Today we’re diving into one of the most fun and versatile builds you can run on a fully-leveled Frigate in Skull and Bones. This setup blends raw electric destruction with reliable self-healing Skull and Bones Items, letting you stand your ground in even the most chaotic naval battles. Whether you’re pushing high-risk PvE encounters or just enjoying the spectacle of storms and explosions, this Thunder & Steel Frigate Build will deliver.
Core Ship Ability-Grit
The Frigate’s signature perk, Grit, is the foundation of this build. Here’s how it works:
Gain a stack of Grit each time you take damage.
Each stack increases armor by +40, stacking up to 10 times.
Each stack lasts 15 seconds before decaying.
At 10 stacks, allied XS, S, and M ships within 200m take 10% reduced damage (20% at max stacks).
Resolve triggers when you take damage at max stacks, restoring 10% brace strength, reducing status effect damage by 20%, and increasing threat generation by 100% for 10 seconds.
In short: The longer you stay in the fight, the tougher you become-and when you’re maxed out, you can tank for allies while restoring your own defensive resources.
Weapons Loadout
This build’s identity comes from Divine Thunder and Divine Wind, mystical electric weapons that create chain lightning devastation.
Bow (Front)-Divine Thunder
Damage: 3,826
Special: 35% chance to summon a 3,000 electric damage lightning strike on weak point hits.
Attributes: Electric II, Piercing II
Rolls: Combustion, Amplified Electric, Lethal
Role: Crack enemy armor and chain electric procs early in fights.
Port (Side)-Divine Thunder
Same stats and rolls as the bow weapon, but rolled with Combustion, Siege, Death Blow for extra structure and kill-shot potential.
Starboard-Divine Wind
Damage: 2,974 base
Special: Aftershock-summons a lightning strike 2 seconds after impact, dealing 2,000 electric damage.
Attributes: Explosive II, Electric I
Rolls: Combustion, Siege, Raider
Role: AoE burst damage and sustained electric pressure.
Stern (Rear)-Nash Cars
Damage: 4,008
Special: Heals your ship on hits, especially on weak points.
Rolls: Combustion, Siege, Amplified Explosive
Role: Self-healing sustain, allowing aggressive plays without constant repairs.
Auxiliary-Little Grace III
The Little Grace III is the quiet MVP here.
Effect: Deploys a Patch Buoy to repair hull damage.
Base Repair: 856
Mods:
Reinforcer: Hits reduce target’s Punctured buildup by 9.9%.
Salamander: Hits reduce Torn Sails buildup.
Storm Sails: Reduce buildup of slow effects.
Empower: Each hit grants +3% weapon damage to the target for 10s (stacking up to 5).
With the Buoy Locker furniture (more on that soon), you can deploy two buoys at once, covering both flanks for maximum uptime.
Armor-Nocturn Heart
This armor piece is perfect for the Frigate’s tanky, sustain-heavy playstyle:
+15% weapon damage while above 75% hull health.
With constant buoy heals and Nash Cars procs, you’ll keep this bonus active almost permanently.
Furniture Setup
Furniture is where the build truly comes together, enhancing electric weaponry, buoy uptime, and reload speeds.
Buoy Locker(Available at Blackwood)
+1 max active buoy.
+25% buoy health.
-7% reload time for auxiliary weapons.
Ramrod Workshop
-7% reload time for broadside weapons.
+7% secondary damage for broadside weapons.
Copper Fashioning Station
+12% secondary damage for electric weapons.
+8% max range for electric weapons.
Charge Stores
Storm Struck on a target increases next attack damage by 50%.
+10% charge rate for Ablaze against Storm Struck targets.
+5% weapon damage for electric weapons.
Companion Spirits Locker
-20% crew stamina depletion when bracing under slow effects.
+15% brace strength.
+7% armor rating for equipped armor.
Ammo Priming Bench
+20% damage to structures for siege weapons.
+18% repair amount when more than 160m from target.
+4% siege weapon damage.
+7% hull health repair from repair weapons.Combat Strategy
Engagement Range & Positioning
This build thrives in close-to-mid range engagements. Get within comfortable firing distance, then position broadside for maximum lightning coverage.
Open with Patch Buoys to both sides (Buoy Locker lets you deploy two).
Target weak points early with Divine Thunder for lightning strike procs.
Use Divine Wind to punish clusters or stationary enemies.
Weapon Rotations
Keep broadside weapons firing to maintain constant lightning and explosive procs.
Let Nash Cars heal you passively while still dealing damage.
When under pressure, stack Grit and trigger Resolve for massive survivability spikes.
Self-Healing
Between Nash Cars, Patch Buoys, and Little Grace’s modifiers, you can tank sustained incoming damage without breaking off to repair. Against harder opponents, rotate buoy deployment to always have healing active.
Example Battle Flow
1.Approach the target while bracing if necessary to stack Grit quickly.
2.Deploy buoys to both flanks before committing to a prolonged exchange.
3.Fire broadsides with Divine Thunder to stack lightning procs.
4.Alternate sides if one is on reload, keeping DPS steady.
5.Watch Grit stacks-hit 10 stacks and let Resolve trigger during heavy exchanges for bonus tanking.
6.Reposition to line up Divine Wind shots for Aftershock bursts.
7.Sustain with buoy heals and Nash Cars until the enemy crumbles.
Strengths of the Build
Electric Burst Damage: Divine Thunder and Divine Wind shred weak points and structures.
Sustain & Healing: Nash Cars + Patch Buoys keep you above 75% hull for Nocturn Heart’s damage buff.
Tankiness Under Fire: Grit + Resolve makes you hard to kill, especially with allies nearby.
Fast Reloads: Furniture bonuses ensure you’re almost never waiting on cooldowns.
Fun Factor: Lightning strikes raining from the sky never get old.
Weaknesses
Requires Close Engagement: Electric weapons and buoy repair work best in mid-to-close range, making you vulnerable to long-range sniper builds.
Grit Reset on Downtime: If you disengage too long, Grit stacks drop and survivability dips.
Furniture-Dependent: Loses a lot of efficiency without the Buoy Locker and electric damage boosters.
Visual & Thematic Appeal
Beyond the numbers, this build is simply fun to play. The visual spectacle of lightning tearing across the sea while your ship shrugs off damage feels like captaining a storm god’s personal warship. You’ll constantly hear the thundercracks of Divine Thunder’s procs, and the sight of Aftershock detonations wiping clustered enemies is endlessly satisfying.
Tips for Mastery
Aim for Weak Points: Divine Thunder’s 35% lightning proc chance is only on weak point hits. Learn enemy ship layouts and angle your shots accordingly.
Buoy Placement: Place buoys where you expect to take fire, not just randomly. They heal in an area, so plan ahead.
Threat Management: Resolve’s +100% threat generation means enemies will focus you-use this to protect allies but be ready to tank.
Furniture Synergy: The Charge Stores bonus to Storm Struck targets stacks beautifully with electric weapons-try to chain these effects for big bursts.
Mix Siege & Electric: While electric is the theme, siege rolls on some weapons help you crack structures faster during objectives.
Final Verdict
The Thunder & Steel Frigate Build is a top-tier PvE option for captains who want a mix of damage, tankiness, and visual flair. With constant lightning storms, fast reloads, and strong self-healing, it’s a build that lets you stand your ground in the thick of battle while still dishing out devastating punishment.
It’s easy to play, beginner-friendly in its core loop, but has depth for veterans looking to maximize Grit uptime, buoy placement, and weak point targeting.
If you love the idea of being the storm itself-lighting up the horizon with every broadside-this is the Frigate setup for you Skull and bones items for sale cheap.
