Skull and Bones doesn’t feature sword combat or any hand-to-hand combat on land. The game’s focus is entirely on naval warfare, meaning all battles occur on the open seas and involve your ship and crew.
While you can disembark and explore certain locations on land, these areas serve primarily for:
Story progression
Interaction with NPCs
Management of your ship and crew
There are no opportunities for sword combat or any other form of close-quarters combat on land. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect in relation to combat in Skull and Bones:
At Sea:
Naval Combat: This is the core focus of the game. You engage in battles against enemy ships using cannons, mortars, boarding actions, and various strategic maneuvers to gain the upper hand.
Boarding Actions: While technically close-quarters combat, it involves utilizing firearms and basic weapon attacks against enemy crew members on their ship, not sword fighting.
Land Exploration:
Exploration: Discover hidden locations, collect resources, and interact with characters to progress the story and acquire quests.
Crew Management: You can’t engage in combat on land, but you manage your crew, train their skills, and customize your ship’s equipment.
Trading and Crafting: Purchase supplies, upgrade your ship, and improve your crew’s gear through vendors and crafting stations in specific settlements.
This lack of land combat might differ from some players’ expectations, especially considering the sword fighting present in its "spiritual predecessor," Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag. It’s important to remember that Skull and Bones carves its own path as a purely naval combat-focused game.