Dead Sails Beginner's Guide: Essential Tips

You thought being a ship captain was easy? The new hit game *Dead Sails* proves otherwise. It turns out to be quite hard when you need to balance your own survival with maintaining the ship, selling valuables, and, of course, fighting 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 quite straightforward – literally. You're the captain of a ship that needs to sail in a straight line for 10 thousand meters between towns, with the ultimate goal of reaching 100k meters sailed. Keep moving, don't run out of fuel, and stay alive. Sounds easy, right?

Before You Set Sail

The in-game lobby before you start a round can be very helpful, even though that help comes at a price. New players start with 15 Dabloons, the game's currency. While it's not a lot, it can be used for purchasing various items. Boats come at a steep price and aren't necessary for beginners. Although it's tempting to spend your money on items like bandages and weapons, you'll find plenty of them in-game.

How To Choose A Class

Screenshot by The Escapist. Our recommendation is to spend your 15 Dabloons on a class. These are in-game perks purchased in a loot box manner, where you don't know which class you'll get. Every purchase costs 3 Dabloons, and if you're lucky, you might get a class you like on your first try. The game offers great Common and Uncommon classes such as 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 join 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 along the way.
• General Store: Choose from a variety of items to help you on your journey.
• Hospital: Heal yourself.
• Gun Shop: Purchase guns and ammunition.
• Sheriff’s: Earn bounty money from bringing corpses of pirates and other lootable creatures.

Since you start with a blunt weapon like a pickaxe or hammer, there's no immediate need to buy a firearm. However, you should purchase coal and spend all your money on as many pieces as possible. Fuel is essential in Dead Sails, as the game ends when you can't move your ship any further.

Dead Sails Tips & Tricks

The gameplay is fairly simple, but you'll sail past various buildings and structures and get attacked by undead creatures. That's where the dead part in Dead Sails comes into play. Here are a few main things you need to know to master the game.

Tips For Never Running Out Of Fuel

Screenshot by The Escapist. For a game titled Dead Sails, it's only logical that your ship runs on coal. Each chunk of coal adds 20 percent more fuel to your tank, and you could technically finish the game by buying 5 coal pieces in every town you stop in. But where's the fun in that?

You'll encounter various collectible items when you get off your ship, many of which will have a "fuel" marker when you hover over them. However, they only add a 5 percent increase in fuel. The best way to fuel up your boat (other than coal) is with the undead's corpses. You need to kill everything that attacks you to survive, and since you can put their bodies in your inventory, it'd be a shame not to use them.

How To Survive The Night

Screenshot by The Escapist. Similar to Dead Rails, Dead Sails becomes significantly harder at night. With lower visibility, you need to be extra careful not to get hurt by unwanted visitors. 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, purchase Barbed Wire from a shop beforehand. Mounting this item on your ship will prevent mobs from approaching you. Without Barbed Wire, your best bet is to pause your journey and attack any creature that comes near you.

Which Weapon To Choose

Screenshot by The Escapist. Choosing a weapon is a matter of personal preference. If you prefer melee combat, you might be satisfied with the starting hammer or pickaxe. However, as you sail further, you'll encounter stronger enemies that require more powerful weapons to defeat.

A shotgun is likely your best choice. While some argue that the rifle is better due to its cheaper ammo, the shotgun's higher damage output helps in unexpected combat situations. Another good early-game choice is the revolver. Although weaker than other weapons, it's a good first choice to get accustomed to firearms and can often be found in buildings.

Best Items To Collect

Screenshot by The Escapist. Every item you collect can be sold, starting with junk that costs 3 or 5 cash per item. However, since your sack inventory is limited to 10 items, it's not wise to collect everything. Here are some items to focus on:

• Moyai and Bars: Available in diamond, gold, and silver, these are one of the best ways to earn money in-game.
• Healing Packs: Best to keep for use when needed, though they can be sold.
• Crosses: Sell for 35 cash and can be used as a weapon against the undead.
• Weapons: Use them or sell them if unnecessary.
• Robot Head: Found in houses and banks, sells for 45 cash.
• Holy Water: Found in churches, sells for 25 cash.
• Gold Llama: A large but rare collectible that sells for 150 cash.

You can stack as many items as you like on your boat, but remember they will fall off if you don't weld them to the surface. Place an item and click the weld button (Z on the keyboard) to keep it in place.

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. If you want a boost in your gameplay, take a look at our Dead Sails codes.