Merits are what a commander receives when they turn in Powerplay (bonds). They are used in the Powerplay system to determine the rating that the player will receive at the end of the week. There are 5 obtainable ratings in the game. Each rating comes with its own associated perks that vary by power. However each ratings merit point requirements and cash payouts will remain the same no matter the faction the player belongs to.
Obtaining merits[]
Players have several choices when it comes to obtaining merits. While more may be released in the future the following are the methods to earn merit are known to work.
- Combat with non allied factions players.
- Combat in expansion system.
- Killing Hostile agents
- Transportation of cargo for the fortification and preparation of systems.
- Piracy of cargo from foreign powers
Merits per activity[]
PowerPlay 2.0 Merit Breakdown.[1]
| Activity | Description | Merits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition | These activities should be completed in systems that are not currently controlled by any Power | ||
| Bounty Hunting | Collect bounty vouchers in systems that your Power can Acquire, see bounty hunting in the pilot's handbook. You do not need to hand in the vouchers. | Est. 1 merit per 15,620 CR of bounty voucher | |
| Collect Escape Pods | Collect escape pods from the Acquisition system and deliver them to a Power contact in a Fortified or Stronghold System controlled by your Power within control range of the Acquisition system. refer to the Salvage and Rescue article in the Pilot's Handbook for more information on collecting cargo. |
|
Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) picking up escape pods in Mbolgargl and turning them in in Birreti |
| Holocsreen Hacking | Hack holoscreen adverts at ports in systems that your Power can Acquire. | 21 merits per hack | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) at Barreiros Depot in Wailtsu (uncontrolled by any power) |
| Power Kills | Kill vessels and personnel aligned with Powers you are not pledged to in systems your Power can acquire. | 0 (Player) | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) killing CMDR ElevatorMusic (Pranav Antal) in Lamia and Limi 10/23/3310. NOTE: This number may not be accurate. After testing more, the number of merits per kill on a player changes--further testing is required to determine the calculation. |
| Reboot Mission Completion | Complete reboot missions in systems that your Power can Acquire. | ||
| Retrieve Specific Goods | Retrieve Powerplay goods from Power containers at settlements and return them to a Fortified or Stronghold system controlled by your Power that is in control range of the system. | 7.5 merits per commodity | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev with data downloaded at Mahajan Horticultural Nursery and Garg Watch in the Baro system (no power affiliation) and delivered at Lee Dock in the Eta Aquarii system (Archon fortified) |
| Scan Datalinks | Scan datalinks at Megaships in the system in systems that your Power can Acquire. | 225 merits per scan | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) at HIP 113355 Thomas-Class Hauler and RUG-299 Hercules-Class Hauler in the Baro system (no power affiliation) |
| Sell for Large Profits | Sell commodities in systems that your power can Aquire for a profit of 40% or higher. | ||
| Sell Mined Resources | Sell mined commodities in systems that your Power can Acquire. These goods must have been mined and not purchased from a market. | 0 merits | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) selling materials mined in Harma at Broglie Colony in HIP 110014 (no power alignment). NOTE: This seems like a mistake or oversight on FDev's part. FURTHER NOTE: CMDR DemiserOfD reports that selling mined commodities gives merits, provided that the commodities are mined in the same system that they are sold. |
| Sell Rare Goods | Sell Rare Goods commodities in systems that your Power can Acquire. These commodities cannot come from the same system that they are being sold to. | 1 merit per ~1054 SELL price | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) selling Kongga Ale, Kamitra Cigars, Harma Silver Sea Rum, and Fujin Tea at Garner Station in Byeru Bese (Uncontrolled) |
| Transfer Power Classified Data | Download data from data ports at settlements and return them to a Power contact in a Fortified or Stronghold system controlled y your Power that is in control range of the system. | 7.5 merits per commodity | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev with data downloaded at Mahajan Horticultural Nursery and Garg Watch in the Baro system (no power affiliation) and delivered at Lee Dock in the Eta Aquarii system (Archon fortified) NOTE: when handing this data in, more merits were awarded than shown. For example, I handed in 2 of these data and the menu said I would receive 30 merits, but I was actually awared 135 or 245 merits. Reasons unclear |
| Transfer Power Association and Political Data | Download data from data ports at settlements and return them to a Fortified or Stronghold system controlled by your Power that is in control range of the system. | 7.5* merits per commodity | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev with data downloaded at Mahajan Horticultural Nursery and Garg Watch in the Baro system (no power affiliation) and delivered at Lee Dock in the Eta Aquarii system (Archon fortified) NOTE: similar to the cell above |
