An Elite Dangerous ship build for beginner players.

Goals

The goals are:

1. Build a ship for exploring. Exploration requires a long jump range to reach distant star systems, a Fuel Scoop for refuelling, a Detailed Surface Scanner (DSS) to map planets and a Planetary Vehicle Hangar to house a Surface Reconnaissance Vehicle (SRV).
2. The build must be accessible to early-game commanders. It should be cheap and require no engineering, rank, reputation or unlockable ships or modules.

Exploring can easily and quickly earn millions of credits, a huge boost early in the game. While not action-oriented like combat or as lucrative as trade, exploration has the lowest barrier of entry of all the main game loops. It appeals to those looking for a relaxed, self-paced playstyle motivated by seeing and discovering new things. It also gets the player out of their comfort zone by travelling long distances.

Build

Links: EDSY and Coriolis (have your preferred one open as you read the guide for easy reference)

The Diamondback Explorer is the cheapest of the four best exploration ships, the others being the Anaconda, Krait Phantom and Asp Explorer. 

This build can jump around 37 LY. While jump range is not the only indicator of a good exploration build, it helps. Unlike similar games, exploring in Elite Dangerous requires travelling long distances. Fewer jumps mean reaching the destination sooner.

If the just over 10 million credit cost is too high, B-rate the Frame Shift Drive and Fuel Scoop. This change halves the cost but significantly reduces the jump range. Upgrade as soon as you can afford to do so.

Finding a station that sells everything can be a challenge. Early- to mid-game players will not have access to Jameson Memorial station in Shinrarta Dezhra. Thankfully, both EDSY and Coriolis link to EDDB, locating nearby stations selling this build’s ship and modules. 

Exploration:

1. Frame Shift Drive: The 5A Frame Shift Drive grants the longest jump range possible. Once you can, add the Increased Range blueprint and Mass Manager experimental effect. Even a grade one will have a marked improvement. The double engineered version from a human technology broker is even better but requires harder to find materials. The Fuel Scoop means you can keep jumping as long as scoopable stars are within range.
2. Lightest core internals: The rest of the core internals are as light as possible (D-rated) or even lower classes. This decision has little noticeable effect except for only boosting every 28 seconds.
3. Exploration essentials: A Detailed Surface Scanner (DSS) maps planets for credits, identifies points of interest and creates the geological/biological heatmap. A Planetary Vehicle Hanger facilitates surface activities like material gathering.
4. Empty optional internals: This build intentionally leaves several optional slots empty. They are not needed and can add weight. 
5. Empty hardpoints and utility mounts: As with optional internals, this build runs from fights.
6. Artemis suit for exobiology: Not technically part of the build, but grab an Artemis suit before setting out. Exobiology is a great excuse to get out of your ship, earn a few extra credits and watch the sunrise on alien worlds. 

Variations

1. Longer exploration trips: Add a Heat Sink Launcher to minimize heat damage when caught in a star’s exclusion zone. Advanced Field Maintenance Units (AFMU) can repair module damage caused by heat or Frame Shift Drive damage caused by fuel scooping neutron stars or white dwarfs. Two AFMUs mean they can fix each other if needed.
2. Rare commodity hauler: Fill the empty slots with cargo racks. This change turns this build into a passable long-distance hauler, suitable for rare commodities. The selling price of rare commodities increases the further you sell them from their point of sale. It can also help with long-distance cargo hauling for community goals.
3. Rescue ship: Add a Rescue Multi Limpet Controller and a Cargo Rack for limpets. This variant can refuel or repair other commanders.

Tactics

1. Initial exploration: If the goal is to learn exploration mechanics or early cash, find high population systems in the bubble and map earthlike words and anything terraformable using the DSS. While many systems’ bodies are already in the navigation computer, no bodies are pre-mapped. You can earn over a million credits per mapped earthlike world.
2. Seeing the sights: Elite Dangerous’s galaxy has many natural wonders. For example, visit a nearby black hole, like at Maia. Travel to the nearest neutron star, Jackson’s Lighthouse, then neutron jump back. Visit the famed red giant Beetlegeuse and fuel scoop outside the orbit of the innermost planet. The codex has many suggestions.
3. Find the lore: Elite Dangerous has lots of lore but finding it requires effort. Abandoned settlements, ghost megaships and tourist beacons are plentiful. EDDB (https://eddb.io/attraction) has an easily searchable list.
4. Exploration rank and credits: Following lists of high-value star systems can quickly earn exploration rank and credits. These include the Alpha Orbital “Road to Riches” (https://www.alpha-orbital.com/pathfinder) and Spansh (https://spansh.co.uk/riches).
5. Engineer unlocks: Travelling long distances away from your starting location unlocks some engineers. Elvira Martuuk requires 300 LY and Professor Palin requires 5000 LY. An exploration build such as this is ideal for such long trips.