Ships & Builds
All 48 flyable ships by pad size and price, rank-locked ships, the best pick by role, build templates for exploration/combat/trading/passengers, launched craft (Nomad, Rhino, SRVs, fighters), and where to buy.
Hull stats are evergreen. ARX status and “best ship” picks are volatile ⚠️.
Summary
- 48 flyable ships, plus ship-launched vessels (Nomad), fighters, and SRVs.
- New ships launch for ARX first (real money). A few months later, Odyssey owners can buy them for credits.
- Right now, every ship on the roster is buyable for credits by Odyssey owners. The Nomad and Rhino are still ARX only. ⚠️
- 7 ships need a navy rank. 4 Federal, 3 Imperial. The Corvette and Cutter sit at the very top.
- Buy by purpose, not size. A Mandalay beats an Anaconda at exobiology. A Type-8 beats a Panther if your route ends at an outpost.
- Always keep one rebuy in the bank.
How to Buy Ships
New ships sell for ARX first, usually for about 3 to 4 months. Then Odyssey owners can buy them for credits. Non-Odyssey players must use ARX.
Store bought pre-builds redeploy for free if destroyed. Any modules you added cost credits to replace.
Shinrarta Dezhra. Sells every ship and module at a 10% discount. Needs the Shinrarta permit (any Elite rank).
Brestla. Sells almost everything, but at a 20% markup. No permit.
CD-43 11917. Another megamarket with no permit. ⚠️ Check stock on Inara.
Powerplay pledged players can buy most ships and modules here. See Module 12.
Navy locked ships need the rank everywhere. Even at Jameson Memorial.
Small ships land anywhere. Medium ships use outposts. Large ships need starports, surface ports, carriers, or megaships.
Interactive Ship Trade-Off Finder
An interactive tool that helps commanders evaluate all 48 ships based on playstyle priorities. Every ship gains on certain axes and gives up on others — compare radar footprints, trade-off deltas vs pad baseline, hardpoints, and multi-ship profiles.
Every ship is a trade.
Nothing in the galaxy is good at everything. Pick what you want to do, then see exactly what each ship hands you and what it takes away.
Trait Priorities
Sliders range 0 to 5. Moving any slider switches you to custom mode.
How fast it turns. Decides whether you can keep guns on a moving target.
Top speed and boost. Decides whether you can choose the range, or leave.
Total hardpoint size. Raw damage you can bolt on.
Capacitor and power plant headroom. How long you can keep firing.
Shield strength. The damage you soak and get back for free.
Armour and hardness. The damage you soak once shields drop.
Light years per jump. Decides how far you go and how fast you cross.
Tonnage and free slots. Cargo, limpets, passengers, extra gear.
Heat capacity. Runs cool under sustained fire and near stars.
How hard it is to escape you, and for you to escape others.
Python
You buy cargo, mass lock, cooling. You pay for it with jump, speed.
1 = small, 2 = medium, 3 = large, 4 = huge. Utility mounts are separate slots for shield boosters, heat sinks, chaff and scanners.
Positive Net Trade-off & Large Radar Footprint
Ships within each pad size that run a net surplus (positive deltas summed against their pad baseline) and cover the most radar area. Click any ship to load into the trade-off detail card above. Footprint is not comparable across pad classes (large ships naturally have more area), only within them.
Rank Locked Ships
| Ship | Navy | Rank Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Dropship | Federal | Midshipman (rank 3) |
| Federal Assault Ship | Federal | Chief Petty Officer (rank 5) |
| Federal Gunship | Federal | Ensign (rank 7) |
| Federal Corvette | Federal | Rear Admiral (rank 12) |
| Imperial Courier | Imperial | Master (rank 3) |
| Imperial Clipper | Imperial | Baron (rank 7) |
| Imperial Cutter | Imperial | Duke (rank 12) |
The Imperial Eagle and every Lakon, Faulcon DeLacy, Zorgon Peterson, Saud Kruger, and Alliance ship need no rank. Fastest rank grinds: Module 6.
