The DBX: The Little Ship That Could (Elite Dangerous)

Episode 3 of The Commander's Guide to the Galaxy: A celebration of the Lakon Spaceways Diamondback Explorer.
Text written and read by CMDR KineticImpulser of guardfrequency...
The DBX article originally appeared in CMDR Beetlejude's video • Diamondback Explorer i...
Music by ToCoSo / tomcook

[@gobinokitsune9269]

No matter how many ships I fly, I *always* come back to the DBX. For me, nothing has been able to dethrone it.

[@thorbenmendritzki7216]

Sometimes it feels like an Insult jumping 4-5 times instead to jump once or twice. For mid range Missions, if I am not in my DBX.

[@Wyrnikh]

As long as you aren’t looking for aggressive combat, I’ll take The Dolphin over the DBX every time.

[@mrexists5400]

Yeah, dolphin took the top spot for me too. The only issue I have with the dbx is the fuel scoop size, being able to charge fsd and jump while hugging the exclusion zone and filling up the the tank *after* the fuel for the jump is consumed is just too nice, and satisfying

[@Hasteaguy]

My DBX got me across the galaxy and back for Distant Worlds 2. Love my "Galavant".

[@meoka2368]

Excellent name for it.

[@mikedawe692]

My go to ship for the black and bubble hopping. After so many hours behind its controls, I still love that grunty, determined engine sound. Light on frills, heavy on can do attitude.

[@PJF62]

Love the music style, saluting Douglas.

[@ToCoSo]

Thanks dude!

[@BeetleJude]

ToCoSo is an Elite hero! So many of us owe him so much! 😊

[@leokeatonn]

The DBX - What a quality little ship. Its an absolutely amazing ship for exploring and its taken me on so many of my fun adventures out into the black. Very high quality vessel, 100% recommend picking one up next time you pass by a new ship trader ; )

[@bikemessenger7]

I use this as my get there fast ship. I think it has a very very small restroom. two small shelves that act as a stove and sink. a bunk that my legs dont fit if I fully stretch out. the storage for my cloths means no way to hang up a jacket. so Id be afraid to go to beagle point in it, I cant imagine the cabin fever . best to take an Anaconda, not because its much better but because you can jog the corridors.

[@Datan0de]

A lot of DBX pilots don't notice this, but if you look toward the top of the exterior side of the hatch to the lavatory, there's a little flip-out hook you can use to hang a jacket or a full Remlok. It's not obvious if you don't know to look for it. Lakon should probably paint it a different color to make or stand out. Of course, this doesn't help much when you're in zero-G, but It's a nice convenience when planetside or at a large station.

[@mikewaterfield3599]

About 3800 of my some 4000 hours are in the DBX. Not without reason. Excellent little shop. It’s one and only shortcoming is an inability to carry a larger fuel scoop.

[@emdee0014]

I've said this a bunch of times, but no other ship makes me feel like an explorer the way that the DBX does. I have spent thousands of hours in this ship, even though I have other explorers. Still the best.

[@Wyrnikh]

I’ll stick with my private space yacht and do everything you do (except combat), with the added bonus of style and luxury. Dolphin for the win (except combat)!

[@emdee0014]

@@Wyrnikh HAHA! Believe it or not, my Dolphin is my second favorite. I have it all black and gold trimmed. Beautiful ship and a great explorer to boot.

[@flow5tate346]

To paraphrase Professor Tex of the BPL: The (ship) designed to be good enough for "most things". Accepting "good enough" for now, and leaving things well enough alone, opposite to "wagering everything on perfect potential outcome."

[@HaloJUK]

You came here in that thing? You're braver than I thought! As a fully paid member of the DBX (and S) fan club I find I have to force myself to use other ships. Hm, maybe its time I built a Diamondback Titan bomber......

[@captainyossarian388]

0:55 "What you get when an Apache attack helicopter and the Raptor from the BSG series have a baby." Love it. Just because I'm an Imperial that wouldn't touch a DBX with a ten foot pole when I have a snazzy Courier, does not mean that I can't respect the design ...or the bravery of anyone willing to go aboard one.

[@cmdrgreybeardseawolf]

Excellent video, love my workhorse DBX and perfect music from CMDR ToCoSo loving the Firefly vibe it gives

[@Cheshirewatcher]

In our EDRPG campaign game, I have a researcher for the intergalactic travel guide, flies this ship and carries a towel... it's a great little ship ❤😂

[@RocktCityTim]

Hopefully has some peanuts and brownian motion available, as well.

