This article is about the ships with the best active armor tank in the space game EVE Online. I will focus on a list of which ships have the highest active armor repair bonus, based on actual in-game data from early 2024. The percent value is the bonus amount repaired per skill level for the ship if not otherwise stated.
Armor repair bonuses
Dreadnoughts:
Hubris 5% (repair cycle time)
Moros 5% (repair cycle time)
Moros Navy Issue 5% (amount & cycle time)
Valravn 5%
Naglfar Fleet Issue 7,5%
Force Auxiliaries:
Dagon 5%
Ninazu 7,5%
Battleships:
Paladin 7,5% (+100% with Bastion module)
Kronos 7,5% (+100% with Bastion module)
Vargur 5% (+100% with Bastion module)
Dominix Navy Issue 7,5%
Hyperion 7,5%
Command ships:
Astarte 7,5%
Battlecruisers:
Myrmidon 7,5%
Myrmidon Navy Issue 7,5%
Brutix 7,5%
Cruisers:
Deimos 7,5%
Legion 10% (with Nanobot injector)
Proteus 10% (with Nanobot injector)
Loki 10% (with Adaptive defense node)
Vexor Navy Issue 7,5%
Bestla 10%
Cybelle 10%
Vangel 50% (total role bonus)
Destroyers:
Catalyst Navy Issue 7,5%
Corvettes:
Velator 15% (total role bonus)
Frigates:
Ishkur 7,5%
Incursus 7,5%
Geri 7,5%
Shapash 10%
Transport ships:
Impel 7,5%
Occator 7,5%
Stealth bombers:
Virtuoso 7,5%
Recon ships:
Victor 7,5%
Armor tanking
When it comes to combat, having a ship with a strong armor tank and repair bonuses can make all the difference.
Armor tanking is a popular EVE Online strategy involving using a ship’s armor to absorb damage instead of relying on shields or other defensive measures. Some ships are better suited for this strategy than others, with higher base armor values and bonuses to armor resistances. Additionally, some ships have bonuses to armor repair, allowing them to heal any damage taken in combat quickly. Knowing which ships have the strongest armor tank and repair bonuses can give players a significant advantage in battle.
Several ships in EVE Online are known for their strong armor tanking capabilities. One such ship is the Abaddon, which is a battleship designed for close-range combat and a resistance bonus for the armor tank instead of an armor repair bonus. The Abaddon, with a fit focused on armor tanking, can survive a lot of DPS which lets it sit and take a lot of damage while melting down its enemies with lasers.
Another popular armor-tanking ship is the Dominix, which is a battleship that specializes in drone warfare. The Dominix has a large armor buffer and a repair bonus that makes it an ideal choice for players who want to take on multiple enemies at once.
If you have the money, or should I say ISK, and the time to train for it, then you must go for a Marauder which has insane armor repair capabilities when in Bastion mode. The Marauders with the highest armor repair bonuses are Paladin and Kronos.
In addition to battleships, several other ship classes are well-suited for armor tanking. These include cruisers, battlecruisers, and even some frigates.
Further reading