Irreplaceable Shotgun

I've found that while the blunderbuss is good at close quarters, it is not as good as the sword. With the sword, you can hit your target while moving, and suffer little penalty for missing. With the blunderbuss, on the other hand, missing a shot, or even not landing all 10 bullets, results in a fairly large penalty, as it takes a while to reload. However, this disadvantage regarding the blunderbuss can be negated by switching to another weapon to fend off one's opponent.

Overall, I agree with your point of view. Not making the blunderbuss a one tap weapon would balance it a lot better. Although, I feel that making it take up the space of two weapons would work as well.

@gaudierpuppy866
It is not as good as a sword only with players, that are not that good at aiming or are hesitant to shoot. Clever players will just wait until you are closer or will have enough skill to aim at you.

It is a penalty when you miss or not land all bullets, but it is like that with all weapons. The only difference is when the enemy has a sword, but that is why you have knockback on shotgun and your other weapon in the pocket.

I completely disagree with the idea of having any type of one shot for a normal gun in the game. Even if shotgun takes up two weapon slots. Lucky moments where "I just shot, and the guy died", angry moments where a player sees a "sword bot" and will switch lock to shotgun will still happen. One shots for normal guns make the game only worse. They take away the challenge and skill to play any other gun.

I think that each weapon should have a purpose, situations where this type of gun is the best. Like pistol = mid range, sword = close range, sniper = long range, knife = sneak, shotgun = make space by knock backing, double B pistol = mid + extra utility.
Shotgun and sniper make hard competition for any other weapon right now. You cant do anything about sniper, because in my opinion sniper is fine, but shotgun, just one taps. You have to use it.

@burnbacon
That's why I said if you want to run a sword. Because a shotgun will reach you.
Even if you don't run sword, eventually or accidentally you will be in close range. Especially on a sloop.

Stun and blunderbombs may help you with those players, but they don't solve the problem. Blunderbuss still one taps and will still be used by other players. It is just superior as long as it has one tap.

@FlintTheBall Hey Pirate !

I wouldn't claim "ALL" other weapons are useless compared to the blunderbuss, I'm not going to tell you it's a skill issue or you just need to get better. It isn't a guaranteed 1 tap, there are multiple play styles including sword gun / double gunning along with other metas people utilize with all of the weapons.

Yes blunderbuss is powerful as are other weapons, BB is the only weapon in the locker that doesn't have guaranteed damage output though, it's by RNG. Some pirates make it seem like it has that power every time, again it comes from RNG / luck. I don't know the science behind getting the 1 tap blunde every time or if there is even a method to it. But I do know it isn't, again a guaranteed 1 tap every time.

It's not that the BB is Irreplaceable, it's simply a weapon with a good reward and heavy loss system. Yes you have the potential to 1 tap, but if you don't get that one tap, that can cost you the fight without a back up plan causing a turn of the tides moment and if you happen to get that one tap, it can turn the tides for you. What i'm trying to get at is, there are other weapons and situations that can outplay a blunderbuss and also situations where you get outplayed by a blunderbuss, it's a luck of the draw moment.

Every situation and player you run in with, will have a different outcome of how the event unfolds to the resolution. I run into blundes and other play styles all the time, deciding to approach the fight in one way might not work, so try another. I usually run an Eye of Reach / Sword and always blunderbombs, but I switch if I need to. This can be difficult to determine when it's the right time to, but has the chance to turn the fight or slam it even harder. Every weapon has a Pro / Con, same with play styles.

Making the BB nerfed won't fix anything, shotguns are supposed to be strong. Yes, it has one shot sometimes a knock back & Remote Range. But with what you're saying it would do a max of 50 damage, each pellet of the 10 would do 5 per single shot, making it weaker than the flintlock ( 55dmg.) Now there are ways of countering any weapon, not all counters work when you attempt them that's just the risk of battle, messing up or giving your opponent the upper hand. And I know I said I wouldn't, but a lot of players who dislike a weapon or play style are just ignorant to how to counter or play against certain ways of play, which is okay and just takes practice / headaches sometimes :).

