You thought being a ship captain was easy? The new hit game *Dead Sails* proves otherwise. It's a challenging adventure where you must balance your own survival, maintain your ship, sell valuables, and fend off various monsters. Here's how to become a pro in *Dead Sails* and reach the 100k meters finish line in no time.
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Table of contents
Beginner’s Guide for Dead Sails Before You Set Sail How To Choose A Class What To Do In Towns Dead Sails Tips & Tricks Tips For Never Running Out Of Fuel How To Survive The Night Which Weapon To Choose Best Items To Collect
Beginner’s Guide for Dead Sails
Screenshot by The Escapist. If you're new to Dead Sails, don't worry. Just like its predecessor Dead Rails, the game is straightforward – you're the captain of a ship that needs to sail in a straight line for 10 thousand meters between towns, aiming to reach the ultimate goal of 100k meters sailed. Keep moving, don't run out of fuel, and stay alive. Sounds simple, right?
Before You Set Sail
The in-game lobby before you start a round can be very helpful, though it comes at a cost. As a new player, you start with 15 Dabloons, the game's currency. While it's not much, you can use it to purchase various items. Boats are expensive and unnecessary for beginners, and while items like bandages and weapons are tempting, you'll find plenty of them in-game.
How To Choose A Class
Screenshot by The Escapist. We recommend spending your 15 Dabloons on a class. These are in-game perks purchased in a loot box style, where you don't know which class you'll get. Each purchase costs 3 Dabloons, and with luck, you might get a class you like on your first try. The game offers great Common and Uncommon classes like Pirate and Gunslinger, but your choice depends on your play style. Check out our Dead Sails Class Tierlist for a detailed breakdown of every available class.
What To Do In Towns
Screenshot by The Escapist. When you start a round, you're spawned in a town where your ship is docked. These towns appear every 10 thousand meters sailed and serve as your safe spots. They offer various amenities:
- Trading Hut: Sell items you've collected.
- General Store: Buy items to aid your journey.
- Hospital: Heal yourself.
- Gun Shop: Purchase guns and ammunition.
- Sheriff’s: Earn bounty money from pirate and creature corpses.
Since you start with a blunt weapon like a pickaxe or hammer, there's no immediate need to buy a firearm. However, you should definitely purchase coal, spending all your money on as much as you can. Fuel is crucial in Dead Sails, as the game ends if you can't move your ship.
Dead Sails Tips & Tricks
The gameplay is fairly simple, but you'll encounter various buildings and structures, and face attacks from undead creatures. Here are the key tips to master the game.
Tips For Never Running Out Of Fuel
Screenshot by The Escapist. In Dead Sails, your ship runs on coal. Each chunk adds 20 percent more fuel to your tank, and technically, you could finish the game by buying 5 coal pieces in every town. But where's the fun in that?
You'll find various collectible items off your ship, many marked as "fuel" when you hover over them. These items only increase fuel by 5 percent. The most efficient way to fuel up, aside from coal, is by using the corpses of the undead. Kill everything that attacks you to survive, and use their bodies, which you can put in your inventory, to fuel your ship.
How To Survive The Night
Screenshot by The Escapist. Similar to Dead Rails, Dead Sails becomes significantly harder at night. With lower visibility, you must be extra cautious. Remember, if you die, it's game over.
The ideal scenario is to spend the night in town, where you're protected. If that's not possible, buy Barbed Wire from a shop beforehand. Mounting it on your ship prevents mobs from approaching. Without Barbed Wire, pause your journey and attack any creature that comes near you.
Which Weapon To Choose
Screenshot by The Escapist. Weapon choice is a matter of personal preference. If you prefer melee, the starting hammer or pickaxe might suffice. However, as you progress, you'll face stronger enemies requiring more powerful weapons.
A shotgun is likely your best choice due to its high damage output, ideal for unexpected combat situations. The revolver is another good early-game option, offering a gentle introduction to firearms and often found in buildings.
Best Items To Collect
Screenshot by The Escapist. Every item you collect can be sold, starting with junk worth 3 or 5 cash per item. However, with a limited inventory of 10 items, it's wise to focus on valuable items:
- Moyai and Bars: Available in diamond, gold, and silver, these are excellent for earning money.
- Healing Packs: Keep these for emergencies rather than selling them.
- Crosses: Sell for 35 cash or use as a weapon against the undead.
- Weapons: Use or sell them as needed.
- Robot Head: Found in houses and banks, sells for 45 cash.
- Holy Water: Found in churches, sells for 25 cash.
- Gold Llama: A rare, large collectible worth 150 cash.
You can stack as many items as you like on your boat, but remember to weld them to the surface to prevent them from falling off. Place an item and press the weld button (Z on the keyboard) to secure it.
And that's the beginner's guide to Dead Sails! Follow these tips and you'll become the best captain to ever sail the seas – or, in this case, the small, canal-like river. For a gameplay boost, check out our Dead Sails codes.
