E&B Game Tips

NOTE: These tips are here to help new players get a running start towards level 10 in each of the 3 areas (combat, explore and trade) - THEY ARE NOT MEANT FOR USE BY SEASONED PLAYERS, although even a seasoned player might glean a little something from them.

KEEP IN MIND: Spend your skill points wisely. First priorities should be Device Tech, Engine Tech, Reactor Tech and Shield Tech. Next in line should be your weapon of choice (WOC) - Jenquai do their best with beam weapons, Terrans do best with missiles and Progens are the ultimate killing machine with projectiles. Be sure of your WOC, count the number of 'pips' for each weapon type, your characters WOC is the one that lets you use level 9 weapons. Don't waste your points on any other weapon tech (some players have suggested that one can afford to get up to level 3 or 4 tech in beam weapons, this allows for higher characters to 'farm' items from up to CL20 mobs for free as you don't need to waste the more expensive ammo on them - the choice is yours). Remember that you get new tech levels in device, engine, reactor and shield every 10 levels (you get 2 of them, which 2 depends on your class) so you might want to plan on saving the points AHEAD of time, rather than being level 40 and not have the points to get your level 3 shields!

After the initial training, but before reporting to your first assignment, take a few hours and explore. You can get up to level 10 in two or three hours. There are a couple of alternatives to exploring the galaxy solo; If you KNOW another player that's higher level (100-130 or so) ask them if they need some exploration xp. Older players get an average of about 400xp PER NAV POINT when they tow you around. If you don't know a seasoned player, you can find another new character and team up for about 1.5 times the explore xp (you get your explore xp + about 400 more for 'aiding' your new friend, and SO DOES HE - that averages to about 1300xp per nav point until you hit level 10!

When you've managed to make it to level 10 explore, its time to spend those 10 skill points! Rememer the priorities mentioned up above - Device, Engine, Reactor and Shield techs - max those out until it says you have to be level 20 (or 30) to upgrade. Next try getting your WOC up a notch - a bit hard for terrans and progen, they don't get their WOC skill until they are about halfway through with basic training. Instead you can either save the points or spend them on the basic skills you are given at the start of game (see the list of useless skills at the end of this page!).

Now you are in need of some better gear for your ship. There are many builders out there that are willing to help a new character out - at least with level 2 and 3 equipment. When you are ready for new equipment, try stopping in a station (your best bet for this is either Jove's Fury or Net-7) and, using the 'local' channel, ask if anyone can help you find/build or buy (yes, buy... just remember, you only have a measly 500 credits - unless you managed to get a handout). Some builders may just be kind enough to give your cash reserves a little boost by giving you a few thousand to help you get going. At this point in your training, you dont need much in the way of weapons... For now, try to get engines (Tail series), reactor (Kraken) and 2 devices (Road Runer Plus, Cat's Paw) built for you.The Tail series engine is a little better than the vendor buyable Brenton (which is a good alternative) and is the best in terms of speed - you won't need stealth just yet. The Kraken will give you a nice warp boost when you activate it (make a shortcut to the quick bar).The RR+ gives you a warp boost just by installing it, the Cat's Paw gives you a bit of 'battle speed' with installation. All of these items will help you on the next part of your quest. In case you cant find a builder for these items, you can get them at Earth Station, in Earth Sector - although it'll cost about 10k for the set at tech level 2.

Now that you've got your explore level up to about 10, it's time to do a little trading. The BEST trade run for xp per hour is Net-7 to Friendship 7 - a lot of people claim the best run is Somerled to Fenris, but it takes the average ship, with engine tech 2, about an hour for the round trip - and thatss when you aren't distracted by other things. In the same hour, you can make about 15-20 round trips on the Net-7 to Friendship 7 run. Stick with this until you reach trade level 10, level 20 overall. You should have (if you started with the base 500 credits) about 30,000 or so - not bad for a newspaper boy, huh?

Now it is time to start your basic training, the way the game wants you to. Head back to your home sector and report for duty. During your BT, work primarily on your Combat. It is quite possible to get your combat level up to 10 by using level 1 beams on level 1-3 targets in your home sector (I did it with Canonfodder). Using beams at this early stage will save you quite a bit of money, since you wont have to buy ammo. Be sure you have a good reactor and shields so you can stay out there longer. Take on Organic targets as much as possible. the organic loot pays better cash AND more trade xp (plus it's a far easier kill because you only have to cut through the shields, not the hull, of the mobs).

Speaking of loot... It seems that more xp can be gotten by trading loot to another player - not a whole lot more, but, as you will find out at higher levels, every point counts!). Find you a friend (perhaps the same one from the explore portion) and you can swap off loot to each other for the XP, then go sell it for the cash - you dont have to trade it back, just try to be fair about splitting the cash.

A note about 'Power Leveling':: Back before the 05/2003 patch, power leveling was the fastest and easiest way to get combat levels. HOWEVER, that patch changed the formula used for granting experience to lower leveled players. the NEW FORMULA is based on the HIGEST CL MEMBER of any group and looks like this: if YOUR CL is AT LEAST ((HIGHEST CL / 10) +5) you get FULL XP from any kill. If YOUR CL is MORE than that much lower, the XP awarded is reduced - and it drops off rapidly (my JE was CL7, grouped with a CL40 killing CL43 mobs and got 27xp per kill!). Personally I don't believe in power leveling. I think it is a step away from cheating (and I think sitting in the 'zone' and leaving the computer for more than 5 minutes at a time while getting free XP IS CHEATING!) and now the folks at Westwood have made it so its nearly impossible (bravo!). Best bet is to stick with players within about 5 combat levels of your own.

If you manage to find a good partner for the explore and combat portions, hang on to them. You guys have worked hard together and have formed yourself into a team. If you both are the same class, you can split up some skills so that you each have more to spend on other skills. For instance, a pair of JEs dont BOTH have to build up wormholes or fold space. One can do the wormholes for both of you while the other concentrates on the fold space ability. (Please note, that was just an example and it is the authors opinion that the fold space ability is utterly worthless for the most part -- NOTE FROM Hiddeneagle (Orion): Fold space is useful but not until you get directional fold and can control the direction). A pair of PWs dont BOTH need 'repair equipment' or 'build weapons' - one of you can take each skill. The best example, I think, is the Trader. Traders have 2 very handy skills, but for one trader to worry about paying for them both is such a drain on the SP reserves, that TTs often fall behind on other skills. Hull Patch and Recharge Shields. Both of these skills are very handy when someone becomes incapacitated (dead). Once the Incap has been jump started, they are going to need their hull and shields fixed - 2 traders are better than one, and the twins can then focus the points they would have normally used on one of these skills on something else, like negotiate (very, very handy for a builder!), build skills, etc.

As for splitting up skills... Many classes have redundant build skills. The only character that can build reactors is the JE - that should be what every JE puts their build points into - forget devices. PWs can ONLY build weapons - and they will need this skill to make ammo for their weapons at higher levels, but they cant build Jenquai weapons - guess what the PW needs to put build points into? Since the PW cant build Jenquai weapons, another class needs to bring up the slack, Hiddeneagle (Orion) suggests that the TE can also put points into weapon building, because they can build ANY RACE'S weapons. The Progen Sentinel (as I was reminded by Hiddeneagle) can make some pretty good shields (but aren't they limited to any non-Jenquai shield? guess that don't matter, as Jenquai shields suck anyway). Defenders are also an excellent source for Devices. That leaves the Trader with the 2 leftovers - Components and Engines - this is why it is pretty important for the TT to find a 'business partner' and split up skills.