[Basil Dreadflint]

OK, we ahve all made mistakes, and learned new things, levelling our first pirate.
I was asked to explain what I did different with Prob, than with BAsil.. It isn;t something that I can put into chat , so I'm putting it here.

Basil:
Did mostly questing. No one explained the need to do things in order,, If there was a quest in his list, I did it. So, the Pearl quest is always there. Basil did his first BB when he was level 24, it was for a guildmate, and did his own when he was level 25, and beat it. (This was when the BB was easier than it is now.) Basil then had nothing to do but level. At this time, I can't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure that none of his weapons were higher than level 15 or so. All I had for him to do was work weapons, get gold, and buy the rest of his War Fleet.
Then they came out with his seconnd major update: the new weapons quests.
He started the Cutlass, dagger, and pistol the first night they were out, but couldn't do the Staff, cause he was still shy of level 15, that I do remember. But, within 4 days, all four weapons were his, and it back to grinding weapons to raise skill levels.

It wasn't till he had most skills around level 20 or so , that I learned to keep skill levels low, and you get better rep. From then on, I didn;t spend his skill points, unless I felt I had to.

Basil reached level 40 about 3 months and a week after I had started playing him. At that time, he had Mastered sailing, cannon, and Cutlass,,,,, and was close on pistol. Daggers, doll, and staff were around level 22 or 23 each. Nades, however, were only level 14.
Nades became a major pain. When your Notoriety is level 40, there isn't much that can earn you rep. I learned that I had made some real mistakes here.
Since that time, I have finished mastering everything but nades. I've given up, and went back, and given up again. Now I'm trying again to level nades with him.. (Just reached level 22 today.)

Prob:
HAs been a different story altogether. I have deliberately not spent his skill points. When his weapons reached the mid teens, I stoppped spending his points entirely. I have spent points to buy the new skill levels, as they open up, but do not spend more than one point on each. Of course, there are always exceptions. If you want to heal, cure and fight at the same time, you must spend on attune, and the skills. Broadsides is useless if you don't strengthen it.

I held his weapons skills in the mid teen equivalants, as long as possible.. Some went higher, and others lower, but he earned max rep on each attack till he was near level 38. At that point, I did begin to see a little drop in the rep earned.
Nades were the first thing he mastered. Not going to be in the same position as Basil was! The other 5 weapons, I kept evenly matched. As soon as he hit level 20, staff was his only weapon till he finished the second staff quest, and got it to thesame general level, as his other weapons.
Prob barely did any Pearl questing until he was level 32. At that time, he was less than 8% total on the Pearl. Even when he started the PEarl quest, it was done in spurts. One task group, then back to weapons, then back to the Pearl. He did do other quests as they became available, all the weapons quests, within a few days of each other. A few other quests, especially the skeleton quest, which generates over 5K in rep.

But, at the time I'm writing this, Prob is just shy of level 40. He has mastered EVERY weapon, and is just shy of level 23 sailing and is level 18 cannon. The first skill Basil mastered, the last for Prob. But, Prob has 70 unspent skill points spread througout his 6 weapons and sailing and cannon. Most of his weapons are playing at the level 15 skill. Until he mastered each weapon, he was still earning good to high rep for each. Obviously, now he is earning zero, but that is what happens.

Prob is about 90% complete with the Pearl quest now. And yes, it is boring to be shooting low level ships, chasing rock crabs, and searching barrels when you are high level, but it is Soooo much easier to do. I figure Prob will hit level 40 within the next few days. I'm not sure if that will happen before or after the Boss Battle.. It will be close. When he hits 40, he will only have cannons and maybe one level of sailing left. He will have reached level 40 about 5 weeks faster than Basil did, with the same amount of playing time per day/week.

I plan to bring Purvis ingame regularly, real soon. I think with him, I will be exclusively weapons until I near the very end. He is now level 13, and is only 1% on the Pearl. I plan to not Pearl quest except by accident.

I don't know if anyone will find any of this interesting, or useful. I have been asked by a few, how did Prob level so fast, so maybe they will get something out of here. Basically, keep your skills as low as you can, but still accomplish your tasks. Balance all your weapons, and keep them balanced as new ones open up, don't Pearl quest too early, and (something I'm having a problem with, I miss Basil, and am already feeling sorry for Prob) don't feel bad when your pirate is almost done, he or she is still there: and someday,, you will be bringing them out for the next story chapter!!!!

Basil/Prob/Purvis/????as yet unnamed????