Elite Dangerous Mini-Tutorial: How to Farm Powerplay Merits via Combat(Off-Nav Beacon Merit Farming)

A mini-tutorial on how to farm Powerplay Merits in the sci-fi space flight sim game, Elite:Dangerous. This tutorial is a bit longer than the average on account of all the steps involved; so maybe not quite so mini as the rest.
Players can pledge to various Galactic Power NPCs in exchange for various perks. One of these is gaining access to unique ship modules offered by each Galactic Power. However, Commanders must prove they're worthy of such a boon.
One step in the process of unlocking these modules requires a pledge achieving rating 3 with their chosen Galactic Power NPC. This is accomplished by redeeming 750 Merits; a Powerplay-specific currency. This tutorial details how to earn these Merits through combat in what is known as "Off-Nav Beacon Merit Farming".
This is an option for Commanders who'd rather fight for their Merits than haul Powerplay-specific items from point A to point B.

[@LarryDerDicke]

I tested it a little: You can actually drop into the NavBeacon and then fly approximately 65 km out. Then log out to the Main Menu and log back in. Spawns PP ships all around you. So essentially you don't need to SC to get new ships - relogging does the trick. And by this you stay at your location between 60-100 kms.

[@JohnDoe-zl6qw]

Excellent tip!

[@RoyalTheRebel]

thanks for the guide, found this part of the game really confusing so a clear guide is much appriciated

[@JohnDoe-zl6qw]

You're welcome o7

[@happymoonmonkey]

A lovely tried and tested method of farming merits. Nice video.

[@-ven-lush-]

Im not a beginner, but i never really knew how to get powerplay merits until i saw your post on reddit and was interested and checked here. Thanks for making a good video!!

[@JohnDoe-zl6qw]

You're welcome. Happy that it helped o7

[@soulreaverfan1983]

I saw your post in reddit about making these guides, and all I have to say as a newish Commander is Thank you Sir for your teachings o7

[@JohnDoe-zl6qw]

You're very welcome. Glad you find them useful. Happy New Year, Commander o7

[@-ven-lush-]

Me too! Thanks CMDR!

[@GordonC86]

can you do the same method in a Fortified system??

[@JohnDoe-zl6qw]

To the best of my understanding of Power Play, Fortified systems are a sub-set of Controlled system (i.e. a Fortified system is always also a Control system, as only Control systems can be Fortified). So this method should work there, as well.

[@baskomnasi]

Wait, how can you fire Beam Laser without reducing your power? What ship you are using?

[@fartex1]

he is most likely using a Krait Mk2 or a krait phantom ( i cant tell the difference on his hologram as i have never used one of those ships) they are very good at pve combat when engineered the right way! im using a corvette, one large and 2 medium lasers, also 2 small and 2 huge multicannons, and i dont lose power either. the trick is in engineering your power plant and your power distributor accordingly. you can engineer your beam lasers with effecient, making them draw less power, but losing dps, you can also add the experimental effect "flow control" so they draw 10% less power. you can do the same to your power distributor: " weapon focused" @grade 5 you get +60% capacity and +44% recharge rate for weapons only, comes at a cost to less recharge rate to other systems. again add flow control as experimental for less power draw on weapons. and last but not least: you can engineer your powrplant with " overcharged" wich wil give you +40% power generation at the cost of heat efeciency and a loss of you power plant module's integrety (hit points) of -25% now i have recently changed my engineering done on my corvette to put out max DPS, and only now, im sitting at a power loss, so i cant use all my weapons for days anymore, however, im killing enemies a lot faster... so yeah, its a trade off.. hope this helped you a bit. fly dangerous, stay safe CMDR... Glory to mankind! o7

[@Alex-hv2zu]

But why? I never understood the purpose or appeal of power play.

[@JohnDoe-zl6qw]

For many players there's no appeal beyond unlocking the unique modules offered by the Power Play NPCs (e.g. Prismatic Shields, Pack Hound Missile Racks, etc.). Even so, one must still jump through the hoops of reaching rating 3 with the Power Play NPC and pledging for 28 consecutive days to be eligible to purchase these items. Rating 3 requires redeeming 750 Power Play Merits; thus the video.

[@Hal-Mi_Swjac]

At the very least the modules are worth it.

[@xenophonf]

Because at rank 5 with Antal Pranav, my 2.5 billion CR in AX combat bonds are now worth 5.0 billion CR.

[@xenophonf]

Also because prismatic shields, Pacifier frag cannons, and cytoscramblers are OP.