Sea of Thieves: Complete Guide

A guide to Sea of Thieves in Season 21 for new and returning pirates. It covers sailing roles, combat, the Trading Companies and Emissaries, the path to Pirate Legend, Safer Seas vs High Seas, PvP and the Hourglass, and the new Custom Seas tools.

Researched September 2026 — current as of Season 21 (launched September 17, 2026) and release 3.9.0. Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

• Start in Safer Seas if you're nervous. It's a private single-crew server with no other players. As of patch 3.2.2 (December 2024) you earn 100% of High Seas gold and reputation there, but Trading Company levels cap at 25, and Athena's Fortune, Reaper's Bones and Emissaries aren't available.
• Stock up before you sail. Take Wooden Planks, Cannonballs and Food from the barrels on the Outpost dock and pier, and store them on your ship.
• Learn the four ship jobs: steering, sails, the map table, and bailing/repairs. On a sloop you'll do all four.
• Drop the anchor to stop quickly, and raise the sails before you reach an island so you don't overshoot. Heading into the wind, angle the sails rather than sailing straight at it.
• Sell loot at the right company. Chests go to the Gold Hoarders, skulls to the Order of Souls, and cargo, animals and commodities to the Merchant Alliance. Most items work at any Outpost.
• Fly an Emissary flag (High Seas) to multiply your gold and reputation. You'll be marked on other crews' maps, though.
• Bank often. Every trip to an Outpost with loot on board is a risk. Sell in batches.
• Eat to heal. Bananas, fish and cooked meat restore health. Cook raw food on your ship's stove, and watch that it doesn't burn.
• Pick up free Voyages from the Season Pass, and check the Events Hub for weekly boosts. Fight Nights run on Tuesdays and Emissaries of Fortune on Wednesdays (10am–10am UTC).

Ship Types

Ship | Crew | Masts | Cannons | Best for

Sloop | 1–2 | 1 | 2 | Solo/duo, stealth, quick turns

Brigantine | 2–3 | 2 | 6 | The strongest PvP ship for three, very agile

Galleon | 3–4 | 3 | 8 | Big crews, holds lots of loot, slow to turn

The Captaincy system lets you buy and customize your own ship (with Captained Voyages and ship milestones) at the Shipwright Shops.

Core Sailing and Combat

Sailing

• Sail angle matters. Angle the sails to the wind using the compass and the flags. With the wind behind you it's fast. Into the wind, you need to angle.
• Anchor turns: drop the anchor while turning to spin quickly. This is great for broadsides and harbour stops, but hard on the crew.
• Watch the map table. Mark your destination and plot routes around storms, forts, Skull clouds and the red sea at the map edge (it damages your ship).

Damage and repairs

• Cannonballs make holes in the hull. Water fills the lower deck, and your ship sinks when it's full.
• Repair with Wooden Planks (hold the plank at a hole), then bail with buckets.
• Fire spreads. Put it out with buckets. Chainshot breaks masts, and you repair masts with planks too.

Personal combat

• Weapon slots: most players run Cutlass + Eye of Reach (sniper) + Blunderbuss, or Double Barrel Pistol + Eye of Reach.
• Double-gunning (swapping between two guns quickly) is the core PvP skill.
• Throwables (Throwing Knives, Blowpipe darts, the Grapple Gun) add utility. The Grapple Gun is great for boarding and climbing.
• Cursed cannonballs (from Skeleton ships and events) apply effects like Jig, Anchor, Ballast, Limp, Grog and Barrel.

Trading Companies and Factions

Company | What they want | Notes

Gold Hoarders | Treasure chests, riddle/X-mark maps | The classic starting company

Order of Souls | Skeleton captain skulls from bounties | Good combat practice

Merchant Alliance | Cargo runs, animals, commodities | Timed deliveries, lower risk

Reaper's Bones | Stolen emissary flags, any treasure | High Seas only, the PvP-leaning faction

Hunter's Call | Fish and meat | Fishing and hunting

Athena's Fortune | Pirate Legend quests, Athena's Voyages | Unlocked at Pirate Legend

Guardians of Fortune / Servants of the Flame | Hourglass PvP battles | Allegiance ranks

Emissaries

Raise an Emissary flag for a company at its Emissary table. Each sale raises your Emissary Grade (1–5), which multiplies your rewards. Losing your ship with the flag gives the sinker a bounty. Emissaries of Fortune (Wednesdays) boosts all Emissary earnings.

Path to Pirate Legend

• Get any three Trading Companies to level 50 and claim the level 50 promotions. Most players use Gold Hoarders, Order of Souls and Merchant Alliance, but Hunter's Call and Reaper's Bones count too.
• High Seas only. Safer Seas caps levels at 25.
• Speak to the Mysterious Stranger to become a Legend. You get exclusive Legend cosmetics, access to the Athena's Fortune faction and the Tavern of Legends hideout.
• Fastest route: fly Emissary Grade 5 for the company you're levelling. Combine voyages (for example stack Gold Hoarder vaults with Order of Souls bounties) and sell everything in one Outpost run.

