Maybe they're on a tall tale and would rather give you the loot so you dont ruin their quest.

Perhaps some of them think they'll sail faster if they lighten their load.

@jammieboy13 I've done this. As others have stated, it can be an indication of another ship's true intentions. If I drop a villainous skulls overboard and they don't slow to get it, I know they just want a fight. I've actually had ships leave me be after doing this, so... 90% of the time, it works 60% of the time.

I had this happen a few nights ago, they were dropping low end loot.

I weren't having any of it.

10 mins later I anchor balled em, they got sunk, and I took the real goods.

@Vac a-Hombre

Absolutely love the way you play, I would serious like to see it from your eyes, as well as some of the reactions from the other players. I would love to know what the pineapple guy was thinking.

Have you thought about recording some your play sessions and posting the funny moments, like above.

Personally, I will attempt to harpoon it, if I miss then I mark on the map where they dump it, and try to come back.

Hasn't happened yet, but if it does I would collect it and then continue chasing for more. How do I know that they didn't just throw over the rubbish stuff. They have just proved that they at least had loot.

Loot has no value in this game once you reach Pirate Legend. I would even question its worth on the way to Pirate Legend.

Loot/Treasure is so easy to come by why not throw it overboard and see if they stop. It would not stop me, I am only interested in burning and sinking ships.

@jammieboy13

Reasons

1. Bribery, to gain time to get the piece you care about to the outpost.
2. If I cannot have it nobody will!
3. Confusion, so when they drop a keg it is less obvious?

To me those are the reasons people do it from my perspective or what I can think of, but I would just assume you have an Athenas chest or something better on board if they start dumping the rest.

Treasure in general is not something people care about for a large part of veteran pirates, they just want specific items and might use the rest as distractions.

I always keep a reapers chest aboard for this reason.

@jammieboy13

Another possibility is that they're like me and will do nonsensical things just for laughs.

I remember one time I'd parked my boat out of cannon range to an active fort to try and fish for Battlegills. (I didn't have much luck.)

Upon seeing another sloop approaching, I hopped a mermaid and quickly grabbed the more valuable fish I'd collected so far.

The other sloop sideswiped my boat and I heard somebody on the deck above. On a whim, I slipped out the window onto the ladder and started swimming as fast as I could, straight down.

The other guys didn't seem too determined on attacking me since the one on my boat followed me overboard, intent on giving me some fruit to keep me from drowning.

But the idea of swimming as deep as I could before dying had taken hold of me, so I didn't heed his calls. Which is how I found myself in the odd situation of swimming to my death while another pirate chased after me with a pineapple.

I'm not sure what purpose, if any, it served, but I sat on the Ferry and giggled like a school girl for a full minute.

Thank you for everyone’s suggestions. I just want to add one they were throwing over loot with different values (Captain’s chest all the way down to seafarers) also one group dropped a reaper’s chest and than chased me when I grabbed it. That was hilarious

For me if me and a friend get chased on a sloop, we have tonnes of collectors chests. We tend to throw them overboard sometimes with sometimes without loot but who’s to tell?? The chest is closed. Are you going to risk checking for a dud chest or will you keep sailing within chase? Usually gives me enough time to come up with a plan ;)

Half the time this has happened to me I've found the crew to be holding onto items like stronghold skulls, ashen chests, etc. Bonus points if your crewmate harpoons the loot while you chase... ;)

@viperishemu2992

I first try empty supplies crates and low level trash as long as it glints they might stop to fish for bait

I can only guess that they are hoping that you will stop to get it so they can get away with the rest? If they didn't want you to have it "at all" it's super easy just to sail off into the Red Sea? So I'm guessing that you are right. They are seeing if you are interested in you getting "some" and them keeping "some instead of the alternative which is everybody gets "nothing".

@jammieboy13 A week ago i was sailing with my crew to a reaper chest in a ship wreck and just as we got there a sloop got away with the reapers chest as we chased him i yelled on him to pull over and hand over that precious reaper's chest,he tossed off the reaper and he and sailed away.
For me it was pure comedy to see it.

I do this when i have something special and im solo ill leave a trail of glinting stuff i dont need since often they stop to fish it while i gain enough distance to do a legend drop off or something. Saved me 2 times already😏

@jammieboy13

Best be careful. Some sneaky pirate might drop a couple decoy chests to throw you off and then throw in a keg amongst the fodder.

Sounds like an attempt at avoiding pvp.
Or, perhaps, what they drop is a decoy and they have something better on board.
Best check them out and see.

@xxcaptmichaelxx said in People throwing away treasure?:

Some people probably value their stock over whatever trinkets they have.

Exactly, maybe they spent a lot of time collecting hundreds of fruits, planks, fireballs and cursed cannonballs. Might be worth more to them than a chest.

have never seen it, have heard about it.
But it baffles me to, I dont care about loot, but I still dont want you to have it, unless I give it to you ;)

My "greed" force me to pick up anything that is around the 1k gold, an that can easy become a good haul.
I will rather sail it to the red sea than letting anybody have my treasure.

But dropping loot does not make sense with the other ship after you, they can just use the harpoon or sword dash in front an pick up the loot an back on the ship.

Maybe they know they can’t get away and it’s a “If I can’t have it, no one can” gesture.

Some people probably value their stock over whatever trinkets they have.

One assumes that you are attacking to capture loot. If they throw the loot overboard, they can see whether you are truly interested in the loot (because you stop to collect it) or whether you continue the pursuit.

If you stop to collect it, it slows you down. If you don't stop, then you are clearly not interested in the loot; and it changes how they might deal with the threat you pose.