My suggestion to players who dislike or have trouble dealing with Blunde players and play styles, is to play range or outplay their aim. I know I'm making it sound easy, and it's not always, but just practicing moving around being a moving target and keeping focus of when they need to reload, is the perfect time to strike and take that opportunity to stop them from loading up another shot against you, using blunderbombs, swords, knives, and other projectiles are useful tools against blunde's and other situations alike.

By no means am I a professional PvP master so keep that in mind please and it's my opinion.

Safe Journeys.

@sa1tynutz

Yes blunderbuss is powerful as are other weapons, BB is the only weapon in the locker that doesn't have guaranteed damage output though, it's by RNG. Some pirates make it seem like it has that power every time, again it comes from RNG / luck. I don't know the science behind getting the 1 tap blunde every time or if there is even a method to it. But I do know it isn't, again a guaranteed 1 tap every time.

That is exactly the problem. Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't. Why do I get to randomly instantly die? Why do you think so many players run BB? Why do I see BB in almost every hourglass match? Why does every PvP YT video say that you have to run BB? Guess its because it has POTENTIAL for a one tap.

It's not that the BB is Irreplaceable, it's simply a weapon with a good reward and heavy loss system. Yes you have the potential to 1 tap, but if you don't get that one tap, that can cost you the fight without a back up plan causing a turn of the tides moment and if you happen to get that one tap, it can turn the tides for you. What i'm trying to get at is, there are other weapons and situations that can outplay a blunderbuss and also situations where you get outplayed by a blunderbuss, it's a luck of the draw moment.

It is not a heavy loss, when you miss BB. It just means that you have to run and reload. You cannot run only if you cornered yourself. NO other weapon has the potential to one tap you when you miss BB. Miss BB is not immediate death. For sword it would take like 6+ hits to kill you. Server doesn't register sword hit, you can run away, you can eat pineapple, you can take out your other gun and finish the guy off, if you hit at least something with BB.
In close range combat there is nothing better, than the shotgun. That's a fact, acknowledged by 90% of the player base. Just ask anyone, what's the best close combat gun for PvP.

Making the BB nerfed won't fix anything, shotguns are supposed to be strong. Yes, it has one shot sometimes a knock back & Remote Range. But with what you're saying it would do a max of 50 damage, each pellet of the 10 would do 5 per single shot, making it weaker than the flintlock ( 55dmg.) Now there are ways of countering any weapon, not all counters work when you attempt them that's just the risk of battle, messing up or giving your opponent the upper hand. And I know I said I wouldn't, but a lot of players who dislike a weapon or play style are just ignorant to how to counter or play against certain ways of play, which is okay and just takes practice / headaches sometimes :).

1. Why shotsguns are supposed to be strong? Why only shotguns? Why cant sniper rifle one tap in the head? Why cant knifes one tap in the back?
2. I am saying to nerf damage, decrease spread and increase knock back. With increased knockback you could throw enemies off the ship, off yourself, make room to play. Its not all about the damage. You said yourself, that there are guns for different situations. Shotgun would be best to knock off boarders and make room for fights.
3. Making it nerfed will fix things. If you nerf BB it will open up more room and possibilities for other guns. Because NO gun in the game would have the POTENTIAL for a one shot. It would mean, that you can survive ANY shot and have a second chance to fight. I am fine with any weapon combo, play whatever you like, whatever works, but the problem is that BB works too good. One shots are just too good.

My suggestion to players who dislike or have trouble dealing with Blunde players and play styles, is to play range or outplay their aim. I know I'm making it sound easy, and it's not always, but just practicing moving around being a moving target and keeping focus of when they need to reload, is the perfect time to strike and take that opportunity to stop them from loading up another shot against you, using blunderbombs, swords, knives, and other projectiles are useful tools against blunde's and other situations alike.

This sounds like copium. This guy can one shot you, but try running around and pray to Pirate Lord, so that BB misses.

