Click, Click, BOOM? Let's talk about Gun Powder Barrels.

@lazytues

Now I'm not saying that is not a valid plan of attack but it was more of a kill joy. My friends and I do enjoy ship to ship combat with other Players but recently it's not about the cannons and out smarting the others. It's about who can get the Gun Powder Barrel in the other ship first...

This strategy only works on inexperienced crews. Good crews already know to watch for boarders, and will just either detonate it while they are swimming, or just sacrifice a player while the others spread out. Its also really easily countered even if they get one set off. A lot of times its easier to just let them explode the barrel with your crew safely spread out. Once it explodes, rush the person as a crew, kill them quick then patch up.

The situation you also describes involves a Stronghold GP, which already takes effort just to get it in the first place. This barrel is is a huge hazard to carry on your own ship. Most experienced crews will just shoot out the crows nest to remove the other crews barrels from play.

But the biggest thing is it should help with unnecessary griefing. I get and love this is the Sea Of Theives and you are suppose to be on the lookout for people all the time. That is fine, but it's when you get Pirate Legends who come blow your ship then take all your stuff just so they can brag how worthless it all is to them does it not feel like a fun game.

What you described here isn't griefing. Just because a Pirate Legend has reached max level, doesn't mean they need to stop doing what they enjoy, it especially doesn't make it griefing. Neither is bragging, as long as they aren't breaking Xbox TOS they are fine. Bragging doesn't break TOS, as long as the speech is appropriate.

Stealing =/= Griefing.... Bragging =/= Griefing
Lets stop watering down this word with things that are just stuff we dislike.

I'm not looking for compensation or punishment of those Pirate Legends. But a balancing for the wonderfully powerful GPBs. Because I know I'm not the only one who believes that GPB needs a bit of tweaking to make the game fun and to help bring a new Dynamic to the game. Hopefully to make the game a BLAST!

Their already exist many forms of counter play to barrels. They for one, can't be safely stored anywhere on the ship besides the crows nest. A lot of crews know this, so they will just shoot out the nest and remove them from play. If you keep a Stronghold Barrel on board, you risk your ship just transporting it, because their is no safe spot that exist on your ship that will not put holes if it goes off. In addition, they can easily be used against you, if you aren't paying attention, an enemy player can just set off your own barrels onto your own ship. One thing our crew will do, is kill enough players on a board then check the crows nest, if their is some there, your done.

TLDR: Barrels are fine in their current state, because counter play already exist. Also Pirate Legends stealing your stuff isn't griefing.

At the very least barrel bombs need to have their range nerfed. Not only because they deal too much dmg to ships with too much range, but also because trying to avoid taking dmg when detonating a bomb skeleton is ridiculous.

The greifing was a minor thing to the bigger problem.

GPBs are too powerful because there exist no counter once it's on your ship. Run and pray? Not a strategy, that's just hoping to the best. Even if they offered the bucket with water to stop the fuse it gives the crew a chance to stop the explosion.

Yes you can watch for boarding but there exist ways to avoid that too. This is just a suggestion to balance it out. The game has counters for all other major attacks except GPBs.

It's like curse cannonballs from earlier. They were everywhere and over powered. Even for vetted players like myself.

This isn't about getting better or whining that I lost stuff, it's more about making this game fun for all. And adding new fighting Dynamics to the game.

@lazytues
It all depends on a crew's playstyle. We don't light the skelly keg when we attack. We force you to do it by shooting it or cutting it while we come aboard. If not then the cannon fire will. So your bucket theory doesn't work against us. It does suck too be sunk by one but at the same token it hurts my pockets of the 6,500 plus or minus i will loose.

@ajm123 said in Click, Click, BOOM? Let's talk about Gun Powder Barrels.:

I'm abit confused but I think your saying a gunpowder barrel which is either is a stronghold item or a weapon needs to be less powerful and is a object that is considered greifing when you use it instead of selling it.

What I'm saying is that there needs to be a counter to GPBs for once they are on your ship. The other ideas are just things that would be nice.

And yes there are the Strong Hold GPBs and they do catch a fair price. But I'm not saying that they can't be used in PVP. They would benefit from a couple changes.

