Ship Builds

Space-tested builds for every career — adapt them to your needs

Below are a set of links which will jump you up to the relevant sections of the selection of ship builds that we have available. Note that these ship designs have been space-tested, and work well, but ship builds are very subjective so everyone can and should suit it to their needs. We are also always looking to improve, so if you have suggestions for improvement, please contact our staff.

Please note that insurance for all ships is 5% of the total ship build price.

New ships since 2024: Python Mk II (medium combat), Type-8 Transporter (medium hauler), Mandalay (medium explorer), Cobra Mk V (small multirole), Corsair (medium multirole), Panther Clipper Mk II (large hauler), Type-11 Prospector (medium miner), Caspian Explorer (large explorer), Kestrel Mk II (small combat) and Lynx (medium passenger liner). We don't have tested builds for them yet. If you fly one, share your build with a mentor in Discord.

Out now in ARX Early Access: the Anaconda Mk II. Read its stats and whether it is worth it.

PVE Combat

PVP Combat

Trading

Note that all of these ships are built without fuel scoops and as such are good only for short range trades. If you want to use them for longer range trades, make sure you install a scoop. Note that unlike some of the above, none of these ships have a PDT, the logic here is that if you are trading your goods are likely to be much less valuable per tonne than if you are mining

Exploration

Note that most of these ships should not be considered "Open Safe", get attacked by a ganker, and you are very likely to die. Want to explore in Open? Look at the "Toughened" versions. Remember that while you are least likely to encounter a hostile player out in the black, you also have more to lose through dying than any other type of player. So don't just go for jump range on exploration ships, consider survivability too.

Laser Mining

Please note the following:

  • These ships have been designed to mine quickly, not to travel long distances. If your sell location is far from your mining location, I would strongly advise to park at a nearby station after you’ve filled your cargo hold and switch to a transportation loadout. Store the collector limpets, improve the shields, add a fuel scoop, (and if you have them unlocked, an FSD booster).
  • All these ships CAN be used shieldless to get you space for more collector limpets on board for faster mining. This is a high risk strategy used by some miners, it is very likely to get you killed at some point, but will also mean faster mining in the meantime. If you do this I would strongly advise you not to fly in Open.
  • Note that the larger ships in this set carry Point Defence Turrets, the logic here to protect your cargo hold from hatch breakers. The smaller ships are likely to be able to able to out-manoeuvre those limpets to avoid them while you escape (roll the ship so that they can't get under you). In order to perform this role, the PDT needs to be close to your cargo hatch.

Deep Core Mining

AX Combat

Viper Mk III

Viper Mk III
Manufacturer
Faulcon DeLacy
Type
Combat
Size
Small
Base Cost
142,930 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
7
Build Cost
2.5 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

Fast and fun to fly with reasonable damage output the viper makes a great introduction to combat. However, it’s weak shields mean that it can’t take much of a beating. This is, in many ways the ideal for an introduction to combat, as it will teach you to juggle pips, fly evasively, and avoid being shot in the first place, a skill that will serve you well later.

The point defence here is intended to protect you against the missiles that NPCs tend to fire rapidly once your shields drop. If you're really struggling with the fixed lasers, then you can you can trade for gimballed lasers but the damage bonus of fixed is worth it if you can hit with them. If you have access to any engineering, then the first place to work is to upgrade the thrusters to capitalise on your speed.

Coriolis
Build Cost
8 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Farseer, Blaster, Dweller, Martuuk, Ryder
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

With the addition of the Enhanced Performance Thrusters (available from Farseer's base) the Viper becomes a much faster beast. Adding in engineering also allows her shields to be toughened up substantially, given that the ship is now much faster, missiles are less likely to be an issue, so the point defence has been dropped in exchange for a shield booster. Meanwhile, the weapons have gained a lot more sting.

Coriolis
Build Cost
8 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Farseer, Blaster, Dweller, Martuuk, Hera, Broo, Selene, Ram Tah
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

Fully engineered. Fast and fun to fly with reasonable damage output the viper makes a great introduction to combat. However, it’s weak shields mean that it can’t take much of a beating. This is, in many ways the ideal for an introduction to combat, as it will teach you to juggle pips, fly evasively, and avoid being shot in the first place, a skill that will serve you well later down the line.

Coriolis

Vulture

Vulture
Manufacturer
Core Dynamics
Type
Combat
Size
Small
Base Cost
4,925,620 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
10
Build Cost
21 Million
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

The Vulture is an incredibly manoeuvrable ship, especially on the thrusters. Really needs engineering to make her shine (this one is not engineered) but still a lot of fun to fly. With the large weapons, this ship can pack a lot of punch and still do healthy damage even against larger ships which the Viper would struggle with. Tougher than the viper too, but still much better at dodging fire than simply absorbing it. Good ship for practicing fixed weapons, good loadouts include a pair of fixed multicannons, a fixed laser and a gimballed multicannon, or even Plasma Accelerators once you have some engineering available.

Note that this build takes the ship very close to the power limit, so much so in fact that you’ll need to turn off your cargo scoop and AFMU when you deploy the weapons If your modules are taking a pounding, disengage from the fight, move to a safe distance, retract your weapons , then set the AFMU repairing. Note that once you can do some engineering, working on the power plant rapidly gives you more flexibility.

Coriolis EDSY

Alliance Chieftain

Alliance Chieftain
Manufacturer
Lakon Spaceways
Type
Combat
Size
Medium
Base Cost
19,382,252 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
13
Build Cost
82,236,869 Cr
Rebuy Cost
4,111,843 Cr
Suited for Open
Yes
Shields
363 MJ
Hull
2490
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None
Last Updated
January 30, 2023

The Alliance Chieftain is a serious step up in combat prowess over our Viper Mk3 and Vulture builds, with a vast variety of hardpoints to customize it into the ship you want it to be. This Alliance Chieftain can give as good as it gets, outputting some serious damage, and tanking just as much fire in return. The Alliance Chieftain has a very unique flight profile, feeling very "floaty", which aid in the use of fixed weapons, but can take some getting used to.

