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A wise pirate knows the devil’s dance of combat: The swerve and the thrust, the swipe and the parry. An even wiser pirate knows that “he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day.” The wisest pirate of all knows that combat is a job best suited to your lackeys. Your time, meanwhile, is better spent sweeping in with a blunderbuss to pick up the pieces once the dust settles, and hoisting sail to the nearest vendor. There you can sell the remains of your dear departed colleagues and use it for grog money.

Don’t give us that look. This is a game about pirates!!

Truthfully though, combat is an unavoidable pillar of Sea of Thieves’ gameplay, and knowing the ins and outs of a fight is the difference between a plunder and a blunder (guess which one ends with you walking away with the loot). Every player can carry two weapons, so choose wisely. What you bring into the battle is going to play a huge difference in your role. To help you decide, we’ve put together a guide that will hopefully make that choice a little easier.

Pistol

Powerful and versatile, each player begins a match with a pistol and cutlass by default. You’d think that any starting weapons are sub-par when compared to ones you’d pick up later, but in the case of Sea of Thieves, you’d be wrong. The weapons here are a balancing act in this title, and the deciding factor of any PvP is rarely the weapon a player is using, but the angle from which he is attacking. Every weapon has its place, and the pistol is no exception.

** Any upgrades or purchases you make at a vendor are aesthetic only and will not have any effect on a weapon’s damage or utility. You’ll just look cooler.

The pistol outmatches the blunderbuss in terms of accuracy (as you might expect) and it also has a faster reload speed, meaning that you can fire off a second shot before the other guy does. This is important for one big reason:

A single shot from the pistol will deal 53% damage to a human target. That means if you can land two shots, they’re down. See where we’re going with this? You dominate mid-range combat with the pistol. It may not feel like it fires all that quickly, but the fact of the matter is that it’s still firing faster than the other two firearms. Combine that with the two-shot kill and you have a very powerful weapon indeed.

Cutlass

Your other default weapon, the cutlass is the mark of the true buccaneer. Yes, it has less range than any other weapon. Yes, it does the least damage. Yes, it takes three hits to kill even a basic skeleton. We still think it’s the best weapon you can get your hands on in this game.

Hear us out.

At the end of the day, the sword is only as good as the swordsman. Mastering the cutlass will take time, practice, and patience (at least two traits that pirates do not have in abundance). The primary attack is a sword slash that deals a small 20% damage. Logically, landing the three-hit combo will do 60% damage. Now we’re getting somewhere. In addition, hitting another player can slow them, hindering their ability to turn. Unable to adjust their view angle, you should be able to dispatch them far more easily.

The sword’s lunge ability does a mighty 49% damage, and is one of its defining features in Sea of Thieves. The lunge lends a unique balance to the rock-paper-scissors combat for this game. Charging the lunge (primary attack button) will slow your walk speed, BUT if you block you will negate the movement penalty. Jump at the start of your lunge and you can cover still more distance, closing the gap between you and the guy with the pistol or Eye of Reach.

The cutlass is also the only weapon in the game that can block, making it your best defensive option. On top of all that, and this is a no-brainer, the cutlass does not use ammo! We recommend having a cutlass as a backup weapon on most of your adventures. Its defense, mobility, infinite usage, and general classiness make it our top choice.

For more advice on the best ways to use a cutlass, definitely give this video a thorough look:

Eye of Reach

Found in an armory (scattered around the game world), the Eye of Reach is the game’s sniper rifle. With a slow rate of fire and reload time, this weapon favors a high risk/high reward style of gameplay, much like the blunderbuss.

Accurate from extremely far, the Eye of Reach also doubles as a spyglass. We found it unexpectedly useful when scouting new areas or when doing recon on skeleton forts. It is generally advisable to have at least one of your crew hit the seas with this in his hands. It’s invaluable for scouting, backing up the players leading the charge, and for picking off enemies before your ship even reaches the island.

