Skill Plans

Starting Skill Plans Don't Matter

Eve is a game of years, not hours.

When you are first starting out, there are basically no 'wasted' skill points.  You will use nearly all the skill points later, so you don't need to stress it too much.

Any of the certified plans in the game work just fine to get your skill progression moving.   You want to keep it running as well.

You can use a tool like evemon https://github.com/mgoeppner/evemon/releases to make long term goals, but if you're under a month, don't bother planning that much, just train something that sounds good to you.

And be very quick about clearing your skill queue if you want to do something else.  You can always come back.

Nothing you do in the first two weeks matters that much.  But follow the Newbie plan outlined above and just keep moving forward.

Below are some sample skill plans for new players.

See Making Omega for a section on what starting skills and max skills are for alpha, along with their costs and times for alpha/omega.

Books vs Direct injection

There are basically 4 ways to get skills:

It is best to work towards the ones in the AIR Career Program, and barring that, buy the books from NPCs.   Your school station will have 90% of them, but some are exceptions.

Scroll down to see 'Faction Skills' to find out what stations sell what books, along with closest routes.

I want to spend all my 1 million skill points!

No, you don't.  If you got a recruiter link, then you get 1 mil skill points [aka sp] once.   And never again after that.  See the Home page how those work.  And I encourage you to take advantage of this system yourself instead of rewarding someone else.  Even me.

You spend your 1 million skill points CAREFULLY.  You use them on level 1, level 2, and level 3 of a skill you want to use 'right now'.   You can't get that much more easily without doing the daily tasks, the alpha injectors, the air career programs, the gives aways... wait i have 10 mil spare right now. :D

Anyway, spend them in batches of like 10-20k.  Save the bulk.  There are very few things I recommend dumping points into to get it up immediately.

The following is a collection of relevant skills grouped into modules, ready to be queued up and trained in-game. Spend your skillpoints to immediately finish these skills.

Spend bulk on frigate 4 or exploration 3 skills, or drones 5, all those make sense.  Spending all your points immediately doesn't.

See my thing on Don't SP Inject, it's a nasty habit and very hard to break once you start.

Xy's guide on skill plans

Thank you to Xy from the Eveonline Discord #new-player-questions for this guide, posted with his permission.  See the original here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BqG_ncv4z5UOrOXU4UT20qzm256q0cHLsPZ4i4_jfAo/edit# 

Note, his formatting is better as he has more tools available to him.

Brief explanation into skills in eve

When you queue skills in the skill queue, the skill slowly gains skillpoints in real time. When the skill gains enough skillpoints, it gains a level, and you can enjoy the benefits of that skill level. This is called “Skill training” and continues even when you are logged off. Skill training is free and consumes no resources.


All skills have a maximum of 5 levels. 

Most skills will have a passive bonus that is always active.
For example, Rapid Firing grants a 4% rate of fire bonus per level to any turret weapons you use.
If you train Rapid Firing V, you would always have a 20% turret RoF bonus at all times.

Do note that the benefits of each successive skill level scales linearly (+4%, +8%, +12%...), but the total skillpoints needed for each successive level scales exponentially (2 mins, 20 mins, an hour…). 


Some skills have prerequisite skills you need to have trained already.
For example, Advanced Weapon Upgrades requires Weapon Upgrades at level IV.

Most modules will have a list of skills required to use it.
For example, Light Missile Launcher II requires Missile Launcher Operation 3 and Light Missile Specialization 1. The skill Light Missile Specialization also requires many prerequisite skills itself, so it’s skills all the way down.


You can enjoy 80% of the skill’s passive benefits from only spending 20% of the time required (only train to lv4). However, you may wish to train lv5 if the skill level V unlocks something else important, or if you need the extra bit of passive benefits.


The 1 million “bonus skillpoints” or “unallocated skillpoints” you get from the invite link can be thought of as skillpoints that do not belong to a skill yet. You can therefore pour these skillpoints into any queued skill and expedite its training progress. You can get more unallocated skillpoints from login rewards, events, skill injectors, etc. You do not need to constantly source more unallocated skillpoints to train skills - simply queue skills in your skill queue and wait.

