Best Weapons In Sea Of Thieves

Key Takeaways

Sea of Thieves offers a variety of weapons but choosing a playstyle is essential due to weapon combinations.
Blunderbombs are useful for causing AOE damage and knockback but lack the ability to damage ships.
The Trident of Dark Tides is a powerful long-range weapon ideal for handling groups of enemies effectively.

Sea of Thieves has a unique combat system that might seem quite basic at first, but there are a lot of layers to the weapons in the game. Players are limited to carrying just two weapons at any one time and, usually, one of those slots will be taken by the humble cutlass.

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Unlike some progression-based games, all the weapons are available to new players as soon as they start the game. The only real problem for each player is choosing a playstyle or finding the right weapon combination. Some combinations are ideal for specific Sea of Thieves adventures, while others are more well-rounded. There are pros and cons to each weapon.

Updated November 13, 2024 by Gemma Johnson: Sea of Thieves is an evolving pirate adventure game that continues to add more features to its sandbox, including new weapons and tools. While there are core weapons in the game like the traditional pirate cutlass and pistol, weapons in Sea of Thieves continue to grow. Sea of Thieves Season 14 gives players even more weapons or tools to choose between, from Blowdarts to the Grapple Gun and more.

With so many weapons available, many players may be eager to know what Sea of Thieves’ best weapon is. Although this somewhat comes down to players’ preferred playstyles, each weapon undoubtedly has pros and cons, with some standing above the rest for various reasons. This Sea of Thieves weapons tier list adds two new entries and updates the ranking order.

16 Blunderbomb

Knock Back Players And Ships

Advantages	Disadvantages
Causes AOE damage to players or other enemies via a knockback effect. Throwable and shootable from cannons. A small supply is obtainable from ship cannonball barrels or randomly in barrels.	Players can only carry a limited amount. Doesn’t damage ships.

Blunderbombs are a type of throwable Sea of Thieves weapon that explodes shrapnel upon impact, causing damage to players within a given AOE, albeit rather minimal as a weapon that focuses more on knock-back, such as knocking a player off a ship. They can be shot out of cannons or thrown, but players can only carry a limited supply of up to five at any one time, although players could buy or obtain more across the seas.

The main disadvantage of Blunderbombs is they only damage players, not ships, but could deploy some knockback effects if deployed strategically.

15 Trident Of Dark Tides

Powerful But Slow

Advantages	Disadvantages
It inflicts variable damage, including powerful high damage from large bubble shots capable of one-shotting gold skeletons. It is ideal for shooting from a distance and taking out groups.	It can be slow to charge. It only has 30 shots, so not unlimited. It is only discoverable randomly in the world.

While not necessarily a fan-favorite, the Trident of Dark Tides offers some of the most varied shots compared to other Sea of Thieves weapons. It fires small, medium, and large charged bubbles that damage and knock back enemies. The longer a player charges it up, the bigger the bubble becomes. On one hand, it works well as a powerful, long-range weapon that does splash damage, making it great for fighting multiple enemies.

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On the flip side, it’s weaker in close combat owing to its slow charge-up. Tridents also only contain 30 shots and will disappear once used. Players must search the open world for one as loot as it is not accessible from the armory.

14 Firebomb

Set Ships And Enemies Ablaze

Advantages	Disadvantages
It causes damage over time to players and ships. It can be thrown or shot out of cannons. Fire can cause a big distraction. Small supplies are obtainable from players’ ship cannonball barrels or found randomly in barrels.	Players can only carry a limited supply. It doesn’t inflict great damage immediately and brings a risk of catching fire if not thrown far enough.

Firebombs can be thrown or shot out of cannon to cause fiery chaos and a big distraction, especially when setting fire to other players’ ships. While they don’t inflict high levels of damage immediately, they can cause damage over time until the flames are put out with water or go out.

Although players can only carry a maximum of up to five Firebombs at a time, they can be handy to give players the edge, especially for solo Sea of Thieves players who might struggle to master other weapons.

13 Explosive Gunpowder Barrel

A Risky But Deadly Explosive Weapon In The Right Hands

Advantages

Disadvantages

Capable of inflicting massive damage as an effective tactic in PVP for players who enjoy sneaking aboard player ships.
They have a handy off switch in case players change their mind about lighting the fuse.
They can shoot enemies or other players carrying one, inflicting damage on them and surrounding AoE.

