Invention and T2 production are excellent avenues for players to earn money in the industry profession. Unfortunately, the systems and process is extremely daunting at first glance. Once you understand the mechanics and thought process, though, T2 production can be an excellent ISK-generating endeavor.
But what happens when you plateau on building anything but ships? There are pretty hard caps on maximum investment and returns per character because of time bottlenecks. Pair that with misconceptions and startup costs with large investments like ships, and invention can seem like a much smaller operating market than it actually is.
This is where decryptors play their role. Essentially, these items augment the resulting BPC and the chance for success. Decryptors can help improve efficiencies on expensive BPCs, or reduce attempt-costs for smaller batches. Odyssey also added 3 new decryptor classes and unified the naming scheme for these items, making them even easier to use.
How Do Decryptors Work?
Decryptors can augment two things.
- Probability of success
- Resultant BPC stats
So, first you change the chance of winning, then you change the actual prize. Since invention is already a “weighted coin toss” probability, decryptors just change the probability of success, rather than do any strange probability modification. The specific math can be a little sticky, but tools like EVEHQ’s Prism tool will let you toy with the final results.
It’s important to note what the resultant BPC will be, and subsequently what the decryptor will do to the final T2 BPC. All invention returns -4ME/-4PE T2 BPCs by default (regardless of T1 BPO/BPC ME/PE), and can return anywhere from 1-10 runs depending on a few different parameters. A quick rule is: modules/ammo/drones usually yield 10-run T2 BPCs, ships/rigs return 1-run T2 BPCs as “max runs”. Then the +runs modifier will be applied to the result T2 BPC, depending on whatever the pre-decryptor result would be.
Also, decryptors are always consumed 1 per-attempt, unlike datacores, which vary by blueprint. When accounting for decryptor use, you need to account for probability of success along with result T2 BPC runs. I personally use the following to boil down the costs in the final product per-unit cost.
When To Use A Decryptor?
While 75% of the use for decryptors is reserved to ships, they can technically be used in any invention attempt. The purpose of decryptors is to augment the output:
- Build it faster
- Build it cheaper
- Successful Invention in less attempts
- Build in larger quantities
In any spot where you’re finding the results constricting, a decryptor might change the equation.
In total, there are 6 base classes, and 2 “Optimized” classes of decryptors. These are then divided across all 4 races and match the same naming scheme as Data Interfaces. It’s important to remember when stockpiling materials that these are racial-specific. Also, it will require stocks larger than a few sparse units from personal exploration, since it’s usually wisest to batch invention jobs by T1 BPC max-copy limits (20 BPCs per BPO copied).
AUGMENTATION
- +9 Runs
- -2 ME
- +1 PE
- P[decryptor] = 60% (-40%)
- AUGMENTS volume
Largely considered the “worst” decryptor. Combining a ME penalty with a P[decryptor] penalty means this decryptor will yield less T2 BPCs and will cost more per-unit to produce the T2 product (+20%). But it does come with a production time bonus and +9 runs (highest run modifier).
This decryptor is great for augmenting volume. On products such as frigates and cloaks, where throughput is heavily capped, Augmentation decryptors will make it possible to churn a lot of product with less effort/BPO investment. If the base margin is already very wide, and the market can support the volume, Augmentation can be the leg-up required to really cash out.
OPTIMIZED AUGMENTATION
- +7 Runs
- +2 ME
- +0 PE
- P[decryptor] = 90% (-10%)
- AUGMENTS volume – without the fail
One of the new “optimized” decryptors, Optimized Augmentation is a case of everything great about Augmentation, with none of the drawbacks. This decryptor removes the ME penalty for a +2 ME bonus, and reduces the P[decryptor] penalty to -10%, which is almost negligible. Also, though the runs modifier isn’t as high as the base Augmentation decryptor, it’s still the second highest runs modifier available.
Unfortunately, obvious winner is obvious, and the low drop rate on this decryptor paired with its appeal is pushing the market to the point where the per-BPO-copied revenues match the base Augmentation decryptor in a lot of cases. Definitely worth watching and using, but work should be compared against base Augmentation before jumping in with both feet on this decryptor.
SYMMETRY
- +2 Runs
- +1 ME
- +4 PE
- P[decryptor] = 100% (± 0%)
- SYMMETRICALLY balanced
Symmetry is a bit of a weird child in the decryptor set. It doesn’t stand as best-in-class on any front, and its price on the market tends to be too high to beat out the other decryptor choices. When put against the new Parity decryptor, it really looks obsolete.
