Untested Amarr Diving Fits

So, launch day has come and gone, and Svarog Clade is up to 162B ISK, with the Sleepers and the Navka Overminds also sharing in billions of ISK in player losses. Total losses? Dunno, it's hard to tell because I doubt more than 70% of the losses are turning up on zkill, but it's clear that a lot of ships are being thrown at the Abyss and not coming back. So, what about Amarr options?

T1 Hulls

To be honest, the Amarr ships aren't bad on paper. There's nothing you can't theoretically use to dive into the Abyss up to tier 2, and maybe tier 3.

Arbitrator

This looks like a decent ship for clearing tier 1 and tier 2 dungeons. Tier 3 you'll lose it quite easily to RNJesus.

[Arbitrator, Diver]

Medium Ancillary Armor Repairer, Nanite Repair Paste
Medium Armor Repairer II
Damage Control II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Drone Damage Amplifier II

10MN Y-S8 Compact Afterburner
Medium Electrochemical Capacitor Booster I, Navy Cap Booster 100
Stasis Webifier II
Stasis Webifier II

Rapid Light Missile Launcher II, Nova Fury Light Missile
Rapid Light Missile Launcher II, Nova Fury Light Missile
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Fusion M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Fusion M

Medium Anti-Explosive Pump I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I


Hammerhead II x5

127 EHP/s active tank cap stable with an AAR burst tank up to 406HP/s on overheat. Can you spare a minute to reload the AAR? Not in some situations, so I expect you'll lose a few of these. DPS is a flat 400 as fitted, but mostly drones. RLML's may not be the best for sustained DPS but you will definitely rip through the swarms of drones. This is the pick of the litter tbh.

Maller

If you want to do tier 1's only...

[Maller, Diver]

Damage Control II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Medium Armor Repairer II
Tracking Enhancer II
Tracking Enhancer II
Heat Sink II

10MN Monopropellant Enduring Afterburner
Medium Capacitor Booster II, Navy Cap Booster 200
Stasis Webifier II

Focused Medium Pulse Laser II, Scorch M
Focused Medium Pulse Laser II, Scorch M
Focused Medium Pulse Laser II, Scorch M
Focused Medium Pulse Laser II, Scorch M
Focused Medium Pulse Laser II, Scorch M

Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Medium Energy Burst Aerator I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I


Hobgoblin II x3

Fatty McBaitship does 300 DPS, which is not enough to really rip through the drone cruisers and battleships in tier 2. The tank is also shite, at 163EHP/s cold and you need a cap booster to achieve 8m of cap life with 200's, and you can be stable with 400's. Luckily you have lots of cargo for those boosters and the loot you won't be getting.

Omen

This is a fit very similar to The Gentleman Gamer's. He did a tier 3 dungeon in one, but he didn't get 5 Striking Leshaks, which would have rinsed him instantly. So many people have said the test server dungeons were easier, so who knows?

[Omen, Diver]

Medium Armor Repairer II
Damage Control II
Capacitor Power Relay II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Heat Sink II
Reactive Armor Hardener

50MN Cold-Gas Enduring Microwarpdrive
Stasis Webifier II
Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery

Focused Medium Pulse Laser II, Scorch M
Focused Medium Pulse Laser II, Scorch M
Focused Medium Pulse Laser II, Scorch M
Focused Medium Pulse Laser II, Scorch M
Focused Medium Pulse Laser II, Scorch M

Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I


Hammerhead II x2
Hobgoblin II x3

357 DPS, which is enough for tier 2 but will struggle with tier 3 if you get battleship spawns. But that won't be your problem, it'll be the 146 DPS tank. Plus you'll be stuck running electrical or firestorm effects thanks to your lasers. You will also have to kite. A lot. And probably pop drugs. Still, it's cheap.

