Training up a fighter pilot worth it?

[Big McLargeHuge]

Just wondering if they actually get better with ranks

[ShelLuser]

Absolutely!

Elsa (my crew member) went from "don't shoot at me!!" (I was firing at a pirate and she decided that it would be a good strategy to fly between said pirate and me, and then blaming me for firing at her...) ... it went from that idiocy to suddenly seeing a fighter go "b00m" together with a new bounty reward while I'm holding still to let my limpets collect a bunch of materials.

I've seen serious progress with my crew member. Better yet: because I trained her from a nobody I'm also saving up quite a bit of money.

[Big McLargeHuge]

Originally posted by ShelLuser:

Absolutely!

Elsa (my crew member) went from "don't shoot at me!!" (I was firing at a pirate and she decided that it would be a good strategy to fly between said pirate and me, and then blaming me for firing at her...) ... it went from that idiocy to suddenly seeing a fighter go "b00m" together with a new bounty reward while I'm holding still to let my limpets collect a bunch of materials.

I've seen serious progress with my crew member. Better yet: because I trained her from a nobody I'm also saving up quite a bit of money.

How long does it take to get up to a good rank from harmless for the crew member?

[LoboFH]

Not so much like ourselves, they rank way faster. I couldn't say an exact time but in some weeks will be elite. They are very useful, yeah. And can pilot your ship while you use the fighter.

[CMDR WeeJet]

its worth it. but if you plan on hitting combat elite. dont get one until you hit that point. i made that mistake. they take half of your combat XP when using them.

[ShelLuser]

Originally posted by CMDR WeeJet:

its worth it. but if you plan on hitting combat elite. dont get one until you hit that point. i made that mistake. they take half of your combat XP when using them.

That doesn't sound right. I never experienced any delays in my ranking with or without my pilot, and I should notice considering that I'm still but a novice. Second: if it would then I'm sure the wiki would have mentioned it: https://elite-dangerous.fandom.com/wiki/Pilot

[Planewalker]

Yes, yes & yes! =D

They end up becoming a floating hardpoint able to dish out serious damage, and if trained all the way from harmless, will take a much smaller percentage compared to if hired at high skill.


Also, they will get paid while not active, so make sure you factor that in.
(and no; they don't share or gimp your CMDR XP)



cheers

[Crimson Echo]

Yes. They get much better, but are not perfect with non-beam/non-hitscan weapons even when elite ranked.

The npc does take half of your combat 'xp' when active iirc.

Taking them to a compromised nav beacon or out by maia to hunt scouts is the fastest/easiest way to rank them up. (they rank up much faster than human players, but it still takes a while.)

[PNellesen]

Probably not, but it's the only real goal I have left in the game.

Mine's almost to "Dangerous" now, and she's actually pretty useful. I may eventually get her to Elite if I live that long...

[Planewalker]

Originally posted by CMDR Crimson Echo:

The npc does take half of your combat 'xp' when active iirc.

That conclusion was three years ago, and the foundation for it was spotty at best imo.
(edit: link. They only get XP for their own kills, which make perfect sense)
https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/6c5pfj/confirmed_using_npcs_hinder_combat_rank/

Echo i sent you an add some time ago bc a linux ED pilot needed help just fyi.

[CMDR WeeJet]

the npc crew taking xp is not really noticed at lower ranks. its when you get to deadly you really notice it. getting from the start of deadly to elite takes around 2000 elite npc kills give or take. so when the npc crew takes around half that xp you really notice it. trust me i know.

[Ruben_101]

mostly harmless to expert in around 1h by fighting goid scouts. depends on how often you find non-hoooman signal sources thread 4

[Big McLargeHuge]

Originally posted by Robäh:

mostly harmless to expert in around 1h by fighting goid scouts. depends on how often you find non-hoooman signal sources thread 4

Where do you find thargoid scouts? Are they difficult to kill?

[Planewalker]

Originally posted by CMDR WeeJet:

the npc crew taking xp is not really noticed at lower ranks. its when you get to deadly you really notice it. getting from the start of deadly to elite takes around 2000 elite npc kills give or take. so when the npc crew takes around half that xp you really notice it. trust me i know.

But that's the whole point; they don't "take" xp, they get xp for their kills, and this is perfectly sound. Just like a greenhorn can go bounty hunt & get xp by "helping" the security forces.

[Witcher]

Originally posted by Monke Man:

Originally posted by Robäh:

mostly harmless to expert in around 1h by fighting goid scouts. depends on how often you find non-hoooman signal sources thread 4

Where do you find thargoid scouts? Are they difficult to kill?

You can find plenty Non-Human Signal Sources in Pleiades except I won't advise training NPC crew with Thargoids especially if you ship is not outfitted for them. You are more likely to get yourself and crew killed in the process.

[CMDR WeeJet]

Originally posted by Planewalker:

Originally posted by CMDR WeeJet:

the npc crew taking xp is not really noticed at lower ranks. its when you get to deadly you really notice it. getting from the start of deadly to elite takes around 2000 elite npc kills give or take. so when the npc crew takes around half that xp you really notice it. trust me i know.

But that's the whole point; they don't "take" xp, they get xp for their kills, and this is perfectly sound. Just like a greenhorn can go bounty hunt & get xp by "helping" the security forces.

yes but the xp they get is half of your own xp rather than both you and the npc both getting full xp like you do when a you help security. so they take half of your xp.