you want a Cutlass Black to use in the future, then getting one is fine (I have a Cutlass Red in my hanger waiting to be usable again), but if you're wanting a ship you can use now, then I unfortunately would have to discourage you from the Cutlass Black as the current experience with it could sour you on the entire line.
I personally greatly dislike MISC ships, but the ship that on paper matches up the best with the Cutlass Black is the Freelancer, so that is an option if you don't mind piloting a flying soda can with a mail slot to look out.
Typically, I'd recommend the Avenger Titan, but it would likely feel extremely redundant paired with a 315p. There's also the Nomad, which does have a lot of crossover with the 315p, but with the external cargo ramp at the back (YAY Space Pick-up Truck) it does open up game play options such as taking a ROC to do some mining.
Beyond those ships, I wouldn't feel comfortable making any additional recommendations without knowing what type of budget you'd like to keep within.
From day 1 of the Nomad concept release, I've called it the StarCamino, because it reminded me of a Star Citizen version of the classic El Camino. LoL
This is also a very good point. So I'd suggest looking into what sorts of game play you'd like to enjoy, then search for ships that would benefit that within your budget.
Since I am just starting up I am not sure what play style will be the best for me. I know pure PVP will take awhile to train up. So maybe some hauling to make money or mining and some quests. Try it all out and see what sticks. Cooperative game play does appeal to me and I dont mind flying support. I would like to keep the next purchase under $200 until I get a feel for the game and the what I like compared with what others do so I can hopefully play together. I don't mind spending more later as I am close to retirement and the kids are now all out of the house so I can spend a bit more on my hobbies finally.
Depending on what level of aUEC you have, cargo hauling / trading is a slow grind, but it's slightly better now than it has been for quite a while due to the nerf on trading how it was around 3.0. Since you mention mining, the MISC Prospector is always on sale & goes for around $155 currently. That would be a way within your budget to get into mining, help you mine up some creds & still have your 315P to help perform other activities. This being said, you can also earn the creds in game to purchase most of the various ships that are flight ready.
Avenger Titan.
Cutlass Black.
Freelancer.
One of these three would be the ones I'd consider if I were just getting into star citizen again. @Talonsbane and @Deroth both gave some pros and cons for them which are worth noting, but I guess we all agree these are some good starters.
Now, if you like mining and want to make some cash doing that, get a prospector.
Cutlass Black.
Freelancer.
One of these three would be the ones I'd consider if I were just getting into star citizen again. @Talonsbane and @Deroth both gave some pros and cons for them which are worth noting, but I guess we all agree these are some good starters.
Now, if you like mining and want to make some cash doing that, get a prospector.
Your 315p is a solid ship that allows play in a couple of areas now and has much more gameplay on the way. This is the ship that hooked me into SC and I always keep at least one around. It is not geared toward PvP but handles PvE quite well. It's fast, has outstanding QT range for it's size, enough SCU to turn a profit and a bed for logout. It will probably be the first ship to get it's tractor beam functionality, and eventually it's scanning package should place it above others in class. Honestly, I consider it the best 'value' ship in game after the Titan.
If a more combat oriented ship is desired, say for PvP, then the Arrow, Hawk, Talon or Gladius are good choices. Light fighters are the baseline for CIG and have been demonstrably protected by the devs.
For stepping up to multicrew.. this is actually a point of pain in the game right now, as that next tier (Freelancers, Cutlasses) has seen some unwelcome changes to their flight models and weapons. Medium ships are due for a 'balance pass' soon tho, once the Vehicle Experience Team gets done playing fighter jocks. If they do. Freelancer is probably the more solid choice, with the gimbaled weapons and extra shield generator. Things that get in front of them melt fast. It's not quick in atmo but handles a lot better there than the Cutty's right now.
My last suggestion is to jump into Discord and offer to crew on someone else's ship. Turrets are powerful pursuaders, and the active group has access to.. oh.. all the ships in game.
