Building a successful settlement in Corsair Cove is only half the job. Eventually, you need to leave your island, put together a proper pirate fleet, and start exploring the Seven Seas.
- Corsair Cove Ships and Pirate Crew Guide – All Ship Stats, Crew, and Pier Upgrades
- Corsair Cove Ship Stats Explained
- Why Advanced Pirate Crews Matter
- Neutral Ship – Landlubber
- Wealth Ships – Reavers
- Seafaring Ships – Hunters
- Empire Ships – Destroyers
- Notoriety Ships – Prowlers
- Corsair Cove Pirate Crew Guide
- Which Ships Use Each Crew?
- Crew Upkeep Can Become Your Real Bottleneck
- How to Build Tier 4 and Tier 5 Ships
- How to Build Tier 6 Ships
- Which Ship Type Should You Choose?
- Best Way to Progress Your Fleet
Ships are how you tackle World Map events, raid for resources, deal with Crown patrols, hunt treasure, and push several parts of your progression forward. However, bigger isn’t automatically better. Corsair Cove has four specialized ship families, and each is built around a different strength.
Reavers focus on Boarding Damage and Wealth activities. Hunters specialize in Speed and Seafaring. Destroyers dominate direct combat with Gun Damage and Armor. Prowlers rely on Manoeuvrability and fit the Notoriety path.
There are six ship tiers in total, starting with the humble Landlubber and eventually reaching huge Tier 6 warships requiring hundreds of pirates.
And that’s where things get complicated: unlocking a ship is only the beginning. You also need the production chains to build it, a large enough crew to operate it, and increasingly advanced resources to keep that crew satisfied.
This Corsair Cove ships and crew guide covers the entire system.
Corsair Cove Ships and Pirate Crew Guide – All Ship Stats, Crew, and Pier Upgrades
Ship progression is tied closely to the Compass.
You earn Principle Points by completing Deeds and progressing through Ambition events around the world. Those points can then be invested into the four Principles:
- Wealth – Reaver ships
- Seafaring – Hunter ships
- Empire – Destroyer ships
- Notoriety – Prowler ships
Unlocking a ship through the Compass doesn’t mean you can immediately launch it.
You’ll also need the necessary construction materials. Early vessels need straightforward resources such as Planks and Rope, but later ships demand Sails, Fittings, Naval Guns, Figureheads, Steel Chains, Copper Lamps, Silver Lining, Jolly Rogers, and other advanced goods.
That makes fleet progression closely connected to your settlement’s production chains and your ability to raid the World Map.
Corsair Cove Ship Stats Explained
Before comparing individual ships, it’s worth understanding what all the numbers actually mean.
Every ship has Health, Crew, Supplies, Gun Damage, Boarding Damage, Speed, Manoeuvrability, and Armor.
For the tables below:
HP = Health
Spl = Supplies
GD = Gun Damage
BD = Boarding Damage
Sp = Speed
Mn = Manoeuvrability
Ar = Armor
Health and Crew
Health and Crew are both survival resources.
They can be damaged during events, and if either Health or Crew reaches zero, your ship sinks.
Higher-tier ships generally provide much larger Health pools and can carry considerably more pirates.
Crew losses also have consequences after the battle. When you return to port, lost crew members need to be replaced using Drifters.
Supplies
Supplies determine how many actions you can continue taking.
Most actions have a Supply cost. Once your Supplies reach zero, your normal combat options become severely restricted.
Fortunately, the Support action system allows you to sacrifice things such as Health, Crew, or Treasure in exchange for additional Supplies.
This makes Supplies something you should actively manage rather than ignore until they’re gone.
The Five Core Ship Stats
Each ship distributes its power differently across five core stats:
Gun Damage determines its strength in cannon-based attacks.
Boarding Damage determines its effectiveness in boarding-focused encounters.
Speed is particularly useful for pursuing targets.
Manoeuvrability helps with evasive and navigation-oriented situations.
Armor improves the ship’s defensive capability.
The four ship families specialize accordingly.
Destroyers have excellent Gun Damage and Armor.
Reavers emphasize Boarding Damage, with some Armor.
Hunters are built around Speed.
Prowlers specialize in Manoeuvrability.
Why Advanced Pirate Crews Matter
The numbers shown for your ship aren’t necessarily its final potential.
A basic Swabby crew can operate ships, but Swabbies provide no additional stat bonuses.