Navy Cruiser Options

Navy Augoror

[Augoror Navy Issue, Diver]

Damage Control II
Medium Armor Repairer II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Heat Sink II
Heat Sink II
Tracking Enhancer II
Tracking Enhancer II

50MN Cold-Gas Enduring Microwarpdrive
Medium Capacitor Booster II, Navy Cap Booster 400
X5 Enduring Stasis Webifier

Heavy Pulse Laser II, Scorch M
Heavy Pulse Laser II, Scorch M
Heavy Pulse Laser II, Scorch M
Small 'Vehemence' Shockwave Charge
Small 'Vehemence' Shockwave Charge

Medium Nanobot Accelerator I
Medium Nanobot Accelerator I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I


Hobgoblin II x3

See Omen, above, above for commentary. 388 DPS, 131 DPS tank. Smartbombs can be good for clearing the Striking Vila Damavik drones, or just popping the can as you orbit at 2,000m.

Omen Navy Issue

[Omen Navy Issue, Diver]

Damage Control II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Medium Armor Repairer II
Capacitor Power Relay II
Heat Sink II
Heat Sink II
Heat Sink II

Medium Electrochemical Capacitor Booster I, Navy Cap Booster 400
Stasis Webifier II
50MN Cold-Gas Enduring Microwarpdrive

Heavy Pulse Laser II
Heavy Pulse Laser II
Heavy Pulse Laser II
Heavy Pulse Laser II
[Empty High slot]

Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I


Hobgoblin II x5
Warrior II x5

You put chrome rims on the Omen, you get this. 428 DPS, 109 DPS active tank, run Forrest, run. Maybe tier 2 material.

Tech 2 Cruiser Options

Generally, I'd say no for a Zealot. It's basically a Navy Omen, so use the Navy Omen. Curse and Pilgrim, no. So you're left with...

[Sacrilege, Diver]

Medium Armor Repairer II
Medium Armor Repairer II
Ballistic Control System II
Imperial Navy Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane
Ballistic Control System II

Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery
10MN Afterburner II
Stasis Webifier II
Stasis Webifier II

Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
Medium Proton Smartbomb II

Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump II
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump II


Hammerhead II x5

This did me quite OK, until it didn't. I'll blame Delonewolf because I can't blame the fit; it tanked fine, just not 5 battleships fine. Would throwing more pimped reps on it have helped? No, because the chances of bashing down 5 Striking Leshak BS and finishing two other rooms in 20 minutes is dicey.

This really brings home the fact that billion ISK fits aren't the be all and end all, just like I said pre-launch. The Abyss will just throw a bad roll of the RNJesus dice, and you'll die. So are you going to toss a billion ISK at it? Or 300M ISK? That's a discussion for later.

Finally the Devoter....no. No advantages over the Sacrilege bar the 18km scram (if that's useful) with less DPS, less tank, and costs more.

So that's it. If you want to be restricted to running 2 of the 5 environments and want to basically get railroaded into the Sacrilege and lose one a week at least, then Amarr is your race!

Expensive lessons....

So, the effect beacons in Abyssal dungeons are...not good when you have 5 Striking Leshaks on field. I can attest to this from two dual-rep sacrilege losses in tier 3 dives.

My yield so far, with patch day ludicrous prices borne in mind, are...minimal. So I burned ~600M in Sacrileges to get not a great amount at all. Some busted-ass mutaplasmids and some shit for the entropic disruptor ammo (enough for a BPC run of 1,000). Oh, and I sold a calm filament in Jita for 300M ISK, so there is that.

Which drives home the point that you are really risking a lot of ISK if you want to do Tier 3 and above in T2 ships.

[Sacrilege, A bad fit??]

Medium Armor Repairer II
Medium Armor Repairer II
Ballistic Control System II
Imperial Navy Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane
Ballistic Control System II

Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery
10MN Afterburner II
Stasis Webifier II
Stasis Webifier II

Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
Medium Proton Smartbomb II

Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump II
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump II


Hammerhead II x5

Untested Pirate Cruiser Diving Fits

Orthrus
Lets be honest. You want to use an Orthrus for PVE, but you have a sense of shame. You don't want your alliance mates to see you doing level 3's in it or ratting belts unless you are 'baiting', so your shame has held you back. No more! You can disappear down a rabbit hole for 20 minutes and come back with dank Abyssal loots, and no one will know your secret shame if they don't probe your entry sig down. And you are doing it at a deep safe in a shattered wormhole, right?