If a more combat oriented ship is desired, say for PvP, then the Arrow, Hawk, Talon or Gladius are good choices. Light fighters are the baseline for CIG and have been demonstrably protected by the devs.
For stepping up to multicrew.. this is actually a point of pain in the game right now, as that next tier (Freelancers, Cutlasses) has seen some unwelcome changes to their flight models and weapons. Medium ships are due for a 'balance pass' soon tho, once the Vehicle Experience Team gets done playing fighter jocks. If they do. Freelancer is probably the more solid choice, with the gimbaled weapons and extra shield generator. Things that get in front of them melt fast. It's not quick in atmo but handles a lot better there than the Cutty's right now.
My last suggestion is to jump into Discord and offer to crew on someone else's ship. Turrets are powerful pursuaders, and the active group has access to.. oh.. all the ships in game.
Cutlass Black is tough to beat for its price.
If I had to do it all over again with a $200ish budget, I'd buy an Avenger Titan and a MISC Prospector (I like mining).
You can make some bank doing bounties with the Avenger then buy the Lancet mining head for the Prospector. Once you have that, do quantanium mining. Rent a good cargo ship with the money you made with the Avenger to haul the refined quantanium. After your first good quantanium run you'll be rolling in dough. Keep it up and you can buy whatever ship you want in game.
There are some great vids on YouTube about mining with the Prospector. I'd check them out to see if it's something you'd enjoy.
Biggest downside is you'll have to start over every time they do a wipe. Upside is you'll have the tools to build back up.
ETA: Should've probably said that I would melt the 315 to have the Titan instead. If I want to explore, I'd probably do it with the org on a Carrack or Odyssey. Exploring solo doesn't sound as fun to me compared to doing it with friends.
If I had to do it all over again with a $200ish budget, I'd buy an Avenger Titan and a MISC Prospector (I like mining).
You can make some bank doing bounties with the Avenger then buy the Lancet mining head for the Prospector. Once you have that, do quantanium mining. Rent a good cargo ship with the money you made with the Avenger to haul the refined quantanium. After your first good quantanium run you'll be rolling in dough. Keep it up and you can buy whatever ship you want in game.
There are some great vids on YouTube about mining with the Prospector. I'd check them out to see if it's something you'd enjoy.
Biggest downside is you'll have to start over every time they do a wipe. Upside is you'll have the tools to build back up.
ETA: Should've probably said that I would melt the 315 to have the Titan instead. If I want to explore, I'd probably do it with the org on a Carrack or Odyssey. Exploring solo doesn't sound as fun to me compared to doing it with friends.
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My recommendation is Fly before you Buy. Every ship has its positives but you'll only know which one is the one for you by having a go in it.
Meet up with one of your TESTie cohorts in game to try ships out, or you can rent ships from all the major ports. Grab a Cutlass and a Freelancer and give them a try. I prefer the Freelancer over the Cutlass but I prefer the Constellation Taurus over both of those, all of which are under $200 :)
Meet up with one of your TESTie cohorts in game to try ships out, or you can rent ships from all the major ports. Grab a Cutlass and a Freelancer and give them a try. I prefer the Freelancer over the Cutlass but I prefer the Constellation Taurus over both of those, all of which are under $200 :)
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If you had to choose an initial ship I'll had pointed you toward either the Nomads or the Avenger Titan, but the 315P is also a good sobstitute for both of them so keep it as a solid base stater ship: all those ship give you access to basically all the game play, from box delivery, to Bounty, to esploration to FPS mining and you'll have no problem grinding money to buy the next ship in-game.
For a next step is hard to point it without knowing your taste in gameplay aspect, there are really too many possiblity.
Cutlass Black is a nice ship that offer a LOT of game possibility from combat, to multycrew to cargo hauling to military joint operation, and can also carry most of the actual ground vehicles like the Cyclone and the ROC so it it could be an introduction ship to a more profitable mining gameplay.
