Rocket Arena is here, which means that more importantly, Blastbeard is here! This player gives off a serious Sea of Thieves vibe, which makes him a joy to play with, especially for Sea of Thieves veterans. Blastbeard has allegedly won the Arena Tour once before but has somehow lost the trophy on Crater’s Edge, where he comes from. Therefore he is back out of retirement to get himself a new one, and he has brought the big guns. Well, he has brought a giant cannon, which doubles as some sort of flying surfboard, so definitely worth checking him out.
Blastbeard’s abilities include Rocket Cannonball, Charged Anchor, and Shockwave. This cannon is slow and arcs quite a bit, so make sure to lead your enemies! In the video above, you can see Blackbeard’s abilities highlighted on the Shimmering Depths map. Well-timed Charged Anchor shots make Blastbeard a threat, even to full health foes. Based on his abilities, below we suggest a High Damage Build, a Speed Build due to his horribly slow movement speed, and the best All-Around Build to assist players with varied playstyles.
High Damage Build
Blastbeard is clearly a character who is devoted to damage. Those who wish to maximize the impact of his attacks should look no further than the artifact build below. Raw damage output requires the damage buff provided by the Blastbird. Given his slower mobility, for the second artifact, we recommend the Powder Keg, as Blastbeard is not exactly the jump around type of player, providing many shots from the ground. To close out this build, add the Boom Bit, take the damage boost, and run away with multiple KOs.
First Artifact - Blastbird - Deal 3% more damage
Second Artifact - Powder Keg - Deal 8% more damage on the ground
Third Artifact - Boom Bit - KOs boost damage by 8% for 8 seconds
Speed Build
From the moment you first control Blastbeard, one thing will be alarmingly clear. Blastbeard is a slow fella. His abilities right out of the gate pack a punch, so considering speed-boosting artifacts is not only viable but may help you and your team earn those elusive victories. First, consider the Gemstone Elixir for the ground movement speed boost. Then, take the Boost Capacitor to get the accompanying airspeed boost. What if you get knocked out of the action yourself, worried the match will end before you get back into the action? Pop on that Zephyr Vest, and you’ll be back in the action in no time.
First Artifact - Gemstone Elixir - Ground movement speed increased 15%
Second Artifact - Boost Capacitor - Air movement speed increased by 10%
Third Artifact - Zephyr Vest - Move 40% faster after arena returns for 6 seconds
All Around Build
If Blastbeard is fast becoming your main character to use in all arena battles, then you’re going to need a versatile, all-around build. Here, first and foremost, throw on the Gemstone Elixir to get that movement boost so it doesn’t feel as though you’re running through molasses. Next, equip that Supercavitator, to ensure your Charged Anchor is available as often as possible. Finally, as your team’s heavy hitter, add the Boom Bit to your build, ensuring each successful KO makes Blastbeard a little more lethal for 8 seconds.
Second Artifact - Supercavitator - Reduce all active ability cooldowns by 50%
These builds will ensure Blackbeard remains feared throughout the Arena, and hopefully, gets him a new trophy to replace his lost one.
