Sea of Thieves, the hit pirate action-adventure game, has dropped anchor on the PS5. While the game has recently welcomed 40 million players and was previously an Xbox and PC exclusive, a whole new generation of pirates are setting sail. The game has a ton of content, between the different companies, story missions, PVP, and more, it can be hard to know where to start. Sea of Thieves doesn’t offer a lot of guidance either, opting to let you sink or swim on your own. As I’ve started my journey into dangerous waters, here’s a list of things I’ve found helpful while finding my sea legs.
DO THE MAIDEN VOYAGE
When loading into Sea of Thieves, you’re given the option of doing a maiden voyage. It’s highly recommended to start here as this functions as the game’s tutorial and helps you learn a lot of the controls and mechanics. It can be tempting to hop straight in, but setting sail on a maiden voyage makes journeying into open waters much more palatable. It’s quick, too, and won’t take you long.
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START WITH THE COMPANY QUESTS
Sea of Thieves has a number of different companies that offer quests, but the starting three are the Merchants Guild, Gold Hoarders, and Order of Souls. Each has a starting mission to let you understand the fundamental mission structures that can lead you to gold. They don’t last long but offer a good way to learn where to turn in certain types of booty.
GRAB YOUR DAILY MAPS
Each outpost has a quest board that allows you to take five different treasure maps a day. They’re split between area, and once you grab one, another for the same sea will replenish. Take a quick look at your map on the ship to make note of what section you’re in, grab a few, and set sail. I’ve found taking 2-3 at a time is a happy amount, as they can be stolen by rival pirates if you get caught on the sea. They each provide a good amount of gold and rewards, along with each island usually hiding more on it, from the likes of skeleton captains to more chests.
RAID THE SEA FORTRESSES
There are six sea fortresses scattered around the Sea of Thieves, and raiding them is well worth your time. Once setting foot on one, you’ll go up against waves of phantoms, ultimately dealing with one stronger boss phantom. Doing the battle on the top of the fortress is usually the way to go. Between the height advantage and being able to keep an eye on the horizon for other players, it’s the best place to hold it down during the assault. Once you take down the boss, they’ll drop a key that will unlock a door in the lower level of the fortress.
You’ll find a good amount of treasure across the different companies, making these a worthwhile spot on the map to seek out. It’s a good idea to bring an empty treasure chest and try to park your boat outside of the lower entrance for quicker treasure transfer. One chest will let you carry three smaller pieces of treasure, perfect for skulls. If you don’t have one, take a look around the fortress and you should be able to find an empty one.
GO ISLAND HOPPING
Sometimes, the best thing to do is just open your map, pick an island, and set sail to see what you can find. This has ended up being my favorite way to play. At times, an island is a bust, with nothing more than a few bananas and mangos. Other times, you’ll find skeleton bosses, secret treasure, or a message in a bottle on the beach that leads to greater booty. Island hopping helps me live out my pirate dreams, along more for the journey than the loot itself. Once you’ve gone through a few islands, drop off your finds at the nearest outpost, and continue on to another adventure on the Sea of Thieves.
TELL SOME TALL TALES
Tall Tales are Sea of Thieves’ story adventures, each offering a curated narrative experience. They feature some fantastic narratives built around Pirates of the Caribbean, Monkey Island, and some original content. These are a great way to go on what feels like a theme park ride, with huge set pieces, interesting stories and fun characters. They offer a decent amount of gold and cosmetics for completing them, too. They’re a great way to take a break from the open waters and get some good story content.
Sea of Thieves is a massive experience with plenty to do. Each pirates’ journey to Pirate Lord will be unique, full of gold, fights, and waves. Spending time in High Seas is a fun way to experience the game in it’s entirety. Getting your ship sunk and raiding other players is part of the experience, so don’t be afraid to engage in some ship combat. If Safes Seas is more your speed, then there’s nothing wrong with a more chill voyage. Regardless of how you play Sea of Thieves, I hope the above help you start your journey and make your adventure all your own.
