As we've reported, there's a ton of changes coming to Pirates of the Burning Sea in patch 1.17. Well, "Eye of the Storm" is now on the testbed, and the team is asking for your opinions on the update before it goes live. To that end, a testbed event is scheduled to be held tomorrow, July 24, at 5 p.m. PDT.

The purpose of the event is to get player feedback on the new level 50 ships that are being added for each class. You can read more about them in this dev blog entry or after the jump. The team also wants to know what players think about the other changes we've already mentioned, such as the Auction House updates and the new ship storing and mission sharing features.

According to the announcement, the event will consist of two parts: "A swashbuckling skirmish using the new St. Pierre map and a level 50 ship skirmish using the new career ships. The new ships are available in the Testbed auction houses now, but GMs also be giving them out before the event."

In 1.17, every class is getting a powerful new level 50 ship to call their very own. Each one of them is unique, and plays to the strengths of each class.

Naval Officers: The ‘Macedon’ Hunter’s Frigate

The Macedon is based on the Alexander Fourth Rate. She’s faster, longer range and has a much more neutral turning profile. Her guns are heavier, but they reload just as fast as the smaller guns on the Alexander. Finally, the wind angles have been adjusted to be more like her smaller sibling, the Mercy. The Macedon is a Refit ship available for 40 Marks of Victory.

Privateers: The ‘Vengeance’ Privateer Frigate

The Vengeance is inspired by the Minerva and has a similarly sleek hull, but much separates the two ships. The Vengeance trades top speed for agility, so she’s exceptionally quick at almost any wind angle. The gundeck has a bit less range, but the two batteries gain exceptional firepower up close to compensate. The Vengeance is a crafted ship and costs an additional 1 Lineship Structure Bundle more than the Minerva. The recipe for the Vengeance is available for 25 Marks of Trade.

Freetraders: The ‘Khan’ Flute

The Khan is a fragile but deadly refit of the Sultan. While she can still haul her share of cargo, the Khan is more than a match for most foes in combat. More armor, more defense, more responsive handling and a whole lot more guns – she may look innocent, but don’t be fooled! The Khan is a Refit ship available for 60 Marks of Trade.

Cutthroats: The ‘Bloody Dagger’ Refit Frigate

Like any good Pirate ship, the Bloody Dagger bears almost no resemblance to the ship she’s careened from: the Defiant. The tall, broad sails remain but everything else has changed. Gone is the fierce long range punch, replaced by a tight spread of fast reloading guns. The Bloody Dagger can bring its full firepower to bear almost as soon as she’s in range. Add in quick turning and lower visibility and you get a ship that’s sure to be feared across the Burning Sea. The Bloody Dagger is a Refit ship available for 45 Marks of Victory.

Buccaneers: The ‘Hyperion’ Refit Frigate

The Hyperion takes the brawler mentality of the Poseidon to an extreme. Stripped of armor, she’s more vulnerable but her resilient structure still makes this ship difficult to sink. Her lightweight guns offer a brutal close range assault, but all those guns with so little protection means her gun loss is high. With reinforced sails and less weight, the Hyperion can go faster and turn easier. The Hyperion is a Refit ship available for 60 Marks of Victory.

All of these ships can be found on Testbed, and we encourage you to try them out before they go live in 1.17!