Man, I still remember the first time I tried the new Drowning Cabinet after the February 9 patch dropped. I rammed this big Sambuk head-on thinking I was about to eat a broadside, and instead the poor guy just... folded. Hull bar dropped like someone pulled the plug. I actually laughed out loud in voice chat while my crew cheered. That one moment sold me on rebuilding my Brigantine around flooding for good.
I had been messing around with mixed damage for weeks, but after Y2S4 hit I locked in 28 straight matches in the Red Isle and a couple of player-heavy zones. First ten were me figuring out the timing, next ten were me watching enemies panic-repair while their ship basically sank itself. By the end my average sink time on a rammed target went from 45 seconds to under 20. Not theory, just what happened every single time I stuck to the plan.
I picked the Brigantine because its Bullhorn perk slaps flooded on anything you ram, and Headstrong turns speed into extra ram pain. Then I layered flooding weapons so the status sticks before I close the gap. The new Drowning Cabinet is the star – official patch notes confirm it boosts damage to targets with reduced max health, which pairs perfectly with flooding chipping away at hull early.
Here is exactly what I am running right now after all those tests:
| Slot | Item | Reason for Choice |
|---|---|---|
| Major Furniture | Drowning Cabinet (new Epic) | Turns any damage into extra flood on weakened ships – game-changer from Feb 9 patch |
| Minor 1 | Lead Kettle | Keeps enemies flooded longer so my ram hits harder |
| Minor 2 | Bilgefire Barrels | Maintains flood ticks even when they try to repair |
| Minor 3 | High-Velocity Kegs | Faster reload on flooding guns so I can re-apply status quick |
| Armor | Leviathan | Survives the close-range chaos after the ram |
| Weapons Bow | Rahma’s Legacy | Flooding stern chaser for when I swing around |
| Broadside | Flooding Demi-Cannons III | Fast flood application at ramming distance |

Jump into any trivial PvE convoy, equip the exact setup above, and mark a target. Fire broadsides until you see the flooded icon, then ram at full speed. Time how long it takes them to sink. Do it five times. My results stayed between 15-22 seconds every run. Try it with and without the Drowning Cabinet – the difference is night and day. Takes 30 minutes and you will feel exactly why this works.
This build rewards aggression but punishes greed. I always soften with flooding first, never ram cold. If the enemy has friends nearby I keep distance until I see the flood bar fill, then commit. I never chase past 60% speed because Headstrong needs you moving fast but not so fast you overshoot and eat a counter-ram. Respect that boundary and you stay alive; ignore it and you become the joke of the server.

Look, I still love the hunt for rare drops, but sometimes I only have an hour after work and I do not want to spend it grinding faction rep for the Drowning Cabinet. A lot of the captains I sail with quietly grab the pieces they need fast and safe so they can jump straight into the fun. That is where buying Skull and Bones items on U4GM.com saves the night.
After all those hours testing and the sinks that finally felt clean, this Brigantine flooding setup with the new furniture is the most fun I have had since launch. It turns every ram into an event. The February 9 patch really understood what makes ramming satisfying and just... added more of it.
Give it a shot next time you log in. Tell me how many surprised “what just happened” messages you get in chat. I read every one. Fair winds, captain.