Molting Season

Expedition chainHigh Security Low Security Null Security Rogue Drones

An expedition — a multi-part escalation chain (typically four sites) obtained by chance (~5%) from an unrated complex, tracked in The Agency. Each completed part has roughly a 50% chance to continue, usually toward lower-security space than where it began.

Quick answers Access NPC roster Payout Go deeper Escalations Sources

Quick answers

Where is the Molting Season in EVE Online?

The Molting Season spawns in high-sec, low-sec and null-sec. How you find it: escalation only — cannot be scanned down.

What spawns in the Molting Season?

The Molting Season has 23 waves and about 165 NPCs: 23 battleships, 11 battlecruisers, 64 cruisers, 10 destroyers and 57 frigates. Killing the trigger ship spawns the next wave; the triggers are Sentient Domination Alvus and Sentient Alvus Creator.

Does the Molting Season escalate?

The Molting Season is itself an escalation from Radiance.

What does the Molting Season drop?

Faction/commander drops scale with the chain's depth; the fourth site carries the headline table.

Access C Single-source / unverified

Ship restrictions: Not recorded

NPC roster C Single-source / unverified

Community-maintained wave list from the site's own wiki page — counts and triggers vary between spawns; treat as the shape, not gospel.

First location — Initial defenders 4 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
4	Strain Raider/Splinter Alvi	F
4	Disintegrator/... Alvum	C
7-8	Strain Annihilator/... Alvum	C
1	Sentient Domination Alvus Drone components and possibly a Sentient Sensor Booster. TRIGGER	BS

First location — First wave 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
3	Strain Raider/Sunder Alvi	F
3	Violator/... Alvum	C

First location — Second wave 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
4	Strain Devastator/... Alvum	C
3	Alvus Controller/...	BS

First location — Third wave 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
2	Strain Sunder Alvi	F
2	Matriarch Alvus/Alvus Queen	BS

Second location — Initial defenders 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
3	Strain Sunder Alvi	F
3	Strain Devastator/... Alvum	C

Second location — First wave 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
4	Defeater Alvatis	C
4	Strain Nuker/... Alvum	C

Second location — Second wave 3 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
2	Strain Splinter/... Alvi	F
2	Alvus Queen/Matriarch Alvus	BS
1	Sentient Alvus Creator Drone components. TRIGGER	BS

Second location — Third wave 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
2	Dismantler Alvior	F
2	Strain Sunder/... Alvi	F

Second location — Fourth wave 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
3	Strain Atomizer/... Alvum	C
4	Striker/... Alvatis	BC

Third location — Initial defenders 3 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
4	Strain Sunder&/... Alvi	F
3	Strain Atomizer/... Alvum	C
3	Enforcer Alvatis	BC

Third location — First wave 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
4	Shatter/... Alvior	F
3	Strain Sunder Alvi	F

Third location — Second wave 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
2	Strain Annihilator/Viral Infector Alvum	C
1	Alvus Controller/Swarm Preserver Alvus	BS

Third location — Third wave 3 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
3	Strain Splinte/... Alvi	F
2	Marauder Alvior	D
2	Strain Annihilator/Viral Infector Alvum	C

Third location — Fourth wave 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
3	Strain Devilfish/... Alvi	F
4	Strain Nuker/... Alvum	C

Third location — Fifth wave 5 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
3	Strain Splinter/... Alvi	F
2	Marauder Alvior	D
4	Strain Bomber/... Alvum	C
4	Alvus Ruler/Supreme Alvus Parasite	BS
1	Sentient Alvus Creator Drops drone components. TRIGGER	BS

Fourth location — Initial defenders 3 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
10	Strain Nuker/... Alvum	C
1	Crippler Alvatis	BC
3	Alvus Ruler/Supreme Alvus Parasite	BS

Fourth location — First wave 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
3	Marauder Alvior	D
3	Strain Sunder/... Alvi	F

Fourth location — Second wave 1 ship

Qty	NPC	Hull
1	Radiant Hive Mother T2 salvage	BS

Fourth location — Third wave 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
4	Strain Barracuda/... Alvi	F
4	Alvus Creator/Patriarch Alvus	BS

Fourth location — Fourth wave 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
3	Dismantler/Predator Alvior	D
4	Viral Infector Alvum	C

Fourth location — Fifth wave 1 ship

Qty	NPC	Hull
4	Strain Devilfish Alvi	F

Fourth location — Sixth wave 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
4	Strain Raider/... Alvi	F
3	Strain Bomber Alvum	C

Fourth location — Seventh wave 2 ships

Qty	NPC	Hull
4	Strain Devilfish/... Alvi	F
3	Siege/... Alvatis	BC

Payout C Single-source / unverified

Faction/commander drops scale with the chain's depth; the fourth site carries the headline table.

Go deeper

Hunting the Drudge Factory (Expedition chain) Loose Ends (Expedition chain) Mare Sargassum (Expedition chain)

Escalations

Escalates from: Radiance

Sources

EVE University wiki: Combat site C Single-source / unverified retrieved 2026-08-19
EVE University wiki: Molting Season C Single-source / unverified retrieved 2026-08-26

Last reviewed 2026-08-19 · game version: Cradle of War (Jun 2026). Spot an error? Corrections land fastest via the channel.