KEY POINTS

  • Take on trading company voyages to earn gold and reputation
  • Explore the seas and participate in world events with NPCs and other players
  • Always be careful when encountering other pirates 

Rare’s ocean-faring, skeleton-smashing, pirate life simulator “Sea of Thieves” is arguably in the best state it has ever been. It’s gone a long way since its troubled launch, and now, fresh pirates have arrived to make their own fortune.

“Sea of Thieves” can be a daunting game at first, and the general lack of direction outside of the main tutorial is simply not enough to help new players get their bearings.

Here’s a quick guide on what to do first in “Sea of Thieves” and how to start thriving as a pirate.

Take on trader jobs

There are three main trading companies that players can take jobs from at the beginning, and they each have different themes reflected in the voyages they offer:

  • Gold Hoarders – treasure hunting
  • Order of Souls – Fighting NPC skeletons and ships
  • Merchant Alliance – Assorted merchant work (cargo transport, animal capture and more)

Trading loot and completing voyages for trading companies will increase the player’s reputation with them, which will eventually unlock more rewarding jobs in the future. Try to focus on one trading company first to maximize reputation gains.

Join world events

The giant skull clouds, tornadoes, lightning storms and other weird things beyond the horizon often mark the location of world events and other interesting activities that players can complete for loot. Be prepared for a fight, as NPCs and other pirates may be swarming these locations. Here are a few notable ones:

  • Green-eyed skull cloud – Active skeleton fort
  • Red tornado – Ashen Lord boss fight
  • Galleon-shaped cloud – Skeleton fleet
Ships sailing towards an active skeleton fort in Sea of Thieves
Ships sailing towards an active skeleton fort in Sea of Thieves Rare

Complete Tall Tales

Tall Tales are story-driven experiences that often mix combat with puzzle-solving and exploration. Islands on the world map may have icons that indicate a Tall Tale is available in them. Approach the appropriate NPC to start them.

These quests reward players with money and cosmetics. They aren’t as free-flowing as the rest of the game, but they serve as fun diversions that help expand the game world. Just keep in mind that the difficulty scales based on the number of players in a crew.

Other tips

  • Always stock up on supplies after a voyage
  • Assign roles to crewmates for better ship management
  • Don’t forget to use bombs and special cannonballs when fighting ships
  • Always plot a safe course to an outpost before heading out to sea
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