If you've been sailing the high seas in Skull and Bones, you know that your ship's build can make all the difference between dominating naval battles and sinking to the depths. Today, we're diving deep into one of the most versatile and powerful frigate builds currently available, covering the weapons, armor Skull and Bones Items, and furniture setups that will help you take down ships and forts alike.

This guide also includes a sneak peek at upcoming torpedoes and auxiliary gear that could change the PvP meta once released. Whether you're tackling solo fort sieges or going head-to-head against elite ships, this build and its future upgrades will give you a serious edge.

Why the Frigate?

The frigate is a heavy-hitting, tanky ship that excels at mid-to-close range combat. While it lacks the sheer agility of smaller vessels, its firepower and defensive resilience make it a formidable opponent. The goal of this build is to maximize both damage-per-second (DPS) and siege potential, turning your frigate into a fortress-crusher without sacrificing its ability to dominate ship-to-ship engagements.

Weapons Loadout

Demic Cannons and Thunder Dragon Cannon

For the broadsides and bow, the demic cannons paired with the Thunder Dragon cannon provide excellent balance. Each weapon is perked for Firepower and Tearing, which allows them to quickly chew through enemy hulls while also ripping apart sails. These cannons shine in both PvE and PvP, as their tearing ability slows enemy ships and reduces their maneuverability.

When you're focusing on forts, the Thunder Dragon cannon's raw firepower and damage-over-time effects make it a standout choice. Add perks like siege damage to maximize wall-breaking potential.

Rear Weapon-Bombard V

On the stern, this build uses a Bombard V with perks for damage, firepower, siege, and long-arm range. It's not the primary weapon for breaking walls, but it can soften targets and disrupt chasing ships, especially when they think your rear is vulnerable.

Main Siege Weapon-Roaring Meg

When it comes to fort sieges, Roaring Meg is the star of the show. This weapon is perked with firepower and double siege bonuses, making it an absolute monster for tearing down fortifications. While you could add a Priming Station to boost siege damage further, this build proves you don't need it for raw destructive power.

Armor Setup

Nova Armor with Volatile Vestment

While many captains swear by Worm's Hide for fort runs, this build opts for Nova Armor combined with the Volatile Vestment effect. Here's why:

When bracing, if enemies ram or fire at you, the Volatile Vestment triggers a 3,500 explosive damage blast within a 100-meter radius. With just a 10-second cooldown, this explosive retaliation punishes enemies who dare to close in, making your frigate a floating bomb.

This armor compensates for the frigate's slightly lower DPS by adding an extra layer of offensive capability-perfect for solo players who need both survivability and raw damage.

Furniture Setup

The furniture you choose will greatly affect your ship's handling, survivability, and overall performance. Here's the recommended loadout for this frigate build:

Iron Capstan

 Reduces incoming damage by 15%.

 Increases threat generation by 100%.

 Ideal for solo players who want enemies to focus fire on their tanky frigate.

Secret Cache I

 Improves maneuverability and turning speed, reducing the annoying "twitch" that frigates can sometimes have.

 While it doesn't eliminate the issue completely, it makes the ship much more responsive.

Brace Gun Walls

 Reduces secondary damage by 20% while anchored.

 Increases deceleration by 75% when dropping anchor.

 Perfect for the "drop anchor turn" trick, which lets you quickly pivot your frigate for optimal firing angles.

Campaign Screens

 Reduces area-of-effect (AoE) damage by 20%.

 Lowers burning charge by 10% and increases max hull health by 5%.

 A must-have against ships and forts that rely on fire damage.

Barrel Upgrade

 Increases the charge rate and duration of torn sail effects by 8%.

 Works in perfect synergy with the Thunder Dragon cannons for crippling enemy mobility.

Leather Station

 Reduces ablaze damage by 15%.

 Lowers the duration of blaze effects by 10%.

 Essential for surviving against fire-heavy weapons.

Alternative Furniture-Freeman's Embrace

If your focus shifts to pure ship-to-ship combat, consider swapping the Iron Capstan for Freeman's Embrace. This unique piece of furniture reflects status effects back onto enemy ships when you ram them, and using a repair kit immediately clears those effects from your frigate. It's a powerful countermeasure against elites or fire-spamming players.This torpedo is especially appealing for long-range engagements, allowing you to damage enemies while simultaneously repairing your ship.

Auxiliary Weapons-Spirit Beacon

The Spirit Beacon is another upcoming piece of gear that could shake up PvP. It's designed to illuminate targets, reducing their movement speed by 50% and stripping 20% of their armor for three seconds.

Imagine using this against fast, agile ships-suddenly, their speed advantage is gone, and they're vulnerable to a devastating broadside. While its full potential will likely shine during the Dark Tide Lullabies event, its implications for competitive play are enormous.

Tips for Using This Frigate Build

1.Master Anchor Turns

With the Brace Gun Walls furniture, your frigate can perform surprisingly quick turns by dropping anchor and resetting sails. Practice this maneuver to quickly realign your broadsides in tight situations.

2.Exploit Volatile Vestment

Position yourself close to enemy ships during intense firefights. When bracing, the explosive retaliation will shred anything within 100 meters.

3.Target Sails First

The Thunder Dragon cannons paired with the Barrel upgrade make it easy to tear down enemy sails. Once their mobility is gone, you can position for the kill with minimal risk.

4.Use Roaring Meg on Forts

When attacking forts, focus Roaring Meg on key walls while bombarding with your rear weapon. This setup allows you to solo most fortifications if you manage your positioning.

Why This Build Works

The combination of high firepower, siege damage, and defensive resilience makes this frigate build effective in nearly every scenario. Whether you're grinding resources, hunting elite ships, or soloing forts, it delivers the perfect mix of offense and defense.

With the upcoming Hellgate Serpent torpedo and Spirit Beacon auxiliary weapon, this build will only get stronger. The ability to heal while dealing damage-or to slow and debuff fast ships-adds even more versatility.

Final Thoughts

Skull and Bones is all about finding the right build to suit your playstyle, and this frigate setup checks all the boxes buy Skull and Bones Items. It's tanky enough to survive prolonged battles, versatile enough to handle forts, and packs enough firepower to dominate both PvE and PvP encounters.