Qash On Boosters

Capsuleer report 11042011-2

Kirith Darkblade Blog for the Full Guide (below is my annotated version)

What is a Booster and what does it do? They work exactly like temporary implants.

Each booster uses a booster slot:
Slot 1: Tanking in some way.
Slot 2: Turret boosting.
Slot 3: Missiles.

At any given time, you can have up to 3 boosters active (1 per slot).

The types are:

Synth: Very little bonus (3%), no side effect and legal in highsec.
Standard: Best price/performance ratio, most popular. (20% side effect)
Improved: A lot more expensive than standards, it is also more powerful. (30% side effect)
Strong: Very pricey (40% side effect)

The flavors are:

Exile: It boosts the effectiveness of armor repairers. They repair more per cycle (they don't cycle faster, so it doesn't use more capacitor).
Possible side effects:
- Total armor hitpoints reduction
- Maximum capacitor reduction
- Turret tracking reduction
- Bigger missile explosion radius

Summary: Active armor tanked ships, it doesn't work very well on hybrid tanks (buffer and repairer).

Blue Pill: It boosts the effectiveness of shield boosters. They boost more per cycle (they don't cycle faster, so it doesn't use more capacitor).
Possible side effects:
- Maximum shields hitpoints reduction
- Maximum capacitor reduction
- Turret optimal range reduction
- Slower missile explosion velocity

Summary: Active shield tanked ships.

Mindflood:It increases your maximum capacitor. Due to the way capacitor (and shields, by the way) works, having more maximum capacitor means that it recharges more GJ per second, even if it takes the same time to go from 0% to 100%.
Possible side effects:
- Shield boosting reduction
- Bigger missile explosion radius
- Turret optimal range reduction
- Armor repairing reduction

Summary: A shield buffer tanked ship using projectile weapons won't suffer from a side effect at all. Will be able to run the MWD or neut during a lot longer! Logistics ships benefit a lot from it, too.

X-Instinct: It reduces the signature radius of your ship.
Possible side effects:
- Maximum armor reduction
- Maximum shields reduction
- Turret falloff range reduction
- Bigger missile explosion radius

Summary: It reduces a lot of drone and missile dps and also makes it even harder to hit a tackling interceptor. Armor tanked logistics sometimes use it along with an afterburner.

Drop: It increases turret tracking.
Possible side effects:
- Maximum shields reduction
- Armor repairing reduction
- Turret falloff range reduction
- Maximum ship velocity reduction

Summary: It is a must have for any turret battleship. The side effects can be annoying for shield and active armor setups, but a buffer armor fitted ship won't be affected at all.

Frentix: It increases turret optimal range.
Possible side effects:
- Shield boosting reduction
- Maximum armor reduction
- Turret tracking reduction
- Maximum ship velocity reduction

Summary: Perfect for sniping ships, it lets you use higher damage ammo or sit further out. Drop booster works better at closer ranges.

Sooth Sayer: It increases turret falloff range.
Possible side effects:
- Armor repairing reduction
- Maximum shields reduction
- Turret optimal range reduction
- Maximum ship velocity reduction

Summary: Not many sniping ships fight in falloff (apart from the Muninn: 50% optimal and 50% falloff), but no side effect can affect buffer armor fitted ships, so it is a very good alternative to Drop, depending on how you use your projectile based ships.

Crash: It reduces missile explosion radius.
Possible side effects:
- Shield booting reduction
- Maximum ship velocity reduction
- Missile velocity reduction
- Maximum armor reduction

Summary: This one acts as a free Target Painter. It turns your Heavy Assault Missiles (HAMs) into Heavy Missiles and Heavy Missiles into Assault Missiles when it comes to hitting smaller ships, while retaining all the damage from the bigger missiles.

How can I use them? Skills

There's 3 skills that are related to boosters:

1) Biology: Lets you use boosters and extends the duration time by 20% per level. Biology at level 1 to use synth and standard boosters. It generally takes 7 minutes to train. You need Biology 2 for Improved and 3 for Strong boosters.
2) Nanite Control: It is a very expensive skillbook and it isn't mandatory at all. It reduces the severity of side effects.
2) Neurotoxin Recovery: Requires Nanite Control 1. Reduces the chance to get side effects.

To use a booster:Right-click on it and hit Consume.
It is now active. You can see the remaining time under Augmentations in your character sheet.

Qash Summary:

I manufactured these at a Wormhole PoS. There are profits, just have to wait a while. I made these cost-neutral with 1 in every 3 boosters manufactured going to corp members for free.

In 0.0/Wormholes, I carried 'Standard boosters', very rarely had an side effects and used them as suggested above, so never noticed. (The Blue Pill has saved me from a podding a couple of times, in my Sleipnir).

In Highsec I carry 'Synth boosters' not used that often, only once when in PvE I agro'd a whole room and this enabled me to tank it enough to warp out. Noob :(

Note to Self - All bloggers carry on your good work.