You begin the game as anonymous Sailor, but as you progress through the game, it is possible to earn promotions through distinguished service to your country.
Benefits of Promotion:
- Increase Vault Space
- Obsolete Formality requirement when conversing with ministers and officials
- Receive crest of home nation (Court Rank 19)
- Tax exemption in allied ports where belonging nation possess 10% and above influence (Court Rank 25)
- Requirements for certain equipment and quarters unlock
Calculation of court rank is based on total promotion levels obtained on 4 sections:
- Investments
- Reporting discoveries
- Battle achievements
- Epic Sea Feud
For example, a character with lv2 investment, lv3 discovery reports, lv4 battle achievements and lv1 Epic Sea Feud sums up to 10 promotions, equivalent to 5th Knight (fame requirement applies).
Small nations only require 90% of total requirements to promote, exclusive of Epic Sea Feud.
Conditions for Promotion[]
Promotions are earned upon passing certain milestones and meeting total fame requirements. Requirements for promotion in each individual area are separate, but the required fame is dependent upon your current rank.
Investments[]
Investment rating is based on your total investment in all ports. The status of the port and its relation to your country do not matter.
| Promotion | Total Investment | Promotion | Total Investment |
| 1 | 100,000 D | 9 | 3,000,000,000 D |
| 2 | 1,000,000 D | 10 | 4,000,000,000 D |
| 3 | 10,000,000 D | 11 | 5,000,000,000 D |
| 4 | 50,000,000 D | 12 | 6,000,000,000 D |
| 5 | 100,000,000 D | 13 | 7,000,000,000 D |
| 6 | 500,000,000 D | 14 | 8,000,000,000 D |
| 7 | 1,000,000,000 D | 15 | 9,000,000,000 D |
| 8 | 2,000,000,000 D | 16 | 10,000,000,000 D |
Subsequent promotion at every 1 billion ducats investment after 16.
Reporting Discoveries[]
You accumulate points for promotion every time you report a first-time discovery. The points are only counted when a discovery is reported, regardless of quests or discovery maps. Only first-time discoveries are counted into points.
The points obtained each time a first-time discovery is reported are equivalent to the total amount of experience gained when the first discovery is made. The ratio is 1:1 for adventurer-type jobs and 1:2 for non-adventurer type jobs, as points are still awarded fully regardless of jobs.
| Promotion | Report Total | Promotion | Report Total |
| 1 | 1000 | 9 | 200,000 |
| 2 | 3000 | 10 | 300,000 |
| 3 | 7,000 | 11 | 400,000 |
| 4 | 25,000 | 12 | 500,000 |
| 5 | 50,000 | 13 | 600,000 |
| 6 | 100,000 | 14 | 700,000 |
| 7 | 150,000 |
Battle Achievements[]
Points are awarded regardless of methods (melee battle, mines or cannon battles). 1 point is awarded for every victory you achieve, regardless of NPC or player pirates (mock battles are not included). Additional points are awarded base on ships destroyed. The awarding conditions for additional points base on ships destroyed as follows:
- Points are awarded based on ship counts, not fleet.
- 2 Points are awarded if your total level is below the total level of the ship destroyed.
- 1 Point is awarded if your total level is equivalent and below two times of the total level of the ship destroyed.
- No points are awarded if your total level is two times higher than the total level of the ship destroyed.
(Example) When I annihilate the Ternate armed merchant fleet （Fleet LV 52) of four formation
- Players Total LV 0 to 51 :1+(2x4)=9 points
- Players Total LV 52 to 103 : 1+(1x4)=5 points
- Players Total LV More than 104 : 1+(0x4)=1 points
| Promotion | Battle Points |
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 | 1,000 |
| 3 | 3,000 |
| 4 | 5,000~6,000 |
| 5 | 10,000 |
- marked as unverified data on the Japanese wiki.
Epic Sea Feud[]
Points are awarded for every ship defeated regardless of NPC or players. Additional 1 point is awarded for defeating players with total levels or NPC with ship total levels higher than you. More points are awarded to higher class battles.
| Promotion | Points |
|---|---|
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 | 200 |
| 3 | 300 |
| 4 | 500 |
| 5 | 1000 |
| 6 | 1500 |
| 7 | 2000 |
| 8 | 2500 |
Fame[]
(Estimated values)
| Rank | Rank(Ottoman) | Fame |
| Sailor | - | - |
| Squire | - | 300 |
| Lower 8th Knight | - | 800 |
| 8th Knight | 15th Warrior Class | 1500 |
| Lower 7th Knight | 14th Warrior Class | 2400 |
| 7th Knight | 13th Warrior Class |
>3500 |
| Lower 6th Knight | 12th Warrior Class | >9000 |
| 6th Knight | 11th Warrior Class | >13,540 |
| Lower 5th Knight | 10th Warrior Class | <21969 |
| 5th Knight | 9th Warrior Class | 23300 |
| Lower 4th Knight | 8th Warrior Class | 30000 |
| 4th Knight | 7th Warrior Class | <42717 |
| Lower 3rd Knight | 6th Warrior Class | <57000 |
| 3rd Knight | 5th Warrior Class | 70000 |
| Lower 2nd Knight | 4th Warrior Class | 85000 |
| 2nd Knight | 3rd Warrior Class | 100000 |
| Lower 1st Knight | 2nd Warrior Class | 100000 |
| 1st Knight | 1st Warrior Class | 106000 |