| Transfer Power Research and Industrial Data | Download data from data ports at settlements and return them to a Fortified or Stronghold system controlled by your Power that is in control range of the system. | 5 merits per data | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev with data downloaded at Mahajan Horticultural Nursery and Garg Watch in the Baro system (no power affiliation) and delivered at Lee Dock in the Eta Aquarii system (Archon fortified) NOTE: similar to the cell two above |
| Transport Powerplay Commodities | Requisition your Powers Acquisition commodity from a Power contact at a port in a Fortified or Stronghold system controlled by your Power that is in control range of the system. | 1.5 merits per commodity | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) picking up Kumo Conrtraband Packages at Lee Dock in Eta Aquarii (Archon system) and delivering to Clayton Freeport in Gamamonga (no power affiliation) |
| Upload Powerplay-Specific Malware | Requisition Power Injection Malware data from a Power contact at a port in a Fortified or Stronghold system controlled by your power and upload it to data ports at settlements in the system. | 93 merits per malicious upload | |
| Acquisition (Conflict) | The activies should be completed in systems that are not currently controlled by any Power, but mutilple Powers are attempting to gain control of. | ||
| Complete Aid and Humanitarian Missions | Complete reboot missions in systems that your Power can Acquire. | ||
| Flood Markets with Low Value Goods | Sell commodities worth less than 500 credits at markets in systems that your Power can Acquire. | ||
| Scan Ships and Wakes | Scan ships, high energy wakes and low energy wakes scans in systems that your Power can Acquire. Ships and low energy wakes can be scanned using the default scanning fuction on all ships. A Frame Shift Wake Scanner is required to scan high energy wakes. | ||
| Reinforcement | These activities should be completed in systems that are currently controlled by your Power. | ||
| Bounty Hunting | Collect bounty vouchers, see bounty hunting in the pilot's handbook. You do not need to hand in the vouchers. | Est. 1 merit per 15,620 CR of bounty voucher | |
| Collect Escape Pods | Collect escape pods from the system your Power controls that you want to Reinforce and deliver them to a Power contact in the same system. Refer to the Salvage and Rescue article in the Pilot's Handbook for more information on collecting cargo. |
|
Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) picking up escape pods and turning them in in Fan Cechehe |
| Complete Aid and Humanitarian Missions | Complete reboot missions in systems that your Power controls. | ||
| Hand in Biological Research Samples | Collect Biological Samples and deliver them to a Power contact in systems your Power controls. | Est 1 merit per 2,531,000 CR of exobio data, NOT including first catalogued bonus | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) turning in exobio data at Littrow Enterprise in Nirros (Archon Fortified). Note that due to the size of these numbers and the limited sample size, this is liable to change fairly significantly, though the R-squared on the linear regression was 0.9976. The R-squared value was comperable on the linear regression measured by TOTAL amount of credits (including bonus), but the curve appeared to fit the data points better without--that being said, more testing is required for a full determination |
| Hand in Cartography Data | Sell exploration data at any system your Power controls via a port's Universal Cartographics service. Refer to the Exploration article in the Pilot's Handbook for more information on scanning celestial bodies and selling exploration data. | Est 1 merit per 33,260 CR worth of cartographic data (excluding first discovered bonus) | Tested based on datapoints from CMDR Sam Ishum/FireyToad (Li Yon Rui) on 10/24/3310 selling cartographic data in Dinda, see the "Exploration" tab for details. NOTE: This only works when selling one system at a time. FireyToad has identified several calucation issues in the journal files that arise when selling full pages. In fact, selling full pages inexplicably gives more merits than selling system by system. |
| Hand in Salvage | Collect salvage from the system your Power controls that you want to Reinforce and deliver them to a Power contact in the same system. Refer to the Salvage and Rescue article in the Pilot's Handbook | 63 merits per black box, 18 merits per wreckage components | Tested by CMDR |Bearded| Zeus (Aisling Duval) |
| Holocsreen Hacking | Hack already hacked holoscreen adverts at ports in systems that your Power controls to reset them. | 21 merits per hack | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) at Xing Outpost in STKM 1-1767, which had been previously hacked for Yuri Grom |
| Power Kills | Kill vessels and personnel aligned with Powers you are not pledged to in systems your Power controls | 145 merits per kill (Player) | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) killing CMDR ElevatorMusic (Pranav Antal) in Bolos 10/23/3310. NOTE: This number may not be accurate. After testing more, the number of merits per kill on a player changes--further testing is required to determine the calculation. |
| Reboot Mission Completion | Complete support missions in systems that your Power controls. | ||
| Scan Ships and Wakes | Scan ships, high energy wakes and low energy wakes scans in any system controlled by your Power that you want to Reinforce. Ships and low energy wakes can be scanned using the default scanning fuction on all ships. A Frame Shift Wake Scanner is required to scan high energy wakes. |
