Thargoid Combat: Difference between revisions

[[File:Golden Elite logo cropped.png|250px|right|link=Pilots Federation]]

'''Thargoid Combat''' is the most difficult content available in ''[[Elite Dangerous]]''. It requires a combination of advanced ships, specialized modules, and high-skilled piloting to be successful, but in return it is one of the most lucrative activities in the game, and was central focus of the Second Thargoid War before its conclusion in 3310.

This guide is designed to help players learn the details of ''getting started'' in Thargoid combat.  

'''Thargoids''' are an ancient race of ammonia-based aliens, who spend most of their time in [[Witchspace]]. They enter the Milky Way to seed systems with their [[Thargoid Barnacle|Barnacles]], and periodically return to tend them for unknown reasons. These barnacles create [[Meta-Alloys]], a substance with incredible durability and material properties. Humanity's harvesting of these alloys has led to conflict between the two races, and as a result the Pilots Federation has placed hefty bounties on any confirmed kill.

== Thargoid Types ==

The smallest and weakest Thargoid is the '''[[Scout]]'''. Scouts are small, agile, and always aggressive. Scouts come in four subtypes; Marauders (the most common type, with a caustic main gun and the ability to fire small, fast caustic missiles), Regenerators (capable of healing nearby Thargoids), Enciters (capable increasing the speed and agility of nearby Thargoids), and Berserkers (capable of increasing the damage of nearby Thargoids and prompting them to launch additional missiles). All scouts have significant damage resistance to human weapons, but still take approximately 33% damage from all human weaponry. This makes them the easiest to defeat out of all Thargoid vessels, and combating them can be done with traditional PvE ship builds.

Hunter-class vessels are a new creation by the Thargoids, and are a middle ground between Scouts and Interceptors. While they lack the powerful defensive capabilities of Interceptors, they have far more firepower and durability than Scouts, and are particularly effective at taking down medium-class vessels.  

There are two varieties of Hunters: Scythes are weaker and slower and completely ignore most targets unless they are carrying Escape Pods, which they will attempt to steal for unknown purposes. The second type is the far more dangerous Glaive, which can move at up to 750m/s, can steal shields to replenish its own, fire missiles that cause FSD reboots, and have an anti-Guardian field, rapidly damaging Guardian modules and weaponry on nearby ships (this requires the [[Anti-Guardian Zone Resistance]] engineering to nullify). While dangerous, these vessels can be taken down effectively via gimbaled Enhanced AX Multicannons. 

=== Interceptors ===

The next four varieties are all described as [[Thargoid Interceptor|'''Interceptors''']]. Interceptors are much more durable than scouts, taking 1% damage from standard human damage types, requiring the use of specialized 'anti-xeno' weapons. They are also not always aggressive; often they can be encountered simply minding their business, largely ignoring nearby ships and players. However, if they scan a player carrying Guardian or Thargoid materials (which aren't immediately dropped after scanning), are attacked, or rammed, they will immediately begin glowing red and engage the target. Fighting them is far more complex than fighting human vessels. Before destroying them, players must first destroy their '''hearts'''.

When attacked, Interceptors will deploy a swarm of '''Thargons'''; small, independent drones, capable of firing their own caustic projectiles. The most dangerous aspect of the swarm is its powerful '''phasing damage.''' While Interceptors do a standard 10% of their damage through shields, Thargon Swarms have a much more potent effect, dealing nearly 40% damage directly through shields onto the hull. As a result, shielded targets will suffer extreme amounts of hull damage due to the phasing damage, as well as being a larger target compared to unshielded vessels.  

* '''WARNING:''' Ship-Launched fighters are controversial in the AX community, largely due pre-3.4 lag in multiplayer instances. It was commonly believed that they cause lag and desynchronization in group settings; this seems to have been fixed post-3.4, but ALWAYS check beforehand if SLFs are allowed, and be sure to check and comply with any group rules.[[File:Guardian-Fighters-Ships-Trident-Javelin-Lance.png|453x453px|right|frameless]]