They are risky to keep on board ships, making it easy to damage ships or players themselves. The crow’s nest is also one of the worst places to store it.
They must be discovered in the world as a random spawn. However, they are found in most locations in the world, especially Sea and Skeleton Forts for a more reliable find.
Worth a small amount of gold in terms of base value compared to other Sea of Thieves weapons that also carry value.

While not a traditional weapon as such, gunpowder barrels are a type of explosive in Sea of Thieves which are primarily a piece of loot that players can sell for around 200–2,000 gold coins, dependent on the players’ Emissary level. While they can spawn almost anywhere in the game, they are most commonly found in Skeleton and Sea Forts, plus are carried by Gunpowder Skeletons, who can also use them as a weapon against players when set alight.

Although not new, they can be a handy weapon to use against other players during PVP if players can sneak one aboard another player’s ship, or shoot one they are transporting. This makes them some of the riskiest loot to keep aboard, as they can inflict devastating damage on players and their ships as perhaps the most powerful explosives in the game. However, they can’t be thrown like other explosive weapons, limiting their usage somewhat.

12 Ashen Winds Skull/Obsidian Ashen Winds Skull

Inflict Flamethrower Damage For A Price

Advantages	Disadvantages
Flame-thrower ability is great for setting fire to players and ships like a glorified Firebomb. Can be sold as a way to make money, albeit considerably less than the Skull of Siren Song. Provides a boost to reputation.	Limited supply, decreasing in value quickly with use. Requires defeating an Ashen Lord or the Burning Blade ship for the Obsidian variant, which can be time-consuming. Causes minimal damage beyond D.O.T. Doesn’t work underwater (as is perhaps expected).

There is little to rival the panic that players can cause with a burning Ashen Winds Skull that carries the flaming power of an Ashen Lord when looted from its corpse. While it’s powerful in setting fire to players and ships during naval combat, it doesn’t cause that much damage immediately as another damage-over-time weapon. Sea of Thieves Season 13 also introduced a variant design called the Obsidian Ashen Winds Skull, which seems to offer similar levels of value and effects being worth approximately 2,500-3,000 gold depending on usage and player Emissary Level.

However, players can sell Ashen Skulls for a considerable amount as another way to make money in Sea of Thieves, plus gain reputation boosts with various emissaries, albeit not as much gold as other treasures. Indeed, the more used the skull is, the less it is worth.

11 Skull Of Siren Song

A Weapon And A High-Value Treasure Item

Advantages	Disadvantages
Functions as both a weapon and a treasure, sellable for 50,000 gold once handed to Captain Briggsy. Deploys soundwave damage to enemies and players. Unlike the Ashen Winds Skull, using it as a weapon does not diminish its value.	Takes time to kill enemies, weakening them over a short period, so it’s not instantaneously powerful. Can be challenging to obtain, requiring the chest and key, plus often beating other players to it. Can also only be sold to Briggsy. Obtaining it causes player ships to slow down when on board and a beacon to appear, making them vulnerable.

Although Season 11’s Skull of Siren Song is multi-functional, in many ways, it is more valuable as a treasure than as a weapon. While it looks extremely cool, it’s not a high-damage weapon and doesn’t inflict as much damage as some players might expect. However, it does have some advantages over the Ashen Winds Skull, given that using it as a weapon doesn’t decrease its value in any way. Players can still sell it for a whopping 50,000, as potentially one of the best ways to make money in Sea of Thieves.

However, it can be time-consuming and challenging to acquire, especially when fighting or racing against other players for it. That said, it is possible to obtain the Skull of Siren Song without any opposition at all, so it’s worth a try, provided players are willing to become a potential target on the map in doing so.

10 Bone Caller

Summon Skeleton Friends To Turn The Tide Of Battle

Advantages	Disadvantages
Great for solo players to even the odds. Summoned skeletons last until killed. A great distraction to use when boarding other players’ ships.	When used against skeletons, it’s sometimes easy to lose track of which ones are enemies, and throwing more than one de-spawns the first set. There’s no control over how effective they are, and they are usually found randomly in some barrels in the world, such as from shipwrecks.

