Conquering the Captain’s Tournament in Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza

The Tournament of Captains represents the pinnacle of your training at the Pirates’ Coliseum in Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii. Once you’ve mastered the Quick Clash and Madlantis Mania modes, it’s time to challenge your skills and your upgraded ship against some of the fiercest pirate captains in Madlantis.

The Tournament of Captains merges the battle mechanics you learned in Quick Clash with the tough series of fights in Madlantis Mania. You’ll face several pirate crews in a row, with tougher battles waiting in the higher ranks. To unlock more challenging fights in Quick Clash and Madlantis Mania, you must progress through the ranks in the Tournament of Captains.

What Is The Tournament Of Captains?

Once you’ve sharpened your skills in Naval and Boarding Battles, you can step into the Tournament of Captains (ToC), which features multiple rounds of fights incorporating both types of combat—cannon and boarding.

In contrast to Quick Clash and Madlantis Mania, there are fewer tournaments to face, and each new challenge becomes available only after you conquer the previous one.

The Tournament of Captains not only tests your skills but also serves as an entry point into the higher tiers of the Quick Clash and Madlantis Mania battles. To unlock the third rank in Madlantis and Quick Clash, you’ll need to reach rank two in the Tournament of Captains.

Moreover, to take on each challenge in the Tournament of Captains, your Pirate Reputation rank must match or exceed the rank required for that challenge.

If you intend to face the Tournament of Captains Rank Three, you must defeat the three prior tournaments and possess a Rank Three Pirate Reputation or higher.

If you’re jumping straight into the Tournament of Captains after gaining access to the Pirates’ Coliseum, aim for an S-rank in every battle available in Quick Clash and Madlantis Mania before tackling the third challenge.

How To Prepare For The Tournament Of Captains

The following crew compositions (once leveled up in Quick Clash and Madlantis Mania) should provide sufficient power to conquer the initial ranks of the Tournament of Captains.

Before jumping into these matches, consider these necessary upgrades to your ship to ensure success in these tough battles:

1. Expand the size of your boarding squad at least once, and ideally maximize it before tackling rank four and five battles.
2. Unlock at least one additional rank of Additional Repairs, Fuel Tank Increase, and Additional Smoke Screens.
3. Upgrade your ship’s durability by achieving the first rank of Durability Boost Plus after maxing out the first Durability Boost. You’ll know you’ve completed this when your next upgrade costs $3,000.
4. Unlock both Additional Starboard and Port Cannons.
5. Maximize your Gatling Gun or Frost Machine Gun upgrades based on whether you prefer to ignite enemies or freeze them.
6. Acquire an Energy Cannon on either your Port or Starboard side as you progress into the later battles.
   1. If two Energy Cannons are out of budget, consider purchasing at least a level one flamethrower or level three cannon on the opposite side.
7. While optional, Rocket Launchers can deal significant damage.

Although certain upgrades like the Smoke Screen are not mandatory, they greatly ease the difficulty of battles, allowing for a less reliant approach on luck or perfect execution.

How To Win In The Tournament Of Captains

Unlike Madlantis Mania, the Tournament of Captains levels up all your crew members, from the First Mate to your Boarding Squad.

As such, ensuring your boarding crew is fully manned by Ranks Two and Three is wise to enhance your strength in the more challenging boarding battles.

With your crew ready, your main objective should be to deplete the boss ship’s HP as fast as you can since only the boss ship must be defeated to initiate the boarding phase.

To quickly chip away at a boss ship’s HP, follow this sequence:

1. Start with direct Machine Gun fire from a distance as you close in.
2. Ram the boss ship, then dodge its cannon fire using your speed boosts, countering with your own cannon fire if feasible.
3. Turn and drift to position yourself behind the boss ship.
4. Continue to deal damage with your Machine Guns while pursuing, and once he’s close, accelerate to pull alongside and fire your powerful cannons.
5. Repeat until you bring down the boss ship, taking time to repair your vessel if it takes too much damage.

Finishing battles swiftly will grant you substantial pirate reputation with each win, so consider upgrading Majima’s Sea Dog Style to effectively whittle down your foes during demanding boarding encounters.

Launch your attacks on large enemy groups to enter the boarding phase, and then prioritize the officers and captains to prevent them from using their special abilities.

Always remember to use the d-pad for your support skills and rely on Majima’s Chain Hook to bridge the gap between you and the enemy crew, helping you attain more consistent S-ranks.

What Rewards Do You Get From The Tournament Of Captains?

Once you reach the fifth rank—Legend of the Sea—you’ll navigate through the Tournament of Captains with ease by following our strategies for success.

Your rewards will include:

Completing these battles is highly rewarding, as you’ll find yourself with plenty of riches and the means to upgrade Majima’s ship and abilities to their fullest after finishing these challenges.