Skull and Bones: Mastering Ships, Combat, and Progression Guide

Skull and Bones offers a rich pirate experience where mastering your fleet is key to conquering the seas. With multiple ship classes, perks, and crafting requirements, understanding the best strategies for each vessel can give you an edge in both PvE and PvP.

Choosing the Right Ship for Your Playstyle

In Skull and Bones, each ship falls into one of three categories: DPS (damage-focused), Tank (defense-focused), or Support (healing and utility). Each class has specific strengths, and combining ship roles with your crew's abilities can drastically improve your success.

Starting Ship: The Dhow

Ship Class: Dhow

Purpose: Resource Gathering & Hunting

How to Obtain: Starting ship (tutorial reward)

While the Dhow lacks weapons or armor slots, it excels at navigating tight waterways and is the only ship capable of spear-fishing for rare sea creature skins. Keeping a Dhow in your fleet is essential for accessing key crafting materials.

Early Game Ships

Rammer (DPS)

Perk: 25% bonus ramming damage + 50% reduced Torn Sails effect.

Best Use: Aggressive playstyle, effective for boarding and swift combat.

Blueprint Cost: 660 Skull and Bones Silver

Crafting Materials: Jute x20, Acacia x10, Bog Iron x8, Silver x360

Defender (Tank)

Perk: Reduces Brace Strength depletion by 20%.

Best Use: Frontline protection in large battles.

Blueprint Cost: Purchased from the Fara Warrior (requires Rover 1 Infamy rank).

Crafting Materials: Fine Jute x12, Bronze Ingot x6, Iroko Plank x6, Silver x1,080

Sentinel (Support)

Perk: Regenerates 0.5% Hull Health per second in and out of combat.

Best Use: Excellent for sustaining yourself and allies.

Blueprint Cost: 1,080 Silver (Lanitra outpost).

Crafting Materials: Bronze Ingot x6, Iroko Plank x6, Fine Jute x12

Mid-Game Ships

Firebrand (DPS)

Perk: Spreads Ablaze effect to nearby ships and boosts fire damage by 20%.

Best Use: Fire-focused loadouts with incendiary weapons.

Blueprint Cost: 4,950 Silver (Kaa Mangrove outpost).

Crafting Materials: Fine Hemp x8, Mopane Plank x8, Cobalt Ingot x4, Fine Linen x4, Silver x2,700

Blaster (DPS)

Perk: 50% chance for explosives to deal 1,500 damage to a nearby enemy.

Best Use: Outpost raids and structure destruction.

Blueprint Cost: 4,950 Silver (Sunken Goldmine).

Crafting Materials: Cobalt Ingot x8, Fine Hemp x8, Casting Sand x4, Lime x4, Silver x2,700

Advanced Ships for Late-Game Mastery

Bombardier (DPS)

Perk: 75% chance for explosive hits to deal 1,000 bonus damage to nearby enemies.

Best Use: Heavy DPS in large battles and sieges.

Blueprint Cost: 5,280 Silver (Telok Penjarah).

Crafting Materials: Ironwood Plank x18, Steel Ingot x15, Fine Ramie x15, Shellac x4, Crude Saltpeter x4, Silver x2,880

Vanguard (Tank)

Perk: Restores 4% Brace Strength per second while bracing and boosts Brace recovery by 150%.

Best Use: Exceptional defensive ship ideal for long engagements.

Blueprint Cost: 10,560 Silver (Khmoy Estate).

Crafting Materials: Juniper Plank x12, Zinc Ingot x12, Fine Abaka x12, Silver x5,760

Hullbreaker (DPS)

Perk: Ramming deals 45% bonus damage and reduces enemy movement speed.

Best Use: Excellent for ramming-focused strategies in PvP.

Blueprint Cost: 15,840 Silver (Ruined Lighthouse).

Crafting Materials: Roselle Cloth x14, Greenheart x13, Magnetite Ingot x12, Silver x8,640

Pyromaniac (DPS)

Perk: Deals 5,000 bonus burning damage to Ablaze enemies and increases Ablaze damage by 50%.

Best Use: Fire-based tactics in PvE and PvP.

Blueprint Cost: 5,000 Pieces of Eight (Black Market in Telok Penjarah or Sainte-Anne).

Crafting Materials: Greenheart Plank x15, Magnetite Plank x15, Roselle Cloth x12, Silver x12,000

Ship Customization and Strategy

Success in Skull and Bones comes from effectively modifying your ship. Key upgrades include:

Weapons: Match ship perks to weapon types (e.g., Firebrand with fire-based weapons).

Furniture: Choose defensive boosts for Tanks or DPS improvements for aggressive builds.

Armor: Prioritize armor that aligns with your ship's primary role.

For example, combining the Sentinel's passive healing with defensive armor makes you a valuable team anchor in group battles. Meanwhile, the Firebrand excels with fire-enhanced gear like Sea Fire Cannons.

Best Ships for PvE and PvP

PvE Farming: The Bombardier shines in PvE due to its massive damage potential and loot capacity.

PvP Dominance: The Pyromaniac and Hullbreaker dominate PvP through aggressive strategies.

Support Roles: The Sentinel provides consistent healing for long raids and group battles.

Tips for Progression and Efficiency

Focus on Infamy Ranks: Advancing your Infamy rank unlocks better ship blueprints and gear.

Diversify Resources: Efficiently gathering materials like Fine Jute, Mopane Plank, and Cobalt Ingot will keep you ready to build and upgrade new ships.

Master Ramming: Ships like the Rammer and Hullbreaker excel when positioned correctly for direct hits.

Final Thoughts

Mastering Skull and Bones requires strategic ship choices, resource management, and understanding each ship's strengths. Whether you prefer the aggressive power of DPS ships or the resilience of Tanks, balancing your fleet for combat, exploration, and plundering will keep you afloat in Ubisoft's pirate-filled world.

If you're looking to enhance your Skull and Bones experience with better ships, gear, and resources, acquiring items and Skull and Bones Silver efficiently is crucial. Platforms like MMOexp are known to provide secure and affordable services for in-game currencies and Skull and Bones items.