There is a particular hum that resonates through the hull of an Ishtar, a sound that is not quite mechanical, but biological—the dormant thrum of a robotic swarm awaiting its release. To sit in its command chair is to feel the legacy of CreoDron’s most dedicated drone carrier, a vessel where every system, every circuit, is subservient to a single purpose: the absolute dominion of its unmanned fleet. As the marketers at CreoDron themselves touted, it is “the Ishkur’s big brother,” the ultimate expression of their fascination with pushing the drone carrier envelope .
Flying an Ishtar in EVE is an exercise in detached, overwhelming power. It emerged from the ashes of its predecessor, the Vexor Navy Issue, to claim the throne as the undisputed king of AFK ratting. Its reputation is built on a perfect trinity of formidable tank, exceptional drone damage, and an economic price point that makes relentless grinding not just feasible, but profitable. This Heavy Assault Cruiser is more than a ship; it’s a floating command center, a testament to the Gallente philosophy of winning wars through superior technology and tactical leverage rather than brute, bloody force.
The Ishtar’s design philosophy is one of pure specialization. While the Vexor offers a blend of drone and hybrid turret power, the Ishtar dedicates itself entirely to the swarm. Its bonuses are not for mere mortals; they are the birthright of the drones it commands. With the capacity to field a full flight of five heavily bonused heavy or sentry drones, this cruiser projects firepower that can rival battleships, all from a platform that is agile, cost-effective, and incredibly resilient. Whether you are farming the dense anomalies of nullsec or clearing complex combat sites, the Ishtar doesn’t just participate in the battle—it orchestrates it from a position of unassailable authority.
Essential Skills for Ishtar Pilot
Before you invest hundreds of millions into this sophisticated machine, you must ensure your capsuleer skills are a solid foundation. The Ishtar is a Tech II vessel, and while its power ceiling is high, so are its prerequisites.
Ship and Drone Skills:
- Gallente Cruiser (V): This is non-negotiable. Level V is required to fly the Ishtar and is the cornerstone of its power, improving its role bonuses significantly.
- Heavy Assault Cruisers (IV/V): This skill directly improves the ship’s hitpoints, damage resistance, and core attributes. Level IV is functional, but Level V unlocks its full durability.
- Drones (V): The absolute foundation of your damage. This skill unlocks heavy drones and increases the number of drones you can control simultaneously.
- Drone Interfacing (V): This is your primary damage multiplier. Each level provides a 20% increase to all drone damage, making Level V a massive 100% bonus to your base drone DPS .
- Heavy Drone Operation (V) & Sentry Drone Interfacing (V): These are critical for unlocking Tech II drones, which provide a significant boost to damage and application.
- Drone Navigation & Sharpshooting: Improves drone speed and optimal range, crucial for applying damage quickly and efficiently across large sites .
Defensive and Support Skills:
- Shield Operation/Management V or Armor Honeycombing/Compensation V: Your choice here will define your tank. Prioritize the line that matches your chosen fitting philosophy.
- Capacitor Systems Operation & Management: Essential for maintaining capacitor stability on active tank fits, ensuring your repairers and boosters never shut off.
- Afterburner (IV): For most PvE applications, an Afterburner is preferred for its lower signature radius and capacitor usage, which aids in “signature tanking” by making you harder for NPC battleships to hit .
- Weapon Upgrades (V): The Ishtar can be tight on fitting. This skill is essential for fitting a powerful and balanced ship with multiple Drone Damage Amplifiers.
Fitting Your Ishtar: Two Builds for PvE
The Ishtar’s incredible versatility allows it to excel in various environments. Its slot layout (4 high, 4 mid, 6 low) provides flexibility, but the core principle remains: your low slots are sacred ground for Drone Damage Amplifiers (DDAs). Below, we detail two of the most effective and proven builds, tailored to specific enemy factions.
Shield Tank Ishtar Build
This build is the king of nullsec anomaly farming, particularly in Angel Cartel space. It leverages a powerful active shield tank and high speed to mitigate damage, freeing up all six low slots for raw damage and application modules. It excels at “signature tanking”—using a 10MN Afterburner to create high speed and a small signature radius, making you harder for NPC battleships to hit .
