Summary
Sea of Thieveshas 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 one of those slots will usually be taken by the humble cutlass.
Unlike some progression-based titles, all the core weapons inSea of Thievesare 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 forspecificSea of Thievesadventures, while others are more well-rounded, with pros and cons existing for each weapon.
Updated July 24, 2025, by Gemma Johnson:Sea of Thieves continues to add more weapons and tools for players to wield in its evolving pirate sandbox. Over the years, the game has expanded upon traditional pirate weapons with skulls, throwables, and more. As the options grow with game updates, some players may be eager to know what thebest weapons in Sea of Thievesare, especially those keen to improve their combat skills in PVE or PVP. Season 15 of Sea of Thieves also adds another weapon to the mix with the Hunting Spear, designed for hunting fierce creatures across the waves, along with other players and enemies. While many will likely have their preferred Sea of Thieves weapon combinations and playstyles, each weapon undoubtedly has various advantages and drawbacks that players might want to consider. This Sea of Thieves weapon tier list brings together a helpful selection of pros and cons for players to peruse, adding one new entry plus updating the ranking order and existing entries where relevant.
Blunderbombsare a type of throwableSea of Thievesweapon 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 asknocking 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.
While not necessarily a fan-favorite, theTrident of Dark Tidesoffers some of the most varied shots compared to otherSea of Thievesweapons. 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.
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 mustsearch the open world for one as loot, as it is not accessible from the armory.
Firebombscan 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 forsoloSea of Thievesplayerswho might struggle to master other weapons.
While not a traditional weapon as such, gunpowder barrels are a type of explosive inSea of Thievesand are primarily a piece of loot that players cansell for around 200–2,000 gold coins, dependent on their 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.
There is little to rival the panic that players can cause with a burningAshen Winds Skullthat carries the flaming power of an Ashen Lord when looted from its corpse. While it’s powerful insetting fire to players and shipsduring 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 inSea 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.
Although Season 11’sSkull of Siren Songis 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 inSea 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.
TheBone Calleris, in many ways, one of thebest weapons inSea of Thieves,at least in the throwables category. When playing solo inSea 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.
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.
Despite the name, the Grapple Gun inSea of Thievesis 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 theSea of Thievesarmory 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.
TheHunting Spearis a traditional weapon designed forhunting ferocious sea monsters and other creatures, such as sharks, the Kraken, and the game’s various Megalodons. Added in Season 15, the Hunting Spear is a pretty niche but versatile weapon; it’s one that players can wield to damage both PVP and PVE enemies. It can also be fired out of a cannon to damage other ships.
Although it might feel a bit tricky to throw and hit successfully against moving targets, the Hunting Spear can be effective and capable of inflicting a meaty 75 damage against other players. However, some players might find the Hunting Spear more useful in ship combat, as when piercing a ship, the Hunting Spear makes a small hole and has to be pulled out before players can repair the damage, making a bigger hole when extracted. While the Hunting Spear inSea of Thievesis designed to be used against creatures like Krakens and Megs, some players may still find other weapons more effective in these scenarios, like Throwing Knives and their trusty cannons. They also aren’t the most convenient weapon to keep on board when players dive on voyages; like other treasure items, they’ll get lost at sea when diving.
TheDouble Barrel PistolinSea of Thievesis 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 fromanySea of Thievesoutpost.