While this build has gimballed pulse lasers, the more advanced builds in this guide use fixed railguns. As such you can easily run fixed pulse lasers to get used to aiming with fixed weapons, but if you're still learning combat stick with the gimballed pulse lasers. For the firegroups, put the multicannons on trigger 1, and the pulse lasers on trigger 2.

The major downside of the chieftain is it's exposed canopy. module reinforcements help protect you from breaches, but try and avoid facetanking enemies as you'll have a breach in no time.

Coriolis
Build Cost
82,371,869 Cr
Rebuy Cost
4,118,593 Cr
Suited for Open
Yes
Shields
424 MJ
Hull
3245
Engineers Required
Elvira, Dweller, Felicity, Liz Ryder
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None
Last Updated
January 30, 2023

So you like the Alliance Chieftain and want to invest some engineering and materials into it. This partially engineered build serves as a great starting point with significantly more damage, protection, and combat capability. The change from gimballed (or fixed) pulse lasers to railguns adds a significant amount of utility to the build.

The major features of the build include Feedback Cascade railguns which allows you to cancel shield cell banks, while Super Penetrator will knock out modules once a target's shields go down. The Multicannons do significantly more damage, and utilize the experimentals Corrosive Shell for a flat 25% more damage to hull, and Emissive Munitions to prevent ships from disappearing off your radar. Emissive Munitions can be swapped for Incendiary Rounds for more shield damage at the cost of hull damage.

The shields gain a much needed increase to their resistances and recharge rates, which allow you to stay in the fight longer. However the star of the show is the large hull tank capability, being able to take even more punishment.

Coriolis
Build Cost
83,166,869 Cr
Rebuy Cost
4,158,343 Cr
Suited for Open
Yes
Shields
502 MJ
Hull
4254
Engineers Required
Combat Focused
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
Guardian Module Reinforcements (Optional)
Last Updated
January 30, 2023

A true force to be reckoned with, this fully engineered Alliance Chieftain build will have you tearing up conflict zones so fast you'll want enemies to wake in faster. With some serious upgrades to survivability and combat capability over it's partially engineered counterpart it's well worth investing into as your first fully engineered combat ship, and will even be able to dabble into pvp with a few modifications to weapons.

The Major changes to this build are the removal of a class 1 module reinforcement, being replaced with a class 1 AFMU for mobile repairs of modules. This allows you to stay in the fight for longer, being able to repair weapons, module reinforcements, and even your canopy.

Coriolis

Krait Mk II

Krait Mk II
Manufacturer
Faulcon deLacy
Type
Combat
Size
Medium
Base Cost
45,814,205 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
16
Build Cost
190 million Cr
Suited for Open
Yes
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

A significant upgrade to the vulture in almost every aspect, and rival to the chieftain. This PvE combat build is a great starting point for those with some credits built up, and looking for a solid combat option. With decent agility, speed, firepower and defense, it's truly a force to be reckoned with, and only gets stronger with engineering.

Fire Groups: Multicannons on Fire Group 1, and Pulse Lasers on Fire Group 2.

Coriolis
Build Cost
190 million Cr
Suited for Open
Yes
Engineers Required
Farseer, Blaster, Dweller, Martuuk, Ryder
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

This partially engineered Krait Mk 2 replaces the Pulse Lasers with Railguns for the ability to cancel Shield Cell Banks, and do more damage to modules. And the engineered multicannons gain a significant amount of damage. We've removed the Heatsink in favor of another Shield Booster to increase survivability, at the cost of needing to time your Shield Cell Banks to avoid Overheating too much in a process called 'Hot Banking'. The Shield Generator and Shield Boosters are built for a combination of Strength and resistances, so pay carful attention to the engineering on them.

Note: If you have hired an NPC, a Class 6 Fighter Bay is an optional replacement for more firepower.

Coriolis
Build Cost
190 million Cr
Suited for Open
Yes
Engineers Required
Farseer, Blaster, Dweller, Martuuk, Hera, Broo, Selene, Ram Tah
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

This fully engineered build is an example of what the Krait Mk2 can become, and is a continuation on the partially engineered build. The Krait mk2 can be built in almost an unlimited amount of ways, but this build is designed as a PvE all rounder. With great stats across the board, this will be able to handle all but the hardest combat scenarios with ease. We've included a Class 6 Fighter Bay for the extra firepower and gameplay options it provides.

Fire Groups: Multicannons on Fire Group 1, Railguns on Fire Group 2.

Coriolis

Anaconda

Anaconda
Manufacturer
Faulcon deLacy
Type
Combat
Size
Large
Base Cost
146,969,450 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
23
Build Cost
570 million Cr
Suited for Open
Yes
Engineers Required
...
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

The Anaconda has the toughest maximum hull in the game, it has arguably the highest maximum sustained damage output. It isn't the most maneuverable ship in the game, but it's hardpoints are well located for maximum application of fixed hardpoints if you can use them well.

It's also the first ship on this list with a full set of 8 utility slots offering some impressive shields. This build aims to achieve long duration sustain through the use of bi-weave shielding which give the shields a great recharge rate. Should the primary buffer provided by the shield not be sufficient, shield cell banks are used as backup health pool.