I understand that you can keep distance, throw things at the BB, running around. But even if you do these things, the problem is still there. The BB guy still has potential to 1 tap.
And btw. throwing things and running around tactics are good against ALL other guns too. But for the shotgun you have to do them better, why? Because shotgun one taps.

I don't understand why some people just cannot see the problem. The problem of a one shot, one kill. One shot that is NOT only not skill based, but also RNG based. NO other weapon in the entire game can one shot. No other weapon.

Btw. I played Overwatch, a shooter game. They had a few characters with a potential to one shot. Players didn't like that. It was not fun. They also had tactics to counter like you described here. But people were still mad. Guess what devs did. They nerfed them. Now there are no more one shots. Its more fun now, it solved problems.

@burnbacon
Do you even read my post and suggestion?

BB after my suggestion would still defend ladders. How? By knocking them off completely. With increased knock back they would fly away from the ladder back to their bed on the ship.

And blunderbusses main focus is not only to defend the ladder, but also to fight in close range. Because why would every boarder that I get have a shotgun in his pocket?

I myself am not a boarder, but a sloop sailor. And sloop is small and tight. Blunderbuss is pretty handy in there for boarders. Anywhere you go, is close combat. If I miss the boarder, I have high risk of catching 10 BB bullets and visiting the Ferryman.

Btw. there are other ways to defend against the boarder. Sword and blunderbombs work amazing.

Flint the Round lies on his bed aboard the sloop, staring at the ceiling while listening to the waves crashing against the ship. Tears stream down his cheeks, sliding along his multiple chins. He stretches out his hand to reach for a dose of hopium, hoping that the mighty Pirate Lord will nerf the blunderbuss.

@flinttheball Hey Pirate !

First off I'm not coping with anything nor have a "problem" with the BB like you and other pirates have been experiencing. Rare designed it, a certain way for certain reasons, it rewards you for using a shotgun correctly.

Since we mentioned another gaming title "Overwatch" that also has shotguns, shotguns are a up close and personal firearm for high amounts of damage, but that game also has different levels of damage per projectile, per character, per range, per where it hits said character. In Sea of Thieves damage stays the same no matter if it hits the toe or the nose, except for the blunderbuss where " less close to other pirates= less damage, more spread. "

I can understand the frustration with seemingly always getting one tapped, but for me it doesn't really happen unless i'm trying to smell the other pirates'breath or see why his nose is super crooked. PvP content tries to tell you what to use, what's most efficient, what can secure each battle you encounter. This doesn't mean you need to listen to everything, but people will because they see the POTENTIAL of outcomes from using certain mechanics that are effective in the content shown. Every weapon has a strong suit, same with play style. If a pirate needs a handbook on how to play, then whatever makes them happier and have a good time.

With hourglass you're closed inside a small section of the sea and fight using means of naval combat and face to face or it's impossible to win unless either ship runs out of supplies.

Not every player who runs a blunderbuss will be a SDC, people make poor decisions in combat all the time, including myself. Not every pirate will be able to get away from a sword or be able to heal after an aggression, you're saying instances for encounters with remotely PvP experienced pirates.

You yourself answered why shotguns are supposed to be strong, other guns are strong as well, again if you get hit in the head or toe it does the same damage with any weapon, besides BB. Of course most players will say it's the best, because of the potential and its mostly defensive capabilities along with its aggressive play style counterpart included. People complain about the blunderbuss 1 tapping them, then get all excited when they do it to another pirate, a shotgun up close point blank should instantly put you to sleep no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

How will nerfing it 50 % or any percent open up more room for other weapons ? You have two slots for any of the other weapons either way ? So lets nerf Cannon Balls because they have the POTENTIAL to one shot, it gives room for more possibilities to shoot other things. Nobody would agree with that because 1 ball, it's a luck thing. Yes a cannon isn't a point plank like the BB, but you see there has to be a point of how it hits you, that it's not a guaranteed thing to happen.

You may pray to the Pirate Lord if it helps you not get 1 tapped or sunk, but there's almost always a way to avoid it, sometimes you get outplayed and they're waiting at the ladder, then you can't, stuff happens. Yes most tactics can be used for any load out, doesn't mean it will work.

