I've owned this game for 4 days, and it's impossible to progress or achieve anything

@wizen-wolf-bain
When starting out, turn in often - only carry as much loot as you are comfortable potentially losing.
When chased, the sloop is the fastest ship when going into the wind.
When going into the wind, flatten the sails (perpendicular to the bowsprit)... as illogical as it sounds, you go a little faster.
The sloop is more maneuverable than the other ships, learn to use that to your advantage.
If a ship is at an outpost - don’t go there.
Check for mermaids at outposts to be sure nobody is camping it.

@wizen-wolf-bain welcome back to the Seas! I recommend joining one of the many communities such as Rogue Legends. Sailing with those in a higher level will help you level up faster as you get better loot, you will learn new strategies/tips, and will allow you to have a galleon to compete or defend against the other galleons.

Happy sailing!

https://www.seaofthieves.com/forum/topic/65226/rogue-legends-recruitment-pc-xbox-pvp-pve-beginner-friendly-fleet-community-events-global-members-18

There are a lot of really good content creators for this game. People such as Captain Falcore, Toejahm, Beardageddon and many others. Check out some of their Youtube content for tips and tricks as a solo player.

As you get more experienced with the sloop, you'll come to realise it can actually be one of the hardest to sink. Resources are close at hand and it's easy to bail water out the window quickly.

If you do want the rep/gold, you 100% need to turn in more often. If you're not comfortable losing 5-10 items, turn them in.

I'm new to the game also and have followed the advice given above. I primarily solo sloop, and the best information that got me through is not to be attached to anything at the beginning of your sailing adventures. Some suggestions I might add is to engage others, pull into outpost even if there is another ship there, and approach other ships that you encounter on the seas to see how they react. Consider it reconnaissance. In my experience, these types of encounters more often than not turn into some exciting gameplay. For example, I spent the first month going after reapers chests and learning to deal with the consequences and rewards, and in doing so, I got pretty good at sailing and learning the map.
The most challenging thing for me is fighting with weapons, but even that seems to improve with time. I also wanted to add to the list of people to watch on youtube : Phuzzy Bond
Enjoy your journey to Pirate Legend

@wizen-wolf-bain

On the outpost matter. There can only be maximum of 6 ships in a server including yours. There is 7 outpost plus the reapers hideout (only takes certain loot).
Keep a good look around. 1 of these outpost got to be free. Basically they can’t all be camped.

Good luck

@bugaboo-bill

Exactly we got Pirate Legends and Legendary Pirates.
My aim is be that Legendary Pirate!
Adventure away. Its not about the gold its about the glory!

If you are on a sloop, you shouldn't be getting caught by a galleon.
You need to learn how to properly angle your sails. Here's how:

Only angle sloop sails if you will have full wind. Even if you almost have full wind, but don't: you will want to keep sails default: (AKA flat sails, aka square sails. You will be faster this way.)

Sail into the wind (with flat sails.) Don't allow yourself to get cornered by the red sea. Galleons are easy to outrun because they have a harder time to maneuver, and it requires all 4 players to be vigilant with sails in order to be affective.

Now brigantines are harder to outrun but the advice I gave still applies

Keep your eyes on the horizon and always be aware of ships nearby. Good rule of thumb: if you see a ship in the area or near a neighboring island, assume they will come in on you. Because they will more than likely.

Hope this advice helps you out!

Well first off welcome to SOT. Here is some advice to help you progress.

1. Sorry but yes xbox servers can be bad. The past week they seem to be having issues, I think it may be because of the surge of players since so many schools have been closed.

2. I always sell my treasure no matter what it is. I do not care if it is just a measly mermaid gem and a garbage skull I am stopping at an outpost and selling it.

3. Explosive barrels are your friend. Always stock up on them and make sure you store them in your crows nest.

4. Learn to sail, learn to sail and yes learn sail. Did I say learn to sail? For a PvE player that is the number one thing on the list that you need to learn.

Example, Last night I was on a brig with my friend. We had another brig chasing us, her internet went down, it was just little ole me all by myself with a brig of three behind me. I was able to out sail them and got to an outpost. How? Well I am nobody special I just know how to steer and adjust my sails properly.

5. Think about upgrading to a brig eventually if it is you and a friend. Sloops are fine, you can out sail a galleon for sure on one and a brig but brigs I find harder while on a sloop. Anyways two people who know what they are doing can easily man or "woman" a brig. That is what me and my friend been doing. Benefits of a brig; faster than a sloop, more cannons, people think you have three players and since some like to attack easy targets may stay away and you get a pretty bedroom area.