Coriolis EDSY

Federal Corvette

Federal Corvette
Manufacturer
Core Dynamics
Type
Combat
Size
Large
Base Cost
187,969,450 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
24
Rank Required
Rear Admiral (Federal Navy)
Build Cost
1,000 million Cr
Suited for Open
Yes
Engineers Required
...
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

One of the most popular combat ships in the game. The vette comes with significantly better shields than the conda, but not as much hull. Not quite a match for the firepower, or the clustering of the hardpoints, but better turn rate and thus it's easier keep the target in front of the guns, it's also slightly faster.

This is a fully engineered build, capable of taking on any human NPCs in the game and obliterating them. Perfectly capable of taking on multiple full wings NPC ships at the same time and soloing High Intensity Conflict zones.

This build takes a different approach to managing the heat from the Shield Cell Banks, here it is to use thermal vent on the lasers, effectively using the enemy ships as your heat sinks. But thanks to the recharge rate of the bi-weaves you shouldn't need the banks often anyway. There are many other loadouts that the Vette can fit and work very well with.

Coriolis EDSY

Fer-de-Lance

Fer-de-Lance
Manufacturer
Zorgon Peterson
Type
Combat
Size
Medium
Base Cost
51,567,040 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
12
Build Cost
104 million Cr
Suited for Open
Yes
Engineers Required
Core & Optional Internal, HRPs, Chaff, Shield Boosters
Powerplay Modules
Prismatic Sheilds, Imperial Hammers
Guardian Modules
None

The prismatic Fer De Lance is the current META PVP ship because it is the most versatile medium ship that strikes the best balance between shielding, manoeuvring, speed and damage output. The standard plasma/rail loadout works on the theory that you will use your agility and positioning to do big damage in single blows while evading for the rest of the fight.

It has chaff to counter gimbals and shield cell banks to recharge its shields, because prismatic shields recharge too slowly to matter during a fight. The choice between big prismatic (with the shield gen in the size 5) and small prismatic (shield gen in size 4) is simply a question of whether you want more total hit points (small prismatic), or safer hit points (big prismatic).

Any hit points contained in the shield generator and boosters are 'safer' than hit points contained in shield cell banks, because shield cells can be countered if you are shot at the right time with a feedback cascade railgun (which is why this gun is always equipped in the META).

The effectiveness of this build scales with the skill of the pilot. It is hard to use, but the better you get with it, the better it becomes. Furthermore, it forces you to learn all the manoeuvring, positioning and timing skills that you will need to excel in any build. This build is highly effective for PVP duels and wing fights, as well as bounty hunting or winging up for combat zones. It suffers for ammunition during extended PVE encounters, and prismatics in general require the occasional 'reboot & repair' or trip to a station to regain lost shields once the shield cells are used up.

Coriolis EDSY
Build Cost
99 million Cr
Suited for Open
Yes
Engineers Required
Farseer, Blaster, Dweller, Martuuk, Ryder
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

The same as the first build but with a smaller prismatic shield.

Coriolis EDSY

Vulture

Vulture
Manufacturer
Core Dynamics
Type
Combat
Size
Small
Base Cost
4,925,620 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
10
Build Cost
33 million Cr
Suited for Open
Yes
Engineers Required
Core & Optional Internal, HRPs, Chaff, Shield Boosters
Powerplay Modules
Pacifiers
Guardian Modules
None

The bi-weave pacifier vulture is a small ship with more hull than many medium ships. It relies on speed, agility, and an annoyingly fast shield regeneration to stay alive. Its large incendiary pacifier frag is effective at 1km or closer, and does substantial shield damage, while the drag-munitions pacifier strips the opponent's ability to manoeuvre as you spin around and fire from behind.

In PvP encounters, this build provides an excellent opportunity to practice evasive, high alpha (high alpha means lots of damage all at once) flying, and it can prove the equal or better of many pilots in medium ships. Other common weapons loadouts for this build include dual plasma accelerators (efficient engineering with experimental choices depending on whether you're building for PvP or PvE) which have a similar play style to the pacifier build, or dual multi-cannons (overcharged incendiary/high capacity corrosive) for a build that relies on 'time on target:' circling the opponent at medium range while doing steady damage.

The vulture's agility has long made it the standard ship to first learn how to use fixed weapons. This is an excellent build for bounty hunting, assassinations, winging up for CZs or PvP duels. Like the bi-weave FDL, it's lots of fun to fly, forces you to learn effective evasion techniques and how to bring those shields up quickly. It also has a fraction of the rebuy.

Coriolis EDSY

Federal Corvette

Federal Corvette
Manufacturer
Core Dynamics
Type
Combat
Size
Large
Base Cost
187,969,450 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
24
Rank Required
Rear Admiral (Federal Navy)
Build Cost
1003 million Cr
Suited for Open
Yes
Engineers Required
Core & Optional Internal, PAs, HRPs
Powerplay Modules
Prismatic Sheilds, Imperial Hammers, Pacifiers
Guardian Modules
None

This Corvette will be immortal in any PVE encounter. It can tank several CZs in a row and shrug off any wing of NPCs. Like all effective big-ship builds, it relies on your ability to power-cycle shield cell banks, keeping only the bank that you're using online, then shutting it down to turn on the next one when it's done. Since big ship fights come down to shield cell banks, this build has dual reverb cascade imperial hammers, for when you absolutely, positively must cancel shield cells.

This build is highly effective for fighting other large, heavily engineered shield/hull monsters. It is ineffective at fighting small ships, since the convergence of its railguns is further apart than the width of a small ship's profile even at several km. Its turrets don't do enough damage to hurt anything significantly, and the main damage dealers are either too spread (pacifier) or too slow/far apart (plasmas) to consistently target small ships. This build CAN win any pvp encounter against another large ship, though like all the other combat builds I've shared, pilot skill is a primary factor.

