Many people ask, "What ship should I use to level?" Well, there are many opinions on this and I think the Maintenance ship is the best followed by the Torpedo ship. Go ahead and write your own Torpedo Ship guide if you disagree, or start a new thread about the pros and cons. Don’t post in this thread about it!

I will assume that you know the basics about using ships in Florensia: Wind, speed control, switching weapons, firing, and turning.

XP/Kill Credit Area

This is the name I give for the radius around your ship in-which when a mob dies you get XP and the Credit for the kill. Kill Credit is important for quests that ask you to kill "X" number of mobs, and for when you need a quest item that mob is dropping. This area is represented best by the shaded firing arcs of your cannons. Now, this radius extends 360 degrees around your ship, so you need to visualize this mentally. The hardest is to project that invisible line to the rear of the ship.

Attacking and Killing Mobs

1 – The Set-up

It is best to approach your target by sailing into the wind, or close to it. The real strategy is to get your target to follow you while you have the wind at your back. Why? If you make an error in judgment, you can out run your target if you must.

2 – Attracting your target

Once you are in firing range start turning away from your target and shoot at them with your side guns to get their attention. Continue turning until you have the wind at your back. You may need to slow down to keep the target within the XP/Kill radius of your ship.

3 – Switch and Deploy

Once you have completed the turn switch to your mines and start deploying them directly behind your ship or just off center of the ship. Some enemies will not sail directly behind you, but just off to the right or left of the center of your ship.

4 – Watch your target and make sure it dies

Don’t stop deploying mines because you think you have enough. Sometimes it takes more mines than you think.

5 – One dead Angry Merfolk Soldier

I will be adding a second part to this guide when I have the time. This second part will better show on the sinking of ships. It is basically the same as above, but will better show in pictures how ships follow. I’m still working on posting my videos to YouTube showing how to use a Maintenance Ship.

Ship essentials

Crew Food, Shot, Repair Kits and Recharge Kits are very important to survival.

Crew Food: Broiled Eel, this is the best food you can buy in-game thus far. If you follow my recommendations below, the best and 1st place to buy this is at the Exeter Port Master.

Shot: I suggest always buying 5000 of the highest level shot you can shoot. I prefer the Explosive shot over the Basic shot.

Repair Kits: Always by the one that is closest to the max of your ship’s DP. This will ensure that you have the best chance of living when close to death. Sell any others to NPCs.

Recharge Kits: This is the same as the Repair Kits.

Low level experiments

I have been experimenting a little with my Alt Character. She was level 5-6 sea, with a level 1 frame, and a couple upgraded parts. I was able to take her over to Eva and sail NE where there are level 28 Merfolk Soldiers, top of B4 near the supply ship. While it took all the EN to kill a Merfolk, I was still able to kill one. By the time you get back to the merfolk the EN has recharged and you can attack them again. The wind has to be blowing from the NE for you to use this spot, as there is nothing to the SW, but other mobs in the other direction. Though you can do this at the above levels, I would suggest waiting until levels 8-10. You get a new frame at level 8 and can upgrade your special at level 10.

Leveling

I suggest leveling in the B4 area from levels 8 until level 15. You will then be able to get a new frame and have many quests to complete in Sea of Bone. You can also solo King Ray with a level 15 frame if you follow the above guide. Once you have completed all the quest you can you should be level 16-17. Return to B4 and level until you are level 20-23. Level 23 is a nice stopping point as you once again get a new frame.

Higher level Mobs

Currently I am fighting level 52 mobs near Selina with my main, level 28. These are nasty little ships as you cannot turn to avoid their attacks like you can with cannon fire. I was with a level 22 Maint as the only other person in my party and she was doing fine soloing them herself.

There are level 54 mobs nearby also and are killable at the above levels. The only issue here is having enough space to deploy mines before running into another ship.