Killing Dagan As A Minmatar Alpha Clone

I think everyone has low level NPCs they remember because they posed a significant roadblock to advancing through the game. In World of Warcraft, that character was Hogger, a level 8 gnoll. In EVE, the roadblock was a rogue member of the Society of Conscious Thought, Dagan. Dagan is the end boss of the Sisters of EVE level 1 epic arc. Capturing Dagan gives a nice standings boost to one faction every three months. But the first time I ran into Dagan while flying a Rifter, he scarred me for life. Normally I go back and take care of him while flying a Vagabond. But my brand new Alpha clone doesn't have the luxury of flying any type of cruiser, much less a HAC. Worse, she needed the ISK.

I decided not to try the epic arc until I could fly a well fit destroyer. Three weeks into the Alpha experience, I could finally fly the Thrasher I earned from a career agent well. The fit I used in the battle against Dagan is below.

[Thrasher, Thumper]
Damage Control II
Gyrostabilizer II

1MN Y-S8 Compact Afterburner
Medium Azeotropic Restrained Shield Extender
Medium Ancillary Shield Booster

150mm Light Carbine Repeating Cannon I
150mm Light Carbine Repeating Cannon I
150mm Light Carbine Repeating Cannon I
150mm Light Carbine Repeating Cannon I
150mm Light Carbine Repeating Cannon I
150mm Light Carbine Repeating Cannon I
150mm Light Carbine Repeating Cannon I
Salvager I

Small Core Defense Field Extender I
Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I
Small Projectile Collision Accelerator I 

In the low slots, I used a Damage Control II for the bonuses to shields, armor, and hull, as the Thrasher really needs some help with the tank. I also used a gyrostabilizer because I knew I needed to throw as much damage at Dagan as possible. I started the arc with a tech 1 meta module and only fit the tech 2 version on the last day as I finished training Weapons Upgrade IV.

In the mid-slots, I fit a meta afterburner along with a medium shield extender and a Medium Ancillary Shield Booster. I used the Medium Ancillary Shield Booster because I had cap issues when using a normal shield booster. The cap boosters for the module were cheap and small, so why not?

I used 150mm autocannon instead of trying to squeeze in 200mm autocannon on the theory that the smaller weapons track better, so would apply more of their paper DPS in an actual fight. In the utility high, I threw in a Salvager I because I needed to loot everything for the money.

The rigs I think are pretty standard. The Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer plugged the EM hole in the shields, the Core Defense Field Extender provided more shields, and the Project Collision Accelerator increased my DPS.

I carried the three types of short range ammunition in my cargohold, switching out depending on the NPCs I faced. Instead of trying to determine what faction needed which type of damage, I developed an easier way. It the NPC ship had a golden or blue background, I loaded EMP S. If the background was green, I loaded Phased Plasma S. And if the background was red or rust colored, I used Fusion S. The colors of the ammunition even matched the background colors of the NPCs. The only NPC that didn't fit the pattern was Dagan, as he flew an SoCT cruiser. For him, I used Phased Plasma S, as I figured he needed to die in a fire.

The actual battle was somewhat anti-climatic. Dagan had three wingmen, each flying a different faction's ship requiring different ammunition. What I did was pretty basic. I decided to fly under Dagan's guns and while orbiting the cruiser take out the frigates his wingmen flew. I took some damage in the beginning, but once I started orbiting Dagan at 1000 meters, I no longer needed to worry about the cruiser's weapons. Then all I had to do is pick off the frigates. One that was accomplished, I just orbited Dagan, firing all the time until he exploded.

Dagan taking armor damage

I did the entire 50 mission arc in approximately 10 hours spread over 6 days. Even after deducting for costs like skill books I needed to learn to fly a cruiser, my wallet still wound up 20 million ISK richer after I finished selling all my salvage. I'm not at the point of trying to PvP in faction warfare, but I am in a place I can start trying to hack data and relic sites in low sec. I currently have 33.5 million ISK and my Probe fit only costs 1.1 million ISK to replace. Time to start earning some money, because high sec simply doesn't offer a path to riches.