It can be made effective for PVE purposes by fitting gimballed/fixed multis or lasers but a bi-weave build with fast recharge is generally more desirable for PVE purposes because the shields can regenerate between encounters as opposed to using shield cell bank ammunition.

A fighter bay would significantly improve this build's utility against small or medium ships, but at the time of this posting, ship launched fighters are bugged, and cause lag for an opposing player, so they are not appropriate for PVP encounters. They are, however, fine for PVE.

Coriolis EDSY

Adder

Adder
Manufacturer
Zorgon Peterson
Type
Trader
Size
Small
Base Cost
87,810 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
7
Build Cost
1 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

A ship that many pilots skip over after making themselves a few credits with the Sidewinder and Hauler. But the Adder also makes a solid first ship purchase. This one costs just under 1m credits, and carries 26t of cargo with a passable 18ly jump range.

Coriolis EDSY

Type-6 Transporter

Type-6 Transporter
Manufacturer
Lakon Spaceways
Type
Freighter
Size
Medium
Base Cost
1,045,950 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
8
Build Cost
6.6 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

This tidy little dedicated trade vessel is the cheapest ship by far that can haul over 100t. This one takes a slightly smaller payload of 98t in exchange for improved shields that should help you survive longer against pesky pirates. She still has a laden jump range of just 18Ly, but can travel further than the Adder thanks to her larger fuel tank.

Coriolis EDSY

Type-7 Transporter

Type-7 Transporter
Manufacturer
Lakon Spaceways
Type
Freighter
Size
Large
Base Cost
17,472,260 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
10
Build Cost
40 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

The T7 is the cheapest LARGE ship in the game, note that this means that this ship cannot land on outposts. However, it also means that it carries an incredible amount of cargo for the cost. The next ship that can haul more than it is it's big brother, the T9. This version carries an impressive 278t of cargo. But the real weakness here is the jump range of just 16ly. So, if you can get access to Farseer to engineer that FSD (and maybe the shield boosters too), I would strongly recommend it.

Coriolis EDSY

Python

Python
Manufacturer
Faulcon deLacy
Type
Freighter
Size
Medium
Base Cost
56,978,180 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
17
Build Cost
89 million Cr
Suited for Open
Maybe
Engineers Required
Core Internal - FSD, Thrusters
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

The Python is the medium ship with the largest capacity in the game. While this is slightly lower capacity than the T7 above, it is also significantly tougher, and has the ability to land on outposts. So once you can afford the python, the T7 is effectively obsolete. This build also for the first time comes with some engineering, as by the time you buy your first python you should really already at least have Farseer unlocked.

Coriolis EDSY

Type-9 Heavy

Type-9 Heavy
Manufacturer
Lakon Spaceways
Type
Freighter
Size
Large
Base Cost
76,555,840 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
16
Build Cost
197 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Core & Optional Internal, Shield Boosters
Powerplay Modules
Prismatic Shields
Guardian Modules
None

The mighty space cow, the T9 is a ship which is hated by many due to it's lumbering nature. However, she's second only to the Cutter in terms of absolute capacity and has the advantage of being much cheaper and not needing any rank to buy. Sadly the jump range sucks, and the shields aren't great either, because of that I've given this build a guardian FSD Booster to make up for the poor range, and done the best i can to beef up her shields too.

Coriolis EDSY

Panther Clipper Mk II

Panther Clipper Mk II
Manufacturer
Zorgon Peterson
Type
Heavy Hauler
Size
Large
Base Cost
301,348,586 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
27
Build Cost
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None
Last Updated
October 7, 2026

This build can carry 1,044t of cargo, dethroned the king of trading (Imperial Cutter) to carry EVEN MORE cargo. Trades shield and mass for more cargo, but has more total range than the Cutter.

It is recommended to engineer Thrusters and FSD to G5 to have a better time jumping around and loose potential pirates. Cargo Racks can also be engineered with Merc Coins (see Operations) and materials to have more cargo

EDSY

Imperial Cutter

Imperial Cutter
Manufacturer
Gutamaya
Type
Multipurpose
Size
Large
Base Cost
208,969,450 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
26
Rank Required
Duke (Imperial Navy)
Build Cost
624 million Cr
Suited for Open
Yes
Engineers Required
Core & Optional Internal, Shield Boosters
Powerplay Modules
Prismatic Shields
Guardian Modules
None

The Cutter, the ultimate trade ship. This is thanks to both the vast quantity of cargo she can transport and her incredible shields. On this build I have installed Prismatic shields, to make the point regarding how indestructible she can be, however, even with normal 6A shields you should always have plenty of tank available to escape from any situation. This build comes racked out for 730t of cargo for when you have a lot of stuff to shift.

Alternative builds have a fuel scoop, and FSD Booster for longer range trading. Or a Supercruise Assist module for faster arrival at stations (see the mini-guides section for how to use the SCA for faster drops).

Coriolis EDSY

Hauler

Hauler
Manufacturer
Zorgon Peterson
Type
Freighter
Size
Small
Base Cost
52,720 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
6
Build Cost
0.7 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None
Last Updated
n/a

Very cheap ship with a reasonable jump range to get you up and running around, widely used as a taxi even by more experienced players (once engineered). It requires nothing to be unlocked and will make 22Ly jumps.

Coriolis EDSY

Diamondback Explorer (DBX)

Diamondback Explorer
Manufacturer
Lakon Spaceways
Type
Combat Explorer
Size
Small
Base Cost
1,894,760 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
10
Build Cost
11.4 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

The best jump range of any small ship, and one of the best in the game. The DBX lacks a little on Optional Internals, meaning that it takes longer to fuel still a great exploration ship though, carrying most exploration tools, and this one has a jump range of almost 36LY with no engineering. If your budget can stretch further, the first thing to upgrade is the fuel scoop. an A-rated one will refuel about 10% faster, but add over 2.5M credits to the cost of the ship.

