This post is also available in: Français (French)

The Power management on Elite: Dangerous is a crucial element that must not to be forgotten. Poor priorities on the main modules to be supplied could lead your ship to a swift destruction. You don’t want that, do you?

Let’s have a look at this common issue, and learn how to correctly prioritise your modules.

 

The Power Plant is the core module, your ship’s heart. It provides the energy needed to power your modules. The latter has a number of “health points” represented by a percentage, in the module panel, on the right. The lower the percentage, the lower the energy it generates.

The danger becomes critical at 0% life: the energy generated will be 40% of the base value. There is also a small chance your ship will explode when the Powerplant is at 0% while your foe keep damaging it. Weapons with a high penetration value are very effective in destroying internal modules; The Power Plant is one of them.

The Power Distributor uses the generated power to supply your different energy groups:

  • SYS – Defensive module systems, shield regeneration and shield resistance
    • Bonus resistance: x = 0%, ◘ = 15%, ◘◘ = 34%, ◘◘◘ = 45%, ◘◘◘◘ = 60%;
  • ENG – Thrusters power and max speed, boost regeneration;
  • WEP – Power available for your weapons, power regeneration to use your weapons.

 

If a module fails to work, a solution is to Repair/reboot. This process completely shut off your ship in order to try a reboot on some modules experiencing issues. You will find this option in the right-hand menu, last tab, at the bottom of the list.

If you never used it before, try it out! It’s safe and it will show you how it works. Your modules will be slightly damaged to repair to 1% the 0% modules.

Even with a reboot, it is still extremely important to manage your power, so you don’t experience any loss of power.

Management tips:

  • Priority 5: Non-vital // Everything you do not need in standard flight
    • Fuel Scoop, Interdictor, Cargo if you are a fighter.
    • If your weapons are not deployed, they do not draw energy: you can therefore exceed your maximum energy available! Priority 5 modules will then deactivate if you deploy your weapons.
  • Priority 4: Non-fight-essential and shields // First defenses

    • The different Scanners, FSD if you are very fast (>450 m/s), Drones Modules, Repair System, Shields/Boosters/Cells.
    • If you have taken that much damage to the Power Plant, your shields might already be broken or even destroyed, so you do not need to supply them. Same goes to the boosters and cells.
  • Priority 3: Defensive modules // Last rampart before 50% energy

    • Chaffs, Heat Sinks, Anti-Missile Turrets, Fighter Hangar, a weapon requiring a lot of energy.
    • If you are at this point, you will probably already have used your Chaffs and Heat Sinks ammo: let’s disable them. A weapon like a Plasma Accelerator or a Beam Laser draws a lot of energy from your PP, it falls under priority 3.
  • Priority 2: Combat Essentials // Last Chance

    • Some Weapons, Power Distributor, 1 Anti-Missile Turret and 1 Chaff if you have multiple.
    • If you can get your Fighter Hangar in there, perfect! It is a big threat to your foes and are both defensive and offensive: your last chance to kill your enemies, if your hull still holds.
  • Priority 1: Essentials // Under 50% energy, fleeing

    • Your Thrusters, Life Support, Sensors and FSD if it is not priority 4. The FSD is essential here if you have a relatively slow ship (<300 m/s).
    • It’s time to flee with your high speed or by jumping to another system. Depending on your amount of energy, put as many important modules below 50%.

Do not get a surprise deactivated module anymore!