Elite Dangerous: How to Get Guardian Weapon Blueprints (2023)

Ship combat spells the difference between life and death for players of Elite Dangerous. One wrong weapon type equipped can put players at a severe disadvantage, especially in interstellar combat against various fortified ships or extremely fast spacecraft. Thankfully, players can secure a much-needed edge in Elite Dangerous via the Guardian Weapons, remnants of the ancient Guardian race, and the weapons they used when they were still a space-faring species.

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While Guardian Weapons have similar stats as some of the higher-end armaments for ships, their regal quality and difficulty in acquisition can make them much-coveted inclusions to one’s collection. However, just how can Elite Dangerous players acquire Guardian Weapon Blueprints to have these relics recreated?

Why Get Guardian Weapon Blueprints

Given the unique crafting system in Elite Dangerous gameplay, players who want access to more potent weapons should take advantage of Guardian Weapon options. These are equipment derived from technology from the Guardians, an ancient race driven to extinction by the Constructs, their robotic creations. However, like other more powerful items, Guardian Weapons aren’t immediately accessible to players. Instead, they may have to craft the items manually.

In that regard, players interested in Guardian Weapons should remember to acquire the Guardian Weapon Blueprint of their choosing. These are unlocked via the Technology Broker, provided they have enough Guardian Weapon Blueprint Fragments.

Guardian Weapon Unlocks

When players manage to gather enough Blueprint Fragments, they should be able to acquire the Blueprints of specific Guardian Weapons as well as modules for their Elite Dangerous ships. Moreover, players able to unlock all the Guardian Weapons via their material components will be able to purchase them from any Technology Broker.

In that regard, players may want to pay attention to specific Guardian Weapons that suit their fancy. Players can acquire three types of Guardian Weapons, each with separate Fixed and Turreted Classes. Here are those weapons:

• Guardian Gauss Cannon: Compared to the typical Railgun, a Guardian Gauss Cannon creates more heat and uses more power in exchange for more efficient armor penetration at longer ranges.
• Guardian Plasma Cannon: Despite its similarity in form with the Plasma Accelerator but with less damage, the Plasma Cannon does offer benefits such as more ammo, less head, and higher projectile speed.
• Guardian Shard Cannon: Similar to the Fragment Cannon, the Shard Cannon can dish out tremendous damage at close range. However, its erratic nature could be more efficient and practical to use at long distances.

Guardian Weapon Blueprint Fragments

(Video) Collecting Guardian Weapon Blueprints // Elite Dangerous Guardians

Before players get their favored Guardian Weapons, they must obtain Guardian Weapon Blueprints in their Elite Dangerous gameplay. However, players can only get them through special Guardian Weapon Blueprint Fragments, which are only collectible in Ancient Data Terminal Sites.

These Blueprint Fragments are traded with the Technology Broker to get complete Blueprints, which players then use to acquire recipes of the specific components. These materials are often acquired at around the same place but need meticulous planning on the parts of players.

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The Hunt For Guardian Weapons: Ancient Data Terminal Sites

Players hunting for Guardian Weapon Blueprint Fragments throughout their Elite Dangerous playthrough may take solace because they're located within Ancient Data Terminal Sites. These places, in turn, are often located deep within Guardian Structures. Compared to derelict Ancient Ruins, the Guardian Structures are abandoned but largely intact infrastructure left behind by the Guardians during the height of their civilization.

Despite the lack of sentient life in Elite Dangerous systems, the Guardian Structures are home to Ancient Data Terminal Sites, as well as Guardian Sentinels that protect them.

Take Note Of Planets

Compared to other materials for items, Guardian-based items are almost always found in Ancient Data Terminal Sites and within Guardian Structures. The game houses them on specific planets in faraway systems, which means players need to take note of which planets contain items they need for their journey. Each planet also has a different format for its Guardian Structures, which means players ideally need to memorize the layouts given to them. Here are some of these planets:

• NGC 2451A Sector IR-W D1-77 AB (Planet 1A)
• Synuefe FK-P C22-2 (Planet E1)
• Synuefe BH-J D10-68 (Planet C1)
• Synuefe EU-Q c21-10 (Planet A3)
• Synuefe ZL-J D10-109 (Planet E3)
• Synuefe CE-R C21-6 (Planet C1)
• Synuefe SP-F B44-0 (Planet C1)
• Vela Dark Region EG-X B1-1 (Planet A1)
• Vela Dark Region DL-Y D91 (Planet 5A)
• Vela Dark Region JS-T B3-0 (Planet A3)
• Vela Dark Region EL-Y D55 (Planet 1)
• Vela Dark Region ZE-A D66 (Planet 6B)
• COL 173 Sector HR-M B23-3 (Planet B7)
• COL 173 Sector OD-J B25-2 (Planet B1)
• COL 173 Sector LT-Q D5-82 (Planet A3)
• COL 173 Sector ZL-L B24-2 (Planet B1)
• COL 173 Sector CC-K B25-8 (Planet A5)
• COL 173 Sector ME-P D6-92 (Planet B5)
• COL 173 Sector RU-O D6-16 (Planet A2A)
• COL 173 Sector KY-Q D5-26 (Planet 6A)
• COL 173 Sector HN-I B26-5 (Planet A1)
• COL 173 Sector ZS-F C12-27 (Planet B3)
• COL 173 Sector PZ-O D6-110 (Planet 5A)