[Orthrus, Diver]

Damage Control II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II

10MN Monopropellant Enduring Afterburner
Gist B-Type Large Shield Booster
Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Stasis Webifier II

Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Inferno Fury Heavy Missile
[Empty High slot]

Medium Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer II
Medium Core Defense Capacitor Safeguard II
Medium Core Defense Capacitor Safeguard II


Hobgoblin II x5

Shhh. It does 541 DPS, and tanks 199 without a blue pill, which you will surely be eating prior to a dive. This will be plenty for the task at hand, maybe up to tier 4/5. Half a billion ISK tho. I won't tell anyone.

Phantasm
Nah. Not enough active tank. Cap problems. Cheaper options which do more DPS. Leave your spiky sex toy for PVP.

Gila
I guess if you don't get the Deviant Automata Suppressors too much, you'll be fine. If you do, RLML's. I don't need to give you a fit, every fucker has one.

Ashimmu
If you're poor and can't dump 500M on something decent, try this. Ashimmu: It's Not As Bad As Some Cheaper Options.

[Ashimmu, Diver]

Damage Control II
Medium Armor Repairer II
800mm Steel Plates II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Dark Blood Armor Explosive Hardener
Dark Blood Armor Kinetic Hardener

10MN Afterburner II
Large Cap Battery II
Stasis Webifier II
Stasis Webifier II

Heavy Pulse Laser II, Scorch M
Heavy Pulse Laser II, Scorch M
Heavy Pulse Laser II, Scorch M
Small Energy Nosferatu II
Small Energy Nosferatu II

Medium Capacitor Control Circuit II
Medium Nanobot Accelerator I
Medium Nanobot Accelerator I


Hammerhead II x4

326 DPS, 189 DPS active tank, all for 140M ISK. What's not to love? Well, the DPS in particular is anemic.

Vigilant

[Vigilant, Diver]

Damage Control II
Medium Armor Repairer II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II
Power Diagnostic System II

50MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive
Stasis Webifier II
Medium Cap Battery II
Medium Cap Battery II

Heavy Neutron Blaster II, Void M
Heavy Neutron Blaster II, Void M
Heavy Neutron Blaster II, Void M
Heavy Neutron Blaster II, Void M
Heavy Neutron Blaster II, Void M

Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I

Hobgoblin II x 10

If you're using this, you are worried about small drones orbiting you closely. 90% webbing will put an end to them, and 716 DPS will put an end to the drone battleships and pretty much everything else. Hopefully you can gank-tank your way through everything...because 169 DPS tank is pretty mediocre.

Untested Caldari Diving Fits

Again, haven't really tried these out (obvs) but with Caldari your options are rather limited in this space without cost blowing out extraordinarily, due to the additional cost of shield pimp. Basically, you can't make a vaguely cap stable fit with 200 DPS active tank with a medium shield booster without dropping 150M++ on a blue booster, and without crystals (too risky for the Abyss I'd feel). Plus, you really lack DPS in the majority of Caldari boats I feel, and lack range without rails, and with rails most of your DPS is lost in close range battles.

So, pinch of salt...

T1 Cruiser Options

To be honest, I feel your best option is to train another race.

Caracal
Eeeeehhhhh, no. How's 52DPS active tank sound? Not enough, no. Because that's what you get with a T2 medium shield booster. Since we aren't dropping dank C-type reppers on a 9M ISK hull, that's the end of the discussion IMO.

Blackbird
Nope. Not enough DPS for much beyond possibly Tier 2. Not enough tank.

Moa
If 130 DPS active tank is your thing, and ass range with no midslot tackle, and pissy drones, go right ahead.

T2 Cruiser Options
You actually have some hope in the T2 cruiser sphere. Some. But be prepared to spend (at today's prices) 500-600M. So I don't know how you think noobs can work their way through the lower levels and get into higher tier diving, CCP, without dropping serious ISK.

