I think Sea of Thieves could benefit from having multiple ship models for each existing ship class instead of only one design for each.
Right now, every Sloop, Brigantine, and Galleon has the exact same layout. After enough playtime, experienced players know exactly where everything is when they board a ship. They know where supplies are, where to go below deck, the best routes through the ship, and all the common hiding spots.
My suggestion is to add multiple ship variants for each class:
Example
Sloops
Current Sloop
Cutter-style Sloop
Smuggler Sloop
Naval Sloop
Brigantines
Current Brigantine
Merchant Brig
Privateer Brig
Naval Brig
Galleons
Current Galleon
Heavy Merchant Galleon
War Galleon
Exploration Galleon
The important part is that these ships would remain balanced.
Each variant would have:
The same speed
The same health
The same cannon count
The same crew size
The same overall performance
The differences would be:
Hull shape
Deck layout
Interior design
Stair placement
Supply locations
Room arrangement
This would make ships feel like they came from different shipyards instead of every crew sailing the exact same vessel with different cosmetics.
It would also make boarding more interesting because players would need to learn the layout of the ship they are boarding instead of already knowing where everything is.
The goal is not to add stronger ships or change balance. The goal is to add variety, ship identity, immersion, and more interesting boarding encounters.
