Sea of Thievesis a PVP and PVE open-world, live-service pirate adventure-based game, where players can be attacked both by enemies in the environment and other human players simultaneously. For beginners, PVP might feel challenging, especially when sailing solo or coming up against skilled players who’ve been playing the game since its 2018 inception.
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The difficulty level for solo players also remains tough in PVE situations, but even more so when factoring in PVP. Whether a newbie or Pirate Legend, inSea of Thievesit’s never too late to pick up PVP tips and tricks to better navigate the seas or revise gameplay strategies in this evolving game.
10Suspicious Mermaid Activity
Whether exploring an island or out at sea, it’s always best to keep a lookout for mermaids that seem out of place and question their presence. If players lose or fall off their ship and swim far away enough, a fast-travel mermaid appears from the watery depths to enable players to safely return to the ship.
However, it’s also a clue that another player may be close by, so it’s essential to stay alert. Check the ship is secure and use the spyglass tocheck for sneaky swimming piratesattacking from the water.
9Watch Those Ladders
When other player ships give chase, it’s also crucial to keep tabs on the ladders on both sides of the ship to try to avoid a surprise boarding party. For solo players this often means multitasking, but players in larger crews can split roles between sailing and surveillance as needed.
On the flip side, attackers can make use of ladders to carefully sneak on board and find a hiding spot till ready to pounce. Players can still jump or cannon themselves onto the ship though, so be prepared for any entry point.
8Barrel Hiders
Be sure to check all barrels on the ship for player hiding spots by stabbing them with the sword.The Barrel Disguise Emotegives players ample opportunity to hide aboard other player ships, so it’s worth checking for suspicious barrel behavior.
The same is true of chests with the Chest Hide Emote. Although it doesn’t close fully, this emote can allow cleverly placed pirates to conceal themselves amongst hoards of treasure. Barrel hiding is also a fun way to board player ships, watching while players frantically search for intruders.
7Store Explosive Barrels Cautiously
Be careful when storing explosive barrels on the ship as other players can snipe them from afar with devastating effects. Some players store them in the crow’s nest to sell later, but this can leave the mast vulnerable.
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Even for those pirates who like to live dangerously, a safer option is to store explosives out of sight on the lowest deck, either at the back or front end of the ship. Boarding players can still destroy them, so it’s worth thinking twice about whether to collect them in the first place.
6Protect The Mast And Master The Chain Shot
Players with masterfulaccuracy of the chain shotcan make ship PVP battles a breeze. A toppled mast is the perfect distraction and moment to overwhelm a player’s ship by boarding or peppering it with more cannon fire whilst the ship remains grounded.
If this happens to a defending player, it’s best to get the ship repaired and its sails restored as quickly as possible. It’s also critical to create distance from the attacks whilst simultaneously remaining vigilant to repeated, catastrophic mast attacks. Learning to defend against chain shot attacks is valuable and even better to master them.
5Close Quarters Combat
In PVP combat, it’s best to keep moving as much as possible whether running, jumping, or zigzagging. Hold down the attack button for a quick sword lunge to conquer another player with a few sword swipes before they even have time to blink.
Some players skilled at PVP will also alter their position from upper to lower decks to confuse and disorientate other players. It’s essential to have plenty of supplies on standby like fruit and throwables to keep health topped up and vary attacks. The blunderbuss and sword can also bean effective weapon combination.
4Surprise And Speed - The 180-Degree Ship Turn
Nothing feels cooler than performing the classic 180-degree ship turn maneuver to escape players in pursuit. To perform this, turn the steering wheel full lock left or right, then drop the anchor so the ship’s momentum swings it 180 degrees. Players can also use the harpoon to hook onto a rock or island to help the ship turn further.
It’s also useful to notethe direction of the windto gain maximum speed and distance. This move can also reposition the ship into a cannon fire position, surprising other playersPirates of the Caribbeanstyle.
3Make Use Of The Environment
For players not in the mood to PVP, gaining a bit of distance and sailing directly into environmental hazards like storms is another way to escape pursuing player ships.
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When out of the storm, players can change direction or hide behind an island and wait to see where the enemy ship goes. For this to potentially work, all lanterns on the ship should be switched off to reduce visibility. Players up for the challenge can also sail into storms for an epic PVP battle where lighting and burst ship hulls up the ante.
2Sacrificial Scuttle
If things go sour and PVP turns out to be too much, there’s always the option to scuttle the ship to allow players to move forward and carry on with objectives without interruption. This can also be a surprising tactic to catch enemy players off guard.
A disadvantage of scuttling is players will lose any loot they have collected to the waters. However, players can return and retrieve it if they are fast enough before it sinks to the ocean’s depths, providing the ship’s respawn point isn’t too far away from its original location. Sometimes it’s best to wave bye to the ship and start over.
1Form Alliances With Caution
It’s important to remember that not all other players are out to get each other and many do enjoy teaming up with others. However, it is always best to be wary when encountering other pirates. Some will attack straight away, while others will try to lure players in with the promise of friendship with the alliance flag orusing in-game communication features.
Use emotes to do a quick wave and see how other players react to try to tell if they are friendly. There are plenty of pirates who will just be sailing the seas minding their own business, but any alliance should be approached with caution. If an alliance fails, sneakily lighting up the other player’s stove or hiding aChest of Sorrowsaboard their ship is always a fun way to wreak a fiery or watery pool of revenge.
Sea of Thievesis available to play on PC and Xbox and free to play on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