Coriolis EDSY

Asp Explorer (ASPX)

Asp Explorer
Manufacturer
Lakon Spaceways
Type
Multipurpose
Size
Medium
Base Cost
6,661,150 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
11
Build Cost
24 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Core Internal - FSD
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

Arguably the best cockpit in the game for looking out at the universe. Great jump range and enough Optional Internals to carry most stuff you will want. This build is lightly engineered requiring only Farseer and delivers an impressive 53Ly jump range. The only snag with this is that it is pretty much tissue paper weak, this isn't something you should be flying in Open without a stack of more serious engineering to toughen you up.

Coriolis EDSY

Krait Phantom

Krait Phantom
Manufacturer
Faulcon deLacy
Type
Multipurpose
Size
Medium
Base Cost
37,472,254 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
14
Build Cost
83 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Core & Optional Internal, Shield Boosters
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
FSD Booster

One of, if not THE best exploration ships in the game, the Phantom beats the Asp for jump range and does so with much more internal module space. This build is fully engineered with all the bells and whistles and comes with a jump range of 62Ly. Which is impressive for a ship which boasts over 700MJ of shields, and if you are careful should be fine surviving ganks etc. It also has a mining laser to allow you to gather jumponium out in the black if needed, repair limpets in case the landings are too rough, and a research limpet controller for investigating the strange things you find out in the black. Plus, it looks awesome, both from inside and outside.

Coriolis EDSY
Build Cost
86 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Core & Optional Internal, Heatsinks, Shield Boosters
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
FSD Booster

With a little over 1000MJ of shields, and almost 1000 hull, this ship can take a bit of a pounding. It is by no means a combat ship, but it should buy you valuable seconds to escape a gankers clutches, despite this, it still comes in with over 60Ly jump range, but alas does lose a little of the utility options. If you want to fly faster at the cost of a little jump range, upgrading the thrusters to 5A will improve your speed from 528m/s to almost 580m/s at the cost of 1.5Ly jump range. You may also want to consider the research limpet controller instead of the repair limpet controller if examining life in the black is of more interest to you than the ability to fix up.

Coriolis EDSY

Anaconda

Anaconda
Manufacturer
Faulcon deLacy
Type
Multipurpose
Size
Large
Base Cost
146,969,450 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
23
Build Cost
293 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Core & Optional Internal, Heatsinks, Shield Boosters
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
FSD Booster

For when you absolutely have to get somewhere far away and quickly. Alas, it doesn't have the manoeuvrability of the Asp and Phantom, nor their speed, but the Anaconda has the best theoretical jump range in the galaxy.

This build comes with all the best fittings that you could require to spend the rest of your life out in the void without having to land, and while that means it sacrifices a little jump range, it still manages 73Ly at a bound. And is tough enough to give you a good chance suriving against whatever you find out there.

Coriolis EDSY
Build Cost
282 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Core & Optional Internal, Heatsinks, Shield Boosters
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
FSD Booster

Now we're talking, well over 2000MJ of shields, over almost 2000 hull and reasonable resistances too, not bad for a ship that jumps 70Ly.

It is however pretty slow, so make sure you know how to deal with the cycle time of grom bombs, or you may be slowly ground down while trying to escape. the other downside is that this isn't that much fun to fly, so if you're thinking of having fun among the asteroids. you might wanna pack a fighter (swap it in for one of the Hull reinforcements).

Coriolis EDSY

Mandalay

Mandalay
Manufacturer
Zorgon Peterson
Type
Explorer
Size
Medium
Base Cost
17,639,220 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
11
Build Cost
61,546,350 Cr
Rebuy Cost
3,077,318 Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None
Last Updated
October 7, 2026

This build gets you the best Explorer ship that's available for this price. With roughly 40ly of range without any engineering and minimal impact on survivability and self sustenance out in the black (AFMUs for Neutron Jumps or Overheating damage, Limpets that can be synthesised to repair hull damage).

The Mandalay was specifically designed by Zorgon to be an explorer, it has a small footprint (as small as an ASP Explorer) while still having better base range than any exploration ships and can still hold a lot of modules.

It is also SCO optimised, meaning pressing the boost button while in SuperCruise won't make you overheat and eat fuel like older ships (Krait Phantom, ASP Explorer, Anaconda), it will stay cooler than most ships and is one of the most fuel efficient ships during SCO.

EDSY
Build Cost
68,059,450 Cr
Rebuy Cost
3,402,973 Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Felicity Farseer
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
Guardian FSD Booster, Guardian Shield Reinforcement Package
Last Updated
October 7, 2026

This variant only uses Farseer as an engineer, with the help of the Guardian FSD Booster and engineering it gets to 72ly of range. This build can still have further improvements made but is what you can expect from an Engineered Mandalay.

EDSY
Build Cost
61,684,710 Cr
Rebuy Cost
3,084,236 Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
FSD, Bulkhead, Shields, Shield Boosters, Powerplant, Thursters
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
Guardian FSD Booster, Guardian Shield Reinforcement Package
Other
V1 SCO FSD, V1 DSS
Last Updated
October 7, 2026

This build can be achieved with 4 engineers, Felicity Farseer, Selene Jean, Lei Cheung and Didi Vatermann. The Pre-engineered SCO FSD (or V1 SCO FSD) will make your ship jump further than a regular G5 SCO FSD, you can get above 82Ly of reach with this build if you really want to min-max it (using a 4C Fuel Tank for example will bring it to 81ly) This build will be what you can use for a while when out in the black without having to rely on stations thanks to shields than can tank a harsh emergency landing and a few bounces, repair limpets and AFMUs.