Best Ship by Role
Cargo numbers are max cargo builds. Real builds carry less because you need shields.
| Role | Best Pick | Also Great | Budget Pick | Why the Best Pick Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PvE combat (endgame) | Federal Corvette | Imperial Cutter | Alliance Chieftain | Two Huge hardpoints. No other ship has that. |
| Medium combat | Python Mk II | Fer-de-Lance, Krait Mk II | Federal Assault Ship | Four Large hardpoints on a medium pad |
| Small combat | Kestrel Mk II | Vulture | Viper Mk III | Three Large hardpoints on a small ship. Fragile hull. |
| Anti-Xeno (AX) | Krait Mk II | Corsair, Python Mk II | Alliance Chieftain | Flexible, fighter bay, good hardpoints. See Module 8. |
| Bulk trading | Panther Clipper Mk II | Imperial Cutter | Type-9 Heavy | About 1,238 tons of cargo. Largest non-capital hold. |
| Medium pad trading | Type-8 Transporter | Python | Type-6 Transporter | About 400 tons and still docks at outposts |
| Exploration and exobiology | Mandalay | Krait Phantom | Diamondback Explorer | Long range, medium pad, great planetary handling |
| Big expedition ship | Caspian Explorer | Anaconda | Asp Explorer | Tons of internals plus Mk II exploration modules |
| Mining | Type-11 Prospector | Python, Krait Mk II | Cobra Mk III | Built for mining. Details in Module 10. |
| Passengers | Lynx Highliner | Beluga Liner, Orca | Dolphin | Up to 225 passengers, medium pad, strong defenses |
| Do-everything (large) | Anaconda | Corsair (medium) | Python | Refits into any role |
| Do-everything (small) | Cobra Mk V | Asp Explorer | Cobra Mk III | Lands anywhere, handles most jobs |
Full Roster (48 Ships)
Prices are hull only, from Inara. Outfitting often costs several times the hull.
Small Pad
| Ship | Price | Main Role |
|---|---|---|
| Sidewinder Mk I | 32,000 | Starter |
| Eagle Mk II | 44,800 | Cheap light fighter |
| Hauler | 52,720 | Early trader, cheap jump ship |
| Adder | 87,810 | Small multirole |
| Imperial Eagle | 110,830 | Fast light fighter |
| Viper Mk III | 142,930 | Fast interceptor, early bounty hunting |
| Cobra Mk III | 349,720 | Classic multirole |
| Viper Mk IV | 437,930 | Tougher Viper |
| Diamondback Scout | 564,330 | Light fighter |
| Cobra Mk IV | 764,720 | Multirole. Limited availability. ⚠️ |
| Dolphin | 1,337,320 | Small passenger liner |
| Diamondback Explorer | 1,894,760 | Budget explorer |
| Cobra Mk V | 1,989,460 | Small multirole |
| Imperial Courier | 2,542,930 | Small shield tank fighter (Imperial rank) |
| Vulture | 4,925,620 | Small heavy fighter |
| Kestrel Mk II | 14,273,820 | Small combat |
Medium Pad
| Ship | Price | Main Role |
|---|---|---|
| Type-6 Transporter | 1,045,950 | Early trader |
| Keelback | 3,126,150 | Trader with fighter bay |
| Asp Scout | 3,961,160 | Light multirole |
| Asp Explorer | 6,661,160 | Explorer and multirole |
| Federal Dropship | 14,314,210 | Hull tank multirole (Federal rank) |
| Mandalay | 17,639,220 | Explorer and exobiology |
| Alliance Chieftain | 19,382,250 | Combat value king |
| Federal Assault Ship | 19,814,210 | Combat (Federal rank) |
| Alliance Crusader | 22,866,340 | Combat with fighter bay, 3 seats |
| Alliance Challenger | 30,472,250 | Heavy combat |
| Federal Gunship | 35,814,210 | Combat with fighter bay (Federal rank) |
| Krait Phantom | 37,472,250 | Explorer and multirole. No fighter bay. |
| Type-8 Transporter | 38,453,970 | Medium pad trader |
| Krait Mk II | 45,814,210 | Combat multirole with fighter bay |
| Fer-de-Lance | 51,567,040 | Dedicated dogfighter |
| Mamba | 55,867,040 | Fast combat |
| Python | 56,978,180 | Medium multirole |
| Python Mk II | 67,527,360 | Medium combat |
| Type-11 Prospector | 67,861,850 | Mining |
| Lynx Highliner | 69,289,470 | Passenger liner |
| Corsair | 79,304,750 | Fast multirole |
Large Pad
| Ship | Price | Main Role |
|---|---|---|