How To Use

The CORE modules are designed to be lightweight, only listing the most important skills. You may safely take these skills no matter what you plan on doing.

Fortunately, new characters already start with ~390k SP worth of important support skills pre-trained. If you don’t see any seemingly important skill listed, it’s probably because you already start with enough levels of it.

The ADVANCE modules are not universally useful for every new pilot. Only train them if you need to. Some ADVANCE modules may even ask you to select a few skills out of the list instead of training all of them to completion.

BEWARE: These skill plans are simply a foundation, and are meant to let you skip waiting for a bunch of support skills to train. 

You should consult other experienced players and tell them what you want to try out in the game, they can then recommend to you what other skills you could queue and train.

Example Template


Skill Name ①Train To ②SP Spent ③Starting Lvl ④Alpha Clone Max Lvl

Skill 1 1 1,000 0 2

Skill 2 2 4,000 0 2

Skill 3 4 80,000 2 5

TOTAL SP SPENT 85,000


Attached explanation for each skill, describing what they improve or unlock, and why they are useful


① Train To: Recommended level you train this skill up to.

② SP Spent: Skillpoints required to train the listed skills up to the “Train To'' level. This number will be important when you are rationing your bonus skillpoints after finishing the CORE modules. 

③ Starting Level: New characters already start with this level in this skill.

④ Alpha Clone Maximum Level: The Free-to-play account (Alpha) limitation on the skill

CORE: Engineering

Skill Name Train To SP Spent Starting Lvl Alpha Clone Max Lvl

Weapon Upgrades 4 87,682 2 5

Advanced Weapon Upgrades 2 8,484 0 3

Energy Grid Upgrades 4 90,010 1 5

Hull Upgrades 4 87,682 2/3 5

TOTAL SP SPENT 273,858

Weapon Upgrades 4 unlocks Tech 2 damage enhancing modules & makes fitting weapons easier.

Advanced Weapon Upgrades makes fitting weapons easier. 

Energy Grid Upgrades 4 unlocks a bunch of useful Tech 2 engineering modules.

Hull Upgrades 4 unlocks some useful Tech 2 modules, including T2 Damage Control.


CORE: Navigation

Skill Name Train To SP Spent Starting Lvl Alpha Clone Max Lvl

Acceleration Control 2 5,656 0 3

Evasive Maneuvering 3 15,500 1 3

Navigation 4 37,255 3 4

Spaceship Command 4 37,255 3 4

TOTAL SP SPENT 95,666

Acceleration Control boosts the effectiveness of Afterburners and Microwarpdrives.

Evasive Maneuvering makes you more agile. This is more important than it sounds!

Navigation makes you go faster. haha space ship go brrr

Spaceship Command is a basis for all other ship skills and makes you slightly more agile.

CORE: Introductory Drones

Skill Name Train To SP Spent Starting Lvl Alpha Clone Max Lvl

Drones 3 7,750 1 5

Drone Avionics 3 7,750 1 4

Light Drone Operation 3 8,000 0 5

TOTAL SP SPENT 23,500

Each level in Drones allows you to fly 1 more drone at a time, to the maximum of 5 drones at Drones V.

Drone Avionics extends your drone control range.

Light Drone Operation increases the damage of any light drones under your command.

CORE: Ship Command

Skill Name Train To SP Spent Starting Lvl Alpha Clone Max Lvl

[RACE] Frigate 4 90,010 1 4

[RACE] Destroyer 3 16,000 0 4

[RACE] Cruiser 3 40,000 0 4

TOTAL SP SPENT 146,010

Frigates are a highly versatile and cheap platform that you will be using all through your EVE career.

Destroyers have lots of firepower but are slow and fragile. You need Destroyer level 3 to train Cruisers.

Cruisers are an amazing skill to train as they are so incredibly versatile. You will learn to love this ship class.

You may train the ship of any race regardless of your character’s race. Do not however train into multiple races just yet; they are a big skill investment. 

All races have excellent ship choices for beginners. If you are comfortable with cross-training into another race early, look into Caldari or Gallente, as they are very versatile. You can stick with the other two races just fine though.