With the Eye of Reach, it’s important to keep several universal factors of Sea of Thieves’ combat in mind:

1. There is no friendly fire in Sea of Thieves. At least not directly. If you’re the team marksman and you’re watching your teammate’s back, don’t hesitate to pull the trigger, even if you’re you have the shot; you can’t hurt him.
2. Headshots will not do extra damage. Again don’t hesitate to shoot. If you’re not firing from far away, we advise quickscoping over long careful aiming.
3. Lastly, damage in or out of water is the same in Sea of Thieves. If the fight lands you in the water (which it often does), remember that that has no bearing on the damage of your gun. Considering the Eye of Reach does a whopping 79% damage in a single shot, you’re nearly unmatched in terms of raw damage, on land or underwater.

Blunderbuss

The blunderbuss is the go-to weapon for any pirate who’s had enough monkeying around. And no, that’s not a Monkey Island reference. This is a shotgun, tried and true, and should only be used at close quarters. The blunderbuss fires ten shots at once in an unpredictable formation. Each of those shots deals around 15% damage. The more shots that land, the more total damage you’ll do.

Pretty basic, right?

It takes a minimum of seven shots to instantly down an enemy, which means that the only chance you have to score that sweet one-hit KO is to fire as close to point-blank range as you can afford to get. Careful when you take your shot; the rate of fire is slow, and you’ll probably be in the thick of the fight if you’re using the blunderbuss like you’re supposed to.

Much like the Eye of Reach, however, we think it’s a good idea for at least one teammate to be using a blunderbuss at all times. It comes in extremely handy when ambushed by a horde of skeletons or when going toe to toe with a ship full of enemy players.

For a side by side comparison of weapon damages in Sea of Thieves, along with more awesome combat strategies, check out the video below.

Step carefully and we’ll see you on the high seas!

 

Sea of Thieves is a game about plundering the high seas in search of grog and booty. You’ll be commandeering the seas on your Sloop or Galleon, dodging all manner of angry skeletons, ferocious sharks, perilous rocky coves, the legendary Kraken, and – most terrifying of all – the other players in your match who might be just rowdy enough to try and cast you down to Davy Jones’ locker. Sound fun? Grab it here:

Jumping into a living, breathing world like Rare created with this title can be unnerving, especially with the game’s lack of tutorial. We’re sharing five tips that will play the part of the parrot on your shoulder, giving you advice and encouraging you to let your conscience be your guide.

Maybe we’re mixing metaphors. Let’s get started.

1. Don’t go it alone

Kind of a given, but if you can play this game with friends, do so. Trust us, it’s the way the game is meant to be played. Besides just raising the camaraderie up to 11, pretty much all the game’s mechanics assume you’re with a hearty crew.

The element where this especially comes to mind is navigation. Sailing a ship is NOT like driving a car, and having another pair of eyes can be the difference between a shiny new galleon and a waterlogged shipwreck.

As if to reinforce this point, the map on the Galleon is in the hold, below the deck. The wheel for steering is two floors above that. The game doesn’t want you to do both. The most efficient way to plot your course is to have one player down below deck yelling directions to whoever is steering.

Trying to check the map and steer is deliberately clunky and inconvenient. Additionally, having another pair of eyes can be incredibly helpful when you’re scouting for clues during one of the game’s many treasure hunts.

2. Familiarize yourself with your vessel

Navigating and sailing in Sea of Thieves is a huge portion of the game. The more practice you get on the high seas, the more adept a sailor you become. The more adept a sailor, the better your survivability in ship-to-ship combat. Not to mention you’ll be able to pull some crazy maneuvers in and out of battle. There are two ships in Sea of Thieves: The Sloop and the Galleon.

The Sloop is faster and smaller, but isn’t decked out for a fight like its big brother. They are easier to repair, however, and their size makes them immune to Kraken attacks. We’d recommend starting off with a Sloop in Sea of Thieves, and upgrading to a Galleon when you get the hang of the game’s steering mechanics.

The Galleon is the king of the seas, boasting twice the firepower and durability of the Sloop. Since it lacks the Sloop’s maneuverability, we’d recommend around four players work together to make for the most efficient navigating. Of course, a ship is only as good as its crew, so be sure that your teammates know their roles before the lot of you go head to head with other players.

