The first steps in Eve Online can be a bit overwhelming for new players. Unlike other MMORPGs there are few limitations to what a player can or can’t do. A brand new player can do anything from start a corporation to run profitable scams on other players, the only limitation is the player’s imagination.
For players who have just finished the tutorial and need some early pocket change there are a few things they can do. What jobs players choose depends on their long term goals, interests, and preferred playstyles. Here are some things players can do right away to start generating some ISK.
10 Can Flipper
For players looking to become pirates and thieves one entry level way to become rich at the expense of others is through can flipping. Miners will sometimes jettison their ore into cargo containers that sit outside their ship. They do this to keep their cargo holds empty to continue mining and possibly allow a teammate to come by and pick up what they’ve collected so far.
If a player can act quickly enough they can swoop in and steal these containers full of ore. Depending on what the miner was collecting it can be worth a bit of pocket change or cover the cost of your next ship. It’s not without its risks and some miners are more cautious than others, but it’s a nice windfall without having to go to the effort of mining yourself.
9 Mission Runner
The most common and straightforward profession in Eve Online is running missions. NPCs and their respective corporations will have some tasks players can do for money. Anything from collecting a bit of ore, delivering certain goods, or hunting down pirates.
The last is by far the most common, popular, and in many cases most lucrative. Players can blitz through missions for quick cash, rack up Loyalty Points, and buy some powerful ships and gear. Players can start in High Security and work their way to pirate factions in Null Security where the real money lies.
8 Miner
Mining is also a very common profession. The backbone of industry rests on players grinding out asteroids for the materials that make everything from laser weapons to Carriers. Players can play it safe in High Security where the risk is low and profits are limited or cut their teeth in Low Sec or even Null Security where the good stuff is.
Even with a simple Venture ship and basic mining lasers players can carve up rocks for a bit of change. It’s a straight forward way of making money that’s very relaxing for some and always in demand with various corporations.
7 Hauler
Almost as important as mining is hauling. With players operating out of every corner of the galaxy there is a constant demand for players to ship products from the producers to the consumers. This can mean moving goods from one facility to another or even crossing entire sectors.
Players can easily become Haulers by transporting goods for traders, corporations, or their own business ventures. Jita is the hungriest corner of the galaxy and has a wealth of goods that need to move in and out of that market.
6 Ratter
Ratting is the time honored tradition of scouting out Asteroid belts or other sites and blasting pirates. Money is made on the bounty for killing the pirate and the loot their wrecks will hold. The less secure parts of the galaxy have pirates with the highest bounties.
This activity is more about entertainment than profits unless the player is in Null Security where the higher bounties are located. If the player is in at least Low Security there’s a chance they’ll come across clone soldier pirates. These villains will drop special Tags that often sell for millions in the marketplace. It’s rare, but enough of a windfall to seriously boost a player’s wealth.
5 Exploration
Exploration is a fantastic way for beginning players to make money. Players will scan down anomalies looking for Data, Relic, and even Combat sites. With Data and Relic sites players can hack into containers to obtain valuable loot and Combat sites have lucrative enemies to be hunted.
What’s interesting about this profession is that beginning players can use Wormholes to reach less populated parts of Null Security space. Here the pirate Relic and Data sites can contain millions in loot. Of course getting there and back in one piece is another story.
4 Ninja Gas Mining
Ninja Gas Mining is a hybrid of being a miner and explorer. Players track down special anomalies called Gas Clouds. With a Venture, the right skills, and equipment players can probe down these sites and begin hoovering up valuable gas to sell to the marketplace.
Players should spend time exploring and mining before diving into this niche, but with an hour or so of practice players can make some good money mining gas. The tricky part is getting in and out unnoticed as the Venture is no match for the more predatory explorers often flying the best ships out there.
3 Salvager
Salvaging is the act of gathering wrecks and selling them to the marketplace. Sometimes players will walk away with just the wreck which can be broken down into its base materials or sold as is. Other times players can come across some interesting and valuable finds like weapons.
Clever players can salvage the wrecks left behind by mission runners with very little risk. The more dangerous or hard to reach a site is the more valuable the wrecks are. Devious players can swoop in while a mission runner is distracted, scoop up a few, and take off before the player can respond.
2 Trading
Trading is the act of buying and selling goods in the marketplace. All it takes is a character in a station and a bit of cash and the player can start making money trading everything from basic minerals to the most expensive ships in the galaxy. The key is to know who to buy from and who to sell to.
For example, mission runners are all about speed and simply want to offload whatever loot they obtain, restock, and get back out there. It’s more important to blitz the next mission than haggle over the ten missiles they found and won’t be using. Savvy traders can buy their loot at a fair, but below market price, and then sell them the things they need at a fair, but above market price. The mission runner is happy they didn’t waste time and the trader is happy for the profits.
1 Faction Warfare
Another solid job for beginners is getting into Faction Warfare. The major factions of the galaxy are constantly at war and need players to fight their battles. Players will pick a banner and fight against players who chose the other side.
Its the easiest form of PVP play to get into and can become very lucrative, with practice. Players can get some hands-on experience which leads to other more lucrative paths like being a mercenary, bounty hunter, or pirate. In the meantime, you make money for fights you win and collect valuable items from Loyalty stores.