Skull and Bones:Top Schooner Builds for PvE Domination

With the release of Skull and Bones Year 2, Season 1, a series of buffs and balance updates have reshaped the landscape of ship builds-especially for the fast and deadly Schooner. If you've been sailing into Tier 1 and Tier 2 content and wondering how to maximize your damage, get more Skull and Bones Items, survive against mega forts, and efficiently farm ascended weapons, you're in the right place.

 

This deep-dive breaks down three powerful builds for the Schooner and the Nero Sambuk, focusing on Bombard 5 siege setups, crowd control and DMC snow farming, and a flame-heavy, explosive-focused Sandbuck build. Whether you're grinding out Helm objectives or crushing forts solo, these setups will give you the firepower and survivability you need in the rough waters of Skull and Bones.

 

Build #1: Reaper Schooner Bombard 5 Siege Build (PvE Focused)

 

This build is a revamped version of the classic Darnell's Gun Reaper build, now upgraded with Bombard 5s for massive damage spikes.

 

Weaponry:

 Broadside & Rear: Bombard 5

 Perks: Siege, Shock x2, Second Storm

 Output: ~7,180 base damage + 1,735 explosive + 1,596 electric + 150% weak point bonus

 Compared to Darnell's Gun (~4,899 damage), Bombard 5 nearly doubles the output and adds devastating secondary effects.

 

DPS Snapshot:

 Normal hit: 40k-42k against fort walls

 Fury active: Up to 68,000 damage per shot (×4 shots per volley!)

 

Armor:

 Oroboros Armor for self-healing during solo megafort runs.

 Swap to Buccaneer's Oath if you have a group with a dedicated healer.

 

Furniture:

 Charge Stores

 Ramrod Workshop

 Bombard Bonus

 Vat of Volatiles (+15% structure damage)

 Breach Lock Furnace (amplifies secondary damage like electric)

 Bombard Works (+19% secondary damage)

 

When to Use:

 PvE content, including megaforts and World Tier 1 raids.

 Reliable and consistent structure damage.

 Solo fort takedowns or small group play.

 

Build #2: Crowd Control Schooner-Zamma & Decline Build

 

Perfect for World Tier 1 fort farming and dealing with massive ship clusters, this build uses fire and explosive synergies to melt through fleets.

 

Weaponry:

 Front: Zamma 3

 Raider, Burning II, Amplify Burning 31.5%, Firepower 10.6%, Long Arm

 Sides: Decline Carttoa

 Perks: Combustion III, Incendiary, Amplified Explosives x2

 Rear: Divine Wind or Bombard 5

 Auxiliary: Warhammer 3 (Shock, Amplified Electric)

 

This combo rapidly charges the ablaze and vulnerable effects, allowing you to overwhelm most PvE ships before they retaliate.

 

Armor:

 Again, Oroboros Armor for solo play.

 Buccaneer's Oath for healing synergy in groups.

 

Furniture:

 Breach Lock Furnace

 Ramrod Workshop

 Fusing Station

 Bark of the Woof (ablaze trigger and shell shock boost)

 Vat of Volatiles (+structure damage)

 

Where It Shines:

 DMC Snow farming in southern pass zones.

 Fort defenses and Helm objectives.

 High-mobility fights with fast target switching.

 

Caution: Avoid firing on adaptive-armored ships with shell shock weapons-it could heal them instead of damage them.

 

Build #3: Nero Sambuk-Flame Siege Control Build

 

For those who prefer the Nero Sambuk, this fire-focused loadout leans into burning damage, ablaze effects, and shell shock synergy.

 

Weaponry:

 Front: Fenix Talons

 Perks: Provoking, Burning II, Amplify Burning, Death Blow

 Sides: Dire Burning w/ Combustion, Amplified Explosive, Soul Mending

 Rear: Bombard 3 or 5 (Shock, Second Storm)

 Auxiliary: Warhammer (same as previous builds)

 Despite some nerfs, the Talons still provide excellent DoT pressure and combo with burning perks to maximize damage over time.

 

Furniture:

 Double Concoction (secondary burning damage boost + range)

 Scrapper Station (hull healing)

 Ramrod Workshop

 Gunpowder Bench (boosts damage to ablaze targets)

 Sticky Fuel Station (increases blaze duration)

 Volatile Fuel (faster blaze effect charge)

 

Armor:

 Oroboros Armor recommended for soloing.

 Buccaneer's Oath remains great in coordinated groups.

 

Best Use Cases:

 

 Specter defenses and manufacturer takeovers

 Small wall forts or tier one Helm content

 Burning ship groups for large-scale fleet wipesBonus Tips & Strategy Notes

 

Choose the Right Tier

 

 World Tier 1: All three builds perform well.

 World Tier 2: Use with caution. Bombard 5s suffer heavier nerfs here.

 Damage dips from 40-42k to 36k unless Fury is active (~58k).

 Enemy buffs (e.g. Intimidating Presence) significantly reduce your output.

 

Fort Spawns

 

 Be prepared for level 17-20 sharpshooter ambushes mid-fight.

 Oroboros Armor is your best friend to avoid being ported back after three deaths.

 

Be Mindful of Perks

 

 Shell Shock can heal adaptive armored enemies-watch your targeting.

 Swap out explosives if necessary for flame-focused or shock-heavy gear.

 

Helm Progression & Ascended Gear Farming

 

Grinding for Ascension Modules? Skip the mini-bosses (now super tanky thanks to presence buffs) and instead:

 

 Target DMC Snows in the southern pass.

 Use your crowd control schooner for fast clears.

 Auto-collect ascended gear to level up all categories.

 

Make sure you're focusing on weapon slots and build synergy to maximize Helm score efficiency.

 

Final Thoughts

 

These Schooner and Sambuk builds are more than just theory-they're battle-tested in the rough waters of Skull and Bones Year 2. Whether you're focused on PvE mega fort takedowns, crowd control for Helm objectives, want to get more cheap Skull and Bones Items or blazing through enemy ships, these setups offer the best combinations of raw DPS, survivability, and utility.