Need Help POTC - vanilla - enemy ships

[Benjii]

Hi

Started to play this game again, it has been a while now. So i figured to make a "Cannon/Accuarcy) build to start of my character so it would be eaiser to sink enemy ships to gain XP. Well its sorta worked out, i'm level 15 and i'm still using the first ship(Lugger?) The problem is that the enmy ships are now tier 3, 2 and 1. I'm easly able to sink them, but it is impossible to board a ship, because one or two "broadsides" will sink my ship or decimate my crew. I didnt know that enemy ships-tier "followed" my character level. This is the first practical problem.

Second. Is there any way to tweak ini. file så that ship encounters spawn more random tiers. Its not very immersive that every encounter, whether they are pirates or french are tier 3 - 2 or 1 ships. It takes the fun out having a big ship, when every on else also have a big ship..what is the point of leveling up when everbody else also is leveling up. I currently have a very (overpowered)small boat, but you catch my drift. Tier 1 2 ships should be very rare to encounter to make it immersive and fun when you in those rare instances are able to fight/board these ships.

Any suggestions to my half rant, half question?

Thank you

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Any suggestions to my half rant, half question?

Well... let's just say there IS a reason why most of us don't bother with the vanilla game anymore.

I didnt know that enemy ships-tier "followed" my character level. This is the first practical problem.

Indeed they do. In the vanilla game anyway.
In "New Horizons" you can still switch to this system if you want, but by default ship encounters are no longer tied to your own.

what is the point of leveling up when everbody else also is leveling up.

Good question!
We've been asking ourselves the same question.
And we did something about it.

Tier 1 2 ships should be very rare to encounter to make it immersive and fun when you in those rare instances are able to fight/board these ships.

Really, try "New Horizons"!
What you describe is exactly one of the things we did.
You have to be really lucky (or UNlucky) to encounter those largest ships.
There weren't a whole lot of those in the Caribbean, after all...

 

[Lonious]

Hi

Started to play this game again, it has been a while now. So i figured to make a "Cannon/Accuarcy) build to start of my character so it would be eaiser to sink enemy ships to gain XP. Well its sorta worked out, i'm level 15 and i'm still using the first ship(Lugger?) The problem is that the enmy ships are now tier 3, 2 and 1. I'm easly able to sink them, but it is impossible to board a ship, because one or two "broadsides" will sink my ship or decimate my crew. I didnt know that enemy ships-tier "followed" my character level. This is the first practical problem.

Second. Is there any way to tweak ini. file så that ship encounters spawn more random tiers. Its not very immersive that every encounter, whether they are pirates or french are tier 3 - 2 or 1 ships. It takes the fun out having a big ship, when every on else also have a big ship..what is the point of leveling up when everbody else also is leveling up. I currently have a very (overpowered)small boat, but you catch my drift. Tier 1 2 ships should be very rare to encounter to make it immersive and fun when you in those rare instances are able to fight/board these ships.

Any suggestions to my half rant, half question?

Thank you

You should really be getting bigger ships as you level up. The easiest way is by boarding them. Usually, it's useful to capture a large merchant ship, like galleon or pinnace, since those don't have the firepower of a frigate/corvette so you don't get decimated in the first broadside.

One easy way to do this is to find an allied fleet, sail your ship to their largest, toughest ship - preferably a Class 2 or 1 - then get to boarding range and open fire. Typically, they'll instantly board you. Capture it, then take out the rest of the fleet (or try to escape). Boarding should be much easier after this. You can always pay a diplomat if you don't want to keep fighting their nation.

Obviously, you'll need a decent Melee skill for this, and Basic Defense/Advanced Defense abilities.

I usually leave out having to level up the Cannons and Accuracy skills since those can usually be compensated by hiring cannoneers in the taverns. It's probably more useful to get a decent Melee ability first.

I think boarding is one of the most important skills in the game. Aside from exploiting the loansharks, it's the fastest way to earn gold.

As to having to face powerful ships, yeah, that's one of my pet peeves sometimes. Also having to face bandits in the jungle with pistols - it makes taking them on much harder.

The thing is with PotC, your life is cheap and every enemy is at least as good as you.

Otherwise, you should try out New Horizons, as Pieter suggested.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Aside from exploiting the loansharks, it's the fastest way to earn gold.

Exploiting loansharks.

 

[BathtubPirate]

I think getting sunk by one or two broadsides is absolutely understandable when ou're sailing a lugger.