Other pirates see the "problem" But we don't view it as a problem, because it doesn't disrupt our game play, we get back up to try the same thing or change it up, it's a sandbox not a TDM COD based shooter. Almost everything is RNG, set up at your voyage table, or organic. These guns have been balanced to Rare's standard and I think it's fair when I can 1 tap someone and they can 1 tap me, no gun is locked, everyone has the POTENTIAL to 1 tap or do anything another player does just because some players get lucker, choose to a different way of play, or just do it better doesn't make it unfair.

I just don't have a problem with it and I encounter it often, I just get back up move on or try something new. Blizzard and Rare have two very different visions for their two very different games with different mechanics that don't compare especially when it comes to balancing the game lol.

At the end of the day, sadly I hate saying this to pirates, but Learn, Adapt, and Set Sails towards the wind.

Links to the related topic:

https://www.seaofthieves.com/community/forums/topic/110570/blunderbuss-to-op

https://www.reddit.com/r/Seaofthieves/comments/s2wttt/blunderbuss_is_too_powerful/

https://www.seaofthieves.com/pirate-academy/guide/blunderbuss

Safe Journeys.

@sa1tynutz

Rare designed it, a certain way for certain reasons, it rewards you for using a shotgun correctly.

Not everything that Rare does can be a correct thing. We are the players, and we play the game. We can also feel what is good and what is bad. That's why there is feedback.

Since we mentioned another gaming title "Overwatch" that also has shotguns, shotguns are a up close and personal firearm for high amounts of damage, but that game also has different levels of damage per projectile, per character, per range, per where it hits said character. In Sea of Thieves damage stays the same no matter if it hits the toe or the nose, except for the blunderbuss where " less close to other pirates= less damage, more spread. "

I was not talking about things like where you hit, what you shoot or what range. I was talking about one shots. Shots that kill with one hit. Characters that had these possibilities are now nerfed and can no longer one shot so easily as they could before. People didn't like one taps, devs removed them.

I can understand the frustration with seemingly always getting one tapped, but for me it doesn't really happen unless i'm trying to smell the other pirates'breath or see why his nose is super crooked. PvP content tries to tell you what to use, what's most efficient, what can secure each battle you encounter. This doesn't mean you need to listen to everything, but people will because they see the POTENTIAL of outcomes from using certain mechanics that are effective in the content shown. Every weapon has a strong suit, same with play style. If a pirate needs a handbook on how to play, then whatever makes them happier and have a good time.

The potential is exactly the reason why so many players run BB. This is the reason why so many other guns are unusable in PvP. Because why on earth would you stab someone with knifes or slash with sword in close range if you can just take out BB, aim and click once?

Tell me strong suits for knifes. Tell me strong suits for double B pistol in PvP. Why no one is using them? Why almost everyone is running BB?

I don't play as PvP YT videos tell me. I play my own style, I try to experiment and all the time I come down to the problem that the one shot is just too powerful. Every time I try to fight a skilled guy with BB, I lose. Lose to a one tap. Why do I need to think of crazy tactics, spend thousand years slicing the guy with the sword if I could just take BB and one tap?

With hourglass you're closed inside a small section of the sea and fight using means of naval combat and face to face or it's impossible to win unless either ship runs out of supplies.

I am fine with face to face combat. I don't like one taps. That's my problem. Fight however you like, but do not one tap. You know, I want a fight, not an instant teleport to the Ferryman. I don't want to think, "Oh man, I got too close to him. He got too lucky to one tap me."

You yourself answered why shotguns are supposed to be strong, other guns are strong as well, again if you get hit in the head or toe it does the same damage with any weapon, besides BB. Of course most players will say it's the best, because of the potential and its mostly defensive capabilities along with its aggressive play style counterpart included. People complain about the blunderbuss 1 tapping them, then get all excited when they do it to another pirate, a shotgun up close point blank should instantly put you to sleep no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

How are other guns strong? How are knifes strong, never seen anyone run with them. How is double B pistol strong? Never seen anyone with it. They may be strong in theory, but as practice shows, everyone is using BB.