[@VerticalBlank]

Love, love, love the DBX. Back in version 1.x before Engineers and Thargoids, I took one named "Little Bird" out to the Pleiades to view the Black Hole in Maia, which I had to find the old way, via parallax and the dancing phenomenon of gravitational lensing that was nicknamed "Bob" back then -- my first ever Black Hole. Back then, I considered it a really long trip. How times have changed.

[@Zebediela42]

Yes. More of these.

[@brucesmith5108]

Been playing Elite Dangerous for years now and the DBX always been in my storage. I absolutely love my wee Tiger Moth 🥰

[@RocktCityTim]

My DBX has been my sweetheart since I was able to afford one (and that was back in 2016). I now own 2 - a red one for stealthy stuff and collecting, and a yellow one for deep exploration.

[@stumboz5566]

I've played for 8 years and the DBX has been my daily driver for 7 of them... It's one hell of a little ship.

[@parakart]

Love my DBX, spent the best part of the last 5 years in it going all over the galaxy

[@D4rk3clipse]

That ship brought me to Colonia and back when I was starting out, so I had access to Shinra early on. o7 DBX

[@cmdrxla1107]

I wonder how many of the DBX faithful will run to the Mandalay when it comes out ?

[@smoothcannibal5371]

I will be one of them.

[@CMDR_Shokwave]

This is the DBX saying "don't forget about me" as it's replacement looms on the horizon.

[@BeinnMac]

The Mandalay is a medium. It will never replace the DBX. The only benefits of the Mandalay is the SCO stability and slightly higher jump range so far.

[@CMDR_Shokwave]

@@BeinnMac Yeah, I'm just waiting to see what it's landing footprint looks like. Should be a fun ship, either way.

[@minecrafter8001]

my DBX was my primary ship for many months I traveled 10s of thousands of light years and earnt hundreds of millions of credits with that ship its a good little ship, the epitome of "this is good, but I like this"

[@draconusspiritus1037]

It takes a lot of work trimming any other ship down enough to match the jump range of a DBX straight out of the box. Comparably outfitted and engineered, nothing else can match its range. I found its size and maneuverability were perfect for performing the Mega Ship Turret missions.

[@camelnumber1814]

A truly wonderful homage ❤

[@mehpersonguy0]

One of my first few ships early on, and it quickly grew on me. The DBX is a great ship, and my little Rhombus of Terror hasn't left the fleet since I bought it ^-^ While the DBS may be a bit more restrictive than the DBX, it makes a _really_ good cold-runner, great for sneakily mining data points without having to worry about overheating or getting out before security shows up (the Small Thermal Anomaly has served me well for snagging those data mats from various outposts) Also, I thought that was a familiar voice lol- KineticImpulser does some good vids n such (the Nuggets for Nuggets series is a fun (and helpful) watch/listen)

[@ToCoSo]

Still love my DBS, it took me out to Heart and Soul and Jellyfish when it came out, had a really feeling of being small out in the black!!

[@BeinnMac]

The only ship that can.

[@tabularasa0606]

I love my little DBX.

[@michaelowen6940]

I have several - does what it says on the tin!

[@SiCrewe]

Love the DBX. It's big enough to plausibly be a "live aboard" ship but small enough to still be... small. My only grumble about it is it's weight. 260t for the hull! It's way smaller than the AspX but the hull is only 20t lighter than the AspX's.

[@Tamburello_1994]

"enough to plausibly be a "live aboard" ship" I like this sort of imagination / gameplay. I do the same. Some ships are not "away" ships. This one, I agree is just over that threshold.

[@TheEmmetdocbrown]

The DBX is nice. But i'm in love with my Type6 Explorer. Of course he has not the jump range a DBX has but he is much more spacious inside so i get a Tier5 Fuel Scoop, a Tier4 Hangar plus Tier3 Shields for exploring. What i love is the view from my Cockpit. Also for landings on unknown planets it helps alot to easily look whats direct under my ship.

[@darrenw2]

I just started in Elite so I don’t really know what I’m doing but this looks a great ship.

[@NietoKT]

I love dbx, always used it as my go-to ship, when I didn't need anything more that other ship's gave me (ie when I needed to transport just a few things, or go material hunting). I only switched to DBS because it's around 200m/s faster, but dbx is still my go-to when i need that jump range back... And it hadn't even seen engineering, except what autie Felicity could gave me when I first unlocked her, and that's it. Because why would I do that? I like it this way, and it reminds me of when I first started my adventure with the game...

