Tech brokers are NPCs from whom you can acquire access to specialist equipment. They are found throughout inhabited space, and are accessed from the “Contacts” panel in station services. You can find your nearest tech broker in-game through a setting on the galaxy map, however the easiest way to locate them is using Inara. Simply select Technology Broker and enter your current star system on this page.
Tech Brokers allow you to buy access to a module by providing the required goods. Once you have bought access for that module at a tech broker, that module is then available to buy at any station with the relevant type of Tech Broker.
There are two types of Tech Brokers – Guardian and Human.
Allows you to gain access to Human / Guardian hybrid technology. These include some internal modules such as power plant and distributor which are roughly equivalent to partially engineered normal modules, a selection of weapons which are designed for fighting Thargoids, and some special modules like the FSD booster which have no other equivalent in the game.
Allow you access to a wide range of different equipment, some are based on Thargoid technology (like the enzyme missile rack, or corrosion resistant cargo rack), some are special “double engineered” normal modules such as the extra long-range size 5 FSD, and the remainder are weapons which work differently to most other weapons, like the shock canon.
It is important to note that the “double engineered” modules are not unlocked the same way as the other Tech Broker modules. Instead of paying for the unlock once, and then being able to buy as many of the module as you like, with these modules you pay the required materials to get a single module, if you want another module, you need to pay the materials again. However, there is the bright side that the module itself has a cost of 0 credits, reducing the rebuy of your ship thereafter.
The following are the most useful Tech Broker unlocks:
FSD Booster – These optional internal modules increase the jump range of any ship by a fixed amount up to 10.5Ly
Gauss Cannons – These are THE weapons for hunting Thargoids, a vital unlock for anyone looking to get into AX gameplay.
Module Reinforcement Pack – as it is not possible to engineer normal module reinforcements, these are the best module reinforcements you can acquire.
Shield Reinforcement Pack – These offer a linear increase to your shield MJ, valuable for a number of builds.
Double Engineered FSD – This size 5 FSD offers the best Optimal Mass multiplier of any FSD in the game and thus the maximum possible jump range for ships like the Phantom and DBX.
Corrosion Resistant Cargo Rack – This rack allows you to transport pieces of Thargoid technology like probes without suffering damage.
Shock Cannon – These weapons apply kinetic energy to your target, they don’t have a huge amount of practical use, but can be great fun.