The only place I have really liked Symmetry/Parity are places where Augmentation yields too many units. Items like interdictors are popular, die a lot, but don’t move volumes like stealth bombers. In that case, I may only want 30-50 units rather than 70-100, and Parity/Symmetry really shine in this use. However, this is a very small corner case compared with many of the other decryptor choices.
PROCESS
- +0 Runs
- +3 ME
- +3 PE
- P[decryptor] = 110% (+10%)
- Efficient PROCESS
This is, hands down, the most useful decryptor for ship production. With a best-in-class ME modifier, a high PE modifier, and a small boost to P[decryptor], Process is a clear winner on all fronts. Since ME is such a critical metric on the expensive builds, a lot of the time this will shine as the most-obvious choice, and the lowest price-per-unit overall. This decryptor is the “secret” to producing T2 cruisers and larger, if you think the numbers weren’t stacking up correctly.
However, being popular comes with a price tag, and this one can get expensive when stockpiling. I personally like to stockpile blueprints more than raw materials, and it can be easy to forget to pass forward the cost of stocking decryptors through their resultant blueprints. Also, with no run modifier, this tends to be the most expensive per-unit decryptor to use. The +3 ME balances out this cost handily on expensive builds, but makes this decryptor poorly suited for inexpensive builds.
ACCELERANT
- +1 Run
- + 2 ME
- + 5 PE
- P[decryptor] = 120% (+20%)
- Building ACCELERANT
Accelerant is a pretty straightforward decryptor: best-in-class PE modifier makes these builds the fastest. Unfortunately, with most products lacking very long builds, this is a specialty use decryptor. Personally, I found the only places worth considering using this decryptor were Jump Freighters (which have a 30d base build time) and large T2 ammo.
Unfortunately, this decryptor pairs against Process usually, and does not often override the better price-per-unit from Process. Even in oddball uses like large T2 ammo, I prefer the Process decryptor to Accelerant because the better times balance out against price-per-unit.
ATTAINMENT
- +4 Runs
- -1 ME
- +2 PE
- P[decryptor] = 180% (+80%)
- Best Chance for ATTAINMENT
The polar-opposite of Augmentation, Attainment tends to be considered the “best” decryptor. With a generous P[decryptor] bonus, this decryptor is the highest temptation for the one-run builder with poor skills. Unfortunately, with a -1 ME penalty and +4 runs, this is a trap. I personally do not like this decryptor at all. It’s expensive, and the use case is incredibly narrow: poor skill augmentation.
The only place this decryptor really shines is where “cost per attempt” is very high. Jump Freighters, for instance, can cost a lot to invent because of the high number of decryptors and cost to buy T1 BPCs off of contract. Unfortunately, the +10% cost on that build still vastly outstrips the front-end savings.
OPTIMIZED ATTAINMENT
- +2 Runs
- +1 ME
- -1 PE
- P[decryptor] = 190% (+90%)
- ATTAINMENT – without the fail
Just like Augmentation received an Optimized variant, Attainment has the same treatment. Compared against the base version, Optimized Attainment is a MUCH better choice. Less runs, +1ME, and a higher P[decryptor] bonus than its base variant; this provides a clear alternative for the “cost per attempt” problem.
I would endorse this decryptor over any reason to use base Attainment, but the rarity is bringing the market price into parity with its base decryptor. For the serious producer, I still think Process and Accelerant are better long-term choices, but for those out there wanting to dabble in the bigger builds, this is a great short-cut.
PARITY
- +3 Runs
- +1 ME
- -1 PE
- P[decryptor] = 150% (+50%)
Parity is the new base decryptor introduced in Odyssey and is on-par with Symmetry. With a balanced mix of bonuses, it really outclasses Symmetry, but still doesn’t fill any best-in-class role that was not already covered.
Personally, I think any point where you are tempted to use Symmetry should be compared and replaced with Parity instead. Though Parity has a PE penalty, the additional run and bonus to yield really opens the door for more module uses. In places where copy time is prohibitive, the combined bonus of runs and yield really gives the best balanced results for the least upfront investment.
For a more in-depth review of the math, mechanics, data, and use of decryptors, read more at my personal blog, EVE Prosper
This article originally appeared on TheMittani.com, written by Lockefox.
