41 articlesThe Frigate is currently the best ship variant available in Windrose. It has room for 36-pounder cannons depending on the variant, a massive health pool, and the kind of presence on the water that makes enemy ships think twice.
If you are serious about naval combat and want to dominate the seas in the current meta, this is the ship you should be working towards.
Getting one is not a quick process, however. The blueprint costs 3,000 Piastre and is locked behind Reputation Level 4 with the Brethren of the Coast faction. On top of that, the crafting materials required to actually build it are significant.
This guide covers exactly what you need to do to get your own Frigate.
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Before you can build any variant of the Frigate, you first need to get your hands on the “Ship Design: Frigate” blueprint. You can purchase it from the Brethren of the Coast Provisioner at the central Tortuga hub in the Foothills region.
The catch is that the blueprint will not even show up in the shop until you have reached Reputation Level 4 with the Brethren of the Coast faction.
If you are not sure how to build faction reputation efficiently or want a full breakdown of how the faction system works, check out my dedicated Faction Guide for more information.
Once you have purchased the blueprint, open up your inventory and select the “Ship Design: Frigate” to learn it. After that, head to a coastline and place down a Wharf if you do not have one already. Interact with it and navigate to the “Shipyard” category inside the menu.
All three variants of the Frigate will now be available to build from there.
What You Need to Build One
To start building your own Frigate, you need the following resources:
- 300x Nails (You can craft these from 60 Copper Ingots)
- 120x Foothills Iron Ingots
- 320x Wooden Planks (Can be made from 600 Wood)
- 160x Timber (Can be made from 480 Hardwood)
- 80x Tarred Planks (Can be crafted with 80 Wooden Planks & 80 Tar)
- 240x Linen Fabric
- 80x Tarred Fabric
- 80x Rope (Can be made from 240 Plant Fiber)
- 50x Shipwright’s Tools (You can purchase these from Brethren Provisioner for 10 Piastre each, so a total of 500 Piastre)
You can buy Shipwright’s Tools directly from the Brethren Provisioner for 10 Piastre each. As you can see, building a Frigate isn’t cheap, which is why most players only build one Frigate initially.
It also explains why choosing the correct variant matters a lot more than earlier ship classes.
Which Frigate Variant is the Best?
Since the resource requirements for the Frigate are extremely high, you are essentially committing to one variant. You cannot just build all three and experiment. So choosing the right one matters.
As of the current meta, most players prefer the Blackbeard Frigate for aggressive combat builds due to the presence of 36lb cannons.
That said, each variant has its own thing to offer.
The Stock Frigate sits comfortably in the middle ground with 160,000 health, a speed of 18 knots, and 12 x 24lb cannon slots. Decent cargo storage and solid firepower make it a good all-rounder if you are not sure what playstyle suits you best.
If you just want a ship for exploration, PvE, and cargo hauling purposes, this variant is a solid choice.
On the other hand, the Brethren Frigate is built to survive. It has the highest health pool of the three at 200,000 HP and decent cargo storage. The trade-off is speed, coming in at 16 knots which makes it the slowest of the bunch.
But if you plan on taking a lot of punishment in naval fights and want a ship that can actually absorb hits without crumbling, this is the one.
Most players use it for co-op PvE and navigating farming routes since it’s far easier to manage thanks to its tankiness.
Meanwhile, the Blackbeard Frigate is for players who want to hit hard and move fast. It’s by far the strongest offensive option in the game right now.
While it has the lowest health at 110,000, it makes up for it with a top speed of 20 knots and the ability to equip either 24lb or 36lb cannons. A full broadside from a dozen 36-pounders is absolutely devastating. This lets it wipe out enemy ships quickly as long as you position it properly.
The Best Frigate Setup in the Current Meta
Right now, a lot of high-level players would pair the Blackbeard Frigate with Devastating cannon variants and Keelhold Hull Bracing upgrades for maximum damage efficiency.
Repair Kits are also extremely important during Frigate combat since larger naval fights can quickly spiral if your hull starts collapsing under sustained fire.
During naval battles, you should pay attention to your positioning instead of simply face-tanking enemy ships. Even heavily armored Frigates can get overwhelmed if caught broadside by multiple enemies.
That said, Frigates are quite expensive to maintain and repair after destruction. So make sure you have a stable income before you commit to building one.
Final Advice
The Frigate is a serious commitment in terms of both time and resources in Windrose, but it is absolutely worth it once you are on the water in one. Before you start farming materials, I recommend unlocking Merchant Contracts first.
Once you defeat Hands in the Foothills, you will get access to them. They make gathering the large quantities of materials needed for the Frigate significantly less painful and will save you a lot of time compared to farming everything manually.
