Revision 9

Naval Tactics IV: Shipshape is one of five Naval Tactics combat orders you can equip in a ship's tactics slot. A well-kept ship keeps its captain alive long past the point where a neglected one would sink. The tactic codifies the discipline of constant small repairs during quiet hours so the hull is always ready for the next engagement.

This ship expects that every man will do his duty.

Overview

In-Game Effect

While out of combat, restores 3% Ship Health every 3 seconds.

Fits Ships

Every ship class accepts Naval Tactics, and this tactic specifically fits all nine Brig, Frigate, and Ketch hull variants in the game, so the choice of tactic never restricts which hull you can equip it on.

• Blackbeard Brig

• Blackbeard Frigate

• Blackbeard Ketch

• Brethren Brig

• Brethren Frigate

• Brethren Ketch

• Brig

• Frigate

• Ketch

How Shipshape Compares

All five Naval Tactics share the same vendor, the same Level 3 reputation gate, and the same Piastre x500 price, so they are picked by playstyle rather than progression. Only one fits a ship at a time. The table compares the ones with confirmed effects; pick by how you sail.

Shipshape and Naval Tactics II: No Quarter both heal the hull, but they trigger differently: Shipshape ticks passively while you sail, whereas No Quarter pays out a burst only when you sink a nearby ship. If you spend more time exploring than fighting, the passive tick wins; if you chain kills, the burst is stronger.

How to Acquire

Buy Naval Tactics IV: Shipshape from the Smugglers of Port Royal Provisioner at Level 3 reputation with the Smugglers of Port Royal faction. The purchase costs Piastre x500 per copy, and a single copy unlocks the tactic permanently for that character.

Reaching Smuggler reputation Level 3 typically goes through the Smugglers of Port Royal faction quest chain and ongoing Bounty Agent turn-ins. See the Faction Reputation article for the full reputation-per-activity breakdown. Each of the five Naval Tactics carries the same Level 3 requirement and the same 500 Piastre price, so order of purchase is a budgeting and playstyle question rather than a progression gate.

When to Use

Shipshape is the default exploration tactic. The 3% per 3 seconds adds up to full hull regeneration in roughly 100 seconds of quiet sailing, which removes the need to return to a Wharf between engagements for minor repairs. Strong on any build that spends more time between fights than inside them.

The math: at 3% every 3 seconds, a hull climbs by roughly 30% per 30 seconds, so a ship sitting at half health is back to full in under a minute of calm sailing. That removes most trips back to the Wharf for chip damage and keeps you topped up between random encounters. It does nothing during a fight, so it pairs best with a hull that can take a hit, such as the tankier Brethren Brig or Brethren Frigate variants, rather than a glass-cannon speed build.

If you want in-combat survivability instead of out-of-combat regen, slot Naval Tactics II: No Quarter for its kill-triggered burst, or carry a Combat Repair Kit for emergency patching mid-battle. Shipshape is the relaxed default; swap to it whenever you are mostly traveling.

Equipping and Swapping

Combat orders slot into a dedicated ship Naval Tactics slot at the Wharf. Only one tactic is active at a time, so swapping tactics requires docking and entering the Wharf equipment screen. Tactics stay equipped across logouts, zone transitions, and death; you do not have to re-slot them after each session.

See Also

• Naval Tactics: five-tactic roster with comparison table

• Windrose Naval Tactics: strategic overview and Piastre farming notes

• Smugglers of Port Royal: vendor faction that sells every tactic

• Naval Combat: how tactics interact with broadsides, reload, and hull damage

• Ship Customization: full ship loadout (cannons, tactics, hull mods)

• Naval Tactics I: Ambush: Naval Tactics I

• Naval Tactics II: No Quarter: Naval Tactics II

• Naval Tactics III: Stretch the Supply: Naval Tactics III

• Naval Tactics V: Silence the Guns: Naval Tactics V

Game Data

Crafted By

Crafted at: Shipwright's Workshop

Fits Ships