EDSY

Caspian Explorer

Caspian Explorer
Manufacturer
Zorgon Peterson
Type
Explorer
Size
Large
Base Cost
194,861,290 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
19
Build Cost
475,806,330 Cr
Rebuy Cost
23,790,317 Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None
Last Updated
October 7, 2026

The Caspian Explorer is the response from Zorgon to the Anaconda. This ship is a large exploration ship that has a smaller footprint than the Conda, it can also transport the Nomad to avoid landing with it entirely. It also has 3 ship specific modules:

  • Mk2 Bulkhead, that allows it to have steeper and faster glides (can glide to a 70° angle and at 3500m/s)
  • Mk2 Gravity Optimized Thrusters, those will make the ship a lot more agile when in high G worlds
  • Mk2 Supercharge Optimised FSD, when boosting the FSD with a Neutron Star, the boost it provide will be grater than usual (x6 boost instead of x4)

This build will bring the Caspian to around 40ly of range, compared to the Mandalay, it's size, speed and landing footprint are the downsides, the last one can be ignored with a Nomad.

EDSY
Build Cost
482,626,950 Cr
Rebuy Cost
24,131,348 Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Felicity Farseer
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
Guardian FSD Booster, Guardian Shield Reinforcement Package
Other
V1 DSS
Last Updated
October 7, 2026

This ship will bring the CaspX near it's max jump range unboosted, it can still be improved a lot depending of the needs (ie Shield engineering, light weight on other modules and such)

EDSY
Build Cost
397,183,200 Cr
Rebuy Cost
19,859,160 Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Felicity Farseer
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
Guardian FSD Booster, Guardian Shield Reinforcement Package
Last Updated
October 7, 2026

This variant of the CaspX removes most of what impacts weight, to have the maximum range possible for using the Neutron Highway. Since it's SCO Drive has a x6 boost instead of x4 it can jump almost as far as an FC when Neutron Boosted useful to get to systems you want quickly.

EDSY

Cobra Mk III

Cobra Mk III
Manufacturer
Faulcon deLacy
Size
Small
Base Cost
349,720 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
8
Build Cost
3.2 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None
Last Updated
Apr 21, 2023

The Cobra is the cheapest and smallest ship you can effectively laser mine in.

If you don't have much money, or just really want to get into mining ASAP, this is probably your best bet. Coming in at just over 3 million, it's relatively fast and mobile, with a modest cargo hold of 32 tons - which, if filled with the right kind of ore, can be worth over 10 million credits. If you can afford just a slightly larger investment, it's probably better to skip straight to the pricier options.

Coriolis

Keelback

Keelback
Manufacturer
Lakon Spaceways
Type
Lakon Spaceways
Size
Medium
Base Cost
3,126,150 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
8
Build Cost
6.2 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

Not got much cash? Want to change that? Don't like the frustrations of deep core mining? Build yourself one of these, and find a suitable hotspot and start lasering rocks. This ship will set you back less than 7M credits, but can haul 64t of valuable commodities, potentially worth about 20M credits. Not a bad start but suffers from a number of shortfalls, if you have the cash, look further down the list.

Coriolis EDSY

Asp Explorer (ASPX)

Asp Explorer
Manufacturer
Lakon Spaceways
Type
Multipurpose
Size
Medium
Base Cost
6,661,150 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
11
Build Cost
15.7 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

If you have just slightly deeper pockets, the AspX represents a major step up in your laser mining equipment. With 4 collector limpets instead of 2, and a distributor which can actually make a decent stab at powering those mining lasers, this will give you a vastly better mining speed. It'll also move faster, carry more and jump further than the Keelback, an upgrade in every respect.

Coriolis EDSY

Python

Python
Manufacturer
Faulcon deLacy
Type
Multipurpose
Size
Medium
Base Cost
56,978,180 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
17
Build Cost
114 million Cr
Suited for Open
Maybe
Engineers Required
Core & Optional Internal, Shield Boosters
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

This mining Python may lack a little in terms of jump range, but it's been engineered a bit to partially make up for that. The benefits more than make up for those issues though, the 7A Distributor, means you'll be mining fast enough to keep all those 7 collector limpets busy. Or, if you want a shorter but faster mining session, trad out one of the cargo racks for another collector for 10 limpets.

Just make sure you're working close to a suitable sell location or you have a suitable transport ship or modules nearby as the jump range on this ship is very poor.

This build comes with some weapons as you will be able to use it to handle pirate NPCs without difficulty.

Coriolis EDSY

Type-9 Heavy

Type-9 Heavy
Manufacturer
Lakon Spaceways
Type
Freighter
Size
Large
Base Cost
76,555,840 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
16
Build Cost
146 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Core & Optional Internal, Shield Boosters
Powerplay Modules
Prismatic Shields, Mining Lances
Guardian Modules
None

Finally, a good use for everyone's favourite Space Cow. This Type 9 Transporter is ideal for long, LONG mining sessions, with 512t of cargo space. With an army of 13 collector limpets, it'll have you grabbing goodies lightning fast. The mining lances here are intended to help make up for the slow movement speed of the T9. Allowing you to get started on an asteroid as you approach it, then switch to the main Lasers once you get within a 500m.

Just don't expect the ship itself to move that quickly... or travel that far. Even with the FSD engineered you’ll only get 20LY jump when you’re fully loaded. So it's highly advisable to switch to something else to sell.

