Level 4 PVE Paladin Guide (Budget fit)

Ah we're back here again, the sweet embrace of being a carebear.

That being said, my last guide on a Level 4 Marauder (the Vargur) was pretty popular, so I've decided to crack on with a followup on the beautiful, the deadly, the graceful, Amarrian Paladin.

Before we go any further, here's the fit I'll be discussing. However unlike last time, this is majority T2 fit and cheap faction. I'll talk about upgrade possibilities later on if you've got ISK to spare or a taste for bling. The price for this fit is around 1.47 billion at the time of writing this according to EVEPraisal. The vast majority of that is the hull itself at approximately 1.3 billion, and less than 200mil spent on fittings.

                                    

[Paladin, Holy Fire]

Core C-Type Large Armor Repairer
Heat Sink II
Heat Sink II
Heat Sink II
Imperial Navy Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane
Tracking Enhancer II
Tracking Enhancer II

Tracking Computer II, Optimal Range Script
Tracking Computer II, Optimal Range Script
Large Cap Battery II
500MN Cold-Gas Enduring Microwarpdrive

Mega Pulse Laser II, Imperial Navy Multifrequency L
Mega Pulse Laser II, Imperial Navy Multifrequency L
Mega Pulse Laser II, Imperial Navy Multifrequency L
Mega Pulse Laser II, Imperial Navy Multifrequency L
Bastion Module I
Small Tractor Beam II
Small Tractor Beam II
Salvager II

Large Capacitor Control Circuit I
Large Energy Burst Aerator II


Acolyte II x5
Infiltrator II x5


So first off it's pretty basic, four MPLs in the highs, bastion module, and two tractors/one salvager. This is pretty standard for a HighSec Paladin. You can change the number of salvagers/tractors around or swap them out entirely but there's not much else you need or want here in HighSec. If you're planning on using this in quiet LowSec, I'd really recommend a mix of Heavy and Medium Energy Neutralizers to throw off tackle incase the worst happens. If you've got nearby backup (say you're in Null with carriers ratting next door) you can even fit a cyno and scream for help while bastion saves your ass long enough for those blap carriers to come wreck the roaming gang that's caught you. In terms of gunnery options, you can definitely switch out the MPLs for Tachyon Beam Laser IIs if you want some crazy long range optimals with no need to ever swap from Multifreq unless you feel like using Gleam. However most missions do not require the insane range of Tachyons and MPLs have better DPS and apply it better due to higher tracking. Do Tachs work? Sure. Are they a better choice than MPLs? Debatable. If you feel like it, try both and stick with what you prefer. Personally I prefer the Mega Pulse Laser IIs for faster cycling and better tracking. The rest of this post will assume you're using the MPL fit otherwise it's going to get very long and confusing explaining the differences in flying them.

Anyway.

Ammo choice is Imperial Navy Multifrequency for anything close up, and then Scorch outside the falloff of Multi. Faction ammo is pretty much the best choice here, since you've got half the guns of a comparable laser battleship (but you have a 100% damage bonus bringing you back to eight effective turrets) and it adds around another 100DPS. Yeah they break, but the cost of replacing them is minor compared to the benefit you get out of them, and you'll get approximately 4000 shots per crystal according to Osmium, which is pretty damn efficient. Just make sure you carry a set of spares so you're not stuck limping through a mission with 3 broken crystals and only one working gun, while being too stubborn to fly two jumps to pick up new ones.

I'm not speaking from experience okay, stop looking at me like that.

The mids are open to your choice, but I enjoy the maneuverability of a MWD combined with a solid cap boost from the recently buffed cap batteries. You could swap this for a Heavy Cap Booster II or a Cap Recharger II, or even change it to something else entirely, but I prefer the Large Cap Battery to drive the already crazy cap strength of the Paladin to "Lol, who cares about managing cap" without drowning it in useless cap stability. Running your guns and rep with your MWD off lasts you a solid 5mins 23secs with max skills which is easily enough time with bastion and the 1k+ DPS to melt the field down to manageable levels. The two Tracking Computer IIs are a really good idea pretty much no matter what to help you push out your optimal, or increase your tracking on elite cruisers and the like. It's possible to fly a Paladin without these, but your applied DPS goes down the toilet, and it's not fun. Alternative choices for mid slots include MJDs, Afterburners, other cap mods, or even webs/grapplers if you want to go crazy, but I think this setup is the most well balanced and new marauder-pilot friendly to start with. If you're using this in LowSec, I'd recommend dropping the Cap Battery for a MJD alongside your MWD, to maximise your ability to GTFO of sticky situations. This will require more attention to your cap but it's alot safer to use.

Your low slots are aimed at increasing and applying maximum DPS while affording the bare minimum of tank. The faction bling here is cheap but helps reduce the number of slots you need to successfully tank Level 4 missions. Frankly you could probably run a T2 rep and a T2 EANM and still be fine. You can also drop a TE for another Heat Sink but the DPS increase is frankly negligable, and I feel better application of DPS is more useful than another 30 or so paper DPS. Alternatively you can drop a TE for another Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane if you're concerned about the tank and want some extra security, but you don't really need any more tank than is already there with the super power that is bastion and crazy DPS out to 100+km (Scorch is OP as fuck). There's the age old 4 Heat Sink + 1 TE vs 3 Heat Sink + 2 TE argument here, I'll leave that up to you to decide what you prefer now I've given my two cents.


The "I have more ISK than sense" part

"But Seraph!" I hear you cry. "I can't sleep properly at night unless my PvE fits are atleast 70% faction or deadspace fit! Where should I spend all this ISK on my brand spanking new Paladin?"

Frankly you fucking shouldn't because you won't get any real increase in performance for the amount of ISK you'll be spending, but if you really feel driven to upgrade this fit, stick with buying Imperial Navy Heat Sinks. That's really all you should pour money into. DO NOT, I REPEAT,

DO NOT

spend ISK upgrading the tank with A-Type or X-Type modules. You don't need it and it'll just make you look shinier for gankers. If you really feel that the tank isn't enough, take off the second TE and put either a Reactive Armor Hardener on there or a second faction EANM. Your wallet will thank me. I strongly disagree with upgrading the Tracking Enhancers or Tracking Computers to faction because it's like a 2% difference to T2 and that's not worth the huge increase in price in my opinion, but if you've got the ISK I can't really stop you.

 A faction or deadspace MWD is an easier pill to swallow because it can help your completion times if it moves you to a gate faster, or lets you save some cap so you're not waiting in an empty room for enough cap to enter the next room safely. That being said, it is 100% workable with a meta or even T2 MWD. I'd only say use a faction/deadspace MWD if you've got one hanging around or you can snag one for cheap.

The most important thing to remember is that you're grinding these missions to make money. A big consideration that most people forget is ISK efficiency with your fit. Sure you might be able to pour 3 billion ISK into a marauder and make it a laser spewing death machine, but you could instead pay 1.5 billion for it, still do shit-tons of damage, and put that other 1.5billion into something else, like a second ship for your alt to dual box, or put it into market trading for some semi-passive income. And the more expensive your ship is, the more missions you have to grind before you start "profiting", because up until you've paid for the price of that ship from missions, you're not technically getting any profit from it.

Anyway guys, I hope you found this post useful. Got an alternative fit? Enjoyed using this one? Post it in the comments!

Until the next time, fly safe o7