| Type-7 Transporter | 17,472,250 | Budget large trader |
| Imperial Clipper | 22,295,860 | Fast trader and multirole (Imperial rank) |
| Orca | 48,539,890 | Fast passenger liner |
| Type-9 Heavy | 76,555,840 | Budget bulk hauler |
| Beluga Liner | 84,532,760 | Luxury passenger liner |
| Type-10 Defender | 124,755,340 | Heavy gunboat, AX |
| Anaconda | 146,969,450 | Large multirole |
| Federal Corvette | 187,969,450 | Endgame combat (Federal rank) |
| Caspian Explorer | 194,861,290 | Large explorer |
| Imperial Cutter | 208,969,450 | Trader and combat (Imperial rank) |
| Panther Clipper Mk II | 301,348,585 | Bulk hauler |
Launched Craft: Vessels, Fighters, SRVs
| Craft | Type | How to Get It | What It Does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nomad | Ship-Launched Vessel (SLV) | ARX Early Access since June 30, 2026 (16,520 ARX). Credits later. ⚠️ | Small flyable exobiology craft with a Mk II Biological Scanner. Lands on rough terrain. You can walk inside. |
| Standard fighters | Ship-Launched Fighter | Buy with a Fighter Hangar | Extra guns. An NPC crew member can fly one, or you fly it while crew runs the ship. |
| Guardian fighters (Trident, Javelin, Lance) | Ship-Launched Fighter | Guardian Tech Broker (Module 4) | Stronger fighters, mainly AX |
| Scarab | SRV | Planetary Vehicle Hangar | General purpose buggy |
| Scorpion | SRV | Planetary Vehicle Hangar | Combat buggy with a gunner seat |
| Rhino | SRV | ARX Early Access since September 2, 2026 (16,520 ARX) ⚠️ | Surface mining with deployable rigs. 3 seats. Needs the new Large Planetary Vehicle Hangar. |
Nomad Rules
- Needs a medium or large ship with a Vessel Hangar (Mk I or Mk II). The Mk II hangar is lighter.
- Minimum launch altitude is 500 m. Launching from orbit works, but the trip down is slow.
- You can dismiss the mothership and fly the Nomad untethered.
- If the Nomad is destroyed, you lose all your exobiology data. Sell often.
Build Templates by Role
Start here, then tune. Engineering picks are in Module 1.
Exploration and Exobiology (Mandalay, DBX, Krait Phantom)
| Slot | Pick |
|---|---|
| FSD | Pre-engineered SCO drive + Mass Manager (Module 4) |
| Core internals | D rated and downsized where possible. Lightweight engineering. |
| Fuel scoop | Biggest A rated scoop you can fit |
| Guardian FSD Booster | Biggest size you can fit |
| Shield | Small, D rated, Enhanced Low Power |
| Scanner | Detailed Surface Scanner |
| Surface | SRV hangar, or a Vessel Hangar for the Nomad (medium and large ships only) |
| Long trips | AFMU, repair limpets, a heat sink |
Trading (Type-8, Type-9, Cutter, Panther)
| Slot | Pick |
|---|---|
| FSD | Pre-engineered SCO drive. Range matters when fully loaded. |
| Cargo | Fill most optional slots with cargo racks |
| Shield | Enough to survive an interdiction. Reinforced or Thermal Resistant. |
| Utility | A couple of shield boosters, a heat sink or chaff |
| Weapons | Optional. Escaping is the plan. |
PvE Combat (Corvette, Python Mk II, Krait Mk II)
| Slot | Pick |
|---|---|
| Core internals | All A rated. Power and distributor matter most. |
| Shield | Biggest shield you can fit, engineered (Module 1) |
| Utility | Shield boosters in every free utility mount |
| Optional | Hull Reinforcement, Module Reinforcement, a Shield Cell Bank or two |
| Weapons | Mix types. Something for shields (lasers), something for hull (multi-cannons or rails). |
| Scanner | Kill Warrant Scanner for bounty hunting |
Passengers (Lynx Highliner, Beluga, Orca, Dolphin)
| Slot | Pick |
|---|---|
| Cabins | Mix Economy and Business to match missions. The Lynx takes Mk II cabins. |
| Shield | Solid shield. Passengers hate getting shot. |
| FSD | Range for long sightseeing missions |
Building Rules of Thumb
- A rated core for combat. D rated core for jump range. A is best performance. D is lightest.