I am never excited when I one tap someone. I think its ridiculous and stupid to one tap someone.

How do you come to the conclusion that there are no ifs and buts regarding one taps?
I can make the same statement about snipers. Snipers should kill instantly in the head with no ifs and buts. But for some reason they don't. Why?
Sword should one tap with a successful lunge attack, there is no ifs and buts about it.

Other pirates see the "problem" But we don't view it as a problem, because it doesn't disrupt our game play, we get back up to try the same thing or change it up, it's a sandbox not a TDM COD based shooter. Almost everything is RNG, set up at your voyage table, or organic. These guns have been balanced to Rare's standard and I think it's fair when I can 1 tap someone and they can 1 tap me, no gun is locked, everyone has the POTENTIAL to 1 tap or do anything another player does just because some players get lucker, choose to a different way of play, or just do it better doesn't make it unfair.

I am a player of this game as all here. I and many others are disrupt by BB doing one tap.

It is a sandbox PvPvE game about pirates where you do PvP quite often. You don't do Team Death Match, but you do have duels with other players almost every time you board someone. There is even hourglass PvP mode, that is not sandbox.

Almost everything is RNG, but not everything. All guns in the game are skill based. Pure skill is required to hit and kill a target. BB is special due to its ability to one tap. It is sometimes RNG, but its like that with all guns. Sometimes your bullets just don't register on server.

It is fair that you can one tap and I can one tap. But its only fair when both of us have shotguns. The moment I take sword its no longer fair. Now you can one tap, I cant.

My problem in all of this is the one tap part. I don't like that the normal gun that everyone can wield has a one tap potential. Because everyone will use that gun. That's exactly what is happening.

How will nerfing it 50 % or any percent open up more room for other weapons ? You have two slots for any of the other weapons either way ? So lets nerf Cannon Balls because they have the POTENTIAL to one shot, it gives room for more possibilities to shoot other things. Nobody would agree with that because 1 ball, it's a luck thing. Yes a cannon isn't a point plank like the BB, but you see there has to be a point of how it hits you, that it's not a guaranteed thing to happen.

Did you even read my whole suggestion? As I said earlier. Do nerf damage and BUFF spread, BUFF knock back. It would make shotgun hit more often and knock back enemies. You could knock players off the boats, make room for play, put them into bad situations, make them lose control over their character.

Cannonballs are balanced. Because there is only one cannon and one type of cannonball that can kill the player character. With normal guns you have 2 other weapons for close range. Knifes and sword. Since it takes longer to kill a player with sword or knife, and shotgun has potential to one tap, everyone uses shotgun. Because again, who would trade one tap for not one tap.

And btw. 1 ball is not entirely a luck thing. You almost always see cannonballs that fly at you. You can dodge them.

I just don't have a problem with it and I encounter it often, I just get back up move on or try something new. Blizzard and Rare have two very different visions for their two very different games with different mechanics that don't compare especially when it comes to balancing the game lol.

I am not comparing games. I am saying that one tap could be a universal problem.

At the end of the day, sadly I hate saying this to pirates, but Learn, Adapt, and Set Sails towards the wind.

I do learn and adapt. That's why I have 70% win rate in hourglass. But one tap is just ridiculous and I just don't understand why you cant see the problem. That everyone is running BB in PvP and no one with knifes and pistols.

@flinttheball Hey Pirate !

You clearly haven't got the point here, which is okay. If you read your response, there you contradict your own statements. I don't care nor does it matter your win to loss ratio in Hourglass, even if it was 70% you consistently run into the "problem" of BB. BB is balanced, your way of dealing with might not be in the same boat. You're dragging this conversation claiming nobody is listening to your suggestion.

We've listened and we think it's a poor idea, repeating " I just don't understand why you can't see the problem" isn't good faith when clearly some of us have responded to you and simply disagreed with you. If you read my response it's clear of my opinion of your take and reasoning while also questioning yours, which you've failed to really answer.

