Medical boosters, often simply called boosters, are performance-enhancing drugs in EVE. When consumed, the user gets a temporary boost to a specific combat related attribute or skill training attribute. The more powerful combat-related boosters have a chance of having negative side effects which may impact a user's ability to fight. The weaker boosters, called Synths, have no chance of side effects, but have dramatically reduced effects.
Combat-related boosters are manufactured from gasses which are harvested from anomalies in known space. Mytoserocin gasses are used to make Synth boosters and are found in high and low security space, and cytoserocin gasses, found in low and null security space, are used to create the more powerful Standard, Improved, and Strong boosters.
Skill training boosters are obtained through in-game events, and generally have an expiration date after which they will not function.
There are 8 different abilities that boosters can affect, divided into four different grades.
Booster Name | Attribute | Slot | Bonuses By Grade | Potential Side Effects | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Synth | Standard | Improved | Strong | |||||||
Blue Pill | Shield boosting amount | 1 | +3% | +20% | +25% | +30% | Capacitor capacity | Missile explosion velocity | Shield capacity | Turret optimal range |
Exile | Armor repair amount | 1 | +3% | +20% | +25% | +30% | Armor hitpoints | Capacitor capacity | Missile explosion radius | Turret tracking |
Mindflood | Capacitor capacity | 1 | +3% | +10% | +15% | +20% | Armor repair amount | Missile explosion radius | Shield boosting amount | Turret optimal range |
X-Instinct | Signature radius | 1 | -2.25% | -7.5% | -11.25% | -15% | Armor hitpoints | Missile velocity | Shield capacity | Turret falloff |
Drop | Tracking speed | 2 | +3% | +25% | +31.25% | +37.5% | Armor repair amount | Shield capacity | Turret falloff | Velocity |
Frentix | Optimal range | 2 | +3% | +10% | +15% | +20% | Armor hitpoints | Shield boosting amount | Turret tracking | Velocity |
Sooth Sayer | Falloff range | 2 | +3% | +10% | +15% | +20% | Armor repair amount | Shield capacity | Turret optimal range | Velocity |
Crash | Missile explosion radius | 3 | -3% | -20% | -25% | -30% | Armor hitpoints | Missile velocity | Shield boosting amount | Velocity |
There are other combat boosters which are not manufactured by players, and which do not have side effects.
Booster Name | Bonus | Slot | Duration | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|
Antipharmakon Aeolis | +8% Capacitor | 1 | 30 minutes | Project Discovery |
Antipharmakon Iokira | +8% Tracking Speed | 2 | ||
Antipharmakon Kosybo | +8% Armor Repair | 1 | ||
Antipharmakon Thureo | +8% Shield Boost | 1 | ||
Antipharmakon Toxot | +8% Flight Time | 3 | ||
Quafe Zero Classic | +5% Velocity +5% Scan Resolution | 1 | 1 hour | Gift from CCP |
Quafe Zero Green Apple | +5% Agility +5% Cap Recharge Rate | 1 | 1 hour | Gift from CCP |
To use a booster, right click on it and select “Consume”. This can be done in space or at a station. Each booster type has a different “slot” that it uses, viewable in the character sheet. Pilots cannot use another booster if it occupies the same slot as a currently active booster. These slots are distinct from those used for regular neural implants.
It is not possible to override an booster once it has been consumed - pilots must wait out the drug for its duration. Combat boosters last 30 minutes, increased by 20% (6 minutes) for each level of Skill.png Biology the user has trained.
Each type of booster has four side effects associated with it. When the booster is used, each of these effects has a chance of occurring. A pilot might have no penalties for using a booster, or could experience all four at once. The chance of getting a side effect is 20% for Standard, 30% for Improved, and 40% for Strong. The penalties are -20% for Standard, -25% for Improved, and -30% for Strong. Both the chance of getting a side effect and the potency of any received effect can be reduced by skills and implants.
The Eifyr and Co. 'Alchemist' line of neural implants can enhance the duration of boosters, or reduce the probability or potency of side effects. See implants for more information.
There is an industry page completely dedicated to Combat Booster Manufacturing
Cerebral Accelerators are boosters that increase the attributes of character, thereby increasing the speed at which they accrue skill points. The attribute bonus given by Cerebral Accelerators varies by type and method of acquisition, but all Cerebral Accelerators boost all attributes by the same amount. Some Cerebral Accelerators provide additional bonuses to combat stats, but most only affect character attributes.
All Cerebral Accelerators occupy booster slot 4, meaning that pilots cannot use two different accelerators at the same time. As noted above, boosters and implants occupy different slots, so pilots are able to use a full set of attribute-boosting implants alongside a Cerebral Accelerator.
The most common sources of Cerebral Accelerators are various deals offered to new players by CCP (e.g. the Steam Super Starter Pack), which allow inexperienced players to experiment with their skill queue during their first few days in New Eden. Cerebral Accelerators obtained by this method are only usable by characters below a certain age (usually less than 15 days old). These boosters will deactivate if a character exceeds the intended age, regardless of the remaining duration.
Cerebral Accelerators obtained via real-money purchases are not available on the regular market, but can be sold via contract.
When a player purchases a subscription package that includes a Cerebral Accelerator of any kind, the Accelerator will be delivered via the item redemption system. To redeem a Cerebral Accelerator:
There are also several kinds of Accelerators that have been part of various lore events in New Eden, such as the Crimson Harvest. These Cerebral Accelerators are usable by all characters, regardless of age, but they also come with a built-in expiration date after which they will no longer function. This expiration date is generally some set time period after the conclusion of the event in which they were obtained.