I will admit maybe I did let my emotion run a bit in my initial post but it was more to show a example of a unfair use of GPBs. GPBs give smaller ships a fighting chance against bigger ships. But that's what it should be a "fighting chance." Not a near guarantee.

GPBs are fun and bring a dynamic to the game but I believe with a minor tweaks it would be alot more fun for all.

@inboundbomb see that's valid. You think it might not work, but still it's a option. You let the crew blow the GPB but I also know how to kill some one with out blowing the GPB.

So there it is! One tweak and the gameplay of people have changed. There is a counter for a GPB but you also risk blowing yourself up too.

@galactic-geek

I say balancing but it's just giving more options to counter for those GPBs already on the ship. The prevention is ease when you are going top speed, but not so when they are standing there with the lit fuse.

I'm excited for the new update and what it will bring. The more destructible ship is going to be fun and bring something new to the table.

@ajm123

Btw I never said using GPB was greifing it just gives way for it to happen easier.

And like I said it was a minor part to a bigger problem. The GPBs have little no counter to them after ignition.

@lazytues Not being able to light the barrels under water would be more realistic. The splash of water (or other bucket contents from your last celebrations?) would be a good defense. Sound like good ideas to me.

"I love SOT, I'm not asking anything to be changed..." Beating other crews and playing with kegs is fun... until you get outplayed. "Then I come to the forums and ask for a overhaul to fix a situation I couldn't manage"

Just admit there're better players and copy their skills.

@bootmaclir dijo:

Not being able to light the barrels under water would be more realistic.

Just as reading maps and shooting pistols in the water, and diving with full-of-air bananas.

@lazytues

GPBs are too powerful because there exist no counter once it's on your ship. Run and pray? Not a strategy, that's just hoping to the best. Even if they offered the bucket with water to stop the fuse it gives the crew a chance to stop the explosion.

Just so I am understanding something, if someone is on my ship with a gunpowder and it goes off, my ship should not be able to survive it? That's how I am interpreting when someone says their is no counter. Essentially, no counter implies it works every time. All I will say, is its been a very long time since our main crew sank to a gunpowder barrel. This is why I don't think they are as powerful as described. We don't even carry our own gunpowder. At the max it puts 4 holes into the ship if detonated bottom deck, otherwise any other place only puts 2 holes bottom and 2 holes mid. Having 4 holes is quite easily recoverable, with how quick patching and bucketing is in this game.

Yes you can watch for boarding but there exist ways to avoid that too. This is just a suggestion to balance it out. The game has counters for all other major attacks except GPBs.

Is this excluding the major flaw of it goes boom with any form of damage? I mean that's a pretty large counter right there. The fact that they can only be stored in one spot that everyone knows about, and is an easy shot to hit to explode them seems like a prominent one. As well as a moving ship (Galleon) with half a sail can out speed any swimmer who is carrying a gunpowder. A small fraction of awareness, stops most of the tactics used to get a barrel to a ship. I'm sorry but I don't buy it that Gunpowder has no counters.

It's like curse cannonballs from earlier. They were everywhere and over powered. Even for vetted players like myself.

With all do respect, I wouldn't considered you vetted. If we go according to your profile, you have yet to even get to Pirate Legend. During a time when its the easiest to become a Pirate Legend. As well as Cursed Cannons were more prevalent, because their was an event tied to Cursed Cannonballs. However, since then they have been reduced, and the forums have been quiet ever since when it pertains to Curse Cannoballs. No one as of recent times has came forward to say they are OP.

@lazytues I like the "not being able to light GPB underwater" idea, and the one for the longer fuse on stronghold barrels, as well as the bucket extinguishing. I think the would work great in the game.

@scyllalizard
I mean you also have been sailing for a total of six days, according to your xbox profile. I'm pretty sure most tactics will work on you. Don't take this personal, but I'm pretty sure most strategies used to sink you will seem pretty op.

I also don't mean this to demean you, but I've been sailing since day one. I always hate pulling the, I've been playing longer card. However, my entire journey for this game has been PvP, I feel pretty confident in saying I understand Combat and Strategy in this game quite well. When you reach a level in this game, strategies involving Gunpowder just stop working on you.

