There are three Sea of Thieves ship types when you enter the game. The small and sleek Sloop, the large and tanky Galleon, or the well-rounded Brigantine. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages on the high seas.
But which one is better? There are strong cases to be made for each ship and a lot of it depends on your circumstance. There are some things to keep in mind if you want to determine which ship is the best in this multiplayer game.
Updated March 19, 2022 by Jessica Filby: Although the majority of ships depend on the number of people you have on your crew, each Sea of thieves ship was not made equal. Even as the fanbase increases and updates come rolling in, the three selections for boats stay the same. Due to this, it’s vital you know just what you’re getting yourself into and what kind of boat will be best for you and your crew to sail the open seas — so we’ve updated this article with a bit more information on your available options.
4 Sloop
Smaller Profits And Losses
Given the Sloop in Sea of Thieves is a smaller ship, it should come as no surprise that it holds fewer chests. This means that each run, whether it’s a heist, retrieval, or supply run, results in less profit potential when compared to the Brigantine or the Galleon.
That being said, it also has the advantage of losing less when a run goes sour. There’s nothing more heartbreaking than being on a galleon laden with chests only to watch it sink to Davy Jones’ locker. With a Sloop a bad run is less of a setback, Sloops also have the advantage of smaller crews, which means fewer people to split the profits between.
Solo & Duo Play
The Sloop was designed with the solo players and partners in mind. The ship is small, single-masted, with short distances to any part of the ship. A single player with enough experience can readily handle all aspects of sailing and fighting.
Two players can get a lot accomplished with a sloop. One of you can manage sailing and fighting while the other can manage repairs and bailing water to prevent the boat from sinking. It’s a great choice if you want to sail solo or take a friend with you on the high seas.
Evasive Fighter
In battle, the Sloop is an elusive foe. It uses its speed and incredible maneuverability to dart around bigger targets. Against Galleons, a skilled Sloop captain can hide in the cannons’ blind spots and use the ship’s girth against it.
Brigantines are a little more problematic, but the Sloop can stay ahead of the cannon blasts and dart in and out of range. In either case, the Sloop will slowly wear opponents down by chipping away at the hull or waiting for the enemy to run out of cannonballs.
3 Brigantine
Balanced Profit And Losses
Because Brigantines have a larger cargo capacity than Sloops they’re obviously going to make more per run. They also have the advantage of being able to tackle Galleons a bit more efficiently than a Sloop, which means greater profits.
The potential losses are also just as balanced. Losing a cargo hold stings, but not as bad as it would on a Galleon filled to the brim. Overall, if you want steady profits with a reasonable risk of loss then the Brigantine is the best ship.
Solo & Team Play
The Brigantine sits between the Galleon and Sloop in terms of crew size. The most it can support is three people. One player steers and fights, another bails and possibly repairs, and the third can either dedicate to repairs or help with the fighting. It’s an efficient distribution of roles.
The Brigantine can also be piloted by a single player. This does require a tremendous amount of skill and timing, however. It’s also strongly discouraged in PVP encounters. Still, for solo players or duos wanting to sail something larger than a Sloop or three players that don’t want to tackle a Galleon, the Brigantine is a great choice.
Well Rounded Speed
The Brigantine sits between both ships in terms of speed. It’s faster than the Galleon against the wind and faster than the Sloop with the wind. As a result, it has the most options when trying to escape battle or things like Kraken encounters.
Balanced Fighter
The Brigantine sits between the two other ships in combat. Against Sloops, it can take a few hits and have a better time getting the small ship in its sights. Against Galleons it can dart around just enough to avoid the worst of the barrages and the three-man crew can hold its own against four.
These advantages are only present if the Brigantine has a skilled team of three. A solo or duo will struggle and a three-person team of unskilled players will go down to either a Sloop or Galleon. But with a solid three-person team it’s a startlingly effective fighter in any situation.
2 Galleon
Greater Profit & Losses
The Galleons are the real moneymakers in the game. With their massive square footage, they are capable of taking on a startling number of chests per run, which results in serious Gold earnings. If you want to make the most money possible per trip then the Galleon is the obvious choice.
Of course, the issue is that the losses are much higher and more painful than with other ships. All of those chests represent hard work whether they make it to port or not. The other issue is that Galleons have larger crews, which means you’ll be splitting that glittering hoard between three other players. For those interested in a high-risk, high rewards style of play then this is the best ship.
Team Play
The Galleon boasts a crew size of up to four players, the most of any vessel in the game. For those wanting to do battle on the high seas with a small group, this ship is a fantastic choice. One player can bail water, another on repairs, one dedicated to cannons and repelling boarders, with the final player both sailing and helping in battle. A four-player volley of cannons is absolutely devastating to even the strongest enemies.
The Galleon does need at least three people to keep it afloat. In battle scenarios, the captain will also be tasked with doing all the fighting as there does need to be a designated bailer and repairer. By and large, it’s a four-player ship.
Fastest With Wind
The Galleon is the fastest ship in the game when it’s sailing with the wind. With full sails and a bulky body, it gives a lot for the wind to push against. Under ideal sailing conditions, this thing really picks up speed.
It is the slowest in the game when going against the wind so it’ll have a tough time chasing down escaping Sloops or running from a Brigantine. It also makes certain routes annoying if the wind isn’t blowing just right.
Tank With Teeth
The Galleon is a beast on the high seas. It can take quite the pounding and unleash devastating barrages of its own. Against Sloops, it can quickly sink them in a volley or two if it can bring the cannons to bear and Brigantines don’t last much longer.
Of course, getting those targets within a cannon’s sights is another matter. Galleons aren’t the most maneuverable of ships. But with patience and a clever captain, it’s possible and boarding with a four-man crew is also an effective option.
1 Final Thoughts
In the end, the best ship will depend on your needs. If you want to sail solo and fight other players, then the Sloop is best. A duo can use a Sloop very effectively in PVP or manage well enough in a Brigantine. A three-person team will do better in a Brigantine for PVP and can manage a Galleon for everything else. The four-person team needs the Galleon.
The size and skill of the team will define which is the best ship in the game. The best solo Sloop captains can take down a Galleon, a skilled three-person Brigantine crew can cause everyone trouble, and a well-coordinated four-person crew on a Galleon can instill fear in anyone.
