Eve Online PLEX (or Pilot License EXtension) is an item you can purchase with real money which gives you several benefits which are listed in this Eve Online PLEX guide. To use PLEX you need to access the PLEX vault. To access the Eve Online PLEX vault you can either go through your ship or station cargo or use the Neocon buy selecting [inventory–> PLEX vault].
As you can see from the image above, you can sell PLEX for ISK, add omega game time, buy extra skill queues or shop in the New Eden Store for cosmetic items and skill extractors.
Exchanging Eve Online PLEX for ISK.
To combat RMT, CCP decided to allow players to buy PLEX with real cash and sell it back on the in-game market for ISK. This also means that you and any other player can buy them by using the in-game currency ISK. Generally, this has been regarded as a good move as it has reduced the RMT problems in the game while not introducing a pay-to-win item into the game.
After you have bought your PLEX (you can see at the bottom a couple of ways) you can register it to the marketplace and sell it like any other item. The conversion rate of USD to ISK fluctuates depending on supply and demand, where PLEX prices tend to be an indicator of in-game inflation. But don’t worry about it devaluing in a day, these fluctuations are between days or even weeks. Alternatively, you can use it for the following benefits.
Using Eve Online PLEX to Buy Omega Game Time.
Players can use their PLEX, regardless of it being bought with real cash or ISK to upgrade their account to Omega status. As you should know by now, Omega status gives you double training speed, opens up access to all the skills and just gives you the full game experience. This means that players which are able to earn ISK at a high rate are able to keep their Omega status clones by purchasing PLEX with ISK.
Note that if you only want to get Omega game time on your characters you don’t need to buy PLEX to do so. You can also buy Omega game time directly from your account page for somewhat less.
Gaining Multiple Character Training.
You can use your PLEX to buy extra skill queues which allows you to train two or three characters on the same account at the same time. Note that you cannot use this feature to train the same character two or three times faster. Keeping that in mind it might be more useful just to have a second account paid with PLEX since the difference is so small. There is also no limit of accounts you can hold so technically you could fund a fleet of 10 characters with Omega status from ISK you have earned. In fact, many null-sec miners do just this.
Buying Skill Extractors.
Another use for PLEX is to buy skill extractors. These items allow you to extract skill points from your character and sell them on the in-game market. You can also just sell the extractors directly on the market. Now, if you are new to Eve Online you might find it odd that players are selling their skill points. However, at a certain point, the need to train becomes nearly redundant as it only allows you more flexibility instead of increasing your abilities. Thus, some players that are happy with their characters choose to sell their skill points to either fund their in-game activities or to buy PLEX for game time. This is also great for new players as it gives them a chance to buy skill points with ISK to catch up to the old veterans skill point wise.
Purchasing Cosmetic Items.
Finally, you can use your PLEX to buy a wide range of cosmetic items, from ship skins to re-sculpting your avatars. While being entertaining to a degree, this is probably the least used aspect of PLEX. But if you are rolling in ISK then why not splurge on a shiny sleek looking ship or a new haircut, or even a monocle.
How to Buy Eve Online PLEX Outside the Game.
The best way is to buy it from the EVE Online store. You can access the store from in-game or on the Eve Online webpage. This is also the most secure way.
However, if you prefer to buy PLEX from Amazon (with a gift card for example) you can following this link. Note that I am an Amazon Affiliate and will receive a small commission from the sale.
So that’s it for now. If you found this Eve Online PLEX guide useful, then be sure to share it with your friends and allies and feel free to check out my other Eve Online guides.