With Sea of Thieves available on Game Pass, the open waters has more fresh faces sailing it every day. Snakes, skeletons and phantoms are just a few of the threats pirates can meet on their seafaring journeys -- but enemies lurk beneath the waves as well. Megalodons, Krakens and hostile pirate crews call the sea their home, as do bosses that pirates can seek out. Players will have to be prepared for their attacks if they plan to make a name for themselves in this world of piracy.
A pirate's vessel will inevitably take damage, be it from stormy weather, enemy ships or that rock the Captain swears appeared out of nowhere. However it happened, a sinking ship is a problem, but it is no reason to panic -- in fact, players should avoid panicking. A pirate and crew can quickly save their sinking vessel so long as they're prepared for this scenario.
How to Prepare for a Potential Sinking Before Setting Sail
As tempting as it is to run out of the tavern and immediately hop onto a vessel, it pays to prepare for the journey that lies ahead. Barrels that contain food, wood planks, cannonballs and other supplies are littered around Outposts, and these will aid pirates traversing Sea of Thieves. Conveniently, ships also have barrels for extras, so pirates can stock up on necessary equipment before they head out. It's worth noting that even if a player neglected to stock up before leaving the Outpost, every boat does come with preliminary supplies, including five bananas, five wooden planks and a handful of bombs and cannonballs.
Get the Water Out of the Hull
Once a ship hits its water threshold, it will sink no matter what a crew does, so it's important not to let the water level inside the ship go unmanaged. A new feature added in Season 5 is the appearance of rats on a ship. These rodents will come in handy, as they will run away from the parts of a boat that are flooding, letting pirates know if they are in immediate danger of sinking.
To get rid of the water, quickly equip the bucket from the inventory and scoop the water. After the bucket is full of water, go to a window or the ship's edge to throw the water away, then rinse and repeat. It is important not to panic when expelling water -- an ill-aimed bucket toss will send water back into the ship, wasting valuable time and effort.
Have Your Wooden Planks Ready to Go
If the ship is sinking and the water isn't coming from the sky, that means there are holes in the ship's hull. It's good practice to keep wooden planks on a pirate's person at all times when sailing, as it will make patching up the ship much easier. Use the item wheel to locate and equip the wooden plank, then interact with the hole to start patching it.
If there are multiple holes, it may be worthwhile to have a second pirate help patch up the ship while someone stays above deck to steer the boat, avoiding any rocks or loose debris in the waves. Nothing is more discouraging than patching up holes only to have the ship crash into something and having all the patchwork be for nothing.
Watch Out for Enemy Crews
If the ship is sinking due to cannon fire, it's probably under attack. In the Sea of Thieves, it's (usually) kill or be killed, so there is no point in bargaining with the culprit or trying to strike a deal. The only courses of action are to hit back fast and hard or attempt to outrun the pursuer and hope they give up the chase. Make this decision right away, as there will be no time to escape once a fight is underway.
If another ship is attacking, focus on dealing damage to the attacker before going all-in on repairs. Repairing will be futile if damage is done to the boat faster than the crew can fix it. Larger crews typically have the edge in a confrontation, so try eliminating some of the competition to even the odds. Don't despair if a larger ship descends onto the crew's more modest accommodations either; despite being an uphill battle, the Sloop or the Brigantine can bring down a Galleon.
Don't Get Mad if You Lose Your Ship
The most important thing is to be prepared to lose the ship and its contents. By playing Sea of Thieves for an extended amount of time, pirates will have to come to terms with the fact that they will not always win an encounter. It may not feel fair, but it is the nature of the game.
A good way to mitigate disappointment on the seas is to remember that treasure belongs to the pirate who trades it in, not the one who finds it. It's not the Sea of Friends, it's the Sea of Thieves, and sometimes players are the pirate, and other times players are the pirated. If a pirate can turn the loss of their ship and loot into a learning experience, that pirate may have what it takes to become a Pirate Legend.