Very deadly core competency
2nd May 2010 – 3.40 pmI am almost elite. I have nearly all of my core competency skills trained to the highest required level, missing only two more before I can claim the overall certificate. The training has taken a while, although my last plan to increase core skill training being over a year ago is a little misleading. I got quite distracted from the core skills with the promise of a shiny Damnation, then lured in to the thrill of heavy assault and interdictor ships, even if I gain the elite core targeting skill as a consideration in piloting the Guardian logistics ship. But earlier this year I decided to hunker down and improve my core skills.
The training for core skills is unglamorous. It doesn't put you in to new ships, or let you use fancy new modules, and although any improvements you gain are just as incremental as with any other skill it can be less than thrilling to spend two weeks training to get a slight increase to your power grid. Training for new ships lets you buy a new toy, and often the next level of ship requires incremental training in the current one, which effectively becomes the new goal. Training in modules lets you play with new fittings, and increased training will open up more powerful versions of the modules that will eventually give more than the incremental boost of a level of training. Core skill training seems tame in comparison, until you actually see the benefits.
My ships turn slightly faster than before, which also puts me in warp ahead of other ships. When being chased or stalked by other pilots this can make a difference. My shields and armour are improved as much as they can be, and I can fit the best modules to improve them further. And I can squeeze almost as much as possible out of my grid and CPU to fit more than before, which really does show. I rarely have to worry about standard fittings for ships any more, which also makes fitting non-standard modules for specific tasks easier. Working with whatever we have in our corporate hangar out in w-space, and not being able to buy something quickly from the market, almost requires this much flexibility. Training in the core skills isn't glamorous, but it certainly makes a noticable difference.
I haven't quite completed the requirements for the elite certificate yet. I still need to train one more level in both advanced weapon upgrades and warp drive calibration. I may take the month-long plunge with the weapon upgrades at some point, after some more fancy skill training in new ships and more direct support skills. And I think the warp drive skill can wait until I am ready to slide my pod in to a maruader or black ops boat. It is only four days of training, but I'm not convinced it's required outside of the nastier battleship-class hulls. I am pleased that I dedicated a chunk of time to the core skills, training the longer skills first to make it mostly a downhill ride. Now my path is open to exploring even more opportunities.
2 Responses to “Very deadly core competency”
The nice part about reaching the end of a skill is knowing you're as good as you can be at that particular element. Whether it's mining yield, hull integrity or broker fees, there is nothing else you can do to improve it [fleet/wormhole effects excepted of course]. It is the ultimate expression of the Capsuleers immortality and ultimately the source of her power.
The real use for Warp Drive Operation - being able to warp in a Bantam all the way across a system [or even TO an asteroid belt] without having to stop and recharge your capacitor.
Bantam? Real miners use Badgers.