Starting with Tier 2 vessels, you gain access to more experienced pirates such as Scallywags and Picaroons. Later ships use specialists including Bombardiers, Crow’s Eyes, Navigators, Buccaneers, Marauders, Renegades, and eventually Corsairs.
Fully crewing a ship provides additional bonuses.
More importantly:
If the entire crew consists of the required advanced pirates, the ship’s core stats are doubled.
That’s why the tables below show values such as 13 (26). The first number is the ship’s normal stat, while the value in parentheses represents its doubled potential.
Neutral Ship – Landlubber
Everyone has to start somewhere.
| Ship | Tier | Cost | HP | Crew | Spl | GD | BD | Sp | Mn | Ar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landlubber | 1 | 15 Planks | 20 | 15 Swabbies | 20 | 2 (4) | 2 (4) | 2 (4) | 2 (4) | 2 (4) |
The Landlubber sits outside the four specialized ship families.
It doesn’t offer many special actions, although you can expend Health, Crew, and Supplies to escape combat.
Treat it as your introduction to the naval system rather than something you’re supposed to keep forever.
Wealth Ships – Reavers
If you want to lean into the Wealth Principle, Reavers are your ships.
Their defining strength is Boarding Damage, making them particularly useful for Wealth progression and activities such as exploring treasure caves.
| Ship | Tier | HP | Crew | Spl | GD | BD | Sp | Mn | Ar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharktooth | 2 | 82 | 20 | 24 | 2 (4) | 13 (26) | 2 (4) | 2 (4) | 5 (10) |
| Goldseeker | 2+ | 88 | 20 | 28 | 4 (8) | 13 (26) | 4 (8) | 9 (18) | 5 (10) |
| Wolfhound | 3 | 123 | 60 | 26 | 3 (6) | 20 (40) | 3 (6) | 3 (6) | 8 (16) |
| Providence | 4 | 205 | 80 | 30 | 5 (10) | 33 (66) | 5 (10) | 5 (10) | 13 (26) |
| Bedlam | 4+ | 220 | 85 | 44 | 10 (20) | 33 (66) | 10 (20) | 23 (46) | 13 (26) |
| Thingum | 5 | 328 | 160 | 46 | 8 (16) | 52 (104) | 8 (16) | 8 (16) | 20 (40) |
| Loki | 6 | 492 | 300 | 60 | 12 (24) | 78 (156) | 12 (24) | 12 (24) | 30 (60) |
Reaver Construction Costs
Sharktooth: 10 Planks, 20 Rope
Goldseeker: 50 Planks, 50 Rope
Wolfhound: 50 Planks, 50 Rope, 30 Sails
Providence: 75 Planks, 75 Rope, 50 Sails, 50 Fittings
Bedlam: 100 Planks, 75 Rope, 75 Sails, 75 Fittings
Thingum: 125 Planks, 125 Rope, 100 Sails, 100 Fittings, 50 Steel Chain
Loki: 175 Planks, 175 Rope, 150 Sails, 150 Fittings, 75 Chains, 75 Copper Lamps
Reaver Actions
Reaver’s Frenzy – 3 Supplies: Gain Treasure and +1 Dice next turn.
Bloody Clash – 3 Supplies: Damage enemy Crew, but take double Crew Damage.
Boarding Hooks – 3 Supplies: Damage Health while taking double Crew Damage.
Man the Oars – 5 Supplies: Gain distance and Treasure.
Goldseeker and Bedlam use Man the Oars in place of Reaver’s Frenzy.
Reavers are aggressive ships, but not necessarily in the same way as Destroyers. You’re trying to exploit their huge Boarding Damage rather than winning every encounter through cannon fire.
Seafaring Ships – Hunters
Hunters are the speed specialists.
They’re excellent for chasing down targets and have respectable Gun Damage, but their comparatively poor Armor makes them fragile.
| Ship | Tier | HP | Crew | Spl | GD | BD | Sp | Mn | Ar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tide Runner | 2 | 70 | 20 | 24 | 5 (10) | 2 (4) | 13 (26) | 2 (4) | 2 (4) |
| Huracan | 2+ | 82 | 20 | 28 | 5 (10) | 7 (14) | 13 (26) | 4 (8) | 5 (10) |
| Tempest | 3 | 105 | 60 | 26 | 8 (16) | 3 (6) | 20 (40) | 3 (6) | 3 (6) |
| Fortune | 4 | 175 | 80 | 30 | 13 (26) | 5 (10) | 33 (66) | 5 (10) | 5 (10) |
| Catshark | 4+ | 205 | 85 | 44 | 13 (26) | 18 (36) | 33 (66) | 10 (20) | 13 (26) |
| Stalker | 5 | 280 | 160 | 46 | 20 (40) | 8 (16) | 52 (104) | 8 (16) | 8 (16) |
| Neptune | 6 | 420 | 300 | 60 | 30 (60) | 12 (24) | 78 (156) | 12 (24) | 12 (24) |
Hunter Construction Costs
Tide Runner costs 10 Planks and 20 Rope, while Huracan requires 50 Planks and 50 Rope.