The Bone Caller is, in many ways, one of the best weapons in Sea of Thieves, at least in the throwables category. When playing solo in Sea of Thieves, it’s a fantastic way to even the odds in combat when fighting groups of enemies. When thrown, it summons a group of skeletons to fight on players’ behalf until they are destroyed, giving players their own personal skeleton army. Throwing the Bone Caller onto PVP is a fantastic distraction technique, potentially giving players time to quickly drop a ship’s anchor.

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However, as it stands, there is no way to strengthen Bone Caller skeletons, so they don’t necessarily last that long. Although they have hilarious randomized name markers, it can sometimes also feel tricky to spot who is an enemy and who isn’t in skeleton battles amid the battle chaos, and throwing a second Bone Caller will just despawn the first one’s skeletons, rather than increasing their numbers.

9 Grapple Gun

More Traversal Than Damage

Advantages	Disadvantages
It helps players traverse the Sea of Thieves world more effectively, including grappling onto ships. Accessible from the armory. While its combat abilities are limited, it can cause small amounts of damage. As a distance-closer weapon, it can be used effectively with other weapons in the game, like when grabbing onto other players and following up with a stronger weapon.	As more of a tool than a traditional weapon, its damage capabilities are somewhat limited, and it can be tricky to use in combat. Its reload time can feel fairly slow at approximately three seconds.

Despite the name, Sea of Thieves‘ Grapple Gun is more of a tool than a weapon and was introduced in Season 14. That said, it is still capable of inflicting smaller amounts of damage, such as defeating Phantoms in a couple of hits. It is also a unique addition to the Sea of Thieves armory in that it helps players traverse the world more easily by attaching to things like islands and certain parts of ships.

Players can also use the Grapple Gun to harpoon treasure and even other players, making it more of a tool that can be used effectively with other weapons. For instance, a player could use the Grapple Gun to quickly harpoon a player close to them or vice versa to close the distance, following up with a deadlier weapon like the Blowpipe when shooting Poison Darts. The Grapple Gun could also help players get onto another player’s ship, potentially helping to turn the tide of battle.

8 Double Barrel Pistol

Good When Up Close And Personal, But Not For Much Else

Advantages	Disadvantages
Gives players the option to fire up to two shots with an extra bullet, enabling tactical options like triple gunning if players equip another gun too. Players can also hold fire to shoot both bullets in a high-powered single shot. Reasonably fast single-fire shots are best fired at close range, and have the possibility to reload just one bullet. Accessible from the armory.	Can be weak and not very accurate when shooting from mid-to-long-range. Can be slow to reload two bullets (three seconds).

Sea of Thieves‘ Double Barrel Pistol is essentially a cross between the Flintlock and Blunderbuss. It fires relatively quick, high-powered shots at close range without the Blunderbuss’ often less accurate spray. It is also a versatile weapon, as it gives players the choice of whether to fire a single or double shot or even team it with another gun for potentially some triple-gunning tactics. However, it’s not very effective at mid-to-long range, making the Flintlock a better weapon all-round.

Like Throwing Knives, players can also obtain different Double Barrel Pistol skins by completing various commendations and then buying the skins with in-game gold from any Sea of Thieves outpost.

7 Throwing Knives

A Surprisingly Effective Throwing Or Melee-Combat Weapon

Advantages	Disadvantages
High damage at close range, killing some skeletons with one hit, and capable of one-hit kills from medium distances. Options for fast, stabbing, or throwing hits that are ideal for individual targets in combat up close or via a stealth attack. Effectively gives unlimited ammo as long as the knives are retrieved. Equippable from the armory.	It is easy to lose knives when thrown. Knives can be picked up by other players, but not NPCs, making usage somewhat risky. It can be tricky to be accurate when throwing and is typically best used at close to mid-range.

Sea of Thieves‘ Throwing Knives are a fun alternative to the Cutlass and may remind some players of using throwing knives in Rare’s classic FPS game, Goldeneye. Players have the option to throw up to five knives or attack with them through small stabs or a charged, high-powered swipe that’s perfect for stealth attacks. This makes them a versatile weapon that’s also pretty powerful with the ability to take out some enemies in a single throw, such as Coral Skeletons.