Events and Activities (the "world events")

Activity | How to find it | Reward

Skeleton Fort / Fort of the Damned / Fort of Fortune | Skull cloud in the sky | Stronghold Chest, Vault keys, lots of loot

Skeleton Fleet | Ship-shaped cloud | Waves of skeleton ships and loot

Ashen Lords | Fiery skeleton-captain encounters in the world | Ashen Winds Skull (you can hold it and fire flames with it before selling)

Kraken / Megalodon | Random encounter at sea | Commendations, some loot

Tall Tales | Tall Tale book at an Outpost | Story quests with commendations

Sea Forts | Forts marked on the map | Solo-friendly loot and vault keys

Burning Blade / Reaper's Chests | Reaper's Hideout | Big PvP-faction payouts

Always check the horizon for other ships before you commit to a long event.

PvP: Hourglass and Open Seas

• Hourglass of Fate (on board every ship): pledge to Guardians of Fortune or Servants of the Flame. Dive to find an evenly matched ship battle, or raise your Hourglass and wait. Winning gives Allegiance and gold. Fight Nights (Tuesdays) boost Allegiance.
• Open-world PvP: any crew can attack you on High Seas. Defend yourself by:
• Watching the horizon, especially with a spyglass on your masthead.
• Selling loot before a fight when you can.
• Keeping planks, cannonballs and food stocked.
• Last Ship Standing: Sloops returns in Season 21 as a limited event.

Season 21 (September 17, 2026 onward)

• Season Pass plus an optional Season Pass: Premium Tier. Level up through Renown to get a choice of Pirate Emporium cosmetics and Voyages. The final reward is a Star Prize (Season 20's was the Greed's Reach Cutlass).
• There are no headline Acts this season. Months two and three focus on Live Events, bug fixes and Custom Seas refinements.
• Recurring events: Fight Nights (Tuesdays), Emissaries of Fortune (Wednesdays), Bilge Rats Weekenders, the Season 21 Community Weekend, and Last Ship Standing: Sloops.

Custom Seas (Seasons 20–21)

Custom Seas is a free toolset for private custom sessions: game modes, cinematics, and sandbox play.

• Legendary Locations include the Seas of Sailor's Grave (the Last Ship Standing battleground).
• Quick Commands include Hide Pirate, Invulnerability, Ship Invulnerability, Repair Ship, Reset Supplies and Destroy Treasures.
• 3.9.0 additions: save and load Layouts (up to 30 per location), Set Time Speed (Stopped/Slow/Normal/Fast), Edit Silver, and a new Adventures category in Spawn Treasures.
• The Free Camera is widely used for #SoTShot screenshot contests.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Leaving the ship unattended at an island. Drop the anchor, raise the sails, and don't park in someone else's path.
• Carrying loot around for hours. Sell often.
• Forgetting supplies. Running out of planks or cannonballs mid-fight is a guaranteed sink.
• Fighting into the wind. Position so you have the wind advantage.
• Ignoring storms. They drain your ship and hide enemies.
• Starting a Fort with an unknown ship nearby. Watch the horizon for a minute first.
• Burning food. Pull meat off the stove when it's cooked (you'll hear and see the change).

Advanced Tips

• Harpoon turning: harpoon a rock or ship, reel in, and use it to pivot sharply.
• Pre-load cannons. Have food, planks and cannonballs in your personal inventory before a fight.
• Use the spyglass on sails: a sail symbol or emissary flag tells you what the other crew is doing.
• Loot tucking: hide chests in less obvious spots on your ship so boarders don't grab them straight away.
• Double-dip events: Bilge Rats Weekenders and Emissaries of Fortune stack with your own Emissary grade.
• Check the Events Hub before long sessions. Double-Renown weekends (like Renown Rally) speed up the Season Pass.
• Safer Seas grinding is legit now. With 100% gold and rep since 3.2.2, it's efficient for gold and for levelling companies up to 25. Switch to High Seas for 26–50.

FAQ

Can I play solo? Yes. Sail a sloop solo on High Seas, or use Safer Seas for a PvE-only session.

Do I earn full gold in Safer Seas? Yes, since patch 3.2.2 you earn 100% of High Seas gold and reputation. Company levels cap at 25, and some features (Emissaries, Reaper's Bones, Athena's Fortune) are unavailable.

How do I become a Pirate Legend? Get three Trading Companies to level 50 and claim their promotions on the High Seas, then talk to the Mysterious Stranger.

What's the best ship for beginners? A sloop for solo/duo. Brigantine and Galleon are best with 3–4 friends.

What's new in Season 21? A refreshed Season Pass with a Premium Tier, new Outpost cosmetics, monthly Live Events, and Custom Seas updates (Layouts, time controls, Edit Silver).

Is there crossplay? Yes, Sea of Thieves has crossplay between PC and Xbox, and PlayStation.

What does the 2026 Edition include? The full game plus digital bonuses. The Deluxe and Premium editions add cosmetics, 10,000 gold (Deluxe) and 1,000 Ancient Coins (Premium).

Sources

• Season 21 Live Events, Steam, Sep 18 2026
• Release Notes 3.9.0, Steam, Sep 17 2026
• Release Notes 3.8.2, Steam, Aug 20 2026
• This Month in Sea of Thieves: September 2026, Steam
• This Month in Sea of Thieves: August 2026, Steam
• From Concept to Cosmetic: Greed's Reach Cutlass, Steam
• Pirate Legend – Sea of Thieves Wiki
• Safer Seas – Sea of Thieves Wiki
• Steam store page