Skull and Boneshas a ton of systems for progression. Your pirate has an infamy rank, your ships get stronger through better weapons and armor, your tools unlock new things for you to farm. No matter what you’re doing, you’ll always have something to work towards.
There are a lot of routes you can follow to get a stronger ship and tackle tougher challenges in the open sea, but there are definitely some that are more ideal than others. Here are the first upgrades you should get if you’re still early on in your pirate career under the lead of Captain Scurlock.
This list is in chronological order, as in, the number one entry is the one you’ll get access to later in the game. This might change slightly depending on blueprints that you might acquire as drops, but it will mostly line-up with your own experience in Skull and Bones.
8 Fine Jute
350 Silver
The Rope Locker is a Major Furniture inSkull and Bones. It is the first you’ll get access to, and it is one that you’ll likely want to be using for a long time. The initial stages of the game, especially, are focused on exploration and very long travel. A ship upgrade that is entirely focused on making your travel quicker and more efficient is a must-have.
Major Furniture is, unfortunately, a unique upgrade to your ship. You’ll most likely have to swap this for something better for your specific build when you get into the later stages of the game, but the Rope Locker will remain a useful upgrade for the large majority of your early playthrough.
4 Acacia Plank
80 Silver
The first level of the Iron Husk armor is a crucial upgrade for any aspiring Captain. Armor, as you might expect, is what will keep you alive for longer in Skull and Bones. If you get blindsided or sandwiched between two ships, not having good protection will end with you at the bottom of the ocean. Equip this as soon as you get access to it.
Having better armor will let you tackle tougher challenges, and it will save youa lot of resourceswhen it comes to repair kits. With Iron Husk 1, your ship won’t fall apart as soon as you cross a Skirmisher or a mid-level Rogue ship.
520 Silver
Requires Infamy Level Freebooter 1
The Sterile Galley is a Minor Navigation Furniture that is another must-have for the early game, especially when paired with the aforementioned Rope Locker. Getting this gives you seven percent bonus stamina, which will allow you to sail at max speed for longer. When combined with other furniture focused on stamina regeneration, it becomes even more useful.
Unlike the Rope Locker, though, Sterile Galley is a Minor Furniture, so you’re able to have a few of these, especially on the bigger ships that you can get your hands on in the later stages of Skull and Bones. Don’t go all-in on damage-focused furniture. Speed is crucial for effective combat in this game.
280 Silver
Requires Infamy Level Rover 1
You should obviously play with whatever weapons you prefer using in your ships. They’re all viable in at least all PVE content, and you can build a ship around most of them. With that being said, you should go get whatever damage furniture buffs your weapon of choice.
In our case, we went with Long Gun Works 1 for our sniper cannon build, making the gun deal even more damage than it already does. Since they’re minor furniture, you can also have multiple buffs for different weapons at once, as long as you have a big enough ship.
460 Silver
Requires Infamy Level Cutthroat 1
As you progress more into the game, you’ll be unlocking a lot of new guns and toys to play with. Don’t let that distract you from being consistent in upgrading your armor, though! You can have a level five ship through massively powerful weapons, but if you drop as soon as you’re hit by a torpedo, that isn’t of much use.
La Forteresse is an excellent option for a defensive upgrade, and will save your life on multiple occasions in the later stages of the game. If you’re feeling courageous enough to tackle something like the Sea Monster, you’ll need armor at least as good as this one.
140 Silver
Requires Infamy Level Scoundrel 1
Although defensive upgrades and armor are very important, nothing will give you more of a boost in Skull and Bones than having good offensive tools. You’ll want to upgrade from the default Culverins as early as you can, and you’ll quickly gain access to both Long Guns, Demi-Cannons and Bombards.
For the early game, we recommend either of the first, depending on whether you want a sniper or a shotgun. As you get a bigger ship and more furniture options under your belt, you may specialize or diversify your weaponry as you please.
2700 Silver
Requires Infamy Level Buccaneer 1
A few hours into Skull and Bones, you’ll finally get a chance to get a brand-new ship, after the initial Dhow and the following Bedar. You’ll quickly get access to the Cutter, but that isn’t of much use when you’re playing solo. The Firebrand Barge, though, is one hell of an upgrade.
You’ll get a gun slot on the back of your ship and a potential to increase your DPS by a lot, making you a true menace to the high seas. The synergy it has with the Ablaze effect makes it a perfect fit for any fire-focused build, especially one around Bombards.
