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Sea of Thieves
Sea of Thieves
3.6.0|Dec 11, 2025
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Sea of Thieves Release Notes - 3.6.0

5/5 Game-Changing

Season 18 introduces the Eternal Guard enemy, Sanctuaries of the Banished raids, and the poisonous Trident of the Banished weapon.

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Key Changes

  • 1New Eternal Guard enemy type and Sanctuaries of the Banished raid locations.
  • 2Trident of the Banished weapon added with poisonous charge attacks.
  • 3New server migration mechanic for crews who lose to the same rival 3 times in 1h 45m.
  • 4The Devil's Roar region now offers boosted gold and reputation rewards.
  • 5Reduced frequency of emergent encounters (Megalodons/Skeleton Ships) during naval PvP.
  • 6Morrow’s Peak Outpost added as a potential starting location.
  • 7Shipwreck frequency increased with equal chance for regular or Smugglers' variants.
  • 8CPU performance optimizations for smoother framerates near islands and ships.
  • 9Season 18 progression with 100 levels of rewards and new Plunder Pass.
  • 10Two new Smuggler hideouts added at Fetcher’s Rest and Ruby’s Fall.

All Changes

⚔️New Content(3)

  • newEternal Guard: Added the Eternal Guard, a new enemy that uses magic to cloak and summon Banished Ancient Skeletons.
  • newSanctuaries of the Banished: Introduced Sanctuaries of the Banished, three hidden raid structures located at Cinder Islet, Flame’s End, and Brimstone Rock.
  • newTrident of the Banished: Added the Trident of the Banished, a corrupted weapon that inflicts poison damage with three distinct charge levels.

🌋World & Regions(6)

  • buffThe Devil’s Roar: Cashing in loot within The Devil’s Roar now offers boosted gold and reputation rewards.
  • buffChest of Rage: Increased the frequency of finding the Chest of Rage in treasure hoards within The Devil’s Roar.
  • changeThe Devil’s Roar: Rebalanced environmental hazards in The Devil’s Roar to reduce player frustration.
  • newMorrow’s Peak Outpost: Morrow’s Peak Outpost is now a potential starting location for new game sessions.
  • newSmugglers’ League: Established two new Smuggler hideouts: Elias at Fetcher’s Rest and Lucia at Ruby’s Fall.
  • changeSmugglers’ Route Run: The Smugglers’ Route Run has been moved into The Devil’s Roar region.

⚙️Gameplay Systems(7)

  • changeServer Migration: Crews losing to the same rival 3 times within 1h 45m will now be migrated to a new server.
  • changeEmergent Encounters: Reduced the frequency of Megalodons and Skeleton Ships appearing during active naval PvP combat.
  • buffShipwrecks: Increased the frequency of shipwreck discoveries across the sea.
  • changeRowboat: Standardized the spawn rates for all Rowboat types to be equal.
  • nerfSkeletons: Reduced the frequency of Black Powder Skeleton ambushes and washed-up Smugglers’ Caches.
  • changeMessage in a Bottle: Messages in a Bottle now provide a wider range of activities instead of just Smugglers’ Runs.
  • changeSkeleton Ships: Skeleton Ships now carry a more balanced variety of treasure instead of focusing on Smugglers’ League items.

🏆Rewards & Progression(6)

  • newSeason 18: Launched Season 18 with 100 levels of Renown rewards, including the Spider’s Venom clothing set.
  • newPlunder Pass: Added the Season 18 Plunder Pass featuring the Nightshade Sentry collection.
  • newEmissary Ledger: Added new Emissary Ledger rewards for Guilds and The Hunter’s Call.
  • changeChest of Fortune: Chest of Fortune rewards updated to include Regal Fortune fishing and utility tools.
  • changeReaper’s Chest: Reaper’s Chest rewards updated to include Regal Fortune instruments.
  • newCommendations: Added new Commendations, Achievements, and Trophies for Secrets of the Banished content.

💻Performance(2)

  • changeCPU Performance: Implemented system-level CPU optimizations to improve framerates near islands and other ships.
  • changeDigging: Improved client framerate performance specifically when digging up items.

