We've got a new Frigate, the Garmur, coming out here shortly. With that in mind I thought I'd take a look at the current state of Frigates in New Eden. Sort of mini-reviews of each one and where they stand currently. All of this in my opinion, based on flying them every single day, yadda yadda. I actually play Eve y'know. Be aware that this is all from my perspective as a scum-sucking ebil pirate.
In this post I'll be looking at the Tech 1 Frigates and tomorrow I'll take a look at the T2 Frigates.
Amarr:
Crucifier: No one flies the Crucifier anymore because of Sentinel. This poor ship got buried under the changes wrought to its Tech 2 counterpart and was rendered rather meaningless as a result. Personally I'd fly one simply because most people have probably forgotten that it even exists. I should try that.
Executioner: I fly this every once in a while just for fun. It is cheaper than the Slicer and almost a good ship. Long point ships suffer horribly in today's risk-averse Low Sec and the Executioner is no exception. Until such time as Fozzie does something to fix WCS, long point Frigates will continue to suck ass as viable options. But it is great as back up. So fast.
Inquisitor: Awesome! Who ever thought Logi Frig would be a real thing?
Magnate: Target!! 'Nuff said.
Punisher: If it wasn't Amarr the Punisher would be one of the best Low Sec Frigates around. As it is, it is still a very viable option. Slow as molasses, but tanky and with decent damage output. Just hope the bad guys don't have neuts or that the fight doesn't last more than a couple of minutes.
Tormentor: Currently the best Amarr T1 Frigate for low sec fighting. The Torm has everything, damage projection, tank options, decent speed, and a face that only a mother could love. Yarr.
Caldari:
Bantam: Target!!
Condor: One of the most fun ships to fly in all of New Eden, the Condor has sadly been co-opted by the cowards in FW. If you see a Condor in a Plex you can be assured that it will run away and hide. Stabbed, cloaked, and aligned. Poor thing. New Condor is purty though.
Griffin: No cowardly low sec gang is complete without one of these along. Just apply drones and watch the damn thing melt, then kill everyone else. ECM is fine as long as it is on your side.
Heron: Probes on scan!! Might be a mission.
Kestrel: The Caldari get two viable Frigates and the Kessie is one of them. Variety of fit, strength of tank, speed and damage projection make the Kessie one of the best low sec Frigates going. And it's fun to fly.
Merlin: And the Merlin. An awesome Frigate of death, the merlin can be fit is so many ways to confuse and confound. In some configurations the damage output is simply insane for a T1 Frigate.
Gallente:
Atron: Now that Crake has sadly bio-massed himself Atron usage in Low Sec has probably dropped about half. But that doesn't mean it still isn't one of the best Frigates in the game. Speedy as all heck, the Atron is fun, agile and versatile. Plus the darn things are cheap, cheap, cheap!
Imicus: Target!!
Incursus: The Gallente have three viable Frigs, and the Incursus has always been one. Nothing has changed, the darn ship is just awesome. Fly one.
Maulus: Being damped isn't the same as being jammed.
Navitas: People who try to use one of these as a Logi Frigate are cute. Mostly carebears seem to use these ships.
Tristan: The most mainline of all the T1 Frigates and a favorite of Stay Frosty pilots, the Tristan is extremely versatile and a properly flown and fit Tristan can defeat any other Frigate on this list, more times than not. You can't say that about another one.
Minnie:
Breacher: One of my favorite Frigates and one I haven't flown in a very long time - mostly because I like to change things up. The Breacher is capable of amazing feats of strength and daring do.
Burst: Target... maybe?
Probe: Or maybe the Burst and the Probe are up to something? Who can be sure...
Rifter: The most iconic ship in Eve and no one believes in you anymore. They say you are washed up, no good for nothing, and worthless. Mostly, they are right. I still fly them, one great thing about the Rifter? No one is afraid of you in it. Except FW peeps, but they are afraid of everything.
Slasher: Always an enigma, the Slasher suffers from middle of the road syndrome. But it is a great and fun little Frig that can often be surprising with the right fit and pilot at the wheel.
Vigil: Drones on the Vigil!!
And there you have it, my extremely biased opinion about the current state of Frigates in New Eden. How will the Garmur fit into this? Only time will tell. Tomorrow I'll take a look at the T2 and Pirate Frigates, a place the Garmur will most likely fall.
Until then, buy some of these and fly around. They are cheap, fun and you can fit them any way you like.