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As long as players retrieve the knives when thrown, they’re also the only Sea of Thieves weapon with the potential for unlimited ammo. However, that’s assuming players can find them once thrown, as they can get lost in the environment or picked up by other players. They can also be more challenging to wield in combat compared to the Cutlass, especially against groups of foes.

6 Blowpipe

Mostly Silent But Deadly

Advantages

Disadvantages

Darts can have different effects, depending on what players are looking for, with Poison Darts being particularly effective. Lure Darts can help deflect PVE enemy attention away from players.
Accessible immediately via the Armory with a maximum of four darts before reloading is required. When players run out of ammo for one type of dart, the game instant-switches to the next Dart type, effectively giving players more ammo at their disposal.
Shooting darts is quiet, which may or may not be useful depending on the circumstances. For instance, players might find darts most useful when sneaking aboard another player’s ship.

Darts rely more on player accuracy and are more of a mid-close-range weapon, but can be easier to use than Throwing Knives.
Some players may not like the instant ammo type change, and it takes time to switch dart types manually.
Lure Darts are only useful in certain circumstances, so players may not always find much use for them in combat.

Introduced in Season 14, Sea of Thieves‘ Blowpipe weapon can be a surprisingly lethal and effective weapon, and perhaps more so than some players might expect, depending on the choice of Dart. For instance, shooting a Phantom with a Poison Dart in PVE combat can kill them in one shot within a few seconds. Poison Darts can also make it easier and quicker to defeat tougher enemies as they work similarly to getting bitten by a snake in the game, with the victims’ health diminishing surprisingly quickly and killing some PVE enemies, like Phantoms, in a single shot.

Other darts players can use the Blowpipe are the Lure Dart, the explosive Black Powder Dart, and the Mimic Dart, with the latter anticipated for later in Season 14. Black Powder darts can be powerful and dangerous, it is sometimes easy to get caught in the crossfire with a slight explosion time delay. The Lure Dart also doesn’t cause damage but can lure PVE enemies to attack others or create a false signal for other players. Although Darts are best used at close-to-mid-range for the best accuracy, they can also travel surprisingly far.

5 Blunderbuss

Inflict Knockback And Close-Range Damage

Advantages

Disadvantages

Described as the anti-boarding weapon, the Blunderbuss can dish out knockback to blast other players off their ships, while still inflicting hefty damage at close range.
It takes only 2 seconds to reload each shot, which is helpful in combat.
A wider spread shot can make it easier to use than the Flintlock at close range as accuracy is not always as important.
Accessible immediately in the armory.

Poor accuracy shooting from medium to long distances owing to bullet spread.
Not necessarily as accurate or as versatile as the Flintlock.
Not as powerful as it once was, making it a less effective weapon for combat for some players, but still reasonably powerful at close range.

For a long time, the Blunderbuss was considered by many as a master of close-range execution in the hands of a skilled pirate with its former one-shot kill capabilities. However, balancing changes to the Blunderbuss in recent times make it more of a defensive rather than an offensive weapon. At close range, the Blunderbuss dishes out knockback effects capable of knocking other players off a ship and its bullet spread power is wider than previously. While it is still effective at close range with 90 damage, it can no longer one-hit-kill a player at full health, lowering its ranking slightly.

That said, for some players, the Blunderbuss is still a decent weapon when up close. It could also potentially be used defensively as an anti-boarding weapon without the need for other knockback weapons, like the Blunderbomb. However, others may prefer the Flintlock for its overall versatility.

4 Flintlock

Versatile And Accurate Shooting

Advantages	Disadvantages
Medium reload time of about 3 seconds per shot, so faster than the Eye of Reach, with the possibility for more accuracy at close to medium range. Deals high damage at various ranges and often more accurately than the Double Barrel Pistol, capable of killing some PVE enemies in one hit. Accessible from the armory.	Shots deal a bit less damage than Blunderbuss and Eye of Reach. Can be less effective at long-range. Often easier and more accurate to use than the Blunderbuss at close range.

Not everyone’s favorite gun, but a good staple for many starting in their pirate career that can be very effective. Everyone who begins Sea of Thieves will start automatically with a Cutlass and Flintlock pistol. The Flintlock should typically be used at close- to mid-range due to its weakness at long-range, but when used well, it is powerful and can kill enemies in one or two shots. However, it has a notorious bullet drop and can be hard to master when fighting other players in Sea of Thieves PVP. It also performs much better at longer distances when aiming down the sights.

