You start off in EVE with a frigate-class starship, a basic vessel capable of several tasks, but achieving none with spectacular effectiveness. There are many types of starships, with each race having their own unique designs and varied abilities. According to your preferences, you might want to work towards a ship with a larger carrying capacity, is better suited for mining, has a more powerful array of weapons, or rockets through space much faster.
Assault Ships
These are tech level II frigates with much higher fire power than regular frigates and intended as support ships for larger groups. Still, they are extremely capable 1-on-1 ships and can be very lethal when operated by a capable pilot.
Battlecuisers
Battlecruisers are ships with the firepower of a battleship, but must rely on speed for defense. They have impressive firepower but are weak defensively compared to Battleships. Battlecruisers, however, are highly versatile and can serve many purposes.
Battleships
Battleships still represent the epitome of power in EVE for a majority of players. Each race has three battleship classes. Examples include the Raven (Caldari Missile Boat), Tempest (Minmatar Gun Boat), Dominix (Gallente Drone Carrier), and the Apocalypse (Amarr Gun Boat). Despite the increase in number of capital ships, battleships are irreplaceable in fleet battles and can serve multiple roles.
"Black Ops" Battleships
Equipped with short-range jump drives, these warships are intended to fulfill infiltration and covert operation missions. Its small onboard jump portal generator is a massive resource drain, limiting its offensive firepower and restricting its defenses. But the primary role of the Black Ops battleship is to open secret pathways for friendly forces into hostile territory that cannot be detected by conventional means.
"Marauder" Battleships
Intended for spearheading assaults deep into enemy territory, the Marauder is one of the most lethal anti-ship platforms in its class. With extra utility slots, bigger sublight propulsion drives, and a larger cargo hold, they are capable of operating alone for extended mission durations. Most importantly, its few turret slots are optimized for massive damage output to complement any utility configuration. Yet despite this versatility, the Marauder is not without weaknesses: reduced sensor strength leaves her vulnerable to EW attacks, and no matter what her defense configuration is, she cannot withstand focused fire for long.
Carriers
The carrier is an affordable capital ship, and most major corporations are expected to fund and deploy at least one for their engagements. Motherships are a much larger variant of the carrier, and considerably more expensive.
Both carrier types are equipped with standard Ship Maintenance Arrays, which allow for the storage and fitting of ships in open space. They operate just like corporate hangars, enabling pilots to access and equip ship modules if their access rights are sufficient. Motherships can host Rebirth facilities to support Rapid Fleet Deployment operations, but carriers cannot.
Command Ships
Command ships are elite battlecruisers that are also feature two variants. One is a damage-dealing bruiser, with lower resistances. The other is intended for gang-support and equipped with higher resistances. Both of these types are designed to fill combat roles.
Fleet Command Ships are elite logistics platforms that can use up to three gang modules simultaneously, eliminating the need for a command module. They have considerable resistances and defensive bonuses, but negligible damage output. All offensive capabilities for these ships place an emphasis on range, not damage.
Covert Ops
Designed for commando and espionage operation, the main strength of a covert ops vessel is the ability to travel unseen through enemy territory and avoid unfavorable encounters.
Cruisers
The workhorse of many corporations and empires, the cruiser-class allows for a good amount of firepower, armor, and utility. Each race has only four types of cruiser. Popular cruisers include the Blackbird (Caldari Electronic Warfare (EW) Platform), Maller (Amarr Gun Boat), Rupture (Minmatar Gun Boat) and the Thorax (Gallente Drone Carrier).
Destroyers
Ideally suited for both skirmish warfare and fleet support, destroyers are touted as one of the best anti-frigate platforms available.
Dreadnaughts
As soon as the first Outpost was advertised, the major military equipment manufacturers weren't long to respond with the ultimate tool for them. More correctly, the ultimate tool against them. "Say hello to my little friend" now has a whole new meaning.
The Dreadnaughts belong to Capital class of ships and carry a whole assortment of X-Large turrets. Backed by capital class armor reppers and shield boosters, dreadnaughts are capable of unleashing vast amounts of damage on its target while sustaining damage for a very long time.
Electronic Attack Ships
Crammed with the most advanced electronic warfare equipment ever mounted on a frigate-sized hull, the Specter was designed for one mission only: fast propulsion lockdown and sensor suppression of enemy ships. Unfortunately, to make room for all that jamming gear, some of the armor plating had to go.
Exhumers
Exhumers are elite mining barges. Like their mining barge cousins, Exhumers are equipped with electronic subsystems specifically designed to accommodate Strip Mining modules. They are far more resilient, better able to handle the dangers of deep space and much more efficient in mining compared to regular mining barges. The Hulk is, bar none, the most efficient mining vessel available.
Frigates
Widely underrated, the frigate is the most diverse range of ships for any race. Unable to match the sheer firepower of Cruisers and Battleships, frigates are nimble and are hard for the larger ships to target. These are a common choice for pilots doing agent missions because of their speed.
Freighters
Capital ships, able to transport a world and a half and then some. While very slow, freighters can carry huge loads of equipment and materials in their vast cargo holds. An absolute dream ship of all traders does not come cheap, but with enough capital and entrepreneurial spirit it will be no time before these space mammoths pay off themselves.