Tempest adds 30 Sails to 50 Planks and 50 Rope.
Fortune requires 75 Planks, 75 Rope, 50 Sails, and 50 Fittings, while Catshark increases that to 100 Planks, 75 Rope, 75 Sails, and 75 Fittings.
Stalker requires 125 Planks, 125 Rope, 100 Sails, 100 Fittings, and 40 Naval Guns.
Finally, Neptune costs 175 Planks, 175 Rope, 150 Sails, 150 Fittings, 60 Naval Guns, and 30 Silver Lining.
Hunter Actions
Hunter’s Instinct – 2: Gain additional Dice. If you receive damage, the effect continues.
Ride the Swell – 2: Gain distance and +1 Dice next turn.
Sleek Sailing – 2: Gain +1 Dice next turn while preventing Crew Damage.
Hook, Line & Sinker – 2: Damage enemy Crew while preventing Crew Damage.
Huracan and Catshark replace Hunter’s Instinct with Hook, Line & Sinker.
Empire Ships – Destroyers
If your preferred naval strategy is essentially “bring more cannons,” look at Destroyers.
Destroyers combine excellent Gun Damage with Armor, making them the most naturally suited family for direct combat.
Even if Empire isn’t your primary victory path, keeping a capable Destroyer around is useful for dealing with Crown patrols and raiding ports for resources.
| Ship | Tier | HP | Crew | Spl | GD | BD | Sp | Mn | Ar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Fist | 2 | 82 | 15 | 24 | 13 (26) | 2 (4) | 2 (4) | 2 (4) | 13 (26) |
| Steel Edge | 2+ | 94 | 18 | 28 | 13 (26) | 4 (8) | 7 (14) | 4 (8) | 13 (26) |
| Yoke Breaker | 3 | 123 | 40 | 26 | 20 (40) | 3 (6) | 3 (6) | 3 (6) | 20 (40) |
| Sea Dragon | 4 | 205 | 60 | 30 | 33 (66) | 5 (10) | 5 (10) | 5 (10) | 33 (66) |
| Ravager | 4+ | 235 | 70 | 44 | 33 (66) | 10 (20) | 18 (36) | 10 (20) | 33 (66) |
| Warlord | 5 | 328 | 120 | 46 | 52 (104) | 8 (16) | 8 (16) | 8 (16) | 52 (104) |
| Wrath Bringer | 6 | 492 | 250 | 60 | 78 (156) | 12 (24) | 12 (24) | 12 (24) | 78 (156) |
Destroyer Construction Costs
Iron Fist: 10 Planks, 20 Rope
Steel Edge: 50 Planks, 50 Rope
Yoke Breaker: 50 Planks, 50 Rope, 30 Sails
Sea Dragon: 75 Planks, 75 Rope, 50 Sails, 60 Pitch
Ravager: 100 Planks, 75 Rope, 75 Sails, 90 Pitch
Warlord: 125 Planks, 125 Rope, 100 Sails, 120 Pitch, 40 Naval Guns
Wrath Bringer: 175 Planks, 175 Rope, 150 Sails, 180 Pitch, 60 Naval Guns, 75 Copper Lamps
Destroyer Actions
Destroyer’s Wrath – 1: Increase Health damage by 40% next turn. The effect continues if you receive damage.
No Reprieve – 3: Deal Health Damage and gain +1 Dice next turn.
Intimidation – 2: Remove one of your opponent’s Dice next turn.
Swivel Guns – 2: Deal Crew Damage.
Steel Edge and Ravager use Swivel Guns instead of Destroyer’s Wrath.
Notoriety Ships – Prowlers
Prowlers specialize in Manoeuvrability.
That makes them excellent for rough waters, avoiding enemy attacks, and stealthier activities such as smuggling.
