You’re not the sole pirate traversing the waters of Skull and Bones. And by pirates, I don’t just mean your fellow swashbucklers. Numerous NPC faction ships await for PvE combat encounters, but they won’t simply roll over and surrender. Here’s how to mitigate faction hostility in Skull and Bones.
How faction hostility works and ways to lower it in Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones feature multiple NPC factions, each ready to engage you and any other pirates eyeing their plunder. Typically, you can dispatch an NPC ship swiftly if caught off guard, although this depends on your level versus theirs (don’t overextend). Initiating an attack on an NPC faction ship can escalate tensions, marking you and the faction as ‘Hostile,’ a label that appears on-screen post-attack.
There are four hostility tiers, with conflicts intensifying as they escalate. Attacked ships will summon reinforcements, amplifying hostility as the battle rages and more ships join to repel you.
Should tensions rise too high, retreating and attempting to reset faction hostility to its default ‘Neutral’ status is advisable, albeit challenging as hostility increases.
Your best strategy involves fleeing and anchoring your ship in secluded areas, like rivers, to minimize the number of approaching ships. Once the faction’s difficulty indicator and icon at the screen’s top right begin blinking, signifying you’re out of enemy sight, you’ll eventually receive notification that you and the faction have reverted to a neutral stance, granting you freedom to sail on.
Approaching hostile NPC ships prompts an orange glow from their Crow’s Nest, serving as a cautionary signal. Should you draw too close, the glow turns red, signaling imminent attack.
Are all NPC factions neutral?
Unfortunately, not all factions are amenable to sharing the same waters. Factions like Privateers and Rogues often harbor hostility from the outset. Utilize your Spyglass to identify a ship’s faction affiliation. Keep an eye out for the red sails of Privateers and the black sails of the Rogues.
