Pick Brigantine if…
- ✅ Still in Foothills or just cleared Israel Hands
- ✅ Crew of 2–3 players or solo
- ✅ You want one hull that farms, hauls, and fights
- ✅ You do not want to grind steel-tier yet
Ship Comparison
Brigantine vs Frigate
The classic mid-game decision: keep upgrading your Brigantine or save resources for the Frigate? The answer depends on crew size, target biome, and how much time you want to spend farming.
Pick Frigate if…
- ✅ Heading into Cursed Marshes / High Priestess prep
- ✅ Full 4-player crew
- ✅ Main task is fleet combat / high-tier NPC pirates
- ✅ You already have a Brethren or Blackbeard Wharf
Dimension-by-dimension comparison
| Dimension | Brigantine | Frigate |
|---|---|---|
| Hull HP | Up to 90,000 (Brethren) / 50,000 (Blackbeard) | ★Higher across every variant; flagship-tier |
| Cannons | 6–8 cannons; standard calibers | ★10–12 cannons; up to 36-pounders (Blackbeard) |
| Build cost | ★Iron-tier resources; reasonable single-player effort | Steel-tier resources; needs Cursed Marshes progression |
| Crew sweet spot | ★2–3 players. Manageable solo with autopilot helmsman. | 3–4 players to actually use all guns at once. |
| Repair upkeep | ★Affordable repair kits; works long farming routes. | Repair kits eat steel parts faster. |
| Maneuverability | ★Turns and accelerates faster between islands. | Slower turn rate; struggles inside narrow channels. |
| Endgame combat | Outclassed by Cursed Marshes enemy fleets. | ★Built for fleet fights and boss approaches. |
Full ship guide
9 ships across 3 classes and 3 factions.
Brethren vs Blackbeard
Pick the right faction variant for your hull.
Naval combat guide
Cannons, boarding, repair under fire.