They’re also notable for having generous Supply pools.
| Ship | Tier | HP | Crew | Spl | GD | BD | Sp | Mn | Ar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moonlight Prowler | 2 | 70 | 15 | 32 | 2 (4) | 5 (10) | 2 (4) | 13 (26) | 2 (4) |
| Azimuth | 2+ | 82 | 18 | 32 | 9 (18) | 5 (10) | 4 (8) | 13 (26) | 4 (8) |
| Nightshade | 3 | 105 | 40 | 34 | 3 (6) | 8 (16) | 3 (6) | 20 (40) | 3 (6) |
| Rogue | 4 | 175 | 60 | 52 | 5 (10) | 13 (26) | 5 (10) | 33 (66) | 5 (10) |
| Vulture | 4+ | 205 | 70 | 52 | 23 (46) | 13 (26) | 10 (20) | 33 (66) | 10 (20) |
| Eclipse | 5 | 280 | 120 | 78 | 8 (16) | 20 (40) | 8 (16) | 52 (104) | 8 (16) |
| Wraith | 6 | 420 | 250 | 104 | 12 (24) | 30 (60) | 12 (24) | 78 (156) | 12 (24) |
Prowler Construction Costs
Moonlight Prowler: 10 Planks, 20 Rope
Azimuth: 50 Planks, 50 Rope
Nightshade: 50 Planks, 50 Rope, 30 Sails
Rogue: 75 Planks, 75 Rope, 50 Sails, 10 Figureheads
Vulture: 100 Planks, 75 Rope, 75 Sails, 15 Figureheads
Eclipse: 125 Planks, 125 Rope, 100 Sails, 20 Figureheads, 100 Jolly Rogers
Wraith: 175 Planks, 175 Rope, 150 Sails, 30 Figureheads, 150 Jolly Rogers, 30 Silver Lining
Prowler Actions
Prowler’s Plunder – 3: Damage Crew and gain Drifters according to your Dice outcome.
Bear Off – 3: Gain distance and +1 Dice next turn.
Greed is Good – 2: Gain Treasure and make all your Dice results 6 on the following turn.
Reinforced Hold – 2: Gain Treasure while preventing Crew Damage.
Azimuth and Vulture replace Prowler’s Plunder with Reinforced Hold.
Corsair Cove Pirate Crew Guide
As your ships improve, so must your pirates.
This creates a second progression chain alongside the ships themselves because advanced crew have increasingly demanding recruitment and upkeep requirements.
| Crew | Tier | Requires | Recruitment / Upkeep | Main Bonuses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swabbie | 1 | Galley, Tavern | Stew + Booze | None |
| Picaroon | 2 | Tavern | Rum | Armor ++, Speed +, Manoeuvrability + |
| Scallywag | 2 | Galley | Cassava Bread | Manoeuvrability ++, Armor ++ |
| Crow’s Eyes | 3 | Galley, Outfitter | Turtle Soup + Slops | Boarding ++, Speed +, Gun Damage + |
| Bombardier | 3 | Barber Surgeon, Outfitter | Medicine + Boots | Speed ++, Gun Damage ++ |
| Navigator | 4 | Tavern, Marketplace | Wine + Tattoo Ink | Armor ++, Gun Damage ++, Manoeuvrability + |
| Buccaneer | 4 | Marketplace, Barber Surgeon | Tobacco + Eye Patches | Manoeuvrability ++, Armor ++, Speed + |
| Renegade | 5 | Barber Surgeon, Expedition Supplier | Prosthesis + Hardtack | Boarding +++, Speed ++, Gun Damage ++ |
| Marauder | 5 | Arsenal, Expedition Supplier | Sabres + Spyglasses | Speed +++, Gun Damage +++ |
| Corsair | 6 | Outfitter, Arsenal, Marketplace | Fancy Clothing + Pistols + Jewellery | All Stats +++ |
The recruitment/upkeep structure follows the listed 3+(1) requirement for most Tier 1–5 resources, while Corsairs use 1+(1) for each of their three requirements.
Which Ships Use Each Crew?
This becomes useful when planning production ahead of a new fleet upgrade.
Picaroons serve aboard Sharktooth, Goldseeker, Wolfhound, Iron Fist, Steel Edge, and Yoke Breaker.
Scallywags are used by Tide Runner, Huracan, Tempest, Moonlight Prowler, Azimuth, and Nightshade.
Crow’s Eyes are used aboard Wolfhound, Providence, Bedlam, Nightshade, Rogue, and Vulture.
Bombardiers serve Tempest, Fortune, Catshark, Yoke Breaker, Sea Dragon, and Ravager.