I'm not even trying to argue cause I use gunpowder, cause I don't use them. We use boarding and standard ship combat when fighting other players. Due to the shear amount of players we sink using their own powder against them, we made the decision to not even carry them anymore. They are more of a risk carrying them then they are an offensive tool to use on ships.

@guilleont the world of sea of thieves is embedded with a certain level of magic. But only certain things. I learned to read maps as a kid so i'm not sure where you were going on that one? I'm fine with pistols not firing under water as well. Make some water proof and some not? I feel like it would force crews to actually engage in ship to ship combat as opposed to just sneaking around with GPB. Just a suggestion to shake things up.

@guilleont

It's not overhaul, it's barely a tweak as is. The one most people tend to circle too is the one with the bucket of water and defusing the GPB. Yes you can try and pick it up and defuse it which I have done. But that's if the person drops it and runs.

But majority of people don't drop it. So it's giving a option. Yes I will more then likely try the approach that took my ship in another scenario but again it points to my main issue. There is not a lot of counters besides run or shoot and pray for the best.

And to Nab. I know I'm not pirate legend but I have been play on and off since it came out. I have a job that takes majority of my time. So yes I am Vetted as a long time player.

All I am suggesting here is change to help the game. There is nothing here about skill level or boosting those at lower levels.

And as you can see majority if people agree being able to use the bucket to stop a fuse is a good idea.

@lazytues

It's not overhaul, it's barely a tweak as is. The one most people tend to circle too is the one with the bucket of water and defusing the GPB. Yes you can try and pick it up and defuse it which I have done. But that's if the person drops it and runs.

But majority of people don't drop it.

The person who doesn't drop it is foolish, because they have essentially wasted the barrel. If you can't defend the holes you just placed, then they can just repair it. Spreading out is a very basic way to avoid dying, if he doesn't drop it, then their job is that much easier to recover with no person to kill.

There is not a lot of counters besides run or shoot and pray for the best.

You keep saying this, but don't seem to hear the responses.

And to Nab. I know I'm not pirate legend but I have been play on and off since it came out. I have a job that takes majority of my time. So yes I am Vetted as a long time player.

I don't mean to make this personal, but in all honesty I don't think you are as vetted as you think you are. I too have a full time job, with also having life commitments. However, my route to Pirate Legend was probably the hardest way to get to Pirate Legend, considering most of my loot was taken from other players. The route I took gives me more experience when it comes to understanding combat and overall strategy. As well as getting Pirate Legend before it was made easy getting to Pirate Legend. Now, it is really easy to get Pirate Legend.

And as you can see majority if people agree being able to use the bucket to stop a fuse is a good idea.

I've said nothing about being against tossing a bucket on a fuse, most of the entirety of my post is about you think their is no counter to barrels. To keep reiterating, their is many.

@nabberwar

That's great you were able to great you could get PL in a year. But here is the big shocker. I don't care. It's a title Alone. You got it, great for you but during that time it was the same as now. Collect loot for the three factions.

But back to the POINT

Yes you say there are other ways, that's great! I am asking for more. Which that seems to keep missing you, most "strategies" are shoot, cut, or run in the most basic form. A ball is a circle, that's why I am glossing over it. The answer is simple but all have the same output. Damage to the ship, which would be nice to have another option that doesn't leave to that.

So stop with the "git gud" talk and thrusting yourself into the PL lime light. This is a forum to suggest ideas and so far you have been trying to belittle it by reiterating the same point, which can be boiled down to it's most basic of forms, "git gud".

Now if you would like to talk about how tweaking the barrels can be fun, then sure let's talk. But if not, I'm going to ignore your responses and talk to the people seem to like this idea of adding a new counter and play to the game.

@scyllalizard
I want to reiterate, nothing I say is meant to demean you. That being said lets get back to your post.

Yeah I've only being playing SoT for 6 days at this point, but I've been following it since day one; watching my friends play on our big screen, watching game play videos on YouTube, reading threads, etc.

Doing all this is one thing, but playing is a whole different story. Someone who watches a sport or something like a game of chess is completely different when you yourself are playing it. Their is quite a lot going behind the scenes when you are in control. Something like situational awareness doesn't develop while watching someone else plays, and situational awareness, is probably one of the most important things to have during a fight. Especially when boarding as a strategy exist. I watch a lot of LCS, it doesn't make me an expert player of League of Legends. Watching is one thing doing is another.