[@tgherman3619]

My Diamondback EX is my main go around ship. love her❤

[@GeologyJournalism]

The homage with the music to the old, excellent, BBC Hitchhikers! Very cool, you guys. Plus, stop telling people about the DBX! It's the *BEST* ship in the 'verse. You jerks always make me boot up the game whenever you release something new - and hey, new guy - hot damn you got that extemporaneous delivery down!

[@wstavis3135]

I didn't get a DBX until after I purchased my carrier. Then I got mad that I missed this absolute gem of a ship early in the game. I now have 3. A shieldless AX build for thargoid scouts and hunters. A shielded AX research (sampling) vessel and a seriously good exploration/ground mission ship.

[@Timberwolf69]

I've spent a few months out there on my first longer trip into the (more or less) unknown. I love my Star Moth.

[@monostripezebras]

So, she looks like a street food stand but handöes like a bistro?

[@Timmy51m]

It's a great ship, but an Apache? This things fatter than a Black Hawk or a Merlin.

[@SimWithDon]

Great video! Love my DBX!

[@Kissamiess]

The lack of internal space for optional modules ruins it for me. Especially when it can't have a fuel scoop that is as large or larger as the drive. That would grind me down when jumping hundreds of systems. However, I came up with the concept of "near explorer" that either is used relatively close to the Bubble or a carrier base camp. If the Mandalay is really good it might obsolete both my near explorer DBX and my far explorer Krait Phantom, though. There are promising signs, but it comes down to internal space. I don't even care so much if it ends up being effectively a large pad ship because of the wings.

[@Raso719]

The second ship I ever bought and it served me so well up until I bought my Asp Explorer. I miss small ships. I should bring mine out of mothball and rekit it.

[@LairOfLair]

Nah, AspX in my heart... and Cobra mk4 in my soul.

[@pirate20]

My name for mine is Discovery because that is exactly what it does

[@somethinghalffull]

Very good indeed! Who dares dislike this vid!? They probably have no real friends. :)

[@the_rat_run]

I may have travelled a few hundred thousand LY in my DBX, not that I like it or anything, but it is just so easy to just jump in and go anywhere...

[@anonemus2971]

I got mine free at Hutton as a bonus for making a second trip in one day.

[@vonSchmettern]

Had one for a while as an exploration ship, but never quite warmed up on it. Nice and small and very good jump range, but somewhat crammed with the slots. Maybe I will have another go at some point.

[@Wyrnikh]

Take a Dolphin instead. They do the impossible. More internals room than is physically possible for its size. Runs colder than empty space, letting you scoop WHILE jumping. Jumps farther than it should for its size. Lands in places no other ship can fit. More window than ship, giving you amazing views. More luxury than the price tag permits.

[@vonSchmettern]

So far, I have been preferring medium sized explorers. Did most of my travels in a Phantom and an AspX, although I also have an Anaconda tucked away somewhere. I wonder how the Mandalay will work out.

[@felipecool598]

DBX is all i need for exploration!o7

[@Wyrnikh]

You want a Dolphin, not a DBX. (Unless you’re looking for direct combat.)

[@meidomiseri]

The only paint job it needs is Pitch black!

[@potteryjoe]

Well, it's no Type-6, but it's alright.

[@ForestRaptor]

I love this :3

[@Gailim]

the best ship for getting around the bubble, and the nearby thargoid nebulas and guardian sites but if your going out more than 1500 ly or so you are gonna want something else. fuel scoop is too small for long journeys. DBX will be scooping long after an aspX or phantom have already jumped to the next system, especially after 2-3 non fuel stars

[@Wyrnikh]

As long as you’re not looking for direct combat, you want the Dolphin. Best little “lawn dart” in the fleet.

[@Tamburello_1994]

I thought you meant the DBS at first.

[@MRxMADHATTER]

DBX FTW

[@Wyrnikh]

Interesting that you keep having to mention how the DBX comes in second or third to the sleek “lawn dart” which is, sadly, one of the most ridiculed, maligned ships in the fleet: “The Dolphin” Maybe it’s time to stop the “Dolphin Hate” and give this ship its due. Aside from active combat, this elite little spear can do it all (with room to spare), and generally colder, quieter, and with far more panache than ships two and three times its mass. Just be prepared to get used to the “squeal of delight” that this ship gives you when you give it that extra bit of fuel.

[@darthhunter69]

i managed to reach 260 ly on my dbx (with a neutron star, of course), and i'm not even done with it! for instance, i don't even have a guardian fsd booster (yet)

[@Sir-Complains-a-Lot]

Fuelscoop too small for my taste. I like big scoops ngl.