END OF “CORE” MODULES

Training all core modules will leave you with ~460 966 bonus SP to spare.

You can earn additional free SP by completing the AIR Career Program.

Ration your remaining skillpoints carefully & consult experienced players for guidance.

ADVANCE: Expert Engineering

Skill Name Train To SP Spent Starting Lvl Alpha Clone Max Lvl

Capacitor Management 4 135,765 3 4

Electronics Upgrades 4 90,510 3 5

Power Grid Management 5 256,000 4 5

CPU Management 5 256,000 4 5

Thermodynamics 2 4,242 0 2

TOTAL SP SPENT 742,517 (inapplicable, do not train in full)

This module is NOT meant to be trained in full!

An extra level in Capacitor Management grants 5% extra capacitor, if you need it badly.

Electronics Upgrades 4 unlocks the Tech 2 Co-Processor in case you run out of CPU too often.

Power Grid Management 5 and CPU Management 5 are big skills you need to train eventually, but it doesn’t need to be right now - only train if you need to fly some very tight fits or when you’re ready to be serious in ship fitting.

Thermodynamics allows you to “overheat” your weapons which gives it a temporary boost in effectiveness at the risk of sustaining heat damage to the module. Tactical overheating can save your life in PvP and higher-level PvE. It is not a big train, but the skillbook for it costs 4.5 million isk, so it’s listed as optional.

ADVANCE: Shield Tanking

Skill Name Train To SP Spent Starting Lvl Alpha Clone Max Lvl

Shield Compensation 3 16,000 0 4

Shield Management 3 19,758 2 4

Shield Operation 4 45,255 0 4

Shield Upgrades 4 87,682 2 4

Tactical Shield Manipulation 4 175,364 2 4

TOTAL SP SPENT 344,059 / 168,695 without TSM IV

Shield Compensation makes shield boosters consume less capacitor.

Shield Management increases your total shield HP.

Shield Operation is a prerequisite to Shield Compensation and unlocks Tech 2 shield boosters.

Shield Upgrades unlocks Tech 2 shield extenders and rechargers, and makes them easier to fit.

Tactical Shield Manipulation 4 unlocks the Multispectrum Shield Hardener II, which is the bread-and-butter of all shield-tanked ships. However, it is a big train, so you may choose to skip this skill for now.

* In case you’re wondering, [em/thermal/etc… shield compensation] skills aren’t included because they only affect passive hardeners, and passive shield hardeners aren’t used very often

ADVANCE: Armor Tanking

Skill Name Train To SP Spent Starting Lvl Alpha Clone Max Lvl

Hull Upgrades 4/5 424,318 2/3 5

Mechanics 4 43,841 2/3 5

Repair Systems 4 45,255 0 5

Armor Layering 1 750 0 1

EM Armor Compensation 1 500 0 2

Kinetic Armor Compensation 1 500 0 2

Thermal Armor Compensation 2 2,828 0 2

Explosive Armor Compensation 2 2,828 0 2

TOTAL SP SPENT 520,820  / 96,502 without HU V

Hull Upgrades unlocks a bunch of useful hull and armor modules and gives you more armor hitpoints.

Hull upgrades V unlocks the Multispectrum Energized Membrane II which is a very popular and important armor-tanking module. It is a big train though so you can choose to leave it at IV and passively train.

Mechanics is a prerequisite to Damage controls and Armor repairers, and also grants more hull hitpoints.

Repair Systems unlocks armor repairers and makes them work faster.

Armor Layering is a small skill that reduces the penalty of fitting armor plates.

[Damage] Armor Compensation boosts the resistance bonus of fitted passive armor hardeners. By default, Tech 1 ships’ armor are weaker to Thermal and Explosive damage, so they are trained a level higher.

ADVANCE: Scanning/Exploration

Skill Name Train To SP Spent Starting Lvl Alpha Clone Max Lvl

Archaeology 3 23,250 1 3

Hacking 3 23,250 1 3

Astrometric Rangefinding 2 9,312 1 2

Astrometric Acquisition 2 5,820 1 2

Caldari Frigate 4 90,010 0/1 4

TOTAL SP SPENT 151,642 / 61,632 without CF IV

Archaeology helps with hacking Relic site loot containers.