[Eagle, Diver]

Assault Damage Control II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II

50MN Y-T8 Compact Microwarpdrive
Medium Cap Battery II
Gist C-Type Large Shield Booster
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Stasis Webifier II
Stasis Webifier II

Heavy Neutron Blaster II, Void M
Heavy Neutron Blaster II, Void M
Heavy Neutron Blaster II, Void M
Heavy Neutron Blaster II, Void M
Heavy Neutron Blaster II, Void M

Medium Capacitor Control Circuit II
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit II


Hobgoblin II x5

Blaster Eagle is a possibility with 343 DPS tank, and 674 DPS with Void. Plus with an ADC for sticky situations. Cap stable if you aren't running the MWD, you'd be running this in bursts to get in/out of range. This is decent.

Onyx

[Onyx, Diver]

Damage Control II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II

Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery
Gist B-Type Large Shield Booster
Gistum C-Type EM Ward Amplifier
10MN Monopropellant Enduring Afterburner
Shield Boost Amplifier II
Stasis Webifier II

Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Pitfall Compact Warp Disruption Field Generator, Focused Warp Scrambling Script

Medium Warhead Rigor Catalyst II
Medium Warhead Rigor Catalyst II

Even without tank rigs, this is probably a very solid all-round fit; nearly LML application with Precisions thanks to the cheap rigor rigs and 309 DPS, or 416 DPS with Fury, this would be fine. 530 DPS active tank, cap stable. No drones, though. However, an 18km scram and a web might be worth something for stopping the drones in their tracks. I feel this is a HIC that could really do the job.

Faction Cruisers
Well, let's be honest, a Caracal Navy Issue is just a Caracal with extra DPS. So, nope, not shelling out 80M ISK on a hull to have it suck as bad as the T1 version.

Osprey Navy has no tank bonus, and a smashed crab of DPS options (3 launcher hardpoints, 5 light drones wowee) so you won't be using this. It's not a nano fleet where you can unload a clip of RLML's and kite away forever. I mean, for 120M you can get this;

[Osprey Navy Issue, Diver]

Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Damage Control II

50MN Cold-Gas Enduring Microwarpdrive
Domination Large Shield Booster
Shield Boost Amplifier II
Cap Recharger II
Republic Fleet Large Cap Battery
EM Ward Amplifier II

Rapid Light Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Inferno Light Missile
Rapid Light Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Inferno Light Missile
Rapid Light Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Inferno Light Missile
[Empty High slot]
[Empty High slot]

Medium Core Defense Operational Solidifier I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I


Hobgoblin II x5

Yeah, fill those empty highs with something. 296 DPS (reloads included) and 249 DPS active tank. Maybe you can get through the Tier 2 or maybe Tier 3 in it, but good luck.

Untested Minmatar Abyssal Diving Fits

Some options you may consider. I'll be taking these for a spin pretty much as soon as the servers get up.

Minmatar T1 Cruiser Options
[Bellicose, Diver]

Medium Armor Repairer II
Ballistic Control System II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Ballistic Control System II

50MN Cold-Gas Enduring Microwarpdrive
Cap Recharger II
Parallel Enduring Target Painter
Medium Cap Battery II
Stasis Webifier II

Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Nova Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Nova Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Nova Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Nova Heavy Missile

Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I


Hammerhead II x4

43% stable with no MWD running, 329 DPS and (hold your pussies ladies) 92.9EHP/s active tank.  But note the midslot EWAR; web and paint. That's more than you'll get on most other fits, plus you can plan to kite off the drones and kill them with Precision. One for the tier 1-2, and it's cheap.

