The Patroller needs either +50 durability or more speed and maneuverability in order to be a proper side grade. As it is, the Cruiser is overall superior, which I dislike as that's not really true of any other premium jet... except the Blazer, but even it is an affordable light jet, which can be an important factor.
The plasma leviator has the 3 size suspension slot, which is a gamechanger: it gives a whooping + 30% stability. It's my favorite one for fights, though i like the torpedo a lot because of the amounts of backtracking you'll do in the black sea and waterways.
Unpopular opinion: i think the devastator is overrated as fuck
Using a large suspension is a waste of space if you have +30% stability from the two naval warfare feats, or even just one of them (depending on the jet). For example, the 7 lb. XG Storm Cloud offers +12% suspension. On a 60% base stability jet, that's 60% + 30% +12% = 102% stability. Having said that, I'm not sure if stability >100% will actually give you a bonus, though that seems doubtful. Extra weight definitely translates to less supplies/loot haulage and a reduced speed gradient.
I'm using the Leviator right now because I like the variety of trying out different jets, but in my opinion the Shark and Protectorate Cruiser are right up there with it as the three overall best jets. The Cruiser is slightly less protective and has slightly less potential engine power and battery reserves than the Leviator, but is substantially faster when suped up (440/74% with both Abandoned Waterways unique engines). Speed is life. The Shark is faster still (substantially >500, can't check at the moment), but again, less protective, less potential engine power, less battery reserves. You can look at them as three gradients of the same concept.
Of course the Leviator has its plasma cannon, but the vehicle weapons aren't always gamechangers.
I group all combat-worthy premium jets into five categories (I've noted my preferred model within each category with a >, although that's in terms of stats; aesthetics-wise, I prefer the Devastator and Patroller to their counterparts):
- Superheavy (Leviator > Devastator)
- Heavy (Cruiser > Patroller)
- Medium (Shark > Glow)
- Light (Phaser > Blazer)
- Ultralight (Torpedo)
They're all very usable and customizable to different tastes and builds, which is a massive victory from a game design standpoint. That's why I want the Reef Glider to have a niche. Even the junk jets (affordable, and also NPCs have to have jets too) and freighter (towing) fill clear and needful niches. The Reef Glider fills no niche as an actual jet performance-wise, only as a collector's item or monetary reward.
A final note, the built-in lights of the Glow and Phaser are not to be sniffed at. They allow ranged builds that need to close distance (like my Expertise SMG build) to, for example, wear a strong metal helmet with a shaded visor instead of needing NVGs, without completely shitting on precision. ...On the other hand, I just remembered that my metal helmet also has a headlamp (new thing added since I last played), so never mind.
