skelles with blunderbuss

@brandonblk
Forts are not for small crew, and you just need to change and think for new tactics when it doesn't work.

@brandonblk
#BeMorePirate !
#BeMoreCreative !
Think outside the box, use cannon, gunpowder barrel, water, light, bananas, etc.
Skeletons are not supose to be easier then a player... 3 player with a blunderbuss on you, will probably bring you to the Ferry of the damned fast.

I grab the sniper and take my time shooting them from the crows nest of my sloop. it's time consuming but safer. I keep doing it until the captain skellie finally shows up, and then I switch to blunderbuss, reload, disembark my sloop and go toe-to-toe.

This works for me when doing the quests.

@brandonblk It's not bad really...Just needs a lot of practice to get it right. I practice from my ship so I get the added challenge of the swaying motion forcing me to constantly adjust aim and time shots.

@sinisterdex What this man said.

Use your ship to your advantage. If you have your ship just park it some place smart and give 'em hell with the cannons! I find that sending one ashore and leaving one on cannons is a sound tactic. One will lead them into a choke point and then get them all in one volley!

@brandonblk The plant ones get stronger in water. You wanna take them out on land. The gold ones are weaker in water, so you wanna lead them in.

A central issue of Skeleton Forts is they're not entertaining as much as they're just a Grind for Reward.

Heck I'd actually argue this is an issue with Skeletons as a whole.
As a keynote players HATE Bullet Sponge Enemies... for the simple reason that they're designed to essentially be a Grindable Enemy.

What players LOVE are Enemies that require you to Outsmart.
Consider for a moment here, that the Skeletons are in essence already Voodoo Magical... no one is against said element in the game.

So, why are they only using their Fists, Swords, Guns and Bananas like Players?
The changes I'd make would be:

Foliage Skeletons / Within their Field of Vision, when looked at they turn into Bushes … which if you destroy simply burst into a handful of Leaves, but will reconstitute into a bush again after a few seconds.
Low Health, with a Slash Attack that does Damage-over-Time.

Treasure Skeletons / Invulnerable to Attacks., slashing them with the Sword / Spade knocks off shards of Treasure that can be picked up and applied to your next shot, which hurts them. (Werewolves and Silver Bullets concept)
High-Health, with a Golden Chain that has an Area-of-Effect Attack but Slow and Lumbering.

Shadow Skeletons / Can be Temporarily Dissipated by an Attack, unless you "Shine" you Lantern when they're within Range (makes the Vulnerable).
Their attack is Possession, which saps away your life until your hit... this also causes a madness that makes you see other Pirates as Skeletons.

Crew Skeleton / Can wield Pirate Weapons, but generally Low-Health Trash

Voodoo Skeleton / Low Health and Stationary, but turns into Mist to "Teleport"... picks up the Skulls of the Fallen Skeletons to Resurrect them or Heal other Skeletons.
(Think "Mercy" from Overwatch)

Party Skeleton / High Health (Fat) Skeleton that carries a Cursed Keg., throws mugs of grog to cause an "Drunk" Area-of-Effect. Also does a little damage each time you're hit.

Chicken Master Skeleton / Summons Undead Chickens over Time, that do low damage but gradually build into a horde.

Black Powder Skeleton / Invulnerable, doesn't do any damage Directly... instead he possesses other Skeletons to turn them into Bombs. (Just Run)

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On to the actual Fort Hordes and how it should progress.
Each Wave has a Bounty that slowly grows over the consecutive waves... the Skeletons use this to "Purchase" the Units it Spawns., so each Skeleton (that was Spawned) adds to the Treasure Pile in the Vault.
Yet it isn't just the Skeletons that add to this Pot... each Player Death results in their Gold also being added as well as a Curse (if they don't have enough Gold they get 2 Curses)., these behave as De-Buffs; but acquire 5 Curses and you become a Skeleton.

Skeletons can't acquire Missions, nor Benefit from cashing in Missions at Outposts., instead they have to bring loot back to the Skeleton Forts putting them on the Altar to "Buy" their way out of the Curse.
(How you do that... well that's for you to figure out :p)

This adds Risk, more so than simply being jumped by another Crew.
Yet it could also be a Risk for an attacking Crew as well.

There should be 9 Waves + Legendary Pirate Captain Wave.
Each Wave as noted increases in Bounty (thus more expensive / dangerous Skeletons can Spawn in that Wave), while the Pirate Captain just drops a Relic Key.

This is followed by the Treasure Glowing (turning the Skull Cloud Golden, as well as a Pulse that flashes across the Sky), while it wisps into the Vault (generating the Loot)., during this time the Crew can chose to either use their Key(s) or wait until all the Treasure in the Vault to go onto the next Stage.

Each Stage, increases the Skeleton Health and Damage... the Bounty Resets but also grows slightly faster per Wave. The idea is that Wave 1 is always "Relatively" Easy, but the difficulty begins to ramp up.

After 4 Stages (beaten 4 Pirate Captains)., you then enter the Vault. This results in the usual "Conclusion" Animation above the Island; where the Skull Cloud turns Gold and Slowly Dissipates.
The 1st Key Opens the Vault., the 2nd and 3rd Keys open each side for Additional Vaults... while the 4th Key unlocks another Vault where in the Centre is a Black and Gold Skull on a Pedestal with the Treasure around it.

The crew can decide to just take all of the Treasure and call it a day or if someone touches the Skull... it rises up taking all of the Treasure (so-far earned) and forms a Legendary Pirate Lord.

Essentially I see this as an MMO Raid Style "End Boss"... it also locks the room with a Curse Barrier. If you die, or run away., you're instantly Skeleton Cursed. (So 1 Life... make it count)., he also has 10 Phases (Waves); these can either be Adds or just New Attack Phases that end once you've done enough Damage.

Now what you'd get for beating him... I don't know, I'm sure Rare could think of something worth gambling that much Gold for.

Off the top of my head I'd say:
Wave 1 - 10 = 2,500g (Health = x1.00 / Damage = x1.00 / Accuracy = x0.50)
Wave 11 - 20 = 3,170g (Health = x1.25 / Damage = x1.25 / Accuracy = x0.60)
Wave 21 - 30 = 3,930g (Health = x1.50 / Damage = x1.50 / Accuracy = x0.75)
Wave 31 - 40 = 4,900g (Health = x2.00 / Damage = x2.00 / Accuracy = x0.90)
(14,500g)

In all a "Complete" run should be aiming for say a 60 - 90min commitment., but of course you can bail early for less reward, but less risk.

I'd also suggest having on the Top of the Fortress Flags., Half Mast for said Wave; Full Mast upon Beating that Pirate Captain. (Point being to indicate to other Players, potentially what they can get if they jump those engaged on the Island).

There should also be a 5-10 Minute Cooldown Timer. i.e. If it's not Completed, but instead a Crew Bails / Get Cursed / etc. then it Resets to Wave 1 again but retains any Player Death Gold as "Bonus" Loot.
Perhaps some Scratch Counts on the Outside of the Fort for each Kill, to indicate this.

Also, while I get why the Skeletons don't have "Health Bars" ... but they should have Damage Models that show a rough estimate (say one for 50% Health, another for 25% Health) where they look more broken apart.

Well those are my thoughts on it at any rate.