As a solo slooper PL, I can understand how the new emissary system may seem impossible for some to undertake. However, after extensive sailing sessions, there are certain tips I can personally recommend.
General Tips
- Keep An Eye on the Horizon: As a solo slooper, you are not the "biggest fish in the sea." With the addition of an Emissary Flag, one has a constant high value target on their ship for the remainder of the session. Every 2-3 Minutes, scan the horizon for any movement to ensure the safety of your ship.
- Sell Early and Often: Even though this may result in lower initial returns, one can insure that they at least earn some gold and reputation instead of losing their hard-earned loot to other pirates.
- Go Megalodon Hunting: Completing World Events can earn one a massive amount of Emissary XP, and Megalodons are the easiest events to complete for a solo slooper. They circle in and out of your cannon range as a part of their attack pattern, and only take between 10-20 Cannonballs to defeat. Once they are defeated, they spawn a gigantic pile of valuable loot which provide boosts of Emissary XP when picked up and placed on one's ship depending on the Company said player is representing.
Gold Hoarders/Order of Souls/Athena's Fortune
- Stick to the Devil's Roar: This region may contain violently active volcanoes, but that also leads most players to avoid this region at all costs. Tread on the path least traveled! The Ashen rewards coupled with Emissary multipliers will yield a tidy profit for any willing to bear the risk.
Merchant Alliance - Cargo Hauled is Trust Earned: Cargo Runs are a reliable way to boost your Emissary Grade. Delivering 8 crates of cargo for example can increase your Emissary Grade from 1 to 2.8. Just keep your cargo intact and you will eventually hit the elusive Grade 5.
- You've Got a Golden Piggy: Once hitting Grade 5, a solo sailor should focus on delivering Golden Animals instead of venturing on an Emissary Quest. While 25 crates of cargo worth over 50,000 gold in total may seem tempting, the possibility for damage to said cargo increases due to the volume of goods needed to be protected. Animals, on the contrary, are much easier to manage, and Golden Animals can be delivered for up to 6,000 gold per individual animal at Emissary Grade 5. In other words, one's golden opportunity may rest with a pig or chicken.
Reaper's Bones - One Pirate's Trash is A Reaper's Treasure?: While the Reaper's Emissary XP gained for picking up treasure was nerfed a week after the update dropped, it is still a viable way to increase your Emissary Grade. Any chest, trinket, skull, crate, gem, etc., regardless of value, can reliably carry one to Emissary Grade 5 without the need for constant PVP.
- Don't Overestimate Your Combat Effectiveness: As a solo slooper, one should generally NEVER try to take on larger vessels. Galleons and Brigantines have superior firepower, superior crew numbers, and often superior speed compared to a sloop. Only engage these larger vessels as a means of defense, and use the winds to your advantage to outmaneuver them if they choose to pursue your vessel.
