Go on the Attack…
Every pirate’s choice of arms to carry into battle is about to be expanded, as the Double Barrel Pistol and throwing knives become available to drop into weapon slots. The Double Barrel Pistol requires a closer range and deals less damage per shot than the standard pistol, but makes up for it with rate of fire and the ability to charge and unleash both shots at once. Throwing knives, meanwhile, offer even more options: quick, light attacks in a brawl, a heavy stabbing sneak attack or, of course, a gratifying throw at a target of your choosing. If you miss, you can retrieve your knife and return it to your stash – and if someone else misses, you can grab theirs and throw it right back! Even ship-to-ship battles now offer more choice with the introduction of scattershot. This new cannonball type breaks into smaller projectiles when fired, inflicting multiple hull breaches if you’ve manoeuvred close enough to the enemy ship to make full use of its effects.
…Or Cover Your Back
Two new tools with multiple uses also make their debut in Season 12. The first of these is the Bone Caller, a throwable item that has the effect of summoning skeletons who’ll rally to your defence. Like many other throwables, the Bone Caller can also be fired from a cannon to cause chaos on enemy decks! Just save it until you need it, as these friendly skellies are only active for a limited time before reverting to inanimate bones. The Horn of Fair Winds, meanwhile, proves handy in a wide variety of situations. A sailor’s first instinct would be to use it to fill their ship’s sails, and it can certainly do that – but it can also put out fires, push back attacking enemies, boost your swimming speed and even break your fall. Its charge is limited, but even drained of power it’s still worth a decent pile of gold!
