While the core gameplay experience in Skull and Bones is PvE (player vs. environment) focused, the game does feature optional PvP elements:
Types of PvP:
Skull and Bones offers two primary forms of PvP:
Consensual PvP: This type of PvP requires mutual agreement from participating players. It occurs through specific contracts, such as:
Cargo Hunt: Players compete to capture and deliver valuable cargo.
Helm Wager: Players wager control of their ships in a head-to-head battle.
Hostile Takeover: Players attempt to steal control of another player’s ship and its cargo.
Open World PvP: While not encouraged by the developers, it’s technically possible to engage in unsolicited PvP against other players in the open world. However, this is disincentivized through:
Reputation System: Attacking other players without provocation can negatively impact your reputation, making interactions with friendly NPCs and factions more difficult.
Server Sharding: The game world is often divided into "shards" or instances with a limited number of players, reducing the chances of encountering other players unintentionally.
Overall:
Skull and Bones primarily focuses on PvE gameplay, offering extensive opportunities to explore, complete missions, and engage in naval combat against AI-controlled enemies. However, it also allows players to opt-in to PvP through specific contracts or, to a lesser extent, engage in unsolicited PvP in the open world, although this is not the intended experience.