Every weapon again does the same damage no matter where you hit the same with BB just BB has a multiplayer count of 10 x 100 per pellet per hit equally 10 damage applied. So please stop bringing up the sniper argument thanks. Bringing a blade of any kind to a gun fight puts yourself at a disadvantage doesn't always mean you will be disadvantaged, you read ?

If you let Players who run BB disrupt your game play to the point where it's not enjoyable to play, maybe take a break or try a different approach. I never claimed it as a TDM, actually the opposite of what I claimed. Yes you do have duels, also Hourglass is still considered in the Sandbox. Just to make this clear, in any situation you get in it will never be equally fair for either side whether it be, weather conditions in-game, playstyles, server connection, internet speed, ping issues, platform you're playing on, etc, etc, etc. So just switching to a sword doesn't immediately make anything else unfair, you could even use your own logic " All guns in the game are skill based. Pure skill is required to hit and kill a target. " Hopefully this goes for swords as well since you used it as an example, but you brought a sword to a gun fight and complained you have a possible disadvantage in the fight.

Just because you and other players seemingly always encounter a BB every interaction you have, doesn't mean everyone is using them. May I ask how 1 balling isn't pure luck ? Is there a method, if so please teach me. Also I can always see when it's coming at me ? Well you can always see what weapon they have in their hand, but choose to just stand there and eat the point blank shot ?

With what you're saying with your suggestion btw favors the BB again with the increased knock back making it almost impossible to fight range when getting barely tapped would make you fly off the ship same thing with close quarters. Even if it was nerfed it would be reverted and people would complain about the changes until then. OMG nerf the BB it's to OP ! It knocked me too far off the ship ! Fix it ! Fix it ! Fix It ! If you believe it's ridiculous to one tap people yourself, simply don't use it lol. With knives they can 2 shot a player and I've experienced it in HG and H.S, double barrel pistol I admit, I haven't really seen it used for PvP more for PvE. I believe @TEK-LT has a great response to this conversation.

Safe Journeys.

@captain-fob4141 Boarding will still be very common. Just because they add a new way of doing it doesn't make the old way obsolete. They might change how it works based on the developmental footage shown a little while ago. Still not every player will like them nor be mechanically able to use it effectively for a boarding attempt, who knows it might become meta, then get nerfed, again who knows.

I really hate the op blunder. It's been like that for 6 years or whatever.

Still really the best pirate game.

@sa1tynutz
So after some testing. Some PvP on bigger ships. Some PvP with more exotic guns like knifes and double B pistols. I can say that Blunderbuss doesn't feel that powerful on bigger ships due to more space. You get to run around and jump around way more than it is possible on a sloop.
Knifes are a very good option for PvP, double B pistol on the other hand still stinks, it is too slow.

So as far as I play not on a sloop, the game does feel better. You got more people, you got more space, you got more of everything, which makes dealing with BB people easier.

There are still a problems that I encountered with blunderbuss. When the players you are playing against are better than the average, and they know how to PvP properly. You will have hard time playing not Blunderbuss. Because their playstyle is usually Hit and Run. They run and jump around until they are close to you and then shoot the BB. That makes it extremely difficult to get them with sword, or hit with the knife. Their playstyle also forces you to play the same way, because if you stand still, you have higher risks of dying. When you aim with knife, you are slow. When you sword, you are slow.

You wont really notice how powerful BB actually is, until you play on a sloop. The tactics that were suggested here, helped, but not entirely. Once I die on my sloop in hourglass to a boarder and I ran out of blunderbombs, I'm done. It gets extremely difficult to get that boarder off the boat.

And I am done arguing with you. It feels like you have a passive aggressive tone, some of your logic in your arguments is flawed and just your arguments seem to lack additional explanations and reasons. They come across as raw statements.

"May I ask how 1 balling isn't pure luck ? Is there a method, if so please teach me. "
What I usually do is, I see a cannonball that is flying into my direction. I get off the cannon and run left or right depending on where the ball is flying. Also always keep an eye out to the enemy ship, to see the cannonballs that fly at you.