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| Sell for Large Profits | Sell commodities in systems that your Power controls for a profit of 40% or higher. | 1 merit per 25-50k profit for massive profits ( tested with 1350% profit) or 1 merit per 50k profit when sold for over 40% profits (45% tested) | Tested by CMDR |Bearded| Zeus (Aisling Duval) buying Performance Enhancers at Flagg Dock in Aakushu for 589 CR/t and selling at Shirazi Station is Karbudj for 7851 CR/t, then buying Bauxite at Shirazi Station for 3266 CR/ton and selling back at Flagg Dock for 4648 CR/t |
| Sell Mined Resources | Sell mined commodities in systems that your Power controls. These goods must have been mined and not purchased from a market. | 0 merits | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) selling materials mined in Harma at Web Port in 34 Pegasi (Archon Fortification) and Littrow Enterprise in Nirros. NOTE: This seems like a mistake or oversight on FDev's part. FURTHER NOTE: CMDR DemiserOfD reports that selling mined commodities gives merits, provided that the commodities are mined in the same system that they are sold. |
| Sell Rare Goods | Sell Rare Goods commodities in systems that your Power controls. These commodities cannot come from the same system they are being sold to. | 1 merit per ~693 CR SELL price | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) selling Kongga Ale, Kamitra Cigars, Harma Silver Sea Rum, and Fujin Tea at Zelazny Enterprise in Gan (Archon Exploited) |
| Transfer Power Classified Data | Download data from data ports at settlements in your Powers controlled systems and return them to the Power in the same system. | 5 merits per data | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev in HIP 97704 downloading at Soria Industrial Creations and turning in to Harrison Works |
| Transfer Power Association and Political Data | Download data from data ports at settlements in your Powers controlled systems and return them to the Power in the same system. | 5 merits per data | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev in HIP 97704 downloading at Soria Industrial Creations and turning in to Harrison Works |
| Transport Powerplay Commodities | Reequisition your Powers Reinforcement commoditiy from a Power contact at a port in a Stronghold system controlled by your Power, that is not the same system you want to Reinforce, and deliver it to a Power contact in the system you do want to Reinforce. | 1.5 merits per commodity | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev delivering Unmarked Military Supplies to Lee Dock in Eta Aquarii from Gabriel Terminal in Harma |
| Undermining | These activities should be completed in systems that are controlled by a Power other than your own. | ||
| Collect Escape Pods | Collect Occupied Escape Pods and Damaged Escape Pods in systems controlled by a Power that you are not pleged to. The pods will count towards your total once scooped into your vessel's cargo hold. Refer to the Salvage and Rescue article in the Pilot's Handbook fore more information on collecting cargo. |
|
Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) in HIP 116334 (occupied escape pods) and HIP 116984 (damaged escape pods), with occupied escape pods turned in at Kendrick Works in Veneres. NOTE: The description here is wrong. You are not awarded the merits when the pods are scooped into your cargo hold. You must return the pods to a system your power controls and turn them in to the power contact. |
| Commit Crimes | Commit Crimes in systems controlled by Powers that you are not pledged to. |
|
Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) in Bamuti (Patreous exploited system) shooting at CLEAN ships. Unpledged ships seemed worth 7 merits regardless of rank, pledged ships seemed to go by combat rank. Much of this is extrapolation, but we tested novice, competent, expert, master, dangerous and deadly NPCs and the trend became apparent. It does not matter if they are power security, just that they are pledged. |
| Complete Aid and Humanitarian Missions | Complete reboot in systems controlled by Powers that you are not pledged to. | ||
| Flood Markets with Low Value Goods | Sell commodities worth less than 500 credits at markets in systems controlled by Powers that you are not pledged to and return them to a system controlled by your Power. | ||
| Hand in Salvage | Collect salvage in system controlled by a Power that you are not pledged to. Refer to the Salvage and Rescue article in the Pilot's Handbook for more information on collecting cargo. | ||
| Holoscreen Hacking | Hack holoscreen adverts at ports in systems controlled by Powers that you are not pledged to. | 14 merits per hack | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) in Popovich Horizons in Uiburni |
| Power Kills | Kill vessels and personnel aligned with Powers you are not pledged to in systems controlled by Powers that you are not pledged to. |
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| Retrieve Specific Goods | Retrieve Powerplay goods from Power containers at settlements in systems controlled by Powers that you are not pledged to and return them to a system controlled by your Power. | 5 merits per item | |
| Scan Datalinks | Scan datalinks at Megaships in the system to in systems controlled by Powers that you are not pledged to. | 157 merits per log uplink scanned | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) at WAI-374 Lowell Class Researcher in Uiburni (Pranav Antal) |
| Sell Mined Resources | Sell mined commodities in systems controlleed by Powers that you are not pledged to. These goods must have been mined and not purchased form a market. | 0 merits | See above notes for same activity in other system types |
| Transfer Power Classified Data | Download data from data ports at settlements in systems controlled by Powers that you are not pledged to and return them to a Power contact in a system your Power controls | 176 merits per data | |