6. I tell all Pve peoples that you need to learn PvP. You need basic skills to defend yourself. I love PvP but not on this game I find it terrible but it is still good to know how to fight. Watch some videos on it. My advice is again explosive barrels and stock up on curse cannon balls.

7. Do not trust a pirate, always use caution if you have loot, if you got nothing to lose then go for it you may make a friend. When I first started playing I would say 4 out of 10 of the ships I came across were cool. I took a break now been back a few weeks and I would say that only 1/10 are now from my experience. I notice we get chased by pretty much any ship that spots us, maybe thats just our bad luck, who knows?

8. Collect reapers chest to get doubloons to buy those fancy level up envelopes from Duke in the tavern.

Last piece of advice is have fun and do not take game too seriously. I know you want to reach PL but that is not all the game is about.

*also side note but this profanity filter is just too strict.

@wizen-wolf-bain

Tips from a legend of old:

1. Always be aware of the horizon, it is easy to get lost in the task at hand. Yet seeing pirates before they are near is key to creating your own experience. Keep those ears pierced for cannon fire and splashing of pirates swimming and mermaids out to save sailors away from their ship.
2. Be prepared to leave at a moments notice, this means park without using the anchor (raise those sails), in case you still need to anchor to avoid beaching the ship take the time to raise the sails and raise the anchor before heading ashore. This will allow you to get on your ship and drop sails to take off.
3. Gather supplies; good fortune tends to shine more on those who are ready to rumble and brought the equipment to spend.
4. Learn to sail and the characteristics of all three ships, even if you only use one. Knowledge is power and sailing is by far the most important aspect of keeping one safe.
5. Priorities should be with the ship and what you are already hauling, not the voyage or treasure on the land. The ship tethers you to the world, the victor is for the one afloat not that is the best killer. Guard those ladders.
6. Bailing is quicker than repairing, so when in doubt grab that bucket.
7. Never sail with more than you are willing to lose, no matter how good you think you are at some point you will lose. Treasure is only yours if you sold it and not a moment sooner.
8. Practice makes perfect and knowledge is key. Look up guides and learn from your mistakes, I personally believe Phuzzy Bond is a great YouTuber for explanations of the game
9. Check for tucker's, ninja pirates that hide on your ship when you have been away from the ship for a while.
10. Relax and enjoy the game. Progress in this game isn't measured by your title, it is measured by your actions and ability to be the pirate you want to be. A true legend is judged on being their own pirate and not based on the cosmetics that they own. Live by your own code and remember other crews are never to be fully trusted, don't give them the opportunity to steal.

Rare did have some technical difficulties this week, but it isn't the norm. You just were unlucky to be starting when they were having the issues. I have been playing since launch and usually the servers are stable.

I hope you are not completely scared off and persist to visit the seas. They can be a rough place, it is a shared world and we have some scurvy pirates out there. Yet once you master your style it is a very enjoyable game. Win or lose, adapt and become the pirate you enjoy being. If someone is in your way: contest, flee or negotiate... the question always remains how will you respond?

Good luck out there and happy sailing.

Some days it's going to be hectic. Just last night, like more than 8 hours ago, **** hit the fan on what was supposed to be a laid back Order of Souls voyage. Not even 15 mins into the game, while killing skeletons and taking their skulls at kraken's fall, we were teamed attacked by a 3 man brigatine and a duo sloop (we were steering a 4 man galleon btw, so even with security you will still be targeted, maybe more often by even more ambitious players). We had to abandon our rowboat with all the loot and sail away because we didn't have the resources for that sort of fight.

While we ran, we sailed right under an event cloud and activated the skeleton fleet battle. Call it bad or good luck, depending if you're casual or competitive, we were in one of the most heated momements you could ever be in this game, under attack by 4 ships, 2 a.i. and 2 players, sandwhiched right in the middle. Regardless of the situation, the experience was invigorating. You feel a sense of satisfaction when you live through it. You can never get that rush feeling with solely doing PvE. We managed to sink the sloop while the brig caught full aggro of the skeleton ships' cursed rig balls.

I read "I've owned this game for 4 days, and it's impossible to progress or achieve anything" and that is all. I didn't read any of the post, but it seems a bit silly, judging from the title.

What have all of us O.G.s been doing all these years? Are we all sitting at 0 rep? 0 achievements? 0 commendations?

No. We're progressing and achieving. ...like we always have been. ...since before launch and even now, still, to this day.

If you need help, get help. There are tons of videos on how to play SoT. There are tons of groups/chats/forums that have tons of players that have no problem teaching new players.

Or, you can just give up, if you want. That's up to you. What do you do in other games you find difficult?

