Merits

Merit points are what a player receives when they turn in Powerplay (bonds). These Merit points are used to determine the rating that the player will receive at the end of the week for their allied faction. There are 5 obtainable ratings in the game. Each rating comes with its own associated perks that vary by faction. However each ratings merit point requirements and cash payouts will remain the same no matter the faction the player belongs to.

Ratings

1. Basic rating. This rating requires no Merit to achieve and pays out 1,000 CR at the end of the cycle.
2. Rating two requires 100 merit to achieve and pays out 50,000 CR at the end of the cycle.
3. Rating three requires 750 merit to achieve and pays out 500,000 CR at the end of the cycle. It also unlocks faction specific items provided you have been aligned with your faction for four weeks.
4. Rating four requires 1,500 merit to achieve and pays out 5,000,000 CR at the end of the cycle.
5. Rating five requires 10,000 merit to achieve and pays out 50,000,000 CR at the end of the cycle as well as granting significant faction specific advantages.

How to obtain Merit Points

Players have several choices when it comes to obtaining merit points. While more may be released in the future the following are the methods to earn merit are known to work.

• Combat with non allied factions players.
• Combat in expansion system.
• Killing foreign agents
• Transportation of cargo for the fortification and preparation of systems.
• Piracy of cargo from foreign powers

Combat with players

Combat with players who belong to a non allied faction will award 30 merit points per kill. Despite the appearance of the Galactic Powers Standing screen there are only three factions as far as the merit points system is concerned when pertaining to player combat. These are the Empire, Federation, and Alliance. Players hoping to earn merit through player vs. player combat should be aware that attacking players who belong to the same faction will result in a net loss in merit. For example if a player belonging to Zachary Hudsons faction were to kill a player belonging to Felicia Winters faction that player would lose merit because both factions belong to the Federation.

Combat in Expansion Systems

Combat in Expansion systems can only be done when a faction that expands through combat is expanding. The factions that expand through combat are Arissa Lavigny-Duval, Archon Delaine, Denton Patreus, and Zachary Hudson. In order to utilize this method for earning merit a player must fly to the expansion system and find the expansion related Military Strike Zones. These Military Strike Zones have different names depending on the expansion faction. Players should watch out for are Crime Sweeps, Security Sweeps, Resistance Pockets, and Violent Protests. Players can earn merit in any factions Military Strike Zones by either helping allied forces or opposing the expansion of enemy factions. It is important to note that players must pick a side under their functions tab in order to earn merit.

Killing foreign agents

Killing foreign diplomats and their cadre is a relatively effective method for earning merit points. You will be awarded 30 merit points per kill. In order to utilize this method you must go to hostile territory and either sit at the navigational beacon (not recommended) or interdict ships as they fly by you. You will be looking for ships with names along the lines of Utopian overseer, Federal Logistics, Imperial Agent, Federal Agent, Alliance Enforcer, ect. Pretty much any ship with one of the major factions in its name that IS NOT system defense force or allied with your overall faction. As with Combat against players you will lose merit if you attack and kill allies.

Fortification and preparation of systems

This is by far the safest and slowest method for obtaining Merit points. The pilot must go to their factions capitol city and pick up cargo for fortification or preparation from a station. The amount of cargo the play can pick up at any given time is based of that players current rating with their faction. It ranges from 10 every half hour at rating one up to 50 every half hour at rating five. after the player picks up the cargo they must transport it to a system for fortification or expansion depending on the type of cargo they picked up from the capitol. once they arrive at their destination system they simply dock and turn in the cargo under the contacts tab at the station.

Piracy of cargo from foreign powers

Players can choose to walk the path of the pirate in order to gain merit points. This entails finding Logistical ships from any other faction and forcing them to drop their cargo by either shooting out their cargo hatch or through the use of hatch breaker limpets. After the ships drop their cargo the player must scoop it up and return it to their factions space for a reward. This type of merit farming can be used on allied factions without encoring penalties so long as you do not kill the ships you are attacking.