If you like the Freelancer series more I'll suggest only the MAX variant since the others are too narrow the be able to proper carry a ground vehicles other the PTV and bikes. I personally favour the Cutlass and now even more considering that is scheduled to receive the "golden pass" this year that will bring along some improvement.
If you'll like a more broad view for furter gameplay I'll suggest to grab and industrial ship like the Prospector or the future Voulure: those will be money-making machine and will allow you not only to get into the mining and salvaging gameplay but also have a profitable way to earn money in-game to get all the ship you like in short time.
Of course I'll hand down second @NaffNaffBobFace suggestion: try them out before spend moneys on them, and for that you have a lot of option: TESThave like 3-4 ship we have users (and I'm conservative...) so there is no problem to find one to try, buy ship in game is a feasable option even if require some time, renting in-game is valuable but give you limitation on equipment and customization, finally there are in-game event like IAE and Invictus weeks where you'll be albe to free-rent any ship (or most of) for free and that is a great way to comapre them side-by side without having to spend eiter money or in-game time for grinding for them.
That is a bad suggestion.. as the 315 is superior to the Titan in all areas...
Except price but if you already have 315 melting it and get a Titan is a downgrade..
Melting 315 for a Titan is like having a Dodge RAM selling it to get a Ford pickup-truck. make no sense at all..
Reason to keep 315 or get a 315 over a TItan if you have the extra cash it cost.
1: 315 have a smaller cross section silhouette making it way harder to hit and get a good missile lock on.
2: 315 have toilet, bed proper kitchen, cabin storage and food storage and extra add on food and coffee maker.. Titan only have a bed.
3: 315 have more cargo space than the Titan
4: 315 is equal in speed but a bit more nimble than the Titan and can squeeze in to smaller areas than Titan cant
5: 315 Have a tractor-beam ( yes it's not working now but it will )
6: 315 have a much better radar and scanner for detecting stuff ( yes not working 100% but it will )
7: 315 can travel much further on one fillup of fuel/Q-fuel than Titan.
When it come to PVE they are pretty much equal PVP is not recommended with either of them but they both can hold it's own pretty okay
but you be smart to use the speed to get away with either of them... as one say "Live to fight another day" is the smarter option.
Only time the Titan is better to get is when it is your first ship and you might not have the cash to buy a 315 or Nomad...
Then I put Titan first and Nomad I don't consider a choice at all cause of its external cargo space and higher price..
Personal opinion on the matter is irrelevant as comparing them should be done with what they offer and in that matter 315 is the better choice over both Titan and Nomad.
What extra ship to get I can only say what @NaffNaffBobFace said, that is personal and you should try out ships.
Borrow from TEST members, buy in game, rent.. Get your own Aahaa! moment which one you like and suit your play style.
If you borrow ship from fellow TESTies, make sure the ship you borrow is stock as a upgraded ship will give you a fals experience.
CHEERS!
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@Solaric , best advice here :)
Feel free to ask fellow TESTies to borrow a cuttie black or a freelancer to try them out !
Cutlass Black is still one of the most versatile ships bar none.
Look at the recent Jump Town activity. C2s, MSRs, Connies, etc. At the end of the day, folks still go back to the Cutlass Black for a cost effective and easy ship to load both cargo and troops.
Look at the recent Jump Town activity. C2s, MSRs, Connies, etc. At the end of the day, folks still go back to the Cutlass Black for a cost effective and easy ship to load both cargo and troops.
I drive a Ram and have never owned a Ford so we agree on the important things
The 315 is one of the worst "starter" ships for people interested in playing RIGHT NOW.
The increased cargo capacity is basically pointless because it's still a very small amount. The tractor beam isn't implemented and is giving up a SIZE 4 hard point. That's a ridiculous trade off if you want to play RIGHT NOW.
Its wings are easily shot off (currently), halving its already pathetic DPS since its guns are attached to those wings.
