Character Development in Corsairs Legacy: Characteristics, Abilities, Skills, and Character Level

In Corsairs Legacy, the main hero’s progression is built around the character level, base characteristics, abilities, and skills. All of these parameters directly affect combat effectiveness, the economy, world exploration, and access to certain gameplay situations.

Character Characteristics

The hero has base stats that affect specific mechanics of combat, survival, trading, and world exploration. Each stat can range from 1 to 20. Points for upgrading stats are earned by leveling up the character (1 level = 1 point).

Strength

Strength determines the character’s physical power.

Current effect

• Maximum hero health: 240 + 5 × Strength
• Medium weapon damage: if Strength < 6, damage is reduced to 2/3 of the base value
• Heavy weapon damage: if Strength < 9, damage is reduced to 2/3 of the base value

What this means in practice

Strength determines how effectively the hero can use medium and heavy class weapons.

Luck

Luck is responsible for random advantages: loot quality, rare items, and certain events.

Current effect

• Chance of a x2/x3 power strike: 10 * combo count + luck/2 + 5, if the hero has the Critical Strike ability.

where combo count is the hit number in the combo.

• Chance for higher-quality weapon spawns on corpses and in chests.

The formulas for weapon level are as follows:

- level 3 = luck/4 + 4
- level 2 = luck/2 + 4
- level 1 = luck/4 + 4

In all other cases, a level 0 weapon drops.

• Chance of rare item drops: base value + luck/2.

Base values for item categories:

- Lockpicks, tincture, elixir, extract, potion — 35
- Amulets — 35
- Precious minerals — 5
- Gem jewelry — 10
- Regular jewelry — 35, except for the black pearl bracelet, for which the value is 20 when spawning on corpses.
- Pipe, tobacco — 0
- Spyglasses — 10 on corpses and 20 in chests.
- Maps — 10
- Food — 35
- Bullets and cartridges — 35
- Steel ingots, firearm parts — 5 on corpses and 2 in chests.
- Weapon care kits — 7 in chests; they do not spawn on corpses.

• Chance of a captain’s note dropping: k + luck/2.

where k = 100 for the first three notes, and k = 75 for the fourth and subsequent ones.

• Chance of a note dropping from officers: 12 + luck/2.
• Chance of a note dropping from ordinary sailors: 4 + luck/4.
• The chance of negative events during boarding decreases as luck increases.

- Hooks detached = 7 - luck/4
- Your crew killed you = 20 - luck/2, if morale is below 20.
- You are killed by a musket volley = 4 - luck/6
- You are killed by a cannon volley = 4 - luck/6
- Passenger is killed = 10 - luck/4, if the passenger transport quest is active.
- Officer is killed = number of officers not commanding a ship * 4 - luck/6

• The chance that a ship at the shipyard will have an upgrade also depends on luck.

- Hull = 1 / (18 + (10 - ship rank) + (10 - luck))
- Sails = 1 / (12 + (10 - ship rank) + (10 - luck))
- Crew = 1 / (82 + (10 - ship rank) + (10 - luck))
- Capacity = 1 / (10 + (10 - ship rank) + (10 - luck))
- Speed = 1 / (8 + (10 - ship rank) + (10 - luck))

Note: if ship rank or luck is greater than 10, it is treated as 10 in the formula.

What this means in practice

Luck does not provide a direct increase to damage or survivability, but it improves the chances of getting a better result from the game’s random systems.

Cognition

Cognition determines how quickly the hero develops.

Current effect

• Skill gain: value + value * learnability/100
• Experience gain for leveling up the main hero: value + value * learnability/100

where learnability is Cognition.

What this means in practice

Learnability speeds up the character’s overall progression.

Agility

Agility affects the damage dealt by weapons.

Current effect

• damage = damage + agility

Charisma

Charisma affects the economy and dialogues. A high charisma level allows you to persuade characters to perform actions the player needs. This opens access to places and opportunities that would otherwise require bribery or would be unavailable.

Current effect

• Buying a ship: cost * (100 - 0.25 * charisma) * 0.01
• Selling a ship: cost + cost * 0.15 * charisma * 0.01
• Buying goods: cost * (1 - 0.001 * charisma)

Endurance

Current effect

• Energy: 240 + 5 * endurance
• Weight: 140 + 5 * endurance

Character Abilities

In addition to stats, the game has an ability system that defines the character’s playstyle.

Abilities are unlocked gradually and are divided into two main categories:

• Land abilities — available from the start of the game
• Sea abilities — unlocked at level 10

Each category has its own development branches (attack, defense, endurance, navigation, etc.) that allow you to shape the character build.

A detailed breakdown of all abilities is available in a separate article.

Character Skills

In addition to stats, the hero has skills that grow through use.

Weapons

When hitting an NPC, the following is added:

0.05 + 0.1 * learnability/100

Effect

damage = damage + damage * skill/500

For pistols:

• the miss chance is reduced by 1% for each level

Lockpicks

• if the lockpick does not break and the chest opens: 0.25 + 0.5 * learnability/100
• if the lockpick breaks and the chest does not open: 0.5 + 0.1 * learnability/100

Character Level

The hero’s level determines the character’s overall progression and affects many game systems.

Experience gain

1. Opening a chest: 20*(1 + learnability/100)
2. A lockpick breaks: 1*(1 + learnability/100)
3. Damage to an NPC: 1*(1 + learnability/100)
4. Sinking a ship / boarding: 40*(1 + learnability/100)
5. Picking up crates: 3*(1 + learnability/100)
6. Delivery:
   - urgent: 40*(1 + learnability/100)
   - regular: 20*(1 + learnability/100)
7. Other quests: 40*(1 + learnability/100)
8. Treasures: 40*(1 + learnability/100)

Level formula

• if level ≤ 8: 20 + 1.6^level
• if level > 8: 20 + 1.6^8 = 536.871

Note: calculations use the character’s current level.

Level effects

• Damage: damage + (attacker level - wounded level) * 10
• Number of bandits:
  - level <10 → 2 bandits
  - level 10–14 → 2–4 bandits
  - level 15+ → 3–4 bandits
• Ambushes: 2 + level / 10
• Reward in the passenger transport quest: 2000 + 100 * level ± random
• Officer payment: 4000 + 300 * level
• Also:
  - affects loot
  - affects weapon selection for enemy NPCs during boarding
  - affects traders and gunsmiths
  - is used in some dialogues

Summary

The progression system in Corsairs Legacy consists of several interconnected elements:

• stats — the character’s foundation
• abilities — shape the character’s playstyle
• skills — grow through use
• level — scales the game

Together, these systems allow the player to shape a unique playstyle and adapt to different situations in the game.