Navigators are needed for Providence, Bedlam, Thingum, Fortune, Catshark, and Stalker.
Buccaneers appear aboard Sea Dragon, Ravager, Warlord, Rogue, Vulture, and Eclipse.
Renegades are used by Eclipse, Wraith, Thingum, and Loki.
Marauders crew Stalker, Neptune, Warlord, and Wrath Bringer.
Finally, the elite Corsairs are required for the four Tier 6 ships: Loki, Neptune, Wrath Bringer, and Wraith.
Crew Upkeep Can Become Your Real Bottleneck
It’s easy to look at a Tier 5 or Tier 6 ship’s construction price and assume building the vessel will be your biggest challenge.
Don’t forget about its crew.
Advanced pirates consume increasingly valuable goods, and some of those resources can’t simply be produced endlessly at home.
Tobacco, for example, is a raid resource. Maintaining pirates who need it means actively sailing out and acquiring more.
So before upgrading your fleet, check both sides of the equation:
Can you build the ship?
And can your settlement sustain its advanced crew afterward?
A massive vessel isn’t particularly useful if keeping its pirates supplied wrecks the rest of your economy.
How to Build Tier 4 and Tier 5 Ships
There’s an important progression wall once you move beyond Tier 3.
Tier 1–3 ships can be constructed at any normal Pier.
Tier 4 and Tier 5 ships require a Trade Pier.
To unlock the Trade Pier, you need to reach 12 points in at least one Compass Principle:
Notoriety, Empire, Wealth, or Seafaring.
You can then upgrade one of your existing Piers.
Trade Pier Upgrade Cost
You need:
30 Planks
60 Stone Blocks
20 Rope
500 Coins
If Coins are holding you back, watch the World Map for Treasure Fleets you can raid.
Once your Trade Pier is operational, you can move into the much stronger Tier 4 and Tier 5 portion of the fleet.
How to Build Tier 6 Ships
The final jump requires another Pier upgrade.
Tier 6 vessels can only be constructed from a Deep-Water Pier.
Deep-Water Pier Upgrade Cost
You’ll need:
60 Planks
30 Stone Blocks
60 Tabby
100 Silver
Most of those materials shouldn’t be the main problem by this stage.
Silver is the difficult one.
Silver is a rare Raid resource found in later zones toward the outer edges of the World Map. That means reaching the final ship tier isn’t purely a settlement-production challenge—you’ll need a capable fleet already operating farther out at sea to gather the necessary Silver.
Which Ship Type Should You Choose?
The easiest way to decide is to stop looking at Tier alone and think about what you’re actually trying to accomplish.
Choose a Reaver when Boarding Damage is the priority. They’re particularly suited to Wealth progression and treasure-oriented activities.
Choose a Hunter when Speed matters. They’re excellent pursuit ships, although their lower Armor means you shouldn’t treat them like Destroyers.
Choose a Destroyer when you’re expecting a straightforward fight. Their combination of Gun Damage and Armor makes them excellent against Crown patrols and useful for raiding ports even when Empire isn’t your main Principle.
Choose a Prowler when Manoeuvrability and flexible event play are more important. Their strengths suit rough-water navigation, evasion, smuggling, and other Notoriety-style activities.
The specialized 2+ and 4+ ships—Goldseeker, Huracan, Steel Edge, Azimuth, Bedlam, Catshark, Ravager, and Vulture—also give you alternative stat distributions and replacement actions worth considering instead of automatically jumping to whatever looks like the obvious ship for that tier.
Best Way to Progress Your Fleet
I’d avoid unlocking a new ship and immediately building it just because the Compass says you can.
Look ahead at the construction materials, required crew, crew upkeep, and next Pier upgrade first.
A smooth fleet progression is really a chain:
Earn Principle Points → unlock the ship → establish its material production → prepare the required advanced crew goods → build and fully crew the ship → use the stronger fleet to access harder World Map content → acquire rarer resources → upgrade your Pier → move into the next ship tier.
That last part is particularly important for Tier 6. You eventually need 100 Silver for the Deep-Water Pier, and Silver comes from later areas of the World Map. Your existing fleet therefore needs to be strong enough to support the very upgrade that eventually replaces it.
And don’t overlook advanced crews while doing all of this. Fully staffing ships with the appropriate pirates can effectively double their core stats, so improving who is standing on the deck can sometimes matter just as much as replacing the ship beneath them.