Skull and Bones: Mastering the Schooner DPS Build
Why the Schooner?
The Schooner is one of the most versatile and aggressive ships in Skull and Bones, but it's especially deadly when optimized for DPS. This ship is designed to hit hard and fast, making it ideal for players who want to focus on dealing maximum damage to enemy structures and ships. The Schooner's unique abilities make it an exciting choice for offensive play, though it can be a little squishy if not managed properly.
Two of the most important perks for this build are Fury and Volatile:
Fury: Fury boosts your offensive capabilities by increasing damage to structures by 50% and weak-point damage by 30% for 10 seconds. On top of that, weapon hits have a 20% chance to trigger Fury on your ship for 15 seconds, increasing broadside weapon damage by 20% while active. Even more impressive, broadside hits can trigger a 700-damage explosion every three seconds within a 100-meter blast radius. This makes your attacks devastating in both ship-to-ship combat and siege scenarios.
Volatile: This perk enhances all broadside weapons, adding 20% explosive damage and reducing reload times for explosive weapons by 10%. Combined with Fury, it makes your Schooner a high-speed, high-damage powerhouse on the water.
These perks alone are enough to make the Schooner a top contender for DPS builds, but the right weapons and equipment amplify its lethality even further.
Weapons Setup
The heart of any DPS build is its weaponry, and for this Schooner setup, the primary focus is on the Divine Wind cannons. These were event-purchasable weapons, and if you stocked up, you're in for a treat. The Divine Wind does 3,221 base damage and comes with the Aftershock ability, summoning a lightning strike at the target location after two seconds, dealing 2,000 electric damage.
Here's how the weapons are configured:
Port Side: 3,780 damage - Rupturing, Siege, and Siege
Starboard Side: 3,681 damage - Rupturing, Siege, and Siege
Stern: 3,300 damage - Rupturing, Siege, and Amplified Electric
Auxiliary: Eye of the Heaven - 19,934 damage with Noxious Amplified Explosive and Siege
The auxiliary weapon is particularly fun to use because it allows you to hit enemies up close and unleash massive damage. While some choices, like Noxious Amplified Explosive, aren't ideal for this build, they can be substituted if you want maximum optimization.
This weapon loadout ensures that your broadside, port, and starboard attacks deal explosive, electric, and high-structural damage, making the Schooner deadly against forts, plunders, and enemy ships alike.
Armor Setup
The armor choice for this build is the Nocturn Heart, which brings a blend of survivability and damage mitigation to balance out the Schooner's squishiness:
Armored Maintenance: Restores 175 health per second
Fortitude: Increases brace strength by 13.6%
Total Armor Bonus: +105 armor
These bonuses allow you to take a hit while still maintaining offensive pressure. Pairing this armor with high-maintenance furniture means your ship can stay in combat longer, allowing your DPS output to remain consistent without having to retreat for repairs constantly.
Furniture Bonuses
Furniture in Skull and Bones isn't just for show-it can make or break a build. Here's a breakdown of the key furniture used in this Schooner DPS build:
Worm's Breath Turner: Reduces enemy weapon reload time by 20% when using Shell Shock, increases secondary damage of explosive weapons by 20%, and boosts overall weapon damage of explosive weapons by 5%.
Ammo Priming Bench: Increases damage to structures by 20% for siege weapons and boosts repair weapons' healing by 18% when firing from over 160 meters. Siege weapons also get +4% overall weapon damage.
Bombard Works One: Increases secondary damage of bombard weapons by 19%.
Kix Ball Station: Improves flooding weapon damage from 200 meters by 13% for 10 seconds, and every 1% bonus to projectile speed increases flooding damage by 1%. Damage to enemies affected by flooding is increased by 10%.
Ramad Workshop: Reduces broadside reload time by 7% and boosts secondary damage by 7%.
Laten Ball Array: Every 5 meters of area-of-effect radius increases weapon damage to electric damage by 2%, reduces reload time of electric weapons by 6%, and increases damage against enemies with Storm Shock status effect by 8%.Together, these furniture bonuses optimize the Schooner's offensive capabilities across explosive, flooding, and electric damage types while improving reload times, secondary effects, and overall weapon efficiency.
