40 Sea of Thieves – Solo, PVP, Combat [Our Tips]

Sea of Thieves is an adventure game developed by Rare. The game was released in March 2018, and it allows players to live the life of a pirate. You get the luxury of taking command of your own ship, visiting different islands, fighting enemy ships, and much more. However, since the game is based in an open-world environment, there is a lot for you to learn. Otherwise, you won’t be able to survive. To help you out, we are going to share the 40 best Sea of Thieves tips that can help you out in multiple situations.

Sea of Thieves Tips

In our guide, we are going to try to share tips that will revolve around controlling your ship, fighting enemies, and the thing that pirates do the best, looting. Our tips are about Solo, PVP, Combat, and many others.

1- Know The Direction of the Wind

In order to make your ship go fast, you’ll need to know the direction of the wind. Most of the time, you’ll be able to see the direction of the wind through the trails. However, after you dock the ship, you’ll lose these trails, and it can get quite difficult to know the wind’s direction without them. But if you have an emissary flag installed on your ship, then all you need to do is look at it and see where it’s pointing. This will be the direction of the wind. 

2- Always Finish The Mission 

In Sea of Thieves Solo Tips, There are some players who have a habit of leaving a mission halfway. If you’re one of them, stop doing this immediately. This is because while completing a mission rewards you with XP and loot, leaving it in the middle takes it away. Furthermore, you won’t even get the loot you gathered during the mission if you quit in the middle. Therefore, always make sure to finish the mission if you don’t want to lose your progress.

3- Never Be Too Quick To Drop The Anchor

In Sea of Thieves, you always need to be careful. One wrong move, and you can get wrecked by the enemy ship. Therefore, you always need to stay a step ahead of them and provide them with no chance of attacking you. To prevent this from happening, make sure to never lower your anchor whenever you’re about to stop your ship. Instead of doing that, just raise your sails, and your ship will automatically slow down. The reason behind this is that if you lower the anchor and an enemy ship attacks you, it will take a lot of time to raise it back up. But with the sails raised up, you’ll simply need to drop them back, and you’ll be good to go. 

4- Use The Harpoon To Get The Barrels

Barrels are something that can reward you with different resources, so it’s important to get every barrel that you see. What some players do is that if they see a barrel floating around their ship, they’ll get off the ship and swim to it. While this is the normal way of getting the barrel, its time-consuming. Instead of doing this, you can simply go to your harpoon and use it to pull the barrels towards you. This way, you’ll be able to get the goods without getting off the ship. 

5- Prioritize Stocking Up Your Ship

The Fifth Sea of Thieves Tip – A big mistake new and old players make is that they avoid stocking up their ship during the start of the game and schedule it for a later time. This is a huge mistake as you never know when you’ll encounter an enemy ship. Therefore, it’s best to stock up the ship through the outpost you spawn on. You’ll find a lot of resources on the outpost that you can bring on the ship, such as food, wood, and cannonballs. This way, you’ll be prepared for anything that is thrown at you.

6- Organize The Barrels

Being a pirate doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be organized. In fact, being organized can help you save a lot of time. If you have your barrels organized and know where things are, it will be much easier for you to navigate your ship and not waste time looking for stuff.

7- Jump Up The Ladders

In Sea of Thieves, you can reach the top of a building or a higher surface by using ladders. However, there will be times when you’ll be going up a mountain, and you’ll need to climb a lot of ladders. This can take a lot of time as climbing up a ladder is a time-taking process. But what some of you don’t know is that you can jump up the ladders instead of climbing them. This way, you’ll save a lot of time and reach the top of the mountain before you know it. 

8- Check The Emissary Tables

In the game, you will visit different outposts. Each outpost will have an Emissary Table that you can interact with. The most interesting part is that this table can help you find out whether there are any other ships docked on the island or not. To find out, get near the table, and you’ll see a toy ship on it. This is your ship. However, if see more than one toy ship on the table, then this will mean that there are other ships running the emissary. 

9- Find Mermaid Statues

Being a pirate is all about finding hidden treasures, and our next Sea of Thieves tip is based around that. If you’re wandering around in your ship or exploring an island and you hear a strange humming sound, then this will indicate that there is a mermaid statue nearby. The statue will be either underwater or somewhere near the beach. To find it, follow the humming noise, and you’ll then come across a glowing statue of a mermaid. Destroy the statue to get the Mermaid Gem reward. You’ll either get a Saphire gem, an Emerald gem, or a Ruby gem. It doesn’t matter which one you’ll get considering each one is worth it. 