The Avenger Titan does 62% more damage with a laser repeater load out. 62%! That's a huge difference in the current state of the game. Put a Rhino on the nose and 2x Panthers under the wings and go do some bounties. It does VHRT just fine.
The 315 is a great ship. I'll probably earn one in game but I'm not going to suggest someone who wants to play NOW should spend $10 more for a ship that is currently one of the worst available (at this time).
A new pilot trying to use 2x Panthers on a ship that loses wing mounted guns easily is a good way to convince that pilot that combat isn't for them. They'll have trouble connecting and they'll have to connect a lot. That's a frustrating combination.
And the biggest benefit to the Titan: when the game finally has exploration and tractor beams, you can spend that $10 to upgrade to the 315 from the Titan. You'll still have the combat skills you developed with the Titan, you'll just have to get used to the huge decrease in your DPS.
DragonHeart
Space Marshal
If I was starting over, I would skip all the small ships.
Go straight for Cutlass Black and your set.
And then, think about larger exploration ships or capital flag ships.
Make sure to have a package for access though.
Go straight for Cutlass Black and your set.
And then, think about larger exploration ships or capital flag ships.
Make sure to have a package for access though.
You do know about Stock ship right.. most buy stock and don't change the ship at all..I drive a Ram and have never owned a Ford so we agree on the important things
The 315 is one of the worst "starter" ships for people interested in playing RIGHT NOW.
The increased cargo capacity is basically pointless because it's still a very small amount. The tractor beam isn't implemented and is giving up a SIZE 4 hard point. That's a ridiculous trade off if you want to play RIGHT NOW.
Its wings are easily shot off (currently), halving its already pathetic DPS since its guns are attached to those wings.
The Avenger Titan does 62% more damage with a laser repeater load out. 62%! That's a huge difference in the current state of the game. Put a Rhino on the nose and 2x Panthers under the wings and go do some bounties. It does VHRT just fine.
The 315 is a great ship. I'll probably earn one in game but I'm not going to suggest someone who wants to play NOW should spend $10 more for a ship that is currently one of the worst available (at this time).
A new pilot trying to use 2x Panthers on a ship that loses wing mounted guns easily is a good way to convince that pilot that combat isn't for them. They'll have trouble connecting and they'll have to connect a lot. That's a frustrating combination.
And the biggest benefit to the Titan: when the game finally has exploration and tractor beams, you can spend that $10 to upgrade to the 315 from the Titan. You'll still have the combat skills you developed with the Titan, you'll just have to get used to the huge decrease in your DPS.
Your focused on pwee pwee shine through and should not be a part of advice of what to buy.
Unless the person specifically ask for that or you are only projection your opinion as advice.
So what you can or can't upgrade the ships with now or what DPS they have is irrelevant..
Also not important for future of the game as those things change all the time at current state of game..
And the gear or upgrades you add to your ship is not what make your a ship or you better it is your skill to use it...
So to advice someone of what to buy based on how game is now is short sighted and a bad suggestion...
Advice on ship should be of future use and possible function it have to benefit the user playstyle, unless the person ask for specific use.
As most pepes don't melt and buy left an right like some of us do, they buy once and don't change or might upgrade...
and most fly with the ships as they are stock.
CHEERS!
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I couldn't disagree more with your opinion that "most people leave their ships stock". Stock load out should only be taken into account if the stock components make the ship unusable. One of the best aspects of Star Citizen is the ability to upgrade your ship. Most people actively playing the game do (especially people who don't have huge fleets). That's why Erkul and tons of guides on YouTube exist.You do know about Stock ship right.. most buy stock and don't change the ship at all..
Your focused on pwee pwee shine through and should not be a part of advice of what to buy.
Unless the person specifically ask for that or you are only projection your opinion as advice.
So what you can or can't upgrade the ships with now or what DPS they have is irrelevant..