Auxiliary Equipment
For this build, the Electric Figurehead is the accessory of choice. It visually and mechanically enhances your lightning attacks, adding flair while boosting electric damage. Using this figurehead with the Divine Wind cannons and other electric-boosting furniture turns your Schooner into a storm of electricity, able to decimate enemies with both burst and sustained damage.
Combat Performance
When you bring this build into combat, the results are impressive. Even on squishy encounters, the combination of Nocturn Heart armor and repair-focused furniture keeps the Schooner in the fight. Lightning strikes, explosive projectiles, and continuous broadside attacks make short work of forts, plunders, and enemy ships.
In practical testing, this setup delivers:
Regular broadside hits: ~4,600 damage
Lightning strikes (Aftershock): Additional 2,000 damage
Weak-point hits: Significantly amplified damage, taking full advantage of Fury
Additionally, the auxiliary cannons and port/starboard combinations allow you to hit enemies at multiple ranges, ensuring no target escapes unscathed. The build is particularly effective for plunders, with double siege setups making it viable to take on heavily fortified positions.
One of the most satisfying aspects of this build is watching the lightning strike visually and mechanically. It's not just cosmetic-these attacks are designed to maximize your DPS while creating an intimidating presence on the seas.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:
High DPS output with explosive and electric damage
Excellent damage to structures and weak points
Auxiliary and broadside synergy for continuous offense
Furniture bonuses enhance reload, secondary damage, and status effects
Repair-focused armor mitigates the Schooner's inherent squishiness
Weaknesses:
Can be vulnerable to heavy counterattacks if caught off guard
Requires careful positioning to maximize broadside and auxiliary damage
Dependent on furniture and auxiliary equipment for optimal performance
Tactical Tips
1.Positioning is Key: Always ensure that your broadside is facing the enemy to maximize DPS. Use the auxiliary cannon for close-range strikes and to cover blind spots.
2.Target Weak Points: With Fury active, hitting weak points boosts damage significantly. Look for openings in enemy ships and forts.
3.Keep Moving: The Schooner is squishy; avoid standing still during battles. Use your speed and maneuverability to kite enemies while maintaining DPS.
4.Exploit Status Effects: Weapons like Divine Wind and furniture like Laten Ball Array make status effects like Storm Shock and Flooded incredibly effective. Combine these for maximum damage over time.
5.Maintenance and Repair: Don't ignore your armor's repair potential. Continuous engagement is possible, but only if you manage your health and brace effectively.
Visual and Gameplay Experience
Aside from mechanical effectiveness, the Schooner build is visually striking. Lightning strikes, explosive volleys, and flooding effects combine to create a cinematic experience on the water.
Whether you're showing off your build in PvE encounters, plunder events, or PvP skirmishes, the combination of effects ensures every battle is both effective and spectacular.
Final Thoughts
This Schooner DPS build demonstrates the power of careful planning, the synergy of weapons, armor, and furniture, and the importance of auxiliary equipment. While it may be squishy compared to more defensive ships, its sheer damage output makes it an ideal choice for aggressive players who want to dominate the seas in Skull and Bones.
Whether you're smashing forts, plundering enemy vessels, or just enjoying the thrill of high-damage combat, this build offers a perfect balance of power, visual flair, and tactical flexibility.
Remember, positioning, weak-point targeting, and status effect management are key to maximizing this build's potential.
For those who love the aesthetics as much as the mechanics, the electric lightning strikes provide both satisfaction and intimidation, making every engagement memorable. Pairing this with the right auxiliary weapons and furniture ensures that the Schooner isn't just a ship-it's a lightning-wielding force of nature on the high seas.
If you want to replicate this build, stock up on Divine Wind cannons, Nocturn Heart armor, Skull and Bones Silver and the recommended furniture. Experiment with auxiliary equipment to suit your playstyle, and keep practicing weak-point targeting and positioning to truly dominate in combat. With this setup, you'll be turning heads and devastating enemies across the map in no time.