10- Use The Storm

In the game, there will be times when the sea will be harsh, and you’ll see a storm nearby. Now, normally, it will be wise to avoid going through the storm as it can put you in a pretty difficult situation. However, if you’re brave enough, you can use this storm to your advantage. If you ever encounter an enemy ship that is more powerful than you, then it will be wise to run towards the storm. This is because the enemy ship will most likely avoid going after you in the storm, as no one likes to take the battle to it. 

11- Taking Care Of Animals

If you have any animals on your ship, such as a pig, then you need to take care of them. If you’re near your ship and you hear the pig screaming, it means that it’s hungry, and you need to feed it as soon as possible. If you don’t, then it will die. Therefore, if you don’t want to carry around a dead pig in your ship, then make sure to feed it at the right times.

12- Loot Rowboats

Rowboats can be found on the shore, and while most players avoid going near them, we will suggest you don’t. This is because Rowboats can help you acquire some good loot. If you see one, make sure to search for the chest that can be found in it. You’ll be able to find loot such as fruits, woods, and much more in this chest.

13- Keep An Eye Out For Skeleton Ships

Sea of Thieves tip number 13, you’ll find different types of ships on the sea. Some of them will be huge, while others will be small. However, there exist ships that belong to skeletons, and you must keep an eye out for them at all times. If you see a ship that has glowing lanterns and ripped sails, then chances are that it’s a skeleton ship. You can either charge directly towards it to start a battle, or you can simply go around it to avoid a fight. 

14- Health Regeneration

Another Important tip, that falls under Sea of Thieves Solo Tips – Whenever your health falls below a certain percentage, you’ll want to eat some food to bring it back up. If you don’t, then you’ll get eliminated instantly. There can be times when you forget to eat food, and your health is low. This can put you at a great disadvantage against your enemies. This is why it’s always wise to keep some cooked food in your inventory. If you eat cooked food, then your health will regenerate automatically after a couple of seconds. 

15- Never Be Afraid To Engage An Enemy Ship

This is one of the best Sea of Thieves PVP tips and tricks. While the game is mainly about exploring, it’s about battles as well. Sadly, a lot of players spend most of their time going from one island to another and just sailing around. They don’t focus on engaging enemy ships because they’re afraid of dying. However, you’ll miss out on a lot of fun if you ignore the combat. Sure, you might die during your first fight, but that’s okay. You won’t be able to learn if you won’t engage. Therefore, make sure to always stay prepared for fights. 

16- Don’t Go For The Anchor

Since combat is really important in the game, we’ll be mentioning a bunch of Sea of Thieves combat tips as well. What most players do is that whenever they get on an enemy ship they head straight for the anchor. This is a big mistake, as staying out in the open will most likely get you killed instantly. Instead, make your way to the below deck and then use your gun to target enemies coming down from the stairs. You’ll need to make every bullet count as if you miss any shot, then you’re dead. You can also go to the front of the ship instead of going down the deck. This will give you more movement and you’ll also get to know where all the enemies are this way. 

17- Hit The Skeleton Form Above

Skeletons can be taken down easily in Sea of Thieves, but some of them are pretty annoying. While most of them are just going to keep attacking you, some of them will also block your attacks. This can get really annoying as you won’t be able to take them down. However, what you can do is simply jump and then attack them from above. Or you can quickly get behind them to land an attack. This way, they won’t be able to block any of your attacks. 

18- Avoid Boots For Stealth 

If you’re someone who likes to have a stealthier approach towards taking down the enemy, then its best to wear no boots. This is because with the boots on, your enemies will be able to hear your footsteps clearly, and they’ll be able to tell where you’re coming from. But with no boots on, you’ll be creating close to no noise, and you can then move freely on the enemy ship and attack your target without letting them know about your location.

19- Refill The Ammo Crate

It is always wise to keep your ammo full if you don’t want to be at a disadvantage against your enemies. Imagine you’re close to taking over the enemy ship, and you run out of ammo. How embarrassing would that be? Therefore, make sure to pick up ammo crates that you’ll find during your journey. And if they get empty, then you can simply refill them by using the ammo crate on your ship or some island. This way, you’ll get an unlimited stock of ammunition. This Sea of Thieves Tip is not only for Solo or PVP but across the entire game.