Bear in mind that although freighters belong to capital class of ships, they have no defenses and are very vulnerable to attack. They should always have an experienced escort, especially if moving through systems with security level less then 0.5.
Jump Freighters
These celestial behemoths are the first Tech II capital ships, and they will take you anywhere you want. They can use both EVE's own stargates and their own jump drives, which gives them the ability to travel both through secure space and the 0.0 badlands. Of course, to go anywhere you want, you have to be prepared, which is why these ships have both increased hit points and increased speed and agility. at the cost of cargo capacity.
Heavy Assault Ships
Combat-specific cruisers that provide improved armor, shield, and specifically offensive bonuses, heavy assault ships are very effective in battle.
Heavy Interdictor Cruisers
With interdictors increasingly becoming priority targets during fleet engagements, this class was destined to evolve into a more durable variant. Enter the Suppressor, which fulfills the same mission as its smaller counterpart, only with more lethal implications: its warp-jamming suppression sphere moves with the ship, effectively creating a dynamic trap that can evolve with battlefield conditions.
Industrial Ships
While slow, the industrial class does have the largest cargo hold of any other, except the capital ships. Used for carrying large amounts of goods, industrials should always have a combat escort when in 0.4 space or lower. The number of industrial ships for each race differs, from two (Amarr) up to five (Gallente).
Interceptors
Interceptors utilize a combination of advanced alloys and electronics to reduce their effective signature radius. This, along with superior maneuverability and speed, makes them very hard to target and track, particularly for high caliber turrets.
Interdictors
Interdictors are elite destroyers with the ability to launch small anti-warp bubbles. These bubbles are not as effective as mobile structures that can be anchored; they have a limited life span and reduced range. Because the bubble is projected spherically from the point of origin, the Interdictor pilot will be effectively warp-jamming himself along with any other targets in the suppression area. To compensate, the turret RoF penalty is removed, and these ships will inflict considerable pain as a result. They require knowledge of interceptors, have similar defensive bonuses, and are nearly as fast. Each type will have one or more launcher slots.
Logistics
These are support cruisers that provide assistance to other ships, specially other Battleships. They can boost the targeted ship's shield, armor, and tracking abilities.
Mining Barges
Designed by the ORE Syndicate to facilitate the advancement of the mining profession to a new level, mining barges are equipped with electronic subsystems specifically designed to accommodate strip mining modules. Coupled with a sizable cargo hold and a goodly drone bay, this makes them extremely efficient ore extraction vessels.
Recon Ships
Reconnaissance ships will come in two variants: Combat Recon and Force Recon. Combat Recon ships have superb Electronic Warfare capabilities, plus good defenses and damage output. Force Recon ships have inferior Electronic Warfare capabilities, weaker defenses, and less damage output than the Combat Recon variant, but can equip a Covert Ops Cloaking device and is very effective for Cynosural Field Generation.
Shuttles
Shuttles have but one design per race, and are simply a method of fast transportation between starbases - they may not equip modules or weapons and have minimal cargo space. They do, however, travel at a good speed and can make extremely long warp hops with ease.
Transport Ships
Transport ships are elite industrial ships. Apart from larger cargo hold, they have more power and thicker armor compared to industrial ships. They are an excellent choice for risky transports when that extra plate of armor can mean the difference between a jump to a safe system or waking up in a cloning facility, while your precious cargo is divided among pirates.
Titans
Titans are the largest, most fearsome space faring vessels ever constructed. Like carriers, they host massive internal bays designed to accommodate, launch, and maintain ships or fighters. Their armaments include X-Large turrets, and a massive superweapon capable of generating unspeakable destructive force. In addition to their immense firepower, they contain Rebirth facilities and serve as Rapid Fleet Deployment platforms. Completing their awesome list of strengths is their ability to open jump portals-the same technology that enables star gates-for other ships to travel through.
New players have joined EVE each day since its release, so you won't be alone as you enter the galaxy for the first time. Even players who have been playing since the beginning experiment with new characters, so not everyone will actually be a brand-new player.
Though there are certainly some players who have already amassed a great deal of wealth and equipment, but this will not affect your ability to competitively advance in the game. The high security areas are a safe place to start, until you are ready to venture into the more aggressive areas of the game.
Remain in your empire's space until you are willing to risk what you can afford to lose in the more aggressive areas of space. Use the map, to find the aggressive and lucrative areas to explore.
The basic role-playing and space simulation aspects of EVE are really just the tip of the iceberg. When players band together to form factions and alliances, the game becomes a grand-scale strategic drama. Political intrigue, corporate espionage, and the very essence of Darwinism bring dimension and depth to the game as the struggle for fame and fortune ebbs and flows with each new day in EVE.
However, the level at which each player decides to participate is a matter of personal choice. The game leaves ample room for continual progress and variety in all its solo playing aspects. For those who opt to do so, becoming the best lone-wolf pirate or bounty hunter is a never-ending task as the competitors are other human players who will employ every method at their disposal to gain an edge over the rest. Solo players are also able to hire out their services as mercenaries or hit men to other players or player-run corporations.