Shield Tanking Guide

[friznit]

Friznit’s Guide to Shield Tanking

(Wiggy's idea). This is a very basic start up guide. It is not definitive but is based on my limited experience and what I find works for me, on my ships. For more info and discussion refer to the eve-o ship fitting forum sticky.

Some Definitions:

Active Tank: Relies on cap to keep it alive. E.g. Multispec hardeners, shield booster, boost amp.
Semi-Active or Hitpoint Tank. Limited cap use. E.g. Racial hardeners, extenders, downsized booster.
Passive Tank: Uses little or no cap. E.g. Extenders, rechargers, power relays.

Shield Tanking Modules:

Boosters – C5-L is best named. Size relevant to ship (Small for frig, XL for bs)
Boost Amps – Make your booster boost a lot more.
Extenders – What it says on the tin. T2 are affordable. Be aware they make you a bigger target.
Hardeners – 50% Active hardeners. The must haves. More about these below.
Resistance Amps – 32.5% Passive hardeners.
PDS – These give a buff to your cap and shield recharge rate. T2 are affordable.
Shd Flux – Reduces overall shield but increases recharge rate.
Shd Pwr Relay – Faster recharge rate, less cap. Used in passive tanks. T2 not seeded yet.
Shd Recharger – Make the shield recharge a little quicker.
Nosferatu – Good for augmenting cap on an active tank. Diminishing family are best named.
Cap Power Relays - Avoid these. They nerf your shield booster.

Resistances & Shield Hardeners

A definite must have for any serious tank. Multispecs are nice (25% all round) but eat twice as much cap. The stats don't stack as you'd expect - two Multispecs don't give you 50% additional all round. It is a percentage of what's left. So, for example, with shield base resistance to EM at 0, add one racial to take it to 50%. Add a second 50%x(100%-50%)=75%. Add whatever skills you have and you can creep up to around 90% but it's very hard to get much more than that. In short, the best general tank is one EM, one Thermal and one Multispec. This covers the most common damage types in game and is good enough for most PvE as well. Don't neglect those skills! BC's fo example get a boost on resistances for every level of skill.

Some Principles of Shield Hardening

1. Make what shield you have work for you. A small, hard shield is generally better than a huge crappy shield. Plan to harden and boost rather than extend. You’ll be a smaller target too.

2. Boosters eat cap. They’re nice but don’t rely on them. If you get nos’d or energy neutralised then you’re screwed.

3. Shields are weakest against EM & Thermal. People will therefore use EM & Thermal against you to break your tank. They also happen to be the most common form of damage in game.

4. Optimum Ranges: know your enemy. If he can’t hit you properly, you can tank for a lot longer.

5. Be a Master, not a Jack of All Trades: Don't try to fit armour mods as well as shield. Max out one or the other.

[amblin]

.

[Hehulk]

That's not the only thing I've done, though only friz will be able to tell the rest

[friznit]

That's not the only thing I've done, though only friz will be able to tell the rest

All corrections, modded or otherwise, warmly reveived. I was doing this all from memory because I'm at work and it was between 11 and 12 GMT.

[Wiggy]

Nice one Friz.

I shall be doing an armor tanking guide soon(tm).

I only mentioned it in the first place 'cause I just realised I knew knob all about shield tanking, and quite a lot about armor tanking. This way, if we both post guides, we can learn from each other.

Actually, I'll get on that guide now... will post later.

[bomberesque]

/me looks at watch and ponders the meaning of "later"

I need advice on armour tanking for my Thorax

Have some to help you witht he energy to get it finished

[Wiggy]

Mmmm thanks for the

Sorry, I had to go to bed early, I started work at half 3 this morning.

I will be home early though, possibly just after lunch. I'll finish it off then.