Shield Tank Ishtar Fit
Drone Link Augmentor I (for maximum drone control range)
10MN Afterburner II
Large Shield Booster II
Multispectrum Shield Hardener II
Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery
Drone Damage Amplifier II
Omnidirectional Tracking Enhancer II
Medium Explosive Shield Reinforcer II (Angels deal Explosive damage)
Berserker II (Explosive damage, optimal against Angels) 
Valkyrie II (Explosive damage, for faster targets)
Hornet EC-300 or 
Warrior II (for jamming or tackle)Fitting Philosophy and Tactical Execution:
This fit is a masterpiece of efficiency. The four DDAs and two tracking enhancers in the low slots push your drone DPS to incredible heights, often exceeding 800 DPS with strong skills and T2 drones. The active shield tank, comprised of the Large Shield Booster and hardeners, is calibrated to handle the incoming damage from Forsaken Hubs and Havens, provided you maintain your orbit .
Your tactical approach is one of constant, controlled motion:
- Initial Engagement: Warp to the anomaly at 10 km .
- Orbit Establishment: Immediately activate your Afterburner and find a central, stationary object (like a stargate or a rock). Establish a 20-30 km orbit .
- Swarm Deployment: Deploy your Berserker IIs and set them on primary targets. Your high tracking and optimal range will allow you to apply full damage effortlessly.
- Aggro Management: NPCs will occasionally target your drones. The moment you see a drone taking damage, recall it with the “F” key, wait a few seconds for the rats to re-aggress you, then re-launch a fresh drone .
- Kill Priority: Focus on the highest threats first. For Angels, this often means eliminating frigates with target painters and webifiers before they can break your tank, then moving to cruisers and battlecruisers .
Active Armor Tank Ishtar Build
For pilots operating in Sansha’s Nation or Blood Raider space, where EM and Thermal damage are prevalent, the active armor tank shines. This fit uses the low slots for a robust repair system, sacrificing some damage for exceptional survivability against these specific damage profiles.
Armor Tank Ishtar Fit for Sansha’s Nation Space
Drone Navigation Computer II
Medium Armor Repairer II
Medium EM Armor Reinforcer II (Sanshas deal EM/Thermal damage) 
Praetor II (EM/Thermal damage, optimal against Sanshas) 
Infiltrator II (EM damage, for faster targets)
‘Augmented’ Acolyte (Thermal damage, for close-range defense)Fitting Philosophy and Tactical Execution:
This build is a stalwart defender. The dual Medium Armor Repairers, backed by high innate resistances, provide a powerful stream of healing that can withstand sustained pressure from Sansha’s battleships. The Drone Navigation Computer and Omnidirectional Tracking Link ensure your drones apply their damage perfectly, even at longer ranges or against nimble frigates.
Your role in this ship is that of an immovable object:
- Initial Engagement: Warp to the site at 30 km to establish initial range .
- Orbit Establishment: Activate your Afterburner and orbit a central object at 35 km .
- Swarm Deployment and Tank Activation: Deploy your all 5 Praetor IIs and set them to work or 4x Praetor II and 5x ‘Augmented’ Acolyte. Keep your Afterburner, Armor Repairers, and Omnidirectional Tracking Link active at all times .
- Capacitor Awareness: This fit is more capacitor-intensive. Monitor your capacitor levels closely and ensure your skills are sufficient to remain stable with all essential modules running.
- Drone Management: The same aggro management rules apply. Recall drones under fire immediately to preserve your expensive and vital damage-dealers.
Final Thoughts
The Ishtar, named for the complex Mesopotamian goddess of love and war, is a fitting namesake for a ship of such dualistic nature . It is both a gentle farmer, methodically harvesting bounties with detached precision, and a fierce warrior, capable of unleashing a swarming, uncontrollable rage upon its targets. It is a testament to Gallente and CreoDron ingenuity—a platform that achieves perfection not by doing everything, but by doing one thing better than any other ship in its class.
Flying an Ishtar is an embrace of a playstyle that is both cerebral and visceral. You are the master of the swarm, the unbreakable sentinel, and a direct beneficiary of one of the most perfectly balanced PvE platforms in New Eden. So undock, deploy your drones, and claim your bounty. The galaxy respects your ship for a reason.