A Pirate’s Life Should Feel Dangerous Again
Ahoy Rare,
I’ve sailed these seas for a long time now—long enough to remember when every sail on the horizon made my heart beat faster. Long enough to know the joy of a clean broadside, the chaos of a boarding fight, and the quiet calm of the ocean when your crew is laughing between islands.
But somewhere along the way, something changed.
Gold stopped mattering.
When you’re sitting on millions, treasure becomes decoration. Sinking another crew feels fun, sure—but it no longer feels meaningful. Many of the best naval fights in Sea of Thieves end with no loot on either ship, and while the action is great, the pirate fantasy feels incomplete.
A pirate’s life should always have something at stake.
🏴☠️ A High-Risk, High-Reward PvP System (Opt-In & Fair)
Core Philosophy:
• Protect new swabbies
• Give veterans something to care about again
• Encourage organic naval PvP, not forced combat
🛡️ Safety for New Players
• Your first 1,000,000 gold is permanently safe
• This acts as a “vault” that can never be lost
• New players can learn, explore, and fail without fear
After that?
You’re a seasoned pirate. And seasoned pirates should sail with risk.
⚔️ Gold at Stake — Players Only
• Gold loss only occurs when sunk by another player crew
• No PvE loss, no random punishment
• Example numbers (purely illustrative):
• Lose ~25,000 gold when sunk by players
• Earn gold for sinking others:
• Sloop (1–2 crew): 25k–50k
• Brig (3 crew): ~75k
• Galleon (4 crew): ~100k
This does a few important things:
• Makes naval fights matter even when no treasure is aboard
• Turns PvP into a self-contained risk/reward loop
• Gives rich pirates a reason to care again
Treasure is still valuable—but putting something on the line is what creates adrenaline.
🧠 Preventing Abuse & Gold Trading (Important)
This system would only work with safeguards, and there are ways to do this fairly:
Anti-Exploit Ideas:
• No gold gained from repeatedly sinking the same crew in a short window
• Diminishing returns if two crews interact suspiciously often
• Gold rewards only trigger if:
• Both ships actively fired cannons
• Damage occurred over time (not instant scuttles)
• Opt-in flag (similar to Hourglass) so casual players aren’t forced into it
• Server-side behavior analysis (Rare already does this well)
The goal is naval combat, not gold farming.
🌊 Life at Sea Needs More to Do
Long voyages can feel empty. Right now, crews mostly:
• Fish
• Cook basic food
• Play instruments
We could turn ships into living, social spaces.
🌱 Shipboard Systems & Activities
Gardens / Planters
• Grow plants, herbs, or rare seeds
• Small buffs (stamina regen, cooking bonuses)
• Cosmetic decor progression for ships
Expanded Cooking
• Bigger kitchen interactions
• Multi-step meals
• Crew coordination (timing, ingredients, roles)
Crow’s Nest Gameplay
• Scouting mini-interactions
• Spyglass focus mechanics to reveal ships sooner
• Incentives to actually stay posted up there
• Skill-based spotting rather than passive waiting
Crew Sparring
• Friendly sword & gun combat on deck
• No death penalties
• Great for practice and downtime
Pet Systems
• Pet battles between crew
• Feeding, happiness, light progression
• Cosmetic or minor utility buffs (purely optional)
Card & Dice Games
• Poker, blackjack, dice, etc.
• Crew-only or opt-in
• Gold caps per session
• Anti-cheat systems to prevent RMT/trading
None of this replaces sailing—it fills the quiet moments between storms.
🧭 Why This Matters
Sea of Thieves is a sandbox—and sandboxes thrive when:
• Veterans have long-term stakes
• Casual players feel safe
• Social interaction is constant
• PvP feels meaningful, not empty
A pirate’s life isn’t just about gold—it’s about risk, stories, and tension.
The moment you spot another ship should make you wonder:
“Is this worth the risk?”
Right now, the answer is often “who cares?”
Let’s make it exciting again.
⚓ Final Thought
This doesn’t need to replace anything that already exists.
It can be:
• Opt-in
• Carefully tuned
• Adjusted over time
But any system that:
• Encourages natural naval warfare
• Gives veterans something to lose
• Adds social depth while sailing
…would make the seas feel alive again.
As pirates, there should always be something at risk—
your booty, and maybe your pride.
Thanks for reading, and fair winds to everyone at Rare.
— A long-time pirate 🏴☠️
