Blueprint Farming

A Guide to farming enhancement and system blueprints to the best most for your time.

Introduction

Hello everyone, there seems to be some confusion as to how to quickly farm blueprints in the vanilla game (no mods) so I thought I'd give the numbers of how blueprint drops are determined and the best place to farm them. This won't be a very long guide since it's mostly just numbers followed by the best spot, but it should help those who are having trouble getting Blueprints.

How Blueprint Drop Chances Work and the Numbers

Blueprints drop in several scenarios, from doing side missions, completing missions in the main campaign, destroying ships and destroying derelicts. The quickest way to get a single blueprint piece is to simply do side missions, but they run out eventually. So instead, let's look how combat blueprint drop chances work.

The chance for a blueprint to drop is based on a few things in combat, level of the enemy ship, did it become a derelict and did you get the final blow on the ship. If the ship becomes a derelict, then you get a blueprint for destroying it, you'll have to destroy the derelict. If another ship destroys the target, then you have 0% chance for a blueprint drop. Finally, we come to levels. for this, we're going to look at the game script responsible for giving blueprints, ShipOnDestroy.sal. Levels 1 to 20 have a 1 in 30 chance to drop a blueprint. 21 to 50 you have a 1 in 20 chance to a blueprint. Above level 50 you have a 1 in 10 chance. So for practical purposes it's best to wait for level 51 before actively farming blueprints.

The other important factor, derelicts, is based on the size of the ship you destroyed. Small ships have a 33% chance to become a derelict. Medium ships have a 50% chance, and Large ships will always become derelicts. The quickest way to farm would be to not have to destroy derelicts, so it's best to farm small ships that are level 51 and up, luckily, regions level with you, but ship sizes remain static.

Derelict Blueprint Drop Chance is based on player level and not the level of the target. Under level 20 it is 1 in 40, 21 to 50 it is 1 in 30, and 51 and up is 1 in 20. In other words, it's best to try and have the fewest derelicts possible to get the best drop chance.

Good Farming Location

Okay, so with the numbers out of the way, we know that we want a region that will spawn level 51+ ships that are small size, it just so happens that Sector 75 in Sea of Sorrows is such a location. Most ships are frigates or smaller, and they scale above level 50 with the player. This area is home to the Shard so for Lawful players farming here is ideal. It also has a Shard station allowing you to cause spawns by being close to the station. In this with the right ship and skills, it is quite easy and safe to farm here since you'll be piloting a Dreadnought/Carrier or Echelon at this point, and the the enemy ships are all frigates with the occasional destroyer or freightliner. The biggest risk is when the enemy uses skills to kill you, they do have beam manipulator that will let the occasional ship to strip your shields and battery energy very fast. Outside that, it's a great place to farm. No allies around to steal the last hit, small ships and all level 51+. The presence of the station increases spawns, making this an ideal locale to farm blueprints.

[Raelline]

(Verified) Swarms can in fact drop blueprints. Had it happen yesterday.

[Brat Corrections Officer]

I think the swarms have a chance to proc the blueprint drop as well. I was never too sure on this though.

[SpiceMustFlow]

You say destroying derelicts give a chance for blueprints. Does that mean we should avoid using Scavenger Swarms?

[SolarDwagon]

Slight necro but I'd like to point out that some of the blueprint weapons especially are the best systems in class, same for some of the enhancements.
Otherwise, great guide, breaks down the mechanics nicely.

[Brat Corrections Officer]

The blueprints allow you to build new weapons and systems for ships. You get them from destroying ships and derelicts. While they aren't the best systems and such, they can be good if you don't have the best.

[Taskmaster]

Uh, I'm new to the game and this is the first I am hearing of blueprints. Nothing in the tutorial on them and I am still early in the main quest so if it is covered there I have not hit it. What are they and what are they for? Thanks for your time.

[Brat Corrections Officer]

No problem, glad it helped :)

[Ezkill]

Area works out well, thanks

[Ezkill]

Thank you for this, going to give it a try now

[Geek]

Very interesting read.
I should add there is another way to get blueprints - scavenging derelicts with nanobots.
The chances are equal to destroying them in vanilla, though.