Playing solo in Sea of Thieves gets a reputation for being brutal. And honestly? It is – sometimes. But it’s also one of the most rewarding ways to experience the game. Once you get the hang of the stealth tricks and gold-farming routes, you’ll realize solo play has perks that group sailing just can’t match.
Why Solo Play Is Worth It (And What Makes It Hard)
The freedom is real. No waiting for teammates, no arguing over which voyage to run, and zero time spent explaining basic mechanics to a random who just joined. Solo sailing is also the fastest way to actually get good. When you’re the only person on the boat, you handle everything: navigation, cannons, repairs, bailing, and combat. There’s nowhere to hide. That pressure forces you to improve in ways group play never will. Plus, pulling off a successful fort run by yourself hits way harder than doing it with a full crew.
Now for the reality check. You will always be outnumbered. Every crew you meet has more hands than you. A duo sloop has double your manpower; a galleon has four times as much. Also, your ship will sink. Not might – will. It’s going down eventually, and the sooner you accept that, the less tilted you’ll be when it happens.
A sunken ship isn’t the end of the world. You just respawn. The loot is gone, though, which is why selling often is non-negotiable. One more thing: trust nobody. Not the “friendly” pirate waving at you, not the crew saying they just want to trade. This game is built on betrayal. Optimistic solo players are just delivery drivers for people who smile before they shoot.
Setting Up Your Solo Sloop Correctly
Small setup choices make a massive difference. Here’s the baseline that actually works: First purchase: a captained sloop. It costs 250,000 gold and lets you sell at the Sovereigns. This dramatically speeds up your turn-in time. Do this before anything else.
Supply organization is huge:
- Wood planks go in the first barrel slot – you need that muscle memory for repairs under pressure.
- Best food (anything that heals fast) stays near the wheel.
- Cannons should be pre-loaded at all times. Reloading mid-fight while trying to steer and patch holes is a death sentence.
Visibility settings:
- Turn off every lantern. Even the ones below deck. That glow flickers through the hull and gives you away from miles away.
- FOV to 90 at least, or 110 on PC. You need that peripheral vision.
- Scan the horizon every 2-5 minutes. If you see a ship, assume they’ve seen you and start moving. Don’t wait to “see if they’re hostile.” By then, it’s too late.
Stealth and How to Stay Hidden
Stealth is your best defense. Fighting fair against a larger crew is a losing game; not being seen is infinitely better. Lanterns off, always. Seriously. Other captains specifically look for that interior glow at night. Without them, you’re just a silhouette that’s much harder to spot against a dark island.
Parking strategy:
- Park on the side of an island facing away from the map’s center. Less traffic.
- Point your bow toward open water. You want to be able to drop sails and leave instantly.
- Don’t anchor. Raise your sails to stop. If a ship jumps you, you can’t afford the time it takes to crank an anchor.
Use the environment:
- Shores of Plenty is great for soloing because it’s bright and flat. You can see threats coming from a mile away. Avoid “The Wilds” – it’s dark, depressing, and easy for people to sneak up on you.
- If you’re worried about being spotted, park near rocks or structures taller than your mast to break up your ship’s profile.
Sailing and Maneuvering
The sloop is agile, but you have to work with it.
Stopping and Starting:
Never leave your ship with the anchor down. Pull sails up early to drift to a stop. If you need to leave in a hurry, you just drop the sails and you’re gone.
Parallel parking:
Park parallel to the shore. Use one harpoon to grab loot and keep the other facing open water for a quick getaway. If you have the wind at your back, you’ll accelerate much faster when you need to bolt.
Damage Priority:
- Bottom deck holes: These sink you fast.
- The Mast: If your mast drops, you’re a sitting duck. This is catastrophic for a solo player.
- Wheel/Capstan: Annoying, but you can still float.
Pro Bailing:
Don’t just stand in the water. Scoop from the bottom deck, walk halfway up the stairs, and toss the water out the side window or over the railing. It’s way faster.
Combat: When to Fight
The short answer? Don’t. But if you have to:
- PvE: For Megs, just raise sails and rotate. For Skelly ships, half-sails and steady cannon fire.
- PvP: Avoid galleons. If you have to fight, check their crow’s nest for kegs. One shot there can end their chase.
- Boarders: Listen for the splash or the ladder clank. Blunderbombs are your best friend for knocking people off your ship.
- Running is valid. If you have a haul, your job is to sell it, not to prove you’re brave. Disengaging is just smart play.
The Best Solo Voyages
Some quests are just bad for solo players. You want things that keep you near the ship.
- Order of Souls (The Shuffle): Don’t dive. Just keep re-rolling quests until you get skeletons on a small island. You can usually blast them with your ship’s cannons without even stepping off the deck.
- Hunter’s Call: The new fishing maps are great. You can fish right from your ship. It’s easy gold and zero risk.
- Shipwrecks: These are gold mines. Look for the birds. “Smuggler” shipwrecks (with the specific logo) have way better loot than normal ones.
- Sea Forts: These are quick. If you park around the back, you’re hard to spot. Use firebombs or the blowpipe to clear rooms fast.
Gold Farming: The Real Numbers
Solo play can actually be lucrative if you stop wasting time.
| Activity | Gold per Hour | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Sea Forts | ~250k | Fast, easy to repeat. |
| Merchant Shipwrecks | ~150k | Low effort, high reward. |
| Gold Vaults | ~80k | Consistent, but you’re away from the ship longer. |
| Fort of the Damned | ~500k+ | High risk, but stacking kegs to one-shot the boss makes it fast. |
- The “Casual” Benchmark: Even just vibing and doing basic Order of Souls and fishing can net you 130,000 gold in under two hours. You don’t need to be a sweat to make money.
Selling Without Getting Robbed
Sell often. Don’t hoard loot for three hours just to lose it to a Kraken or a Reaper. Frequent stops at the Sovereigns keep your progress safe. Smuggler Cargo: If you find smuggler items, sell them to the NPCs in caves (like at Crescent Isle). They pay more. Just don’t jump while carrying them – you’ll break the bottles and lose value. Use the harpoon or a rowboat to bridge the gap over traps.
Advanced Survival Tips
- Curse Balls: Save these. A Peaceball or Anchorball is your “get out of jail free” card when a bigger ship catches you.
- The Blowpipe: This thing is the MVP for solo PVE. It clears skeletons and bosses while you stay mobile.
- Mental Game: You will lose ships. The goal isn’t to never sink – it’s to make sure that when you do, you’ve already sold the good stuff.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Hoarding loot: Sell it. Just sell it.
- Trusting “Friendly” players: They aren’t.
- Ignoring the bottom deck: A few small holes will sneak up on you while you’re busy steering.
- Sailing into storms: It’s not worth the hassle. The wheel spins, the compass breaks, and you’ll likely sink while trying to cook a fish.
Soloing is a different beast, but once you stop playing like a crew and start playing like a smuggler, the game really opens up. Stay quiet, stay fast, and keep your eyes on the horizon.
