In Sea of Thieves, there is an abundance of PVE enemies on both land and sea to defeat, with many new ones added since the game's 2018 launch. That's also not including other players in this PVP and PVE open-world, pirate adventure-based game. Although AI-controlled enemies tend to pop up at the most inconvenient of times and sometimes the weirdest of places, on the one hand, this adds challenge and richness to the beautiful world that is Sea of Thieves.
Each type of enemy presents various levels of challenge to players, whether sailing solo or in a group, so it can often be crucial to prepare and strategize rather than go in guns blazing to minimize those trips to the Ferry of the Damned.
10 Ghostly Gangs
The difficulty level of phantoms has gradually increased in recent times, which could relate to the rise in ghostly activity as the threat from Captain Flameheart grows in the ongoing central story.
It's essential to keep health topped up as powerful phantom lunging attacks can reduce large chunks of health in one sweep. It's also best to spread out, cover lots of ground, and avoid getting stuck in the middle. Isolating individual phantoms with shots of a blunderbuss or attacking with the sword in close encounters can be more effective. If being attacked by larger groups while sailing the seas solo, reign cannon fire for easier takedowns, or let throwables do most of the work.
9 Shady Sharks
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Sharks in Sea of Thieves should be renamed stealth masters as they always seem to know how to jump-scare, particularly when searching sunken ships. Best avoided, they usually show up individually, but groups may appear the longer players swim.
Sharks' usual attack pattern is to swim around players before lunging, but they can also attack unaware players from behind. Use short-range weapons like the blunderbuss or sword to strike first. Be sure to stock up on fruit as they can inflict hefty damage in just a couple of hits. Sharks can also be sniped from the ship to help diving crew members.
8 Spooky Scary Skeletons
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Skeletons in Sea of Thieves are some of the easiest and commonest PVE enemies to encounter, such as when working for the Order of Souls, but this depends on the type and quantity. The mermaid staff makes standard skeletons easy pickings, but larger groups can overwhelm players, particularly if skeletons carrying explosive barrels join the party. It's best to snipe barrel-holders from a safe distance to take out the whole group and focus attention on Skeleton Captains.
Tougher skeletons covered in barnacles and seaweed must be lured away from the water as this regenerates them. Players may also discover shadowy-looking skeletons that cower under lantern light, giving players an attack window. The strongest skeletons are the gold-encrusted ones which players can destroy more easily using throwables and cannon fire.
7 Sneaky Snakes
Snakes are a relatively docile PVE threat and are generally best left alone. However, it's crucial for players to watch their footing, as they can heavily populate certain areas and are easy to miss when running through the bushes. Snakes don't seem to like when players linger either and will spit venom, causing player health and visibility to diminish for a limited time.
An easy way to get past lots of snakes is to play music next to them. This calms and prevents them from attacking. It's also an effective method to catch and sell snakes.
6 Crustacean Tanks - Crab Ocean Crawlers
These large, slow-moving, but ferocious enemies appeared since the Pirate's Life add-on launched in the summer of 2021 along with two more Ocean Crawlers. Players need to watch their step, as they burst out of the ground suddenly with little warning.
It's best to avoid getting too close to these tanks, as their ground-pounding attack causes significant damage. Instead, shoot or use throwables to attack from a distance, but look out for the coral shield that protects them and their buddies. If possible, they are best avoided altogether but be aware they will follow and chase players sometimes into the strangest of places, with ironically no tunnel being too small.
5 Cable And Clam Guys - Electric And Hermit Ocean Crawlers
Electric and Hermit Ocean Crawlers were also introduced with the Pirate's Life update and often spawn amongst other Ocean Crawlers. Electric ones shoot bolts of electricity, use a whipping attack, and dart around with electric-inducing attacks. The clam-like Hermit mainly charges before burrowing back into the ground.
It takes a few gunfire shots or sword attacks to kill them using dodge and strike maneuvers. Sometimes they will fight other enemies, like phantoms, so players can utilize this by taking advantage of the extra help. Like other enemies, hot springs in the Devil's Roar can also take them out instantly.
4 Sinister Sirens
Siren activity has also increased over time, with the addition of underwater siren kingdoms. Sirens can attack player ships from the sea and appear close to the shorelines while exploring islands.
When on the ship or on land, they can be picked off with the sniper rifle but can be quick to dodge. It's best to keep moving and strafe now and again, as they retaliate with a projectile bubble attack which can also burst holes in the ship. In the water, groups of sirens can be challenging to defeat, so it's best to use the blunderbuss to shoot from a distance and avoid powerful, close-range swipes.
3 Treacherous Traps
Sometimes it's not just enemies that players need to watch out for, but where they step. Players can find treacherous trap mechanics on Sailor's Bounty island and in the 'Shores of Gold' Tall Tale.
There are different types of traps, including spinning saws, swinging axes, and spikey sticks. As ever, traps are all about timing and quickly learning their patterns to get past them without numerous meetings with the Ferryman. Players activate traps by stepping on the floor button mechanisms but can be left undisturbed by simply jumping over them.
2 The Mighty Meg And Kraken
The Kraken's difficulty increases for those sailing bigger ships, but there are some universal PVE tips for surviving the Kraken's attacks. When players are grabbed, they can use the sword to escape and continue to stab it while in the water, topping up health when poisoned. Repair duty is also critical, as the ship can fill up surprisingly quickly.
Players can choose whether to attack or escape the 5 types of megalodon in Sea of Thieves but either way, it's best to run below deck when the meg charges to avoid being thrown off the ship. To escape, players can head inland or change direction until the meg music disappears.
1 Ashen Guardians, Key Masters & Lords
Ashen Guardians and Key Masters have a similar difficulty level and attack strategy to Skeleton Captains but are protectors of ashen chests or keys. Arguably, some of the most challenging foes are the 4 Ashen Lord bosses who are tough to kill with their significant lifespan and powerful attacks.
If possible, it's best to fight Ashen Lords in a crew rather than solo as it does take persistence, and staying well stocked on supplies is key, including locating the nearest ammo chest or bringing one along. Making use of throwables and using cannons for extra firepower is also crucial to get past each attack wave.
Sea of Thieves is available to play on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.