For both ships, don’t forget to use your sails properly! Look up and try to gauge the direction of the wind. If you angle your sails to catch the wind just right, you’ll see them puff out. That means you’ll be moving as fast as possible.

3. Learn your tools

There are eight different tools in your inventory radial. You should become familiar with their purpose so you always have the right one for the right job:

Compass: The most important tool at your disposal, the compass is how you discern the right direction when away from your ship. Keep track of where you go after you drop anchor and go on land; your compass will help you get back.

The compass is also hugely valuable when you’re on land trying to hunt for treasure. Keep it handy. You can also look to the North Star if you’re wandering around at night.

Lantern: Handy when spelunking, the lantern is your default item for brightening caves or dark islands when exploring at nighttime. You can also right-click (left trigger on XB1) to lift the lantern higher, lighting up those dark corners.

Pocket Watch: Not terribly useful outside of Merchant Alliance voyages, this tool tells you the time and date. It can also help with determining how long you have before dark, but you’re a pirate – just look up at the sky!

Spyglass: An unexpectedly valuable piece of equipment, this can help you spot islands, enemies, and passing ships. Passing ships should definitely be taken into account and shared with your crew. Know when to fight and when to flee, especially during timed quests or when low on supplies. Another tip is to put out your ship’s lanterns at night; other players will have a harder time spotting you in the dark if you’re not lit up like a Christmas tree.

Shovel: This digs up treasure. Listen for the clank sound; that means you’ve hit the chest.

Bucket: All players begin with the bucket, and all unfortunate players will likely end up using it. A lot. The bucket is for when your ship is taking on water and threatens to sink. Use the bucket to pour out the water, ideally when another player is patching up the hole.

Tankard: Not useful unless you want to roleplay. The tankard will hold grog for player consumption; you can find one in your equipment chest. Fun if you want to pretend you’re Captain Jack Sparrow.

4. Choose your weapons wisely

You can only carry two weapons on your person in Sea of Thieves, but can choose from four: The cutlass; blunderbuss; pistol, and Eye of Reach. When you’re picking your weapons, be mindful of two factors: What your other teammates are carrying; and whether you’re well-rounded if any of you wind up alone.

The cutlass requires the most finesse and practice. Able to swipe, parry, and lunge, it’s your most versatile (and classy) choice. The cutlass can also block, making it a viable defensive option, and is the only weapon in the game that does not require ammunition. We think it’s the best backup weapon you can pick.

The flintlock pistol is a good close-mid range gun, and accurate players will find it’s a good counter against careless sword wielders who can’t reliably close the distance. It also fires faster than the blunderbuss or Eye of Reach, so you’ve got more margin for error.

The Eye of Reach is Sea of Thieves’ sniper rifle, using a fixed scope to engage enemies from great distances while maintaining higher accuracy. It can be incredibly useful from a hilltop or the crow’s nest of a Galleon, but don’t get caught using it alone against a pack of skeletons.

The blunderbuss is the champion of close quarters fighting, and we recommend beginner players rely heavily on this. Our blatant tip is to “practice with the sword, but proceed with the shotgun.” It’s also the only weapon capable of dispatching multiple assailants at once, making it your best choice against the game’s many skeletons hordes.

5. Keep well stocked

Our last tip for beginner players is to loot, loot, loot. This goes for completing quests and pillaging enemy vessels, but also extends to exploring small islands for wood, chests, or life-giving bananas. All supplies you find that belongs on your ship should be put there quickly, as you’ll never know when an enemy ship might decide to challenge you.

As for the bananas, we recommend you keep as many on your person as you can. Each will restore 25% of your health, and can be consumed one at a time to give you a fighting chance should you get ambushed.

Sea of Thieves is a ruthless, cutthroat world, but if you keep these five tips in mind and stick close to your friends you might just stay alive long enough to face down that Kraken. Or to launch yourself from a cannon only to plummet down to your death, questioning your life decisions all the way.