👕Cosmetics(5)

  • newPirate Emporium: Added Tundra Wanderer ship, weapon, and clothing sets to the Pirate Emporium.
  • newPets: Added Glacial Curse and Ghostly Curse pets to the Pirate Emporium.
  • newEmotes: Released the Humble Gift Emote for free in the Pirate Emporium.
  • newOutpost Stock: Added Pale Resolute ship cosmetics and Regal Hound weapons to Outpost shops.
  • newLegacy Cosmetics: Season 11 legacy cosmetics, including the Cunning Serpent set, are now available for Doubloons.

📱UI/UX(2)

  • changeSeason Overview Menu: Updated the Season Menu to consolidate Progress, Events, Deeds, and Rewards into one view.
  • changeReputation Tab: Renamed the Pirate Log to 'Reputation' and refocused it on Trading Company progression.

🐛Bug Fixes(24)

  • fixBlunderbombs: Fixed Blunderbombs fired from cannons to push ships in a more predictable direction.
  • fixDouble Barrel Pistol: Fixed the Double Barrel Pistol to reload reliably during rapid fire.
  • fixSloop: Fixed an issue where players on the Sloop lower deck barrel were immune to sword damage.
  • fixMovement: Fixed stuttering when exiting crouch via sprinting and aiming down sights.
  • fixShores of Gold: Fixed lever interaction issues in the 'Shores of Gold' Tall Tale.
  • fixDiving: Fixed a bug causing ship duplication when diving beneath waves.
  • fixVisuals: Fixed overly bright ship interiors when sailing near Skeleton Camps.
  • fixAudio: Fixed blowpipe audio playing on the Ferry of the Damned.
  • fixCartographer Cannons: Fixed field of view issues when climbing inside Cartographer Cannons.
  • fixCosmetics: Fixed alignment and display issues for Gilded Phoenix, Purple Resolute, and Amethyst Mercenary cosmetics.
  • fixVisuals: Randomized treasure glint patterns to prevent consistent pulsing.
  • fixAnimations: Fixed animation jumping when stopping a sprint while holding a Fort Key.
  • fixVisuals: Fixed shadow synchronization for pirates burying items.
  • fixUI: Fixed island visuals on Quest Board maps for Skeleton Camps.
  • fixVisuals: Fixed weapon clipping for the Alter Ego Eye of Reach.
  • fixEnvironment: Fixed environment collision and stuck spots at Port Merrick, Flintlock Peninsula, The Devil’s Thirst, and Ruby’s Fall.
  • fixMorrow’s Peak Outpost: Fixed an exploit allowing players to grapple into the Morrow’s Peak tavern roof.
  • fixVisuals: Fixed rain appearing inside the Pirate Emporium during storms.
  • fixSkeletons: Fixed skeleton navigation at Mermaid’s Hideaway and Crescent Isle.
  • fixUI: Adjusted HUD element placement for ultra-wide screen users.
  • fixUI: Fixed promotion count display in the Reputation tab.
  • fixSettings: Fixed Narration and Custom Text Overlay settings to persist across sessions.
  • fixAudio: Fixed voiceover and dialogue synchronization for Smugglers Lottie, Solomon, and Ix.
  • fixLocalization: Fixed various localization issues in Italian, Polish, Thai, and other languages.

Summary

Secrets of the Banished

Season 18, titled "Secrets of the Banished," brings a major content overhaul to The Devil's Roar. Players can now encounter the Eternal Guard, a magical new enemy that drops keys to the Sanctuaries of the Banished—hidden raid locations filled with ancient treasure and the new Trident of the Banished weapon.

Gameplay & Systems

Beyond new content, this update introduces a critical anti-griefing mechanic: crews who lose to the same rival three times within a specific window will be migrated to a new server. Additionally, naval combat is now less likely to be interrupted by emergent threats like Megalodons. The Devil's Roar has also been rebalanced with boosted rewards and reduced environmental frustration to encourage exploration in the volcanic region.

Newer →Sea of Thieves Release Notes - 3.6.1Jan 22, 2026

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