That's awesome man, I hope my crew encounters yours someday. Ship-to-ship combat is my favorite and I'm so happy my first encounter was a fair matchup. Under fire I managed to land 8/10 of my cannon balls on the enemy at mid range, then when our captain was killed I grabbed the helm and kept the crew organized enough that we sunk the enemy. Now I'm the helms-woman of our ship.

I hope we face each other as well, no sarcasm. I always look forward to a scrap. Just be aware, at least what I experience, is good crews very rarely face each other in this game. The last time we faced a crew that actually put up a good fight was quite a long time ago. I don't say this to flex, but the average boat on this game sinks to really dumb easily counter able tactics.

That was an absolute blast and I get a tinge of excitement when ever there's a PC ship on the horizon, but the last couple of nights have been opponents using gun powder barrels in ways that don't feel necessarily fair and certainly not very fun. While there's always room for improvement with someone's skill, that doesn't mean minor modifications to the game can't be made to improve it.

I'm all for improvements being made for the game, but I just don't see these as necessary ones considering how counter able kegs are as is. Once you understand how people attempt to use kegs against other players, kegs stop working against you.

Last note, I'm glad you enjoy fights. I wish more people would actively search it out on the game. I look forward to facing you out on the seas.

@lazytues

You got it, great for you but during that time it was the same as now. Collect loot for the three factions.

Except for the following features

1. Alliances
2. Bone Dust Merchant Item
3. Increased value on Merchant Items
4. Near never ending Forts Skulls
5. Kraken Loot
6. Meg Loot
7. Mermaid Gems (Gain Rep for any faction)
8. The change when they had higher level voyages give higher level loot. For the longest time you could be doing lvl 50 GH and you would dig up Cast Aways.
9. Mega-Keg
10. Gilded Voyages (All High tiered Loot)
11. Reapers Run Voyages (Gives pretty much all Captain Chests no matter the level)

Sure, its just collecting loot for 3 factions, but everything has either increase value, increased availability, to just simply more accessibility. Its nowhere near the same as it was.

But back to the POINT

Yes, lets.

So stop with the "git gud" talk and thrusting yourself into the PL lime light. This is a forum to suggest ideas and so far you have been trying to belittle it by reiterating the same point, which can be boiled down to it's most basic of forms, "git gud".

Your right this is a forum, and forums involve discussion, which is what we are doing. You will run into people who won't agree with you. Hell, I only mention my PL status, because its clear that you don't know some things for PvP, and it shows. Which is fine, not everyone is an expert in everything. I'm pretty sure @Galactic-Geek knows some things pertaining to PvE that I don't. You say things like, their is no counter, so I say some counters. I even go into detail why some of the things you suggest simply don't work as well as you think. I say this, because I've developed the experience over the year to understand why those things don't work. Experiences you probably never had, because had you experienced them, you wouldn't be saying that.

Now if you would like to talk about how tweaking the barrels can be fun, then sure let's talk. But if not, I'm going to ignore your responses and talk to the people seem to like this idea of adding a new counter and play to the game.

All I hear here, is that unless they agree with you, they are only worthy of talking too. By all means stay in your echo chamber. Its been a good chat, have a good one.

ok, it kinda seems your new to the game so let me tell you what to do. if any ship is in sight heading in your direction, prepare for battle. You must watch for boarders and if you do find any, shoot them before they make you blowup! also always make sure no on slips onto your boat.

@blazedrake100

It's just something to be worked on. The Bucket idea is probably the best of the bunch so thats what I hope they include this. As I have mentioned it just brings a new Dynamic to the game. Nothing is be taken away if they just add that.

Though changing the strategy is also good. It keeps the gane fresh for long term players with out having to wait for the major updates.

@a-double-deagle

I'm not new, I have been playing since day one. And I am well aware of the tactics that one should use, but this isn't jusy me and my solitary experience.

This has been something I have been talking about with friends and other players for a while now. And alot of players of all levels agree that ship to ship combat is devolving to barrel battles.

So after finally getting time to make a account here and finally being able write my opinion here. I was able bit my thoughts to words and make a cohesive idea. So I hope the Devs see this and potentially use it. It will make combat more risky and rewarding.