T1 Showcase - the Rifter

The Rifter is a mean little frigate

Welcome to the T1 Showcase series, where we'll dive more in-depth into some fittings you could use to kickstart your PvP career. All the fittings are built using meta or T2 modules, and no drugs or implants are used during the video showcase. We start the series with one of the most iconic ships of Eve Online, the Rifter.

Ship Overview

The Rifter was long overshadowed by faction frigates, and even among T1 ships it is no longer the staple it used to be. It comes with 3 high, 3 mid and 4 low power slots, and offers quite generous fitting for its class, paired with decent base speed. The hull offers 2 bonuses - one to rate of fire (more damage but that means your guns overheat faster than other ships), and massive 10% to falloff range per level, letting it apply damage with autocannons basically across the entire range offered by warp disruptor. With all that in mind, I decided to build against the meta and make a web kiter fit, staying well out of range of more competent brawlers, while still sporting a decent tank to let me trade blows with ships that have the range advantage.

Fitting Breakdown

Showcase Rifter Fitting (click to show)

• We want the biggest autocannons we can get, as this increases both our damage and range. Fortunately even 200mm ACs are quite easy on fitting

• For mids, we go with T2 Stasis Webifier for control, and enduring Afterburner and Warp Disruptor, as these modules put the biggest strain on our capacitor (and as you will see, the fights can last for a while)

• In the low slots, we fit 3 piece tank of 400mm armor plate, ancillary repairer and multispectrum coating, giving us plenty of HP to work with. We top it off with one Gyrostabilizer to increase our damage output

• For rigs, we have to fit in T2 Ancillary Current Router to make sure our powergrid checks out. We also have Polycarbon Engine Housing for extra maneuverability, and Ambit Extension to further increase our already surprising range

• We top up the cargo with plenty of ammo (remember the rate of fire bonus?) and some Nanite Repair Paste for the ancil repper, and to patch up our damaged modules

The Gameplan

We have established that we have ridiculous range and reasonable tank, so the plan is to position ourselves about 15km away from our opponents, giving us good damage with the Barrage ammo loaded, while staying away from control elements usually brought by the brawlers like energy neutralizers or webs. But before we go there, one thing to do - make sure your Ancillary Armor Repairer has it's auto-reload setting turned to OFF - the one minute it takes for it to reload basically means you won't be able to use it anymore during the fight, so it's better to take the limited reps it gives without the paste loaded.

When engaging the enemy, default to staying in range but if you notice on the combat log that they are using long range weapons or pulse lasers, dive in closer to try and break their tracking. Remember that overheated web works to up to 13km so you can use it to reduce opponent's speed without having to get in range of neuts or their close range guns. Then all there is is to manage your heat, capacitor and slowly grind them down while flying the most recognizable ship in the entire New Eden.

Entry Level Fitting

Given the ISK and SP requirement for the posted fit, it may not be the best for people just starting their careers. As such, here's an alternative version:

Entry Level Rifter (click to expand)

[Rifter, Showcase Rifter cheap]

200mm Crystalline Carbonide Restrained Plates

Gyrostabilizer II

Multispectrum Coating II

Small Ancillary Armor Repairer, Nanite Repair Paste

J5 Enduring Warp Disruptor

Stasis Webifier II

1MN Monopropellant Enduring Afterburner

200mm AutoCannon II, Barrage S

200mm AutoCannon II, Barrage S

200mm AutoCannon II, Barrage S

Small Projectile Ambit Extension I

Small Projectile Collision Accelerator I

Small Polycarbon Engine Housing I

Barrage S x2000

Hail S x2000

Nanite Repair Paste x50

Republic Fleet EMP S x2000

Republic Fleet Fusion S x2000

Republic Fleet Titanium Sabot S x2000

It chops off over 7 mil off the price tag while gaining extra speed, at the cost of a bit of raw HP. You can downgrade the web and the gyrostabilizer to T1 variants to cut down the price even further but I wouldn't touch the autocannons - access to Barrage ammo is critical for this fit. After flying the 'Showcase' fit I have a feeling this cheaper version may fare even better, as the increased speed lets you control the fights better, and the tank should still be robust enough to deflect some glancing blows.

Summary

As funny as it sounds, with over 15 years playing the game, this was my first time piloting the Rifter. Even being unfamiliar with the hull (or autocannon gameplay in general), I managed to pilot it to some great victories but most importantly, had tons of fun doing so. I hope the fit will work for you as well!