Creating Guardian Weapons: Crafting Items

As with other useful weapons in their Elite Dangerous ships, players need to locate the right parts needed to create their ideal Guardian Weapons. However, these Guardian-based Blueprints only work with exclusive Guardian-themed items.

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Manufactured Material

Another item needed to create Guardian Weapons to spice up Elite Dangerous playthroughs is Manufactured Materials. Similar to the items needed in the Engineering portion of Elite Dangerous, Manufactured Materials are easy to craft, provided players know where to look. Specific to Guardian Structures are these Manufactured Materials and the method by which players can get them:

• Guardian Power Conduit: Located inside Guardian Structure sites, be it for destroying Sentinels or destructible objects in the environment.
• Guardian Wreckage Components: Obtained after destroying Guardian Sentinels.
• Guardian Sentinel Weapon Parts: Players obtain this after destroying Sentinels.
• Guardian Power Cell: These are acquired from Guardian Structures, typically from Destructible Panels.
• Guardian Technology Component: This is obtained from Destructible Panels in Guardian Structures.

Commodities

Players may also need Commodities to craft certain Guardian Weapons for their Elite Dangerous PVE ship, which are relatively easy to get. Gamers simply need to head to any station and access their Station Market, and Commodities should be available for purchase in any market with a Commodities Market. Afterward, players simply need to check which specific Commodity they need depending on the item specified in the recipe.

Guardian Weapon Module Farming Route

Should players choose to get Guardian Weapons in Elite Dangerous, they must create a farming process that can be applied regardless of the planet they want. This will have them participate in a mini-game of sorts where they can gather materials. Ideally, players pursue farming for items in Synuefe NL-N C23-4 (Planet B3), where most planets require specific routes for successful farming tours.

The Farming Equipment

Before players get to farm any Guardian Structure, they need to ensure they're properly equipped with particular items that give them a decent farming experience in their Elite Dangerous gameplay. Here are items players need that can cater to specific instances:

• Diamondback Explorer: While not necessarily a must-have, players should get ships like the Diamondback that have a high-enough jump range to allow gamers to get to areas more efficiently.
• SRV x2: Ideally, players get two (2) SRVs, one for surveillance and one for combat.
• Point Defence Systems: Given the attack patterns of Guardian Sentinels, players should get point defence systems in their Utility Slots.
• SRV Synthesis Materials: Certain routes in Guardian Structures need synthesis materials, and it's recommended for players to get 6x Iron, 6x Nickel, 8x Phosphorus, and 14x Sulfur.

The Farming Process

With the materials and equipment, players can now go to their farming run. Each farming process should more or less last for 30 minutes, depending on how fast players approach the planet's Guardian Structure. While each planet has a different layout for Guardian Structures, they can work with this route:

• Beginning: In this phase, players are advised to tour the area to have a general idea of the layout of the Guardian Structure. Once ready, they should get to an Unraised Pylon and step on the "X," triggering the Pylon and releasing Guardian Sentinels. Killing them will release items, and the Pylon will wait for activation. Should players shoot the Pylon, a light beam will appear and trigger a Timer.
• Scan Pylons In The Area: Once players locate a Pylon, they should scan them with their SRV's Data Scanner. This releases Pattern Data that they may use to create other Guardian Modules.
• Charge Pylons In The Location: Aside from scanning, players should charge Pylons whenever they're available. This will release some Guardian Sentinels on the defense, which players can destroy and acquire more drops.
• Acquire The Ancient Relic: Once players activate and charge all the Pylons, one of the rising towers will contain the Ancient Relic. Acquiring this stops the timer.
• Trigger The Mechanism: Getting the Ancient Relic will help players trigger the mechanism near one of the first Pylons they've triggered. This should release a blue globe they can scan with their SRV's Data Scanner.
• Get The Destructible Panels: After triggering the mechanism, towers around the site become blue. Players should shoot these and acquire their drops.
• Repeat The Process: Players can repeat this farming run by traveling a few hundred meters away from the area and then logging out. Once they log in, the Guardian Structure should be available for another farming round.

Elite Dangerous is available for the PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4

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