"I have a potential lead, but I need 5,000 credits." - Alman Bergas
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"I don't have time for that. There's profit to be made here." - Keno Duerr
This page is about content that is about to be added, or contains information relating to the next update. If this page lacks information about the said content, added information will be most appreciated.
[NOTE]: For pages containing future content with present content, information with the "(Next Update)" text will indicate the future content.
Various AI-controlled factions have different roles to play in the universe. From the legitimate professions of trading and transporting passengers, to looting said merchants for cargo, to hunting down said wanted criminals, the diverse AI-controlled factions employ different ways to earn credits. This page is a catalogue of roles non-player ships can have.
Current professions[]
Honorable professions[]
These professions are usually found in factions that are friendly towards "honourable" factions.
Miner[]
Miners work in similar fashion to traders but appear as Ranger-M's and Hauler-M's. Miners also have the diplomacy or cargo tabs to buy or sell cargo. You will rarely find Miners allied with aggressive or evil factions simply because most asteroid sectors are owned by their enemies.
Transport[]
Transports work in similar fashion to traders but appear more often as the passenger versions of the Pioneer and Hauler. Passengers also have the diplomacy or cargo tabs to buy or sell cargo. Transports will be found in all types of factions.
Patroller[]
Patrollers are ships that will defend their stations and engage their enemies. Patrollers can/will be any ship, most notably Thunders, Orions, Ares, Magnus, Hornet, and Flyers. If a faction is particularly poor or is limited to only a refinery, such as Black Sail, these can/will be chiefly made up of Shuttles. Patrollers will sometimes be the 'X' variants and will congregate around allied stations waiting to attack any enemies. On occasion, patrollers will form a fleet and attack bandit stations. This behavior will be preceded by a large gathering of patrollers. Always know which faction hates who as it is vital to know who to retreat to. Patrollers side with all faction personalities.
Neutral professions[]
These professions are found across all kinds of factions, no matter how honorable or crooked they are.
Scavenger[]
Scavengers work in a similar fashion to traders but appear more often as fighters and Haulers. They are given the 'scavenge' order which you cannot give your own ships. Scavengers also have the diplomacy or cargo tabs to buy or sell cargo. Scavengers will most likely lean towards evil/aggressive factions.
Bounty Hunters[]
Bounty hunters are ships that will go after the highest bounty. Most of them take cloaked ships and will engage when they are about 500 meters away from you. At the start of the game bounty hunters will be better equipped than the player so it is preferred to immediately pay off your bounty. Mid and late game it is the player's choice to pay back bounties. Bounty Hunters can become hostile towards the player regardless of previous diplomatic relations. They usually come with Ares-class, Thunder class, Orion-class, Flyer-X class, and Hornet class ships, though occasionally a Magnus or Overlord will be found. Bounty hunters are typically freelancers, but it is not unheard of for there to be a bounty hunter faction.
Trader[]
Traders will be found as both major factions and independent freelancers, and will typically not include Overlords, Drakes, Rangers, or Orions. To interact with a trader, press the 'comms' button on the bottom left corner. This will provide you with two options: diplomacy or cargo. Pressing cargo allows you to sell cargo to the ship via your hold or buy cargo from the other ship. Beware: you cannot buy or sell cargo at long distances, but this mitigates the need to travel vast distances to get a good price. Traders can be with both your enemies and allies.
Explorers[]
Explorers are ships who, as the name states, explore. The ships are given an "Explore" order unavailable to the player. Explorers will side with all faction personalities and usually take the form of Hornets, Rangers, Pioneers, Shuttles and sometimes Haulers.
Equipment Dealer[]
Equipment dealers are mobile military outposts. Taking the form of the Magnus-EQ, they stay near wormholes and stations and allow you to dock with them. Equipment dealers allow you to change out your equipment and purchase new ammo for a more expensive price. They will side with all types of factions, but you can only dock at equipment dealers whom you have good standing with.
Mercenary[]
Mercenaries are freelancers who will accept hourly pay for protection. To hire a mercenary you must open up the communication tab and select the 'hire you' tab and select your pay range. Hired mercenaries are given the "Protect" order, and follow the player's ship around. Mercenaries differ on personality; some will side with honorable factions and other with evil ones. Regardless of faction alignment or diplomacy status, the player can hire the mercenary, though having poor relations with said mercenary increases the price for hiring. Once hired, mercenaries show up as allied to the player's faction for the duration of the contract. Hiring a mercenary improves the player faction's standing with the mercenary. Mercenaries come in a wide variety of ships from the speedy but weak Hornet to the imposing Magnus.
Evil factions[]
These professions are usually found only in "evil" factions.
Bandits[]
Bandits are the default profession for "evil" bandit factions. Bandit ships usually move from the faction's hideout stations to attack traders near wormholes in waves. They come in all types and sizes from the lowly and fragile Raptor to the massive Magnus.
Abandoned Ships[]
These ships don't have an assumed profession but are the litters of a dead battleground. The player can take advantage of a destroyed wreck by taking control of it using the claim button. Abandoned ships can be any ships not included in the DLCs. They are usually found in the outer edges of sectors. Occasionally, the player will receive an "Abandoning ship" mail, along with the option to set the target ship as a waypoint. This will direct the player to the ship in question.
Upcoming content[]
Pirates[]
These ships behave the same as 'Bandits', but is said by Pixelfactor that ships with this profession phase out of the 'Bandits' profession with more intent of raiding cargo-rich ships or stations. They will most likely replace the Black Sail's current profession (which is Patroller) with this profession, considering that the Black Sail themselves are a pirate association faction, and the Fortuna Rebels will likely have this too. It's unknown what else this profession will do in the game, and is also unknown which ships they take the form of. This will be added in the 1.17 update.