The best sailing warship depended on its mission

What was the best age-of-sail combat ship?

It depended on the mission: a 74 was an excellent all-rounder, a first rate offered maximum line-of-battle power, and frigates or razees suited commerce raiding.

There was no single best sailing warship because navies designed ships for different tasks. A 74 was a strong all-round choice, a first rate such as HMS Victory supplied maximum battle-line power, and a frigate, fourth rate, fifth rate, or razee made a better commerce raider. The modern comparison to anti-submarine, air-defense, and land-attack specialization makes the design logic explicit.