[@KajuTheRudeMonke]

That's what she said

[@vonSchmettern]

Scoops Ahoy.

[@Wyrnikh]

And this is one of many reasons why the Dolphin beats DBX in every category except direct combat.

[@stanettiels7367]

2:42 This is what my girlfriend says about me.

[@the4thj]

Everyone already said how I feel, so, I am going to say, Diamondback Excelsior, DBX MK2, or DBX Enticer? DBX anniversary model?

[@doswelk]

DBX was what I used to get to SAG A* and back, I moved on to bigger better ships, but the stripped down, paint scratched DBX is still sitting in the Hanger of Shinrata Dezhra where I go to look at it from time to time.

[@Datan0de]

While not my favorite ship, I absolutely love the humble DBX! My little Strider is an absolute workhorse: explorer, taxi, and resource gathering ship. Tiny footprint, long jump legs, and the cool enough that I can scoop from two stars in close proximity at the same time. The Guardian site at Synuefe NL-N C23-4 has a permanent imprint of her landing gear at the spot where I always land. You described my build pretty accurately, down to the dual dorsal point defense guns! The one thing she doesn't do is combat. The only time I've ever had a weapon mounted was a beam laser when I was unlocking Guardian SLFs. That was funny because on the outfitting screen, when the hardpoints deployed the bottom of the laser extended down into the deck. :-D

[@Rigel_Chiokis]

I like the DBX; I have one in my fleet carrier hangar. But for true deep space exploration, it's the Asp Explorer all the way. It can carry several more (what I consider) vital modules for those long range expeditions. It's jump range may be slightly less than the DBX, but with the fuel scoop it can carry, you'll never stop to refuel.

[@ashtonmiller-z1n]

so why cant we get like a dimouns back extra large or something like that. or like a dimund back super heavy or something like a dimonu back explorer but just like two or three classes heaver.

[@UltimaOmega]

I love my DBX. I'm curious, does anyone use the Diamondback Scout?

[@Aliamus_]

I tried to build a DBX to bubble run, but the scoop, the scoop killed it for me, I couldn't. She looks good, she works good, she IS good, but she's not for me.

[@sakatababa]

i am literally right now in my dbx deep in the black, just jumping and collecting data for the cannon i have more time in dbx then even in my vulture and there is nothing i like more then going about messing with npc's in my vulture

[@kaungsi5613]

Man... it is a long shot, but god damn i wish Diamondback series have a Medium version. I know Asp explorer exists bit i don't like how the asp looks

[@Phalanx443]

Without a doubt the best ship in the game. It can go anywhere, land every where, carry dang near everything else, especially if it happens to be something you need! Can ya tell this ship is my Go-To?

[@tremor3258]

There are people who denigrate the DBX? (For the record, its only real flaw over the Dolphin is a small scoop size)

[@oneofdavidsmightymen]

I bought it as my first exploration ship I still have it and use it frequently after over 8 years brilliant little shuttle, sap long range killer etc

[@ysfsim]

Explorer dolphin for the win

[@Wyrnikh]

Dolphin! FTW!! Do it all with more room than it should have, colder than it should be, and with more luxury than the price tag allows! (Disclaimer: Be sure to keep your fancy flying tissue box away from active combat zones.)

[@ysfsim]

@@Wyrnikh the coolness is awesome. Fuel scoop and dad charge without breaking a sweat. Great for sprinting between Muti systems in shorter time than a dbx

[@maikelele6513]

Why not asp explorer ? It's my go to ship for long range errands

[@admiralmallard7500]

Never actually flown one. Want to give it a try though

[@AtlasGaming4k]

Someone is doing The Pilot's job now?

[@dpittman42]

That music blend was amazing.

[@foquai7458]

I spend more time in my DBX than any other ship

[@EloyBushida]

Attack helicopter huh?

[@Astrothunderkat]

great video, 07

[@arha-z1v]

DBX has better jump range than dolphin, but dolphin has better internal slot layout and heat management. While both are great explorers, dolphin wins with much better quality of life when it comes to handling and heat management

[@Wyrnikh]

Dolphin FTW in every category but direct combat. The jump difference is negligible and being able to scoop to full WHILE charging the FSD gets you there faster anyway.

[@richardsilverwings]

❤

[@Rabidchu]

The DBX got me my first big bag of credits when I ran the "road to riches" exploration grind. I haven't flown it in a while but I think I might build a new one.

[@zat-1-fury]

Dimond back my 2nd used ship lol