Is this the most famous pirate weapon? Maybe. The unique quality of a blunderbuss is that each ‘shot’ is actually 10 distinct pellets at once. These pellets are fired out randomly with a very wide spread, and the more of ’em that hit your enemy, the more damage you deal.

In the right circumstances, the blunderbuss is the most powerful weapon. With it, you can kill a pirate in a single hit as long as all the pellets you fire hit home. Maybe you can catch ’em unawares, or take advantage of a missed cutlass lunge. The rest of the time, its lack of accuracy means you’re probably best off using the blunderbuss for situations like taking on a whole gang of skeletons at once, or causing havoc inside a ship where there’s not much room for your opponents to hide.

It doesn’t make a huge difference, but you can aim a blunderbuss more precisely by squinting down the barrel rather than firing from the hip. Just be aware that it takes a long time to load each shot, so if you miss… well, best if you don’t miss.

Considering the damage it dishes out and the way it can knock enemies back when fired at close range, the blunderbuss is an excellent choice in the right hands and at the right time, but that doesn’t mean it’s always the best option.