The cold darkness. She certainly is not our friend, more an unforgiving mistress, seeking to claim our lifeless flesh. However, many before us have succumbed to the cold darkness, and their long-forgotten carcasses can be stripped of their wealth, delivered, by fate, into our hands. Centuries ago, various organizations were leading colonization efforts into the black unknown… Some of their vessels vanished, leaving behind massive stores of salvage and data. This is the story behind the vast reserves of Data and Relic sites to be found within high, low, and nullsec space.
Ancient races who have entered Anoikis, the Talocan, the Sleepers, the Takmahl, and the Yan Jung leave behind remnants of their once-great empires. Within these pockets of space, you find remnants of their technology, often guarded by vigilant Awakened Sleeper Drones. Attempting to claim this wealth of information from the Sleeper drones single-handedly is a risky mission, and many have died attempting this task.
These rare sites can be scanned down using the Core Probe Launcher module, and Core Probe ammunition. I advise always using Sisters Core Probes, as they give increased scan strength. I also suggest, if you have the ISK, to get a Sisters Core Probe Launcher, as it is slightly better than even the T2 variant.
Relic and Data sites are often rated through their signature strength, which determines how hard it is to find one of these juicy piñatas. The higher an item’s signature strength, the easier it is to scan to 100%. Essentially, the lower it is, the harder your probes have to work.
As an experienced explorer, it is wise to deploy your probes in the smallest default formation, and expand or contract your probes from there. When you come across something you cannot scan down at the 0.25 AU Default Spread, hold down the ALT Key, and drag your probes closer to one another. The higher your skills, the easier it is to scan down items with very low signature strengths.
Relic and Data Sites are “hacked” by using an Analyzer module. This opens up a mini-game, in which your goal is to find the Core. Different cores have different strengths, your Green Cores are the easiest, with Red Cores being the hardest.
HIGH SECURITY RELIC SITES
Relic sites can be found easily in high security space, with a signature strength of 1.25% to 10%. These relic sites are from various pirate organizations in New Eden, and exist in two classes: crumbling, and looted.
Crumbling Antiquated Outposts – 10% Sig
Crumbling Crystal Quarry – 5% Sig
These sites often give off small cans, which in high security space will likely only be labeled as “Debris”. In different locations, there will be better cans, which you should hack first.
HIGH SECURITY DATA SITES
Data sites are also very easy to find in high security space, and have a similar setup to a relic site. However, they require a Data Analyzer module to hack, and not a Relic Analyzer.
Local Mainframes – 10% Sig
Local Virus Test Sites – 10% Sig
Local Data Processing Centers – 5% Sig
Local Shattered Life Support Units – 5% Sig
These will likely have hackable Cans labeled Com Towers and Info Shards. In my experience, the Info Shards give the best loot, and you should go for them first. Choosing the right cans to go after becomes increasingly important as you venture into more dangerous space.
LOW SECURITY RELIC SITES
Lowsec relic sites come in one variation as well: Decayed. As far as I have seen, If you are budding explorer and not worried about possible enemies, run them all! You must also note that the Signature Strength is what really defines which one is the best.
Decayed Particle Accelerator – 10% Sig
Decayed Collision Site – 5% Sig
Decayed Quarry – 1.25% Sig
Most of these will have Debris and Rubble. Rubble is slightly more challenging than Debris, and because of this, they will have a better loot content. If you happen to see a Remains can, which can appear in some of the Lower Signature sites, go for them first!
LOW SECURITY DATA SITES
These come in only one type: Regional. As per normal data sites, the better sites are harder to scan down. In these you may find a few Mainframes, so run those cans first.
Regional Data Fortress – 10% Sig
Regional Mainframe – 10% Sig
Regional Command Center – 5% Sig
Regional Backup Server – 1.25% Sig
Regional Secure Server – 1.25% Sig
To be honest, I have never seen a Regional Secure Server. I’ve scanned lowsec in many different regions, but I’ve never seen one. I am assuming they are somewhat rarer than the rest, or lucrative and thus taken first.
NULL SECURITY RELIC SITES
These are complicated to scan, and often have very lucrative loot. I have made over a billion ISK in one day by traveling region to region gathering nullsec relic loot. The best locations to do this are typically Sansha and Blood Raider space due to the Intact Armor Plate drops. Deklein and Pure Blind also have decent relic loot.
Ruined Monument Site – 10% Sig
Ruined Temple Site – 5% Sig
Ruined Science Outpost – 2.5% Sig
Ruined Crystal Quarry – 1.25% Sig
There used to be an entire group of relic sites known as ‘Pristine.’ Some say that they still exist in the game, and are combat-related relic sites. I have never seen one, and have trekked across space for many days, only to find these four sites. Crystal Quarries are by far the best, and if you find one, you are looking at seventy to one-hundred and eighty million ISK in loot. As usual, go for the highest level can first, which is for these, Ruins, then Remains.
In some cases, Lower-Class wormholes, such as three or lower, contain random nullsec relic sites in them. Make to double check the name when scanning in wormholes, because if it is a null relic site, it will not have Sleeper drones, and you can run it successfully.
NULL SECURITY DATA SITES
These are like most data sites, except they contain higher-level cans. Go for Database and Mainframe cans first, as they are the harder and more valuable ones.
