The Magnate-class frigate is one of the most decoratively designed ship classes in the Amarr Empire, considered to be a pet project for a small, elite group of royal ship engineers for over a decade. The frigate's design has gone through several stages over the past decade, and new models of the Magnate appear every few years.

Originally conceived as a VIP transport for Imperial heads of state, senior officials, and religious figures, the Magnate was designed as a ceremonial vessel for official state use, with production restricted to limited numbers for this purpose alone. But with time, the blueprint of this vessel was eventually re-engineered into a standard frigate-class vessel, which has developed a strong reputation as a particularly effective scouting and scanning platform.

While exploration-focused Tech I frigates as a whole provide bonuses to Scan Probe strength, Relic and Data Analyzer potency, and Salvager duration, the Magnate claims the best defenses in the group, as well as a rack of four low slots – in addition to having the largest cargohold of any frigate. This ship makes an ideal level 1 and 2 Distribution Mission runner, alongside being very potent for probing cosmic signatures and collecting materials from Data and Relic sites.