Also not important for future of the game as those things change all the time at current state of game..
And the gear or upgrades you add to your ship is not what make you a ship or you better it is your skill to use it...
So to advice someone of what to buy based on how game is now is short sighted and a bad suggestion...
Advice on ship should be of future use and possible function it have to benefit the user playstyle, unless the person ask for specific use.
As most pepes don't melt and buy left an right like some of us do, they buy once and don't change or might upgrade...
and most fly with the ships as they are stock.
CHEERS!
I'm not going to bother explaining that a ships optimal load out should be considered when purchasing.
The reason I'm suggesting a superior combat ship (when compared to the 315p) is OP's introduction thread:
What drew you to Star Citizen? I love flight games and used to be a flight instructor for Warbirds and Eve Online for my corps on those games.
What do you look forward to most in Star Citizen? (PVP, Exploration, etc) Exploration / Mining and some PVP but I fly mostly for the fun of flying with a group.
And yes, I see he listed Exploration but unfortunately, that isn't in the game yet. Neither are tractor beams. If he wants a ship to fly NOW, the 315p might be the worst choice in the game.
I agree 100% that skill is what's important. I think where we differ is you don't think he'll develop skill if he's using an Avenger Titan or something? I'm saying he'll develop the skill with less frustration since the Titan is better suited to combat and it's not even close.
I guess it'd make more sense to upgrade the 315p rather than melting it. If I was in OP's shoes, I'd upgrade the 315p to a prospector then buy a standalone Avenger Titan.
The reason I have such a hard-on for the Titan is its viability in the higher end bounty missions. A Cutty Black or Freelancer will have a much harder time since they're not maneuverable enough to dodge all the incoming fire/kamikaze NPCs. Bounties are different than they were, all the NPCs (including the escorts) load at the same time and they're nasty little ship ramming bastards. Ships like the Hurricane and Valkyrie can light you up pretty quick with their guns and then slam into your ass.
Why do I like bounties so much? They pay a lot and it's fun to shoot things with a space ship.
I'd put a ship like the Cutlass or Freelancer as my 3rd priority. They're great value and large enough to haul refined quantanium loads that the Prospector produced.
If OP's total budget increases to $300ish, I'd do this:
$90 - Prospector (from 315p)
$55 - Avenger Titan (bounty hunting)
$100 Cutlass Black (multi role/hauling)
It'd be an extra $245 but that's a solid fleet that can start making aUEC immediately and covers a lot of the current game play (combat, mining, hauling, multi crew)
And again, when exploration is implemented (probably still a while out), the Titan can be upgraded to the 315p.
Well so you know Titan is my go to ship and favorit over 315 in the aspect of dogfighting, bounty hunting
and I strongly recommend Titan for that as starter if your playstyle is mostly focus on that kind of gameplay..
But looking to where the game is going keeping a 315 if he already have it and add a Titan I would agree, downgrade it make no sense..
Upgrading to Prospector and get a Titan is also a viable option I agree with, that make a lot more sense..
I'm a hard flyer to so I know what you mean with the bounty mission etc.. but this is such a small part of the game.
I have a pretty large fleet of ships so I have a lot of option as such I tend to look more on what is coming and what is useful up the road than what we got now.
And I never upgrade my ship I fly them stock and never been a problem for me, in some rare cases I change ballistic to laser or vice versa.
I prefer to use the ships to its max potential stock so if/when I master that then I know what ever I upgrade with is going to be of use and a benefit.
And as most things are not 100% I avoid spending to much time working out the DPS and all that as tomorrow it could all been changed.
So you see we are not to different in opinion tho I look at the long term gameplay cause it will change a lot going forward from here.
CHEERS!
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Devil Dog Hog
Space Marshal
The ones you can afford without the wife hitting you with a frying pan or divorcing you.
EDIT: I would also like to add the ones you can pilot while drinking, because thats a requirement of being a TEST pilot.