how u spend sailing skill???

[Edward Edgemenace]

Your cannon and sailing builds, (and perhaps cutlass) really define what kind of a pirate you are.

There are so many variations on what the "best" build for a particular task is, it really isn't worth itemizing...each person will want it slightly different.

Retraining for different "things" is something you do when mastered. When you are below 30 on cannon or sailing, simply put 1 point in each (every) attack skill, or you are your own worst rep stealer.

Basic pirates (that have never been unlimited) have no retraining options...the points they get, fill all available dots. Basic pirates (formerly unlimited) can only allocate 6 points, if they retrain (omg, omg, omg, never retrain while basic!)

All these assume cannon level 30, sailing level 30...

For sailing, taskmaster must be max on every build. (By far, the most important skill.)
For cannon, barrage and shrapnel must be max on every build.
For cannon, the grenades skills "demolitions," "toughness" and "ignore pain" must be max. (Yet another reason to master grenades.)

A sailing "plunder build" for me, has zero treasure sense (because I love sailing and would rather stay out longer, delaying "18 royals" as long as possible.) This gives *me* five extra skill points to fiddle with, on more useful things.

For SvS sailing, there are "defense builds," "attack builds" and "speed builds" - all of which will vary from person to person, depending on style.

For most of my sailing builds, I have max left broadsides, max right broadsides. With the sailing changes January 2010, broadsides strength was reduced idiotically - to make the game extremely unrealistic and silly. So now, having more than 1 point in left or right is a waste - broadsides (in this game) do minimal damage, have insanely short range (real ships only had range FROM broadsides, duh) and have incredibly, absurdly poor accuracy. The physical impossibility of strong shots from deck "swivel cannons" contrasted with the mouse's insistence that firepower ONLY come from them, is a constant reminder that the current developers, care not at all. OK, off my soapbox...

For SvS cannon, common variations are "reverting to basic builds," "thunderbolt and fury only builds," "max explosive builds," "max grape shot builds," "max firebrand builds" etc.

For treasure fleet cannon builds, chain shot, thunderbolt and round shot are usually max. (Fury runs out way too fast.)

For boss battles, fury is usually maxed out.

For some people, having max round shot is ideal, so that they only have to learn to aim one type - and learn it very well. (I can hit most targets, just inside the second compass zoom, with round shot.)

For some people, having max thunderbolt is essential - learning to aim 1 ammo type only, but learning it very well, is a Good Idea. (I can hit any visible NPC ship with thunderbolt. E.g. a navy ferret inside the edge of compass on 4th compass zoom. But I rarely put more than 1 point on thunderbolt.)

For ALL skills on all weapons in POTCO, the rounding errors between rank 4 and rank 5 make the difference between the two enormous. Never leave any skill at rank 4. Evar.

If you have the master gunner's cannon ram, you will want max shoot, max round shot and max rapid reload.

If you have the iron priming cannon ram, you will want max rapid reload, max explosive and max thunderbolt. (Remember that "shoot" only speeds up round shot, chain shot, firebrand and fury - no effect on explosive nor thunderbolt.)

Final note on retraining: retrain often. Game physics changes happen all-too-frequently. Adapt, or die.