Skull and Bones Year 2 Season 2, Oaths of War, is here, and it's bringing big changes to the Indian Ocean. From a new large ship to an explosive faction war to new Megafort raids, let's dive into everything the latest season has to offer:

Large Ship - The Frigate

You've been asking for it, and now it's here: a large ship has been introduced to Skull and Bones, armed with devastating broadside capabilities, dual auxiliary slots, and fleet-augmenting benefits. The Frigate is a tank class ship that radiates a fortifying aura to protect its allies. Its perk is Grit, which stacks when taking damage, with a maximum of 10 stacks. Each stack of Grit lasts 15 seconds and increases Armor by 40. When stacks of Grit are active, you'll take 10% additional damage while every extra-small, small, and medium ship within 200 meters will take 10% reduced damage - until you reach a full 10 stack, when allied ships will take 20% reduced damage instead. The Frigate's Upgrade Perk, Payback, enables the ship to stack Grit when dealing damage. The blueprint for the Frigate can be acquired in the Smuggler Pass.

A new ship also means a new weapon. The Demolition Mortar is designed to take out Forts and other structures on land. When used against those buildings, damage is increased 300%, and it automatically deals 30% explosive damage within a 30 meter blast radius. It can be acquired with seasonal currency from the Black Market, or through the DMC Faction Reputation Shop.

Faction War

Faction War is coming in the mid-season update, when tensions between the Compagnie Royale and the Dutch Merchant Company have exploded, and it's time for you to pick a side. The season will feature different battle phases, during which you'll fight rival factions for Contested Zones, where you'll collect War Assets for your own team. Then, during Invasion Events, you can choose to defend your War Assets or attack enemies to steal theirs. Securing Contested Zones and winning Invasion Events will net you war rewards, and you'll be able to purchase unique faction equipment, like the Demolition Mortar, powerful epic-level furniture variants, and more from the Pirate Broker at the Faction Reputation Shop.   

At the end of each battle phase, you'll have the option to stay loyal or betray your chosen side. The choices players make will have a direct impact on Skull and Bones in Season 3, where the winning faction will be reflected in the narrative.

Megaforts

Team up with allies to take on Megaforts in a new kind of raid. The new Megafort attack experience will feature multiple battle phases, as the towers awaken after you defeat a mini-boss, escalating pressure as the Megafort launches special attacks and a fleet to defend itself. You and your allies will need to strategically coordinate in order to withstand the barrage and take home the rewards. Successfully taking out a Megafort will net you valuable Ascension materials.

Skull and Bones' new season will also feature limited-time events such as Darktide Lullaby and Moonshine Larceny, ship campaigns for pirate legends, and a new Smuggler Pass full of valuable rewards and special cosmetic items.

If you haven't had a chance to dive into the action on the Indian Ocean yet, Skull and Bones is hosting a Free Weekend from July 17-21 on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC via Ubisoft Connect. If you buy the game, which is on sale for up to 80% off until July 24 as part of the Ubisoft Store's Summer Sale, all your progress will carry over. Skull and Bones is available now for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Amazon Luna, and PC via Ubisoft Connect, Steam, and the Epic Games Store, as well as with a Ubisoft+ Premium subscription.