[Rupture, Diver]

Damage Control II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Gyrostabilizer II
Medium Armor Repairer II
Medium Armor Repairer II

50MN Cold-Gas Enduring Microwarpdrive
Medium Electrochemical Capacitor Booster I, Navy Cap Booster 800
Stasis Webifier II
Target Painter II

[Empty High slot]
425mm AutoCannon II, Hail M
425mm AutoCannon II, Hail M
425mm AutoCannon II, Hail M
425mm AutoCannon II, Hail M

Medium Ancillary Current Router I
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I


Hobgoblin II x5

430DPS, 246 DPS active tank. Slower, brawlier, but punchier, you'll probably want to use this as a good dip of your toe in the water. Yes, active cap injection PVE! Given you have 400m3 of cargo space, that's enough Cap 150's to last you 15 minutes if you DPS down the enemies and don't run both reps constantly.

[Stabber, Diver]

Damage Control II
Medium Ancillary Armor Repairer, Nanite Repair Paste
Medium 'Accommodation' Vestment Reconstructer I
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II

10MN Monopropellant Enduring Afterburner
Stasis Webifier II
Cap Recharger II
Medium Electrochemical Capacitor Booster I, Navy Cap Booster 800

220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Barrage M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Barrage M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Barrage M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Barrage M
Rocket Launcher II, Nova Rage Rocket
Rocket Launcher II, Nova Rage Rocket

Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Medium Ancillary Current Router I


Warrior II x5

Again, active cap injected, dual rep (420 tank max) AB, but only a web this time and a paltry 290 DPS. Might not be enough to crack those BS in time, so it's a good thing this kind of fit is cheap, neh? Otherwise it's an AB, HAM, single rep with a BCU option.

Minmatar T2 Cruiser Options

[Muninn, Diver]

Medium Armor Repairer II
Assault Damage Control II
Imperial Navy Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane
Imperial Navy Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane
Gyrostabilizer II
Gyrostabilizer II

10MN Afterburner II
Stasis Webifier II
Stasis Webifier II
Cap Recharger II

425mm AutoCannon II, Hail M
425mm AutoCannon II, Hail M
425mm AutoCannon II, Hail M
425mm AutoCannon II, Hail M
425mm AutoCannon II, Hail M

Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump II
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump II


Hobgoblin II x5

227 DPS tank is all you get, with ADCU for those sticky situations. But 650 DPS. Is it worth buying this for 450M ISK to get 200 more DPS over a Rupture? Probably for tier 4 and 5, but low tier, I really doubt it. If the stars align against you, you've dunked half a billion ISK and Elo Knight will hate you forever. You'll also want to suck down Standard Exile and hope you don't get fucked on the side effects.

Note, no Vaga fit. I just can't make it cap stable in shield, so...

[Huginn, Diver]

Damage Control II
Dark Blood Power Diagnostic System
Gyrostabilizer II
Gyrostabilizer II

10MN Y-S8 Compact Afterburner
Pith B-Type Large Shield Booster
Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery
Target Painter II
Stasis Webifier II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Hail M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Hail M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Hail M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Hail M
[Empty High slot]

Medium Capacitor Control Circuit II
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit II


Hobgoblin II x5 

427 DPS, 327 DPS tank, web and a bonused TP for extra amazeballs drone-smashing? Why, this could be yours for the princely sum of basically half a billion ISK! Better than the Rapier which is nearly 600M ISK to achieve even less, so there you go.

Faction Options

Why not try a passive tanked Scythe Fleet?

[Scythe Fleet Issue, Diver]

Damage Control II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Co-Processor II
Shield Power Relay II

50MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive
Large Shield Extender II
Large Shield Extender II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Large Shield Extender II

Heavy Missile Launcher II, Nova Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Nova Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Nova Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Nova Fury Heavy Missile
[Empty High slot]

Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I


Warrior II x5

350DPS, and a healthy 199 EHP/s for only about 110M ISK. Since it's passive, you can use that MWD liberally to shoof about the place. But lack of webs and TP's might be a PITA versus the drone swarms.

[Stabber Fleet Issue, Diver]

Damage Control II
Medium Armor Repairer II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Gyrostabilizer II
Gyrostabilizer II
Gyrostabilizer II

10MN Y-S8 Compact Afterburner
Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery
Stasis Webifier II
Target Painter II

220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Barrage M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Barrage M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Barrage M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Barrage M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Barrage M

Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I


Hobgoblin II x5

Or the 400 DPS, 134DPS armour tanked SFI for 100M. With a web and paint, this might be a good option.