| Transfer Power Association and Political Data | Download data from data ports at settlements in systems controlled by Powers that you are not pledged to and return them to a Power contact in a system your Power controls. | 78 merits per data | |
| Transfer Power Research and Industrial Data | Download data from data ports at settlements in systems controlled by Powers that you are not pledged to and return them to a Power contact in a system your Power controls. | 78 merits per data | |
| Transport Powerplay Commodities | Requisition your Powers Acquisition commodity from a Power contact at a port in a Stronghold system controlled by your Power and deliver it to a Power contact in a system controlled by a Power that you are not pledged to. | 30 merits per item | Tested by CMDR DSS Lev (Archon Delaine) delivering Marked Slaves from Gabriel Enterprise in Harma to Popovich Horizons in Uiburni |
| Upload Powerplay-Specific Malware | Requisition Power Tracker Malware data from a Power contact at a port in a Stronghold system controlled by your Power and upload it to data ports at settlements in a system controlled by a Power that you are not pledged to. | 65 merits per item | |
Combat with players[]
While in the past you could earn merits via PvP combat this is no longer the case. However you will lose 10 merits for killing a player aligned with your faction or to one based in the same power type between the Empire, Federation, and Alliance. For example if a player belonging to Zachary Hudsons power were to kill a player belonging to Felicia Winters power that player would lose merit because both factions belong to the Federation.
Combat in Expansion Systems[]
Combat in Expansion systems can only be done when a Power that expands through combat is expanding via one of a series of similar combat zones. Powers that expand through combat and their related combat zones are:
- Arissa Lavigny-Duval (Crime Sweep)
- Archon Delaine (Resistance Pocket)
- Denton Patreus (Military Strike)
- Pranav Antal (Violent Protest)
- Yuri Grom (Armed Revolt)
- Zachary Hudson (Military Strike)
In order to earn Merits via combat, the player must travel to the expansion system, find the specific type of combat zone that is related to their pledged Power, and participate in combat there. Players can earn merit in any faction's combat zones by either helping allied forces or opposing the expansion of enemy factions. It is important to note that players must pick a side under their functions tab in order to earn merit.
It is recommended that players who want to farm merit in combat zones fight in a wing to speed up the rate at which they get kills. This will also have the added benefit of reducing the risk of getting mass targeted and killed. There is safety in numbers.
Killing Hostile agents[]
Killing foreign diplomats and their cadre is a relatively effective method for earning merits. You will be awarded 30 merits per kill. In order to utilize this method you must go to an enemy faction's control system in the process of being undermined and either sit at the navigational beacon or interdict ships as they fly by you, which is more effective. You will be looking for ships with names along the lines of Utopian Overseer, Federal Logistics, Imperial Agent, Federal Agent, Alliance Enforcer, Private Security, etc. Most likely any ship aligned with one of the powers in its name that is not System Defence Force or allied with your overall faction. As with combat against players you will lose merit if you attack and kill allies.
Fortification and preparation of systems[]
This is by far the safest and slowest method for obtaining merits. The pilot must go to their faction's capital system and pick up cargo for fortification or preparation from a station. The amount of cargo the player can pick up at any given time is based on that player's current rating with their faction. It ranges from 10 every half hour at rating one up to 50 every half hour at rating five. After the player picks up the cargo they must transport it to a system for fortification or expansion depending on the type of cargo they picked up from the capital. Once they arrive at their destination system they simply dock and turn in the cargo under the contact's tab at the station. It is important to note that there is no limit on the amount of cargo that may be held or turned in at one time. This makes it possible to fill your hold by obtaing the limit of materials each half hour (or throughout the day) then make one run to deliver all of said materials in the evening.
If a player has the credits to spend this can be the fastest way to farm merits. Along with the allotment of Powerplay commodities you receive every half hour, you have the option to Fast Track the next quota allotment at the price of 10,000 CR each. As each Powerplay commodity is worth 1 merit when turned in a player could spend 100,000,000 CR and effectively buy their rating 5. A circumstance where this may prove useful would be if a player could make 100,000,000 CR in less time than it would take to earn 10,000 merits.
This method may prove particularly appealing to end game players who belong to Arissa Lavigny-Duval's faction. This is due to the fact that Arissa's faction bonuses to bounty effectively make it possible for players to earn 4 times the normal amount of bounty if they are rating five. With this massive bonus players can make between 10,000,000 to 20,000,000 CR per hour at Hazardous Resource Extraction Sites.
Videos[]
Powerplay 2.0 Fastest Merit Method - Full Guide-2
- ↑ PowerPlay 2.0 Merit Breakdown - Google Docs - 3 Jan 2025