20- Find Ship Wrecks

If you ever see a plethora of birds flying in a circle over a specific location, waste no time in visiting that location. This is because they are normally flying over a shipwreck that is under the water. Once you reach the location, go under the water, and you’ll then spot a ship. Make sure to search every corner as you can find different types of loot such as merchant crates, skulls, and much more. 

21- Dodge Sharks

Sharks can prove to be brutal if you get caught in their attack. Therefore, for obvious reasons, you need to avoid them. But if you do get caught in a situation where a shark is right in front of you, then you’ll need to be smart. While some players think that running in the opposite direction is going to save them, they are totally wrong. This is only going to provide the shark with a clear chance of attacking you. Instead of doing this, just dip below the water as soon as the shark is about to come in contact with you. This way, you’ll be able to avoid the attack and safely return to the surface. 

22- Don’t Be Afraid To Run Away

There will be times when you will need to run away from a battle, and that’s okay. After all, you cannot win every battle you engage in. If your ship has taken enough damage and you know the water’s flowing in, then it’s best to just run away to a safe spot and repair the ship. Otherwise, your ship will get destroyed, and you’ll lose everything. 

23- Get Your Hands on Curses

Curses are vanity items. They are rare and not easy to get. However, keep in mind that these curses don’t have any in-game benefit and are only for cosmetic purposes. But since they are unique, they can help you stand out from the rest. In addition to this, since getting them is a challenging task, you’ll be able to learn a lot during the process. For those wondering about how to get curses in Sea of Thieves, you can take a look at our detailed guide about it. 

24- Easiest Way To Get Bait

Bait can help you a lot in Sea of Thieves, and you can get it by digging. To get your hands on some Leaches, you can dig the ground that is right next to some water. As for Earthworms, they can be found in dirt.

25- Use Your Vomit As A Weapon

Now, I know this may sound weird, but this is my favourite among all Sea of Thieves tips. Just hear me out. In the game, if you eat some bait, then you’ll most likely throw up. However, what you can do is make sure not to let this vomit go to waste. To do this, take your bucket out right after eating the bait, and you will then throw up in the bucket. Then, if you throw the vomit on an enemy, it will blind them. This can prove to be useful, considering you can take your enemy down quickly and easily after their vision has been blocked.

26- Use The Harpoon To Make A Quick Turn

Important Sea of Thieves PVP Tip – Earlier, we discussed how you can use the Harpoon on your ship to bring in barrels without worrying about getting off the ship. However, this isn’t the only useful thing about the Harpoon, as it can help you make a quick turn as well. What you need to do is fire the Harpoon on the ground in the desired direction, and the ship will then start turning. You don’t even need to use the wheel for this. However, it will take a few tries before you can make an accurate turn by using the Harpoon.

27- Use The Megalodon To Your Advantage

While the Megalodon might look scary and all, you can use it to increase the speed of your ship. If you see one at the front of your ship, hit it with your Harpoon and hold the right-click button. This will give a boost to your ship’s speed. 

28- Surround Your Anchor With Loot

Now, I know this will sound odd, but surrounding your anchor with loot is going to put you at a great advantage against your enemies. If you surround it with items such as chests, then it will become difficult for your enemies to anchor your ship. This can prove to be useful, especially if you’re someone who’s always engaging with enemy ships. 

29- Learn How to Sail A Ship

Being a pirate is fun and all, but there’s a lot you need to learn when it comes to sailing a ship. If you think you can control the ship by just pressing a few buttons, you’re wrong. Instead, you’ll need to learn how to drop and raise the sails, how to adjust them to catch the wind, how to increase or decrease the ship’s speed, when and how to raise the anchor, and so on. If you don’t learn any of this, you won’t be able to survive. 

30- Learn About Different Items

In Sea of Thieves, you’ll be able to get your hands on a ton of items. Some of these items will help you in repairing your ship, some will help you in combat, and others will help you keep your character alive. For instance, if your ship gets attacked by an enemy ship, then chances are that you’ll see a bunch of holes on your ship at the end of the battle. You can use planks to repair these holes and prevent water from flowing in. Similarly, you can use the telescope to look far away into the sea and the lantern to look in the dark. 

31- Make Sure To Gather Supplies

Whenever you’re on an island or an enemy ship, make sure to check everything for supplies. This is easily one of the most importanttips as you just cannot survive without enough supplies. Look for chests, crates, and barrels. These will have different types of loot inside them, such as food, planks, ammunition, and much more.