- Rebuy is about 5% of the ship plus its modules. Never fly what you cannot replace.
- Power priority. Put weapons and non-essentials in a lower power group so shields and thrusters stay on if you lose power.
- Plan with a builder first. Try the build in EDSY or Coriolis before you buy.
- Check pad size against your route. A large ship cannot dock at outposts.
- Specialize once you know what you enjoy. Most veterans keep one combat ship, one trader, one explorer, and one multirole.
Tools
| Tool | Where | Use |
|---|---|---|
| EDSY | edsy.org | Detailed ship builder with engineering |
| Coriolis | coriolis.io | Ship builder, easy to share builds |
| ED Ship Builds | edshipbuilds.com | Ship build database and shared community builds |
| ED Ships | edships.com | Ship specs, comparisons, and outfitting database |
| Inara | inara.cz | Ship stats, comparison table, where to buy, nearest outfitting |
| Spansh | spansh.co.uk | Route plotting with your actual build's range |
Gotchas
- ARX status changes. Check the Frontier store or Inara before planning around a new ship.
- Large pad only ships include the Imperial Clipper, Type-7, Type-9, Type-10, Orca, Beluga, Anaconda, Corvette, Cutter, Caspian, and Panther.
- Python vs. Python Mk II. The original is a hauler and multirole. The Mk II is a fighter with far less cargo.
- Krait Phantom has no fighter bay. The Krait Mk II does.
- Outfitting costs more than the hull. Often several times more.
- The Nomad is not a ship. It rides in a Vessel Hangar and cannot jump.
Needs Checking ⚠️
| Item | Why | Where to Check |
|---|---|---|
| Credit availability for every ship | Confirmed for the Caspian (March 2026) and Lynx (April 2026). Others assumed out of Early Access. | Frontier store, Inara ship page |
| Nomad and Rhino for credits | ARX only today. Typically 3 or more months. | Frontier news |
| Cobra Mk IV access | Historically limited to early Horizons buyers | Inara ship page |
| Max cargo figures | Taken from one September 2026 guide. Builds vary. | EDSY |
| "Best ship" picks | Balance patches and new hulls shift the meta | Community guides, Frontier patch notes |
Sources
| Source | Used For |
|---|---|
| Down To Earth Astronomy (CMDRS Toolbox / Wanderer's Toolbox) | Shield Mechanics formulas, base shield hit points, booster diminishing returns, and regeneration analysis (detailed in Module 16: Mechanics & Tools) |
| ED Ship Builds (edshipbuilds.com) | Ship build database and shared community builds |
| Inara Ships page (inara.cz/elite/ships) | All 48 ships, prices, pad sizes, base stats |
| Elite Dangerous Wiki (Fandom): Federation Ranks | Federal ship rank locks |
| Steam discussions (2016 to 2026) | Imperial ship ranks, no rank ships, Jameson Memorial and Brestla pricing, ARX timing |
| BoostRoom: Best Ships Guide (September 2026) | Role picks, cargo figures, hardpoint layouts |
| Steam: "Best ship for each job" thread (June 2026) | Community role picks |
| Elite Dangerous Wiki: Lynx Highliner, Nomad, Caspian Explorer, Rhino | Release dates, ARX status, Nomad rules |
| Frontier news: Nomad Early Access, Update on Operations, Lynx Highliner | ARX prices, hangar rules, free Lynx |
| Frontier store: Caspian Explorer pre-builds | Free redeploy rule for pre-built ships |