Central Sparking Transmitter – 10% Sig
Central Survey Sirte – 5% Sig
Central Command Center – 2.5% Sig
Central Data Mining Site – 1.25% Sig
DRONE RELIC SITES
I’ve only ever seen one of these… The drone lore says that these sites are conflicts between Regional NPCs and rogue drones. I consider these the white whales of relic hunters. They often give very nice loot, but are so rare that there is no point in looking for them. The signature strength on these sites aren’t even recorded properly.
Bloated Ruins – Wicked Creek
Whispy Ruins – Feythabolis
Festering Ruins – Fountain
Forgotten Ruins – Delve
Crumbling Ruins – Vale of the Silent
Ancient Ruins – Catch
Hidden Ruins – Cloud Ring
DRUG PRODUCTION DATA SITES
These are special pirate faction drug sites which will continuously appear in pirate-specific nullsec space. Sometimes known as static COSMOS sites, they all have a Signature Strength of 1.25%, which makes them slightly challenging to scan down. They also require a combat ship to kill the NPCs.
Digital Network – Wicked Creek
Digital Matrix – Feythabolis
Digital Complex – Delve
Digital Convolution – Tenal
Digital Plexus – Vale of the Silent
Digital Circuitry – Catch
Digital Compound – Fountain
Digital Tessellation – Cloud Ring
WORMHOLE SPACE RELIC SITES
These are sites that hearken back to the days when all sites spawned NPCs. These range in groups, from Class One to Class Six. Class One to Class Three sites can be easily run with Solo Strategic Cruisers. However, once you enter a Class Four or above site, they usually require friends. I have heard rumors that the Class 4 can be done with a Passive-Tanked Drake, but I have never tried it myself. All sites in W-Space have a Signature Strength of 2.5%
Class 1
Forgotten Perimeter Coronation Platform
Forgotten Perimeter Power Array
Class 2
Forgotten Perimeter Gateway
Forgotten Perimeter Habitation Coils
Class 3
Forgotten Frontier Recursive Depot
Forgotten Frontier Quarantine Outpost
Class 4
Forgotten Frontier Conversion Module
Forgotten Frontier Evacuation Center
Class 5
Forgotten Core Data Field
Forgotten Core Information Pen
Class 6
Forgotten Core Assembly Hall
Forgotten Core Circuitry Disassembler
These relic sites give frightfully beautiful ISK numbers in loot, ranging from the low end of around one-hundred million ISK, to the high end of a billion or more. However, with great reward comes great risk. No new explorer should consider tackling one of these sites by themselves.
WORMHOLE SPACE DATA SITES
These databanks yield decryptors and datacores that are used in T3 construction. These items are highly lucrative, but with the wormhole relic sites, these also are riddled with Sleeper drones, and in some mysterious cases, Talocan guardians. They all have a Signature Strength of 2.5%, and are also divided into six classes, respective to the six classes of wormhole.
Class 1
Unsecured Perimeter Amplifier
Unsecured Perimeter Information Center
Class 2
Unsecured Perimeter Comms Relay
Unsecure Perimeter Transponder Farm
Class 3
Unsecured Frontier Database
Unsecured Frontier Receiver
Class 4
Unsecured Frontier Digital Nexus
Unsecured Frontier Trinary Hub
Class 5
Unsecured Frontier Enclave Relay
Unsecured Frontier Server Bank
Class 6
Unsecured Core Backup Array
Unsecured Core Emergence
Like their Relic Site brothers, these too give very good loot numbers, but should not be attempted alone.
GHOST SITES
These are special sites that have been added in the Kronos expansion. They exist in W-Space as well as Nullsec, and they are defended by NPC’s from the local faction (Or Randomized in W-Space), and have containers that must be opened with a Relic or Data Analyzer. However, when you first warp in, cloaked or decloaked, an invisible timer begins ticking down… This timer is randomly set from thirty seconds, to a few minutes, and you have until this timer runs out to scoop the loot.
You have exactly one chance to loot a container. If you fail, the containers will detonate, dealing 5000 raw explosive damage to your ship. Any frigates caught in the blast will be rendered space dust post-haste. If you manage to survive your first can explosion, and do not hack all of the cans before the timer expires, the Pirate NPCs will warp in, and detonate the rest of the cans… Some of these Pirate NPCs have warp scramblers as well, so you’d better be careful.
Loot recovered from ghost sites can be spectacular, ranging from Ascendancy Implant Blueprints and their parts, to BPCs for Advanced Personal Deployables like the ‘Magpie’ Mobile Tractor Units.
When the Kronos Expansion first came out, rumors spread wildly including rumors about there being star gate components hidden in some of the ghost sites. There were also rumors of 7x skill training implants. An old friend of mine claimed he saw one once, as he scanned a Ghost Site container. However, he overstayed his welcome, and his Astero was annihilated in the explosive blast.
ABANDONED RESEARCH COMPLEX DM077
Very little is known about this site, and rumor has it, it still exists. From the ancient depths of the EVE-O forums, the possible loot is several blueprint copies (BPC) for light ‘integrated’ drones (30 or 60 run), a few BPC’s of medium ‘integrated’ drones, (5 Runs) and drone components.
There is purportedly also an energy neutralizing tower, however this is only up to speculation. There are supposedly three or four hackable cans within this site.
This site can only be found in the Drone Regions. But, as with all ancient secrets, sometimes the journey is more fun than the destination! If you’re new, or even a veteran at exploration, I say go for it! Especially newbies… Explore the universe of New Eden!