32- Sell Your Treasure Quickly

My favorite sea of thieves solo tip is that a big mistake new and even old players make is that after they acquire a treasure chest, they start searching for another one. This is a big mistake, as your utmost priority should be to sell the chest right after you acquire it. If you don’t, then you’ll most likely end up losing the treasure chest. Either your ship is going to sink for some reason, and you’ll lose the chest, or an enemy ship is going to attack and rob it off of you. Therefore, whenever you get your hands on a chest, waste no time in selling it.

33- Always Aim At The Lower Portion of The Ship

The quickest and easiest way to take down an enemy ship is by filling it with water. And if you ask how you can do that, well you just need to shoot your cannonball below the waterline. This will not only deal damage to their ship but will also create a hole for the water to enter. Land a couple of shots at the mentioned spot, and you’ll see the ship sinking in no time.

34- Keep An Eye Out for The Kraken 

Skeletons and humans aren’t the only threat in Sea of Thieves as there exists something much more powerful than them, the Kraken. Almost every player has encountered a Kraken at least once. If you still haven’t, then you soon will. If the sea around you starts turning black, then this means that the Kraken is around you. As soon as you witness such a sight, be prepared for a fight. The Kraken is one tough fella, so make sure that your cannons are ready.

35- Check If You’re Being Watched or Not

There will be times when you’ll be able to tell if there is an enemy ship nearby by just looking at one. But sometimes, you’ll need to spot a glimmer. If you end up seeing a glimmer in the distance, then that means an enemy ship is using its spyglass to examine you. They’ll be either planning to loot your ship or to sink it to the depth of the sea. If you’re someone who’s always up for a fight, then this will provide you with enough time to prepare for a battle. But if you’re currently not in the mood for a fight, then you can use this time to run away.

36- Pick Up Gun Powder Barrels

Gun Powder barrels are extremely powerful and can create havoc within seconds. Therefore, you need to always keep an eye out for them and see if your enemy is using them against you or not. If they are, then they’ll most likely throw them on your ship to make it sink. If that happens, then you can simply rush to it to pick it up. Once it’s in your hands, press the right-click button on the mouse or the left trigger on the controller to put out its fuse. This way, you’ll prevent it from exploding, and your ship will not get damaged. 

37- Keep Your Lanterns Off

If you’re wandering around in the sea during nighttime, then it will be wise to turn off all the lanterns of your ship. While this might take away most of your visibility, it will also save you from getting attacked. This is because if you have your lanterns turned on, then the enemy ships will be able to spot you from far away and will attack you as soon as they get close. Therefore, if you’re someone who can’t handle combat during the night, then it’s best to just switch off the lanterns to prevent your peace from getting disturbed. 

38- Avoid Using Glowing Cosmetic Items

Our next Sea of Thieves tip is also meant to help you avoid getting spotted during nighttime. Earlier, we mentioned that turning the lanterns off can prevent enemy ships from spotting you during the night. But this won’t work if you’re using glowing cosmetic items on your ship. I know. Everyone wants their ship to look amazing. But how will you enjoy the beauty of your ship if it gets destroyed? Therefore, make sure you don’t have any glowing cosmetic items on your ship, especially on the sails. Otherwise, you’ll be a sitting duck for your enemies. 

39- Don’t Rush To An Island

Another big mistake a lot of players make is that whenever they see an island, they rush toward it. This can cost them their lives as an enemy ship might be waiting for them on the island. Therefore, if you see an Island, make sure to use your telescope or spyglass to first scout the location to see if there are any threats nearby or not. 

40- Practice, Practice, and Practice

The final Sea of Thieves tips that I would like to mention is that you should never stop practicing. Keep in mind that you won’t become better at the game overnight. You will need to spend weeks learning each and everything about the game. Only then will you be able to become a legendary pirate. Don’t be afraid to try out something new. If you see an enemy ship that is way out of your league, engage it anyway. Who knows, you might learn a thing or two from the battle that will take place. Furthermore, there’s a lot to explore in the game. So make sure you don’t miss out on any island. 

Conclusion 

This was all regarding our Sea of Thieves tips guide. We hope that they will help you become a better pirate in the game. Keep in mind that you won’t become a pro player in one day and you will need to spend a lot of days before you can start seeing significant improvement. If you see an enemy ship, engage it. If you notice that there’s a Kraken nearby, make sure to fight it. If you run away, you’ll never learn how to take it down. Before you leave, make sure to check out our Sea of Thieves beginner’s guide as well. Also, if you’re struggling to find Ritual Skulls in the game, then follow this guide.