Ships tend to have weak spots, which are objects marked with a red glow. Ideally, you should prioritize shooting these with your cannons to Skull and Bones Items deal critical damage. Doing so helps you lower the target vessel’s HP.

In some instances, a ship that has taken severe damage might be vulnerable to boarding. You can initiate boarding by closing the distance and pressing the ‘R’ key. If several harpoons hit the enemy vessel, the boarding action proves successful and you could earn extra loot.

Beware of privateers and enemy captains that have bounties.

Bounty targets and privateers tend to be tougher than the rest of the ships you’ll encounter on the high seas. Time-limited bounty targets can be selected via the Bounty Board in Sainte-Anne. If you miss your opportunity, you have to wait until the bounty becomes available again.

Privateers, meanwhile, are armed to the teeth. While ships of neutral factions are likely to Skull and bones items for sale online ignore you, privateers will become suspicious if you’re within range. They’ll then attempt to get closer before turning hostile.

Be careful when attempting to recover lost cargo.