Coriolis EDSY

Anaconda

Anaconda
Manufacturer
Faulcon deLacy
Type
Multipurpose
Size
Large
Base Cost
146,969,450 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
23
Build Cost
440 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Core & Optional Internal, Shield Boosters
Powerplay Modules
Prismatic Shields
Guardian Modules
None

The Anaconda makes a great mining ship too. With plenty of internal space and a much better distributor, the Conda is suitable for shorter, more rapid mining sessions. The Prismatic shields here are a nice to have, if you haven't unlocked them, the 6A shield will work just fine. This build comes with 192t of cargo space, and runs 15 collector limpets. But it can be modified in a number of different ways. For example, to carry 128t of cargo and run 19 collectors, or 256t of cargo and 13 limpets. If you are operating further from the sell location, consider a FSD Booster. Engineered FSD, shields, thrusters and distro for good efficiency and toughness.

Coriolis EDSY

Imperial Cutter

Imperial Cutter
Manufacturer
Gutamaya
Type
Multipurpose
Size
Large
Base Cost
208,969,450 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
26
Rank Required
Duke (Imperial Navy)
Build Cost
636 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Core & Optional Internal, Shield Boosters
Powerplay Modules
Prismatic Shields
Guardian Modules
None

Another great ship for mining, the Cutter performs the same task, but faster and tougher than the T9, running 12 collectors and still carrying 512t of cargo. Or, for smaller, faster runs, you can swap out half the cargo for 4 more collectors. This one is also armed well enough to deal with NPC pirates who may try to cause you issues. Again, the prismatic shields are a nice optional extra here for the extra toughness. As always, make sure the Point Defence Turret is positioned to protect your cargo hatch.

Coriolis EDSY

Cobra Mk III

Cobra Mk III
Manufacturer
Faulcon deLacy
Type
Multipurpose
Size
Small
Base Cost
349,720 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
8
Build Cost
2.2 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

Not tried core mining before? This is the ship for you. Fast, manoeuvrable, and above all, cheap. It's got good speed for hunting for those elusive core asteroids and is quick and easy to get around the fissures. One successful session mining, and this ship will bring in well over 10 times it's value in mining goods. Plenty of room to upgrade here if you have the cash. But be cautious with the jump range, and with pirates as this ship is not great for travelling and may die quickly.

Coriolis EDSY

Asp Explorer (ASPX)

Asp Explorer
Manufacturer
Lakon Spaceways
Type
Multipurpose
Size
Medium
Base Cost
6,661,150 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
11
Build Cost
16.7 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
None
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

The AspX offers increased cargo hold (96t), and more collector limpets for faster collecting, plus a better jump range so you can travel to where you need to sell those Void Opals. The big bonus though comes from the cockpit, because with the huge windows, it makes spotting core minable asteroids much easier. If you want to be tougher and use an A-rated analyser, you'll need to switch to the 5A power plant (or engineer the 4A).

Coriolis EDSY

Krait Phantom

Krait Phantom
Manufacturer
Faulcon deLacy
Type
Multipurpose
Size
Medium
Base Cost
37,472,254 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
14
Build Cost
81 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
NonCore Internals - FSDe
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

The Phantom offers a lot of benefits over the AspX, more cargo space (128t), better jump range, faster, and still an incredible view for core hunting. This is as much a straight upgrade as you can get. This one has been engineered slightly to give you an idea of options for improvement. This is a great ship for core mining if you want speed over capacity. It even comes with some weapons for dealing with low end NPCs.

Coriolis EDSY

Python

Python
Manufacturer
Faulcon deLacy
Type
Freighter
Size
Medium
Base Cost
56,978,180 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
17
Build Cost
114 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Core Internal - FSD, PP, PD, Thrusters, Shield Boosters
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None

The Python isn't as fast as the Phantom but with over 190t of cargo space and plenty of room for an army of collector limpets, while still being small enough to get in between fragments of asteroids. This is one of the best mining ships in the game, and a solid contender for those who want to go out for longer sessions hunting for VoidO's. Because of that it is also equipped with weapons to ensure that any NPC pirates you encounter don't bring your operations to an early finish.

Coriolis EDSY

Imperial Clipper

Imperial Clipper
Manufacturer
Gutamaya
Type
Multipurpose
Size
Large
Base Cost
22,295,860 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
12
Rank Required
Baron (Imperial Navy)
Build Cost
60 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Core & Optional Internal, Shield Boosters
Powerplay Modules
Prismatic Shields
Guardian Modules
None

This ship actually comes in slightly cheaper than the mining Python, but requires the Imperial rank of Baron to unlock, and a lot of engineering to fully appreciate. The key advantage here is that this ship is FAST - over 640m/s compared to the python's 300m/s this makes a huge difference when you are zipping along above the asteroid field looking for that signature glow, and given that it still carries 190t of cargo. The only slight downside is that you don't have the same field of view you would if you were in the Phantom, otherwise, hands down the best core mining ship out there.

Coriolis EDSY

Diamondback Scout (DBS)

Diamondback Scout
Manufacturer
Lakon Spaceways
Type
Combat Explorer
Size
Small
Base Cost
546,330 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
8
Build Cost
8.6 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Farseer, Dweller, Ryder
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
Gauss Cannons (C1 and C2), Module Reinforcement Package
Last Updated
October 10, 2026

A fantastic cold orbit trainer, the DBS is flexible enough to help you practice your skills against any interceptor and to defeat most of them. Add another Gauss Cannon, Engineer its thrusters, armour, HRPs and Beam laser to G5 and its heatsinks for ammo capacity and it can even take a Hydra down (when in either a flakless or beamless configuration).

For Live, swap the FSD for an SCO FSD.