Abyssal Gear

Rather than crapping on myself, why don't you go watch Delonewolf's YouTube video on Abyssal modules and Mutaplasmids, coming in the Into The Abyss update?

Abyssal Fits

Been a bit of a hiatus between posts, as working 6 of the last 7 weeks will do. So I've been hanging out for the Abyss, and doing a bit of EFT warrioring / PYFAggotry, and catching up on SiSi.

If you want to do dives into the Abyss, my advice and it's no big surprise, use a Gila. Like, who's shocked? The tankiest highest DPS nerdboat in the game that doesn't have to rely solely on shit rats (looking at you VNI) to tank, will be the best choice for Abyssal dives.

Aside from that, and based on my viewing of TouTube videos (The Gentleman Gamer, Delonewolf, etc) T1 cruisers should be good up to a tier 3 filament if you can risk losing ship and pod every 10 or so dives from just bad luck and effects. But the surprise is that aside from the Omen (as shown by the above) the stand out T1 hulls are minmatar;
Dual rep ruppy
Dual rep Stabber
Armour tanked HML Bellicose (no shit, it's not that bad)

Faction cruisers obviously use a VNI, but did you know a passive shield Scythe Fleet is also up there with passive tank, application and actually having drones? Augoror Navy is also a good choice, but I'd avoid the Exec Navy and the SFI, to be honest.

Caldari boats seem to suck, but would be good for lower tiers. This includes all faction cruisers, as you just can't mount a decent active tank. Not 300 DPS plus without 120M in pimp, by which time you may as well be using a Gila let's be honest.

Yet to really look into the pirate cruisers but a dual rep battery Strat would be the pick (if expensive) and an Ashimmu would do great vs the drone swarms due to the long web range. The Phantasm will do OK but like any shield cruiser, pimping it enough to make it decent will be a spendy exercise, so if you want to throw down 600M ISK you'll want the rewards to be decent.

By the time you're getting up to the tier 4 and tier 5 filaments, you'll be diving for Leshak BPC's and mutaplasmids so you will probably be investing in HACs, which is where the Eagle might show some promise, or the Ishtar with the X-type XLSB battery fit. Other contenders honestly will be the active shield tanked Arazu and Lachesis, but really, you couldn't go past the Deimos either for ridonkulous tank and DPS.

And, a final note: ASB tanks will die, easily. AAR dual rep setups if you time your reload, will be OK, because paste has no volume whereas few cruisers can lug enough cap 400's about to make 20 minutes of tanking. There's also a point at which you have to fiddle your fit for 8 minutes of cap survivability, maybe with an injector, versus the holy grail of permarun. This is where cap injected Bellicoses will be a cost effective dive boat for lower tiers versus, say, Gilas.

I think there's two philosophies: the old "pimp it to make it easy" which usually works because you can DPS your way through things and make higher ISK per hour off bounties / salvage in wormholes, and the do it cheap and don't stress the losses. This is where the Abyss might prove unpopular for the EVE nerds inured to a 'pay-to-win' mentality; if the Abyss throws an effect cloud at you that fucks you up, you might lose your ship due to the timer running out. There's nothing certain and predictable about the specific encounters you'll face, so it could be too risky to chuck a billion ISK on the line and find your pimp is gutted by stacked environment weather and cloud effects. So you could just fly a cheap T1 hull and if you lose it, no biggie.

Finally, you'll want to be sucking drugs down before you go on a dive. It will be worth investing in 5M ISK of drugs to keep a 250M ISK boat alive, for the chance of making enough ISK to pay the drugs off and make a profit.

Implants? I'd say a 3% tracking implant or application implant, at 25M, is probably a worthwhile investment over a few days of diving. But a set of Asklepions or Crystals would be ballsy given you could just blow up and get podded out.

Who knows? I'll be getting my pee bucket ready for the day after patch day and hitting up a deepsafe in lowsec, and taking a dive...