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The Flintlock has a decent reload speed and can be fired accurately without having to aim down sights. One bullet could reduce a player’s health by around half, so it may only take two shots to kill them. One way to learn how to use this weapon effectively is to pick up a skin that offers clearer iron sights, which helps considerably with aiming.

3 Blade of Souls

Inflict Fire Damage With A High-Value Sword

Advantages	Disadvantages
Inflicts the same types of attacks as the standard cutlass while setting enemies ablaze on impact, inflicting fire DoT as an extra benefit. In addition to fire damage, it also causes knockback. It can increase in value in parallel to the value of the Burning Blade ship, with a value of anywhere between 10,000-13,000 gold and potentially, higher.	It can only be obtained by defeating and sinking the Burning Blade ship, and before the sword sinks to the depths. It must be placed on the ground to use other equipment like fruit for health, making it less practical and convenient compared to the standard cutlass. Places a marker on the map when obtained, acting as a lure for other players.

The Blade of Souls is a reward that’s also a weapon capable of inflicting fire damage on impact and knockback effects, making it perhaps the most powerful melee weapon in the game yet. However, players can only get it by defeating the Burning Blade ship in Sea of Thieves, a world event introduced in Season 13 where players can effectively become the villain or choose to take it down.

While its extra fire ability adds an extra layer of damage compared to the standard cutlass, the only consideration that holds it back is how less practical it is. Instead of becoming a weapon that temporarily sits in the player’s armory, it can only be placed on the ground when players stop to do other things like replenish health, making it less convenient to use. Placing it on the ground also allows other players to take it for themselves during combat, plus obtaining it places a marker on the map and makes it a risky weapon to keep for long.

2 Cutlass

A Staple, And A Versatile Weapon For Any Pirate

Advantages	Disadvantages
Blocks incoming melee attacks and doesn’t rely upon ammo. Fast swipe attacks are quicker than reloading. Players can alternate between a single-swipe and a powered-up attack, which deals much more damage. The powered-up attack can also be used to move faster, such as when diving into the water. Accessible from the armory.	Takes 2 seconds to charge up a powered attack, leaving players vulnerable. Takes 2 seconds to recover from a charged-up attack which fatigues players. Can be challenging to learn.

A close call above the Blunderbuss is the pirate classic, the Cutlass. The Cutlass is devastating when used correctly, but there is a skill and nuance to it. Many players begin sword fighting with a slash-and-hope method until they learn the timing. Slashes damage any enemies within reach in a wide arc, perfect for when players are fighting multiple enemies.

The Cutlass’ heavy attack lunges the player forward causing deadline damage. It can be hard to time but devastating if it lands. Hitting an enemy with the Cutlass will also interrupt their actions, so landing chain hits will usually result in victory. Combined with gun combat, the Cutlass will often put the finishing touches on any Sea Thieves PVP battle.

1 Eye Of Reach

Deadly, Pinpoint Accuracy As The Best Weapon In Sea of Thieves

Advantages	Disadvantages
Most powerful, high-damage gunshots. Scope for increased accuracy, enabling shooting from long distances and a cracked lens marker. It can also be used for close-range shots, albeit this can be hard to do, so other players might prefer the Flintlock. Immediately accessible in the player’s armory.	The slowest reload time at approximately four seconds. The scope reflects sunlight, which can give away a player’s position.

The Eye of Reach is arguably the Sea of Thieves’ best weapon yet, but in many ways, the hardest gun to master, albeit with the most rewards in terms of its skill cap. This pirate-themed sniper rifle is deadly at both long and short ranges. If a player can master a quick-scope mechanic or hip-firing then this gun can even beat other high-powered guns in close-range combat.

At long range, it comfortably beats the Pistol in terms of bullet range, making it easier to predict shots. The downside is its slowest reload time, but one shot could damage a player’s health by around 70%. A quick Eye of Reach shot and Cutlass lunge is all it takes to end a fight. It also may be a tough call between the Flintlock, Cutlass, and Eye of Reach for the best Sea of Thieves weapon for some players, as each offers different benefits according to players’ skill level and preferences. However, the Eye of Reach still steals the top spot in our Sea of Thieves weapon tier list, at least for now.

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