@wizen-wolf-bain My advice for fighting players, would be to kill the crew with your cannons. Lighting their ship on fire is also very good to do. Fire bombs and chain shots are invaluable to your arsenal

@wizen-wolf-bain

Regarding kegs and using a 2 man brigantine over a sloop is a choice you should make on your own.

I for one prefer a sloop due to the mobility and ease of having more combat positioning with the ship. I can solo make people work to chase me while my crew can go full boarding and disrupting. Chases are determined by will power, just sailing against the wind isn't getting you anywhere. Try to learn to do drive by sells and sailing around islands, big rocks and learn to board and anchor if possible. As a duo you have a defensive and offensive ability, compliment each other. Teamwork is your best tool.

The brigantine has more speed and makes it easier to run, yet the PvE experience will also be more difficult so keep that in mind.

For me the choice is based on my mood. Either choice is good, the question is what do you prefer. Learn about the ships and try them out. See what works for you.

Kegs are a double edged sword to carry, they can be amazing yet a single shot can blow them up and take out your mast and slow you down significantly. Yet can also dispatch your opponent if used well.

Personally I don't mass kegs, based on how much I leave the ship alone I might not carry any at all. The choice is whether playing with bombs suits your style.

@wizen-wolf-bain I would get the hang of sailing a sloop first and then try up grading to a brig. You might find one works better for you than the other. Me and my friend can operate a brig fine just two of us or one of us but we been sailing for awhile.

Someone earlier said stick gunpowder barrels in your crows nest. Do NOT do this unless you really know what you are doing. One fireball or eye of reach shot and you have lost your mast.

@satanicnemesis said in I've owned this game for 4 days, and it's impossible to progress or achieve anything:

Someone earlier said stick gunpowder barrels in your crows nest. Do NOT do this unless you really know what you are doing. One fireball or eye of reach shot and you have lost your mast.

Do you people really have issues with this? I do it all the time, since I been playing the game and never had a problem. Only time I ever had an issue with one is when I stupidly put it in bottom of ship and a cannon hit which caused my ship to start to sink.

@combatxkitty I’ve no issues, because I don’t need gunpowder to be carried onboard. Although I’ve messed up many ships who were stupid enough to have it in their crows nest and got within range of me.

@satanicnemesis Honestly I just like blowing stuff up, its fun and for me they do come in handy. Me and my friend had a brig following us just the other night and while she out sailed them I hopped off with a keg and hit them with it, it shook them up a bit.

So call my ship stupid but like I said I been playing this game since it came out and never had a problem, its safer than storing in bottom of ship if you do want them, in my opinion.

@combatxkitty if I need a keg I will get one and use it, i don’t need to have one ‘just in case’. This guy is new, people telling him to sail about with a keg on board is not going to really help him. This is how the majority of new guys get caught when parked at an island. Step one of boarding a parked ship, check for kegs in the crows.

@satanicnemesis I had kegs since I was a new pirate and they always were helpful when out numbered. Just because you do not find them helpful does not mean they are not. I guess he can figure it out for himself since advice is just that advice it is up to him to decide if it is helpful to him or not. If he gets royally screwed by it then he doesnt need to do it again and if he decides he wants to take your advice and not that is fine aswell. He may be like me and decide he loves them, who knows? I dont, I dont know him.

You do bring a good point about boarding though. He is playing with his friend, not alone. So I guess good advice should be to always have one person watching the ship so boarding does not happen or if a ship does appear in distance can start sailing away. That is what me and my friend do, she watches ship and I take care of business.

If you need a keg you will get one and use it? How do you stop at a fort and get one and use it while you are being chased by a ship? I had eight kegs in my crows nest other night, did I need eight? No probably not but I had them. Oh one time though my friend did accidentally snipe the barrels and our entire ship did catch on fire so I guess I can not say we never had a problem lol.

@combatxkitty You are putting words in my mouth. I never said kegs werent helpful. I love blowing people up.

Its very easy to shoot someone off to an island to get a keg then harpoon them or pick them up. Although I have to admit, i am rarely ever chased, ill usually stop and fight.

@satanicnemesis Oh sorry I must have misunderstood you I was just replying to you saying this "This guy is new, people telling him to sail about with a keg on board is not going to really help him" So I figured that was you saying that they would not be helpful. Words lost in translation.

See we are different types of pirates. I am all about the thrill of the chase. Once we make it to an outpost the ships get so mad us. They sink our boat but we dont care by then we have sold our treasure and are drinking up grog.

Thats a good use of the harpoon though, I need to start using those more, I forget they are there lol.