Passive shield tanking

(Please do not edit this page. Please post edits or anything you want changing or adding to [1])

After far too many years without updates I found time to update my original guide. The Original passive tank thread from all those years back can be found at [2] The Current thread is in the link at the top of the page.

Definition of Passive Tanking.

To have a defence method that’s on 23/7 without having activated modules to heal. This mean no active hitpoint regen models like amour repairers or shield boosters. If you have a passive tank setup with activated modules for healing it's a hybrid setup.

There are 3 sub methods of passive tanking although the line between the first two has blurred over the years.

1) Focus on a sustainable DPS tank with resistance and hitpoint regeneration either by boosting hitpoints and/or speeding up shield recharge.

2) Focus on maximising the hitpoint pool which normally consists of a mix of boosting hitpoints and boosting resistance to create a large hitpoint pool as a buffer.

3) Cap immune ships. Can be a mix of 1 and 2 but must not use modules that drain cap. Normally they fit passive hardeners and use a weapon system that does not use cap.

Note: hitpoint/resistance based amour tanks are a passive tank. There are no category 1 passive amour tanks.

Formulas

In short the smaller your shields get the faster they regenerate until you hit 30% then the speed drops. To work out peak regen

Peak regen (shield cap / shield recharge rate)*2.5=x Average region medium to long battle (shield cap / shield recharge rate)*2.2=x Average region short to medium battle(shield cap / shield recharge rate)*2.0=x

x is your hitpoint regeneration at peak regen which is at 30% shield strength, 20 to 50% shield strength are strong areas, 0 to 15% and 90%+ are very slow.

The multiplier is to represent average regen in shorter and longer fights. You don't sit in the whole fight at peak regen so the multiplier is a rough estimate of your average regen over a fight. If your tank holds don't use the lower numbers stick to 2.5. In PvP I find working out regen with a 2.0 multiplier is far more realistic of what you will see in a fight.

Some people use 2.4 to be extra safe. The real number is between 2.4 and 2.5 but closer to 2.5. If the enemy cannot break your tank for a long battle use 2.5 instead of 2.0.

Tankable DPS

To work out tankable DPS using two resistance types look at the Italic line and replace A with Hitpoint regen, B with resistance, C with resistance. Copy and paste Italic line part into windows calculator and press equal’s. Alternatively just load up EFT and set it to two resistance types.

'2*A/((1-0.B)+(1-0.C))=xxx dps' To work out DPS tankable with one resistance type, replace B and C with the same number.

To work out tankable DPS using 4 resistance types. Copy and paste Italic line into windows calculator and press equal’s and use B, C, D, E as your resistance. From March 10th 2009 you can use the new fitting screen from Eve. 4*A/((1-0B)+(1-0.C)+(1-0.D)+(1-0.E))=

Quick Facts

-Passive tanks can use active modules. There is no point wasting cap, unless you need to be cap drain immune think about active hardeners.

-It’s a myth battleships cannot passive tank well. Not all of them can but many make good passive tanks.

-Do not overtank. Just because you can use up all your slots doesn’t mean you should. Think about fitting a target painter, damage mods or other useful modules. For level 4 missions I like to aim for a 650dps tank sometimes 350dps if I can get my damage output high enough.

-The first HP regen passive tankers where mostly if not all Gallente please don’t act like it belongs to Caldari and have a go at passive tanking Gallente pilots. Caldari didn’t join in the fun until years after Gallente had been passive tanking. Interesting note: Caldari ships tend to have higher resistance and higher hitpoints, while Gallante ships tend to get higher HP regen with lower resistance. [3]

-If PG or cap is a problem don’t forget about replacing 1 or 2 Shield Power Relays with Power Diagnostic Systems.

-Never, ever, not even if your drunk on Jove wine fit shield flux modules for combat. There is no excuse to use these in combat, they are always bad. (Not as true now with T2 Flux modules but still pretty bad as lowering HP regen means you're more likely to go under the 30% peak point in one hit)

-For PvP consider using PDS and Energy Neutralize's over Nos. 1 Neat module drain 2.5 times more 1 Nos module and you can knock the enemy down to 0% cap unlike Nos.

-Don’t overlook the hitpoint pool with resistance over HP regen. 30k Hitpoints with 50% resistance means without factoring in regen you can tank 60,000 hitpoints worth of damage without taking into account regen. I often use the hitpoint pool to kill rats so by the time I hit 30% shields the rats DPS is less then my tankable DPS.

-The Original passive tank thread from all those years back [4]

So what skills do I need for a passive tank?

Must have skills

Rank 1 Engineering, at least to level 2 (unless you're getting Tactical Shield Manipulation then lvl 4)

Rank 1 Science, at level 1. Needed before you can train up certain shield skills.

Rank 1 Shield Operation, take to level 3 gives 5% shield recharge boost per level

Rank 3 Shield Management, take to Level 4, gives 5% shield cap per level

Rank 2 Energy Grid, upgrades at level 2 needed for T1 PDS (Power Diagnostic System, sometimes called PDU) and Shield relays T1.

Rank 2 Shield upgrades, at least level 2, 5% less power needs for shield extender and recharges.

Rank 4 Tactical Shield Manipulation, Level 1 for T1 Invulnerability Fields

Rank 2 Jury Rigging, Level 3 needed to fit T1 shield rigs.

Rank 3 Shield Rigging, Level 1 to fit T1 Shield rigs

Notes: Its recommend to take Shield Operation & Shield Management to level 4 as soon as possible and make level 5 a priority after you get your other must have skills.

Skills for an Elite pilot

Rank 1 Engineering, at least to level 4 (level 5 can be useful if you need more powergrid)

Rank 1 Science at level 1. Needed before you can train up certain shield skills.

Rank 1 Shield Operation, take to level 5, gives 5% shield recharge boost per level

Rank 3 Shield Management, take to Level 5, gives 5% shield cap per level

Rank 2 Energy Grid, upgrades at level 4 needed for T2 PDS and T2Shield relays, level 5 if you have CPU problems.

Rank 2 Shield upgrades, at lest level 4, For T2 extenders level 5 if you need more power grid.

Rank 4 Tactical Shield Manipulation, Level 4 for T2 Invulnerability Fields

Rank 2 Jury Rigging, Level 3 needed to fit shield rigs.

Rank 3 Shield Rigging, Level 4 to fit T2 Shield rigs or higher to reduce rig drawback.

Jargon

SPR= Shield Power Relay. The life blood of most passive tanks.

PDS = Power Diagnostic System alterative to SPR less HP regen but no drawbacks and a number of none tanking boosts.

Flux = Shield Flux boosts hitpoint regen, lowers hitpoints which in turn lowers hitpoint regen. Very bad.

Covo(s)= Opening up a private conversation chat channel in game.

Mods= the modules that you fit to your ship slots. Come in various size’s from small to extra large

Any missing?