This week, we revisit Garbad’s treatment of the ‘Prince’ First Rate Ship of the Line. This 100-gun lineship is the first ship of the line covered in the Ship of the Week column. It is a user-created ship modeled by Victariand and based upon a 17th century English First Rate ship of the line. The historical ship was 136 ft. long, 44 ft. wide, had a draught of 19 ft., an even 100 guns and was launched in 1670.

Few ships in PotBS get as much admiration as the Prince. In terms of sheer firepower, nothing can compare to it. As the largest, most expensive, and most powerful ships in the game, they are admired by all. People take notice when a Prince is in the battle (or even on the OS), and they are regularly the flagship of a wealthy nation or guild.

Key Ship Stats

• Max Speed: 16.25
• Acceleration: 0.38
• Turning: 3.91
• Turning Accel: 2.50
• Armor: 2200 / 17 DR
• Sails: 4125
• Topdeck: 12 x 10lb Guns
• Upperdeck: 28 x 12lb Guns
• Middledeck: 28 x 26lb Guns
• Gundeck: 32 x 36lb Guns
• Defining Characteristics: +5 Sail defense.

The Prince in Perspective

The ‘Prince’ cannot be discussed without comparing it to the other First Rate SOL, the ‘Invincible’. When I was debating between a ‘Prince’ and an ‘Invincible’, I researched their differences extensively. I owned an ‘Invincible’ in beta and was very pleased with it, but as I ran the numbers I came to believe the ‘Prince’ was better than the ‘Invincible’. The ‘Prince’ has 2 more DR and 200 more structure, while the ‘Invincible’ has 200 more armor. The gundecks are overall very similar, with the ‘Prince’ having slightly better reload, range, and DPS and the ‘Invincible’ having a heavier spike. The ‘Invincible’ turns slightly better, while the ‘Prince’ has slightly less deceleration penalty. The ‘Prince’ also costs 500k less.

Most people also prefer the looks of the ‘Invincible’ (it looks like a ‘Triumphant’, and is larger, while the ‘Prince’ looks more like an ‘Alexander’). In all the numbers I ran, the ‘Prince’ slightly outperforms the ‘Invincible’, and each time the ‘Prince’ wins as long as the fight is at 250 yards or more. In practice, my ‘Prince’ is undefeated in scrimmages against other 1st rates (of both types and both nat/rat), and has defeated several ‘Invincibles’. Both ships are extremely similar, and the differences are so slight that no one would debate them but for the fact the ships are so expensive people want to be sure and have the best. Even so, they are close enough that it’s personal preference.

First Rates are flatly superior to Second Rates. Each time I have fought a Second Rate, it’s been a beatdown. Second Rates have less toughness and firepower, yet are not agile enough to take advantage of the sluggishness of the ‘Prince’. Of course, with the ‘Prince’ costing twice as much as a Second Rate, there is a good argument that Second Rates are more cost effective. Likewise, 3rd/4th/HH/Arch are simply outclassed. While it’s true that massed expendable ships like ‘Valiant’s, ‘Reason’s, and HH can defeat 1st/2nd rate fleets, there is a major DPS advantage for the 1st/2nd rates (toughness is much more equal). One exception to this is the ‘Treason’ Pirate Flagship. With Buc spike skills and a high gun count, the ‘Treason’ can spike as hard as a ‘Prince’, and is also reasonably tough, but its lack of range means a ‘Prince’ can beat it down if it can keep its distance.

Finally, while 1st Rates are dominant in large group fights (especially with static formations), they are very weak 1v1. Many people have defeated 1st Rates 1v1 in Raas, cutters, and Hermes’, and a bundleherc vs. a 1st Rate should be an autowin for the bundleherc. When push comes to shove, you are a floating brick and you better hope your teammates can cover your bum, because you sure can’t.

Outfitting and Tactics – The Warlike Prince

Much like the debate between First Rates, there is significant disagreement on how best to rig a ‘Prince’. Because of its extreme cost, many people rig it extremely defensively, often reaching 7k+ sails, 5k+ armor, 24 DR, and very high DR%. This makes the ship have poor DPS (Damage rigged ‘Reason’s/’Valiant’s will out-DPS you), but it helps ensure that the ship will survive (and a ‘Prince’ WILL be focused and people will often attempt to suicide charge and take it out). You often see ‘Prince’s with dual Runner’s Rigs (to help escape), Long Arm cannons + Reduced Charge (range + accuracy), Heavy Flanked, Teak, and a few DR% items (enough to hit the 50% cap).

I disagree with that strategy. It seems to me that many ships can tank well (HH, Archaelon, Reason, Valiant, anything sailed by a Freetrader), but no other vessel can compare to the DPS of the ‘Prince’, especially at long range. In my opinion, it’s better to use the ship carefully, be willing to take a loss if disaster strikes, and use the ‘Prince’ as it was intended – as a damage platform without equal. Very little, if anything, can withstand the level of firepower a ‘Prince’ can put out. I rely on my teammates blocking, buffs, and my own common sense for defense and try to punch a hole in anything that moves. (Note that in a full group of NOs, I would have an additional 2 DR, 20% DR%, and 5 defense). To put that damage in perspective, I can sink another 1st rate in 2 broadsides (less than a minute). If I spike with a full group of 3rds or above, we can spike out a ‘Triumphant’ at 600 yards in two shots.

Conclusion

The ‘Prince’ is very much a niche ship – it excels as a grinder or as a pure damage platform in a fleet fight, but it comes at a terrible price and has serious drawbacks. Most Captains aspire to sail one as a status symbol if nothing else, but in truth, the ‘Prince’ is not for everyone. Most PvPers will be better served by the far less expensive (but still very effective) ‘Reason’ or ‘Valiant’. And yet, as we used to joke in beta, oneshotting people never gets old.

But for those who need a goal to grind for or who have terribly deep pockets and know its limitations, the ‘Prince’ is a beauty to behold.

This article was originally posted by Garbad_the_Weak in the Pirates of the Burning Sea official forum here.

Garbad’s Ship of the Week Archive

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