Hacking helps with hacking Data site loot containers.

Astrometric Rangefinding increases your scan probe strength.

Astrometric Acquisition makes your scan probes scan faster.

Caldari Frigate 4 is for the Heron, which is the best Tech 1 exploration frigate. You don’t need it, but you should consider it. The difference between a Heron and a Magnate is significant. The difference between a Heron and an Imicus / a Probe is not as big but still impactful enough to warrant an upgrade. Consult other experienced players for guidance.

ADVANCE: Drones Foundation 

Skill Name Train To SP Spent Starting Lvl Alpha Clone Max Lvl

Drones 5 255,750 1 5

Drone Durability 3 40,000 0 4

Drone Interfacing 3 40,000 0 3

Drone Navigation 4 45,255 0 4

Drone Sharpshooting 3 8,000 0 4

Light Drone Operation 4 45,255 0 5

Medium Drone Operation 3 16,000 0 0

TOTAL SP SPENT 450,260

Investing further into drones is inevitably SP-intensive due to the heavy reliance on Drones V.

Drone Durability increases drone HP.

Drone Interfacing and (size) Drone Operation skills directly increase drone damage.

Drone Navigation increases drone MWD speed. Your drones use a MWD to move large distances faster.

Drone Sharpshooting increases drone optimal range (NOT drone control range). This indirectly helps with drone accuracy.


It is recommended that you take the drone support skills further up in level at a later date should you continue to invest into drones.

ADVANCE: Turret Weapons Foundation

Skill Name Train To SP Spent Starting Lvl Alpha Clone Max Lvl

Rapid Firing 3 13,172 2 4

Surgical Strike 3 32,000 0 4

Motion Prediction 3 13,172 2 4

Sharpshooter 3 13,172 2 4

Trajectory Analysis 3 38,750 1 4

Controlled Bursts 3 15,500 1 4

Small (type) Turret 4 45,005 1 5

Medium (type) Turret 3 24,000 0 5

TOTAL SP SPENT 194,771

Rapid Firing and Surgical Strike increases your DPS.

Motion Prediction makes your turrets more accurate.

Sharpshooter and Trajectory Analysis increase your turret range.

Controlled Bursts decreases capacitor use of your turrets and is optional. Energy turret users should train this. Hybrid turret users can train halfway. Projectile turret users can skip the skill.

Small and Medium Turret skills (of your choice, obviously) will also directly increase damage.

Depending on your career choice you may wish to take a Small or Medium turret skill to V in order to unlock the tech 2 turrets for them; This is a big SP investment but the performance will not disappoint you.


It is recommended that you take the gunnery support skills further up in level at a later date should you continue to invest into turrets.

ADVANCE: Missile Launchers Foundation

Skill Name Train To SP Spent Starting Lvl Alpha Clone Max Lvl

Missile Launcher Operation 4 45,005 1 5

Warhead Upgrades 3 24,000 0 3

Rapid Launch 3 16,000 0 4

Guided Missile Precision 3 40,000 0 3

Target Navigation Prediction 3 16,000 0 3

Missile Bombardment 3 16,000 0 4

Missile Projection 2 5,656 0 2

Light Missiles 4/5 90,510 / 512,000 0 5

Light Missile Specialization 3 24,000 0 3

TOTAL SP SPENT 698,661 / 253,171 without LM V/LMS III

Missile Launcher Operation, Warhead Upgrades, Rapid Launch all directly increase your DPS.

Guided Missile Precision and Target navigation Prediction indirectly increase your DPS by decreasing damage loss due to inaccuracy.

Missile Bombardment and Missile Projection increase your missile range.

Light Missile V unlocks both Tech 2 Light Missile launchers for frigates & DDs and Tech 2 Rapid Light Missile Launchers for cruisers. It is a pretty efficient train and light missiles perform admirably well in most situations.


It is recommended that you take the missile support skills further up in level at a later date should you continue to invest into launchers.

