Sea of Thieves is a pirate sandbox that isn’t easy to get into, especially when other players are lurking in the fog. If you’re just getting started in your pirate adventure, here are ten tips and tricks for beginners in Sea of Thieves.
Discovering things in Sea of Thieves is part of the game’s charm, so this guide will give you general tips without spoiling too much, leaving the rest for you to discover.
10 tips and tricks for Sea of Thieves beginners
1. Complete the Maiden Voyage and find all its secrets
The Maiden Voyage is Sea of Thieves‘ tutorial mission that teaches you the basics. But, you may have missed that the tutorial island itself holds a few secrets, and finding them will give you a small head-start. Don’t worry if you’ve already completed the Maiden Voyage—you can replay it at any time from the main menu.
The video below by ConCon shows every Commendation you can find on the Maiden Voyage to unlock extra rewards. If you don’t want to complete all of them, focus on the “Treasure and Pirate Lord’s Journal #6” section, as it shows you where to find hidden Gold and Doubloons.
2. Learn the ropes on Safer Seas
A recent addition to Sea of Thieves is Safer Seas mode. While High Seas is a regular online server, Safer Seas is a private game. It’s limited in terms of progression and features, but for a new player, it’s a perfect place to learn how the game works at your own pace.
Learn the gameplay loop, master sailing your ship, try out all the different tools and cannonballs, harpoon items for faster looting, and complete a bunch of different Voyages to grasp the core questing mechanics. Once you feel more confident in your pirating skills, move to the High Seas where the real adventure begins.
3. Always stock up on supplies
In Sea of Thieves, it’s easy to go off-course, making a simple journey from point A to point B include the whole alphabet. Wherever the wind takes you, ensure your ship’s barrels are stocked up with cannonballs, wood for repairs, and food for healing.
A tip for gathering supplies is to buy a Storage Crate from the Merchant Alliance, and while holding it, get close to the barrels on the island to loot them. If you plan to do something big, like a world event, you might want to spend an extra day at the outpost to get more supplies, as barrels reset daily.
4. Use your compass to count steps
Riddles are common quests in Sea of Thieves. They tell you where to go and what to do to find a treasure. In the end, riddles always mention a specific location, and tell you how many paces away lies the treasure.
You could take an approximate amount of steps, but sometimes that won’t work. By holding the attack button with your compass in-hand, you will bring it close to your face, so you can count the exact number of steps you take while walking. It’s a nice little trick that can save you time.
5. Sell your loot before exiting the game
In Sea of Thieves, every session starts with a fresh ship and only basic supplies. This means everything you hoard in one session will be lost after you log off, unless it’s cashed in at the outpost. To make the most of every session, make sure to sell all your loot before logging off. Those new pants aren’t going to buy themselves, you know.
6. Chat and form Alliances with other players
The game has voice chat for talking to other crews, and I encourage you to use it. You’ll never know what players’ intentions are unless you talk to them. Moreover, many players will be happy to help you out or form an Alliance to earn extra Gold.
Speaking of Alliances, at the top of the mast, where you can choose the ship’s flag, there’s an Alliances tab. Selecting Offer Alliance will show nearby ships you want to team up, or you can join an existing Alliance. It’s a great way to avoid PvP and learn more about the game—until someone decides to betray you.
7. Fighting other players is part of the game
In the High Seas, the biggest threat to a pirate is other pirates. Players sometimes interfere with what you’re doing in an attempt to steal your loot. It’s tempting to simply run away every time, in hopes of keeping your shiny chests, but trust me when I say it’s usually better to fight back.
Whether you like it or not, PvP is part of the game and one of the reasons Sea of Thieves is so fun. This is why learning to fight other players effectively is something every pirate must do. You won’t win every battle, and that’s okay. If you’re a new player, here are a few quick PvP tips:
- Always use the Blunderbuss for close-range fights.
- Chainshots are great at disabling enemy ships if you hit the mast, helm, or anchor.
- Cursed Cannonballs are incredibly annoying and can turn the tide of the battle.
8. Use the wind to your advantage
The wind can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Straight from the tutorial, you’ll learn to adjust your sail angle and make the most of the wind. It’s a standard thing all sailors should know how to do. But, when you’re being chased by another ship, sailing with full wind may not be the best thing to do.
Every ship type can outrun others with the right wind. With a full wind, the Galleon is the fastest. With a side wind, the Brigantine is the fastest. Against the wind, the Sloop is the fastest. This means if you’re being chased by a Galleon on a Sloop, sail against the wind, and they will never catch you.
9. Don’t focus on becoming a Pirate Legend
Although the ultimate goal of Sea of Thieves is to become a Pirate Legend, it shouldn’t be a priority. You’ll reach it eventually, but if you only focus on the grind, you’ll miss out on many fun experiences. Sea of Thieves is all about the journey, not the destination.
And, to be completely honest with you, Pirate Legend isn’t worth the grind anyway. You get a new hideout, cosmetics, and a few Voyages, but none are worth spending 60 hours digging up chests for. Instead, aim to achieve other things, like buying your own ship or completing certain Commendations.
10. After you learn the game, find friends to play with
To enjoy the game to its fullest, you need a solid crew, period. Tall Tales often have tough boss fights, world events usually have multiple crews fighting for loot, and even regular battles between two ships can put you at a disadvantage most of the time as a solo player.
Don’t get me wrong, you can sail the seas by yourself (just don’t use the Open Crew feature) to simply relax, dig up a few chests, and maybe clear a Fort, but the true Sea of Thieves experience happens on a big ship with your friends by your side.
