Converting EC to Dil

captainpetey001

Hi there! First, I apologize if this topic has already been posted on the forum. I tried the search function and it only gave me completely irrelevant topics to my question.

So here it is: as of now, I'm converting EC to dilithium by purchasing contraband on the exchange and doing the "turn over contraband" DOff mission on my main toon, as well as on 6 alts. Is there another, or a more efficient way to convert EC to Dil?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Good hunting ... so say we all!

centersolace

Nope. ..........

claransa

I can't think of a more efficient way of converting EC to dilithium but I would say that if you have lots of crafting mats you can visit your bridge, find the science officer he can give you special doff missions that turn those crafting mats to dilithium

walshicus

Can you buy Prisoners on the exchange? Prisoners and Colonists can be traded for Dil through some assignments, though I think Prisoners only do that for Klingon characters.

zerobang

nope sorry Contraband turn ins (or Catfood) is as efficient as it will get for you.

and you will be happy to know that the contraband turn in already got nerfed from 3 contraband in 2 hours for 2000 dil to 5 Contraband in 4 hours for 2000 dil


another fun fact:

contraband is as valuable on the exchange as Master Keys.

i did the math, if you buy enough Contraband to turn into Dil and buy Zen with your Dil to buy a LockBox Key you will be spending as much EC for the Contraband as you would have for the Master Key.

at least roughly, there is always some up and down movement but not enough to game the market in any direction.

the people who buy Contraband want Dil
the people who sell Keys want EC
if you do both, you will effectively be running in circles and achieve nothing.

franc275

zerobang wrote: »

another fun fact:

contraband is as valuable on the exchange as Master Keys.

i did the math, if you buy enough Contraband to turn into Dil and buy Zen with your Dil to buy a LockBox Key you will be spending as much EC for the Contraband as you would have for the Master Key.

at least roughly, there is always some up and down movement but not enough to game the market in any direction.

the people who buy Contraband want Dil
the people who sell Keys want EC
if you do both, you will effectively be running in circles and achieve nothing.

I agree that it would be going in circles for Keys, however I actually think you would be losing EC in the direct purchase of keys. However, if you were to use the keys to open boxes, you would have to net out several hundred thousand EC per box to make it worth while also.

Here's my math.

Zen for Key 125
Dil to 1 Zen 87 (fluctuates, but this is close)
Total Dil Needed 10,875 (125 * 87)
Dil per CB Assn 2,000
CB Assns needed 6 (10,875 / 2,000 rounded up)
CB per assn 5
CB to complete all Assn 30 (6 * 5)
CB cost each 40-60K (Haven't checked in a while, but it used to be 40K, seen it at 60K recently)
CB total Cost 1.2M-1.8M

So it takes 1.2M-1.8M EC to get enough Zen for a Key by doing Turnover Contraband.

Additional Notes: If they are run back to back it takes 24 hours to complete all 6 assignemnts.
This does not take into account obtaining Contraband anywhere else. - Add time, subtract EC.

However, in comparison, in 4 active hours of play you can earn 10K Dil quite easily

ISE 960 Dil
KASE 960 Dil
Starbase 24 480 Dil
Investigate Officer Reports 960 Dil

Each takes about 20 minutes, meaning the CD on each will be done by the time you finish the last in the string.

Rinse and Repeat each 2 more times

You then have 10K dil outright, with an additional minimum 360 Omega Marks (netting 3500 Dil through Reputation)
Also, you have 6 BNP - which will net you additional Dil (can't remember number)
And you have 150 Fleet Marks, and come vendor trash to turn in for EC (SB 24)

It may not be the fastest, but it is a way to get your daily refinement cap of Dil in less than 4 hours. In addition, you could also run the Turnover contraband and get an additional 2K Dil, with using the EC gained from the Vendor Trash out of SB 24.

gavinruneblade

Prisoners tend to be cheaper than contraband for klingons. Prices range from 5k to 15k each, and you have 4 or 5 missions to trade them in for dil. The security officer is the worst of the lot and that is still twice as efficient as the contraband turn in (10pris for 1k dil), there's also a forced labor camp in each explore zone that is 4 prisoners for 500dil, and one in cardassian space that is 5 prisoners for 750 dil and at least one more for 3 prisoners but I don't remember where it is or how much it rewards. Still all of the prisoner options are better than contraband. But rather than comparing, realize that you can do both at the same time

However that's still not the best. The best are the klingon execution missions. Get some of the cheapest duty officers for about 2k and turn them into 350 dil. Or the Undine Infiltrator for a lot more, I think 500 base. Execute for incompetence sucks, not that one, there are two or three others.

There are two others option fed side, but both are worse than contraband. first is 5 colonists for the 500 dil colonize mission. But colonists are the same price as contraband and give a quarter as much dilithium. The other is turn in one of each prototype turret schematic for 2,000 dil. Aside from costing like 15 to 20 times more than contraband it has a 20 hour timer and is a rare mission. But it does exist.