ADVANCE: Mining barge skill plans

Skill Name Train To SP Spent Starting Lvl Alpha Clone Max Lvl

Mining 4 111,765 3 4

Mining Upgrades 3 32,000 0 4

Astrogeology 4 45,255 0 0

Mining Barge 4 181,019 0 0

TOTAL SP SPENT 370,039 skill points

Note this only works for Omega, as alphas cannot fly a mining barge.   It is recommended that you look at the Mastery Tab plans to make a further guide on this.

Faction Skills

These skills are specific to individual factions.  I'll do a break down of all the ones I can think of here, thanks to http://games.chruker.dk/eve_online/inventory.php?category_id=16 (In case this resource gets pulled offline.)

All of these are only sold in these faces stations: Dreadnought, Drone Specialization, Freighter, Capital Weapons, and all weapon Specializations.

Concord sells Edencom ship skills along with the Vorton skills.

Both Minmatar and Caldari got the missile specialization skills.  The cheapest way to find the nearest amarr station is to go to agent finder, but it doesn't show school stations.  You can find the closets school by going to 'show info' and 'market activity' to make sure they are selling the skill you want, and then go to the 'station' and see which one is closest to you.  Here are the schools from https://wiki.eveuniversity.org/NPC_corporations#NPC_Starter_Corporations .

Now, the fun part, the nearest hub for each of the different races, from jita (prefer safer), and MJ-5 (horde staging, prefer shorter) respectively.

Methodology

You can paste this to an in game notepad (Neocomm | Utility | Notepad) to easily do this yourself from these stations.

All NPC school stations to find faction skill books

Amarr:

<url=showinfo:2//1000165>Hedion University</url>

<url=showinfo:2//1000166>Imperial Academy</url>

<url=showinfo:2//1000077>Royal Amarr Institute</url>

Caldari:

<url=showinfo:2//1000044>School of Applied Knowledge</url>

<url=showinfo:2//1000045>Science and Trade Institute</url>

<url=showinfo:2//1000167>State War Academy</url>

Gallente:

<url=showinfo:2//1000169>Center for Advanced Studies</url>

<url=showinfo:2//1000168>Federal Navy Academy</url>

<url=showinfo:2//1000115>University of Caille</url>

Minmatar:

<url=showinfo:2//1000172>Pator Tech School</url>

<url=showinfo:2//1000170>Republic Military School</url>

<url=showinfo:2//1000171>Republic University</url>

CONCORD:

<url=showinfo:2//1000137>DED</url>

<url=showinfo:2//1000125>CONCORD</url>

<url=showinfo:2//1000132>Secure Commerce Commission</url>

Note, I used an excel sheet to figure these out.  Go to the school stations, `market activity`, select all, paste to excel, I did to column E.

In column F, split up group, type, and full text, do: =split(E2,"/",True,true)  

In column I, to tease out item, do: =left(H2,find(" for ",H2,1)) 

In column J, to tease out isk, do: =value(left(right(H2,len(H2)-find(" for ",H2,1)-4),len(right(H2,len(H2)-find(" for ",H2,1)-4))-4)) 

Then can populate different values.

Further Resources

The Magic 14 (M14) is a very famous skill plan. The skills listed affect every ship you fly, meaning if you undock at all, the M14 is useful. However, they are to be treated as “filler skills” - If you run out of skills to train, queue up M14 because it will be useful. Do NOT focus on M14 intentionally unless you need to. You should spend your training time unlocking fun stuff - ships, guns, etc.

Eve University Wiki has a bunch of tried-and-true skill plans:

https://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Short_Skill_Plan 

https://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Pyramid_Skill_Plan 

These are cleverly thought out and you can’t really go wrong with them, but can be old, and may not be immediately relevant to you. Consult experienced players before proceeding.

If you were to join a player corporation, you may be asked to train into a few “Doctrine ships,” which you’ll be flying during fleet operations. Prioritize training a few doctrine ships first. You may also be handed their own skill plans: Ask them about what they think of this guide, and prioritize your corp’s skill plans first.


Again, thank you to Xy for this extensive guide he wrote, posted with his permission.