Optional Variations: Xeno Scanner can be replaced with another heatsink or a Shutdown Field Neutraliser (for AXCZs); the C2 HRP and one C3 HRP can be replaced with a C2 cargo rack and a C3, D-Rated Repair Limpet controller for more, repairable integrity; C2 Flak can be replaced with a C2 Long range Thermal Vent Beam laser and the C1 laser with another C1 Gauss Cannon for flakless practice and more DPS; the C1 beam laser can be replaced with a C1 Gauss Cannon for beamless practice and more DPS; and the FSD can be undersized for more speed.

Coriolis

Alliance Chieftain

Alliance Chieftain
Manufacturer
Lakon Spaceways
Type
Combat
Size
Medium
Base Cost
19,382,252 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
13
Build Cost
80 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Gauss Cannons (C1 and C2), Module Reinforcement Package, Corrosion Resistant Cargo Rack (Optional)
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
Gauss Cannons (C1 and C2), Module Reinforcement Package
Last Updated
October 10, 2026

With the best combination of speed, agility, damage output, protection and affordability, the Chieftain is the king of the current cold orbiting meta.

For Live, just replace the FSD with a SCO FSD.

Optional Variations: Xeno Scanner can be replaced with another heatsink or a Shutdown Field Neutraliser (for AXCZs); FSD and Fuel Tank can both be undersized for more speed; loadout can be varied to 3 C1 Gauss and 1 C2 Gauss with a C2 and C3 beam laser for fast, flakless runs with even better convergence.

Coriolis

Corsair

Corsair
Manufacturer
Gutamaya
Type
Combat
Size
Medium
Base Cost
79,304,750 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
17
Build Cost
274,312,919 Cr
Rebuy Cost
13,715,646 Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Hera Tani, Prof. Palin, The Dweller, Selene Jean, Broo Tarquin
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
None
Last Updated
October 10, 2026

The perfect option if you just want to give AX a try. No Guardian modules or weapons, but 5 gimballed, enhanced AX multis means it will still do work. Just note that there is no flak launcher so you'll have to avoid the swarm.

Coriolis
Build Cost
270,123,501 Cr
Rebuy Cost
13,506,175 Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Hera Tani, Prof. Palin, The Dweller, Selene Jean, Broo Tarquin
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
Module Reinforcements and Salvation Modified Plasma Chargers
Last Updated
October 10, 2026

For when you want to do AX but don't mind taking some shots. The MPCs will spike your heat, but will exert ez and the EAXMCs will snipe hearts without effort. Optional changes include switching from 3+2 MPCs and EAXMCs to 2+3 and firing all at the same time to replacing EAXMCs with gauss, to replacing all weps with either MPCs or Salvation Modified Shard Cannons (in the last 2 cases you can also drop the enhanced scanner for another Sirius Sink or a Shutdown Field Neutraliser for AXCZs and similar instances).

Coriolis
Build Cost
236,171,480 Cr
Rebuy Cost
11,808,574 Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Hera Tani, Prof. Palin, The Dweller, Selene Jean, Broo Tarquin
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
Module Reinforcements and Salvation Modified Shard Cannons (C2)
Last Updated
October 10, 2026

Replacing the venerable Krait Mk 2, the Corsair brings an extra Salvation Modified Shard Cannon and > 1K more hull integrity to the party.

Coriolis

Krait Mk II

Krait Mk II
Manufacturer
Faulcon deLacy
Type
Combat
Size
Medium
Base Cost
45,814,205 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
16
Build Cost
187 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Dweller, Jean, Tani, Nemo, Palin, Tah
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
Gauss Cannons (C2), Shard Cannons (C3), Module Reinforcement Package
Last Updated
October 10, 2026

Stunlocking is the ultimate test of a pilot's understanding of an Interceptor's sleep mechanics and timing and the Krait MK2, with better than average DPS, substantial hull and module armour, and good heat management, is the best medium ship for it.

Optional Variations: Replace the Xeno Scanner with another engineered Heatsink; replace the Fragment Cannon with a Pacifier (same engineering) replace the C3 Shard Cannons with C2 Salvation modified Shard Cannons (allowing better gauss convergence by pairing them on one side).

Coriolis

Anaconda

Anaconda
Manufacturer
Faulcon deLacy
Type
Combat
Size
Large
Base Cost
146,969,450 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
23
Build Cost
499 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Dweller, Jean, Tani, Tarquin, Nemo, Palin, Tah
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
Gauss Cannons (C2), Shard Cannons (C3), Module Reinforcement Package
Last Updated
July 3, 2023

When it comes to stunlocking tougher Interceptors, you need enough DPS to break the shield, exert and snipe the heart before the sleep phase ends. The Anaconda provides that and more with the ability to run 6 modified Guardian shard cannons as well as plenty of hull and module protection.

This build is the first ship to ever stunlock a Hydra solo.

Optional Variations: Replace the Xeno Scanner with another engineered Heatsink.

EDSY

Federal Corvette

Federal Corvette
Manufacturer
Core Dynamics
Type
Combat
Size
Large
Base Cost
187,969,450 Cr
Mass-lock Factor
24
Rank Required
Rear Admiral (Federal Navy)
Build Cost
720 million Cr
Suited for Open
No
Engineers Required
Dweller, Jean, Tani, Tarquin, Cheung, Jameson/Brandon, Vatermann, Palin, Tah
Powerplay Modules
None
Guardian Modules
Gauss Cannons (C2), Module Reinforcement Package

More manoeuvrable, more integrity, better convergence, and a better fire rate than the Cutter, the Vette is equally capable, but its lack of speed makes the fight more complicated. Not recommended for beginners.

Optional Variations: Xeno Scanner can be replaced with another heatsink or a Shutdown Field Neutraliser (for AXCZs).

Coriolis

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