Sea of Thieves: How to complete and claim Sea Forts

While it's good to have your ship as your home in Sea of Thieves, you may also take several immobile Sea Forts to use as a base and resting spot. There are six Sea Forts dotted around the Sea of Thieves, and you may take them all by yourself without forming an alliance. You'll probably be able to take them on by yourself. Prepare to spend 10 to 15 minutes claiming a Sea Fort, and bring plenty of fruit with you - there will be plenty of swashbuckling action.

Sail to the fortress

We're presuming you'll cruise to the Sea Fort that's closest to the Outpost where you spawned. Determine the location of the Sea Fort you want to visit, mark it on your map, and begin your journey there. When attackers fire cannonballs in your way as you come closer to a Fort, you'll know it's active, just like with Skeleton Fortresses and the like. These forts will have an eerie green glow to them at night.

Park your ship and make your landing

You'll want to dock your ship close enough to the fort to avoid cannon fire, and if your pirate character dies, you'll resurrect close by if you're in a decent parking area. You'll want to look for any ladders that you can use to get to the top.

Fight your way up

Enemy Phantoms will spawn in hordes and assault you furiously as soon as you arrive at the fort. They don't put up much of a fight – keep in mind your regular Phantom combat methods. Because these Sea Forts aren't large enough to be considered labyrinths, circle around to check if there are any doorways or staircases you can use; you'll mostly be heading upward, looking for trapdoors, stairs, and ladders. Waves Phantoms will continue to spawn on you, announced by an eerie bell, no matter where you go. Pick up fruit from the many barrels you'll come across; you'll need it to recover.

Defeat the Captain

Several waves of Phantoms will attack, with the arrival of the Captain of the Fortress marking the final wave. This Captain is accompanied by numerous more Phantoms, and while each individual Phantom is easy to eliminate, things turn ugly when fighting groups of them. The Captain can't do much, but it can absorb a lot more damage than your average ghosty.

Open the Fortress Treasury and loot away

The typical triumphal music cue will play once you defeat the Captain of the Fortress, and the Captain will drop a Fortress Treasury Key. Pick it up and go to your now-claimed Fort's Treasury, which should be to the left of the first-floor jail cell. Open the Treasury and steal the treasure.

You can now freely explore the fort; you can even open a gate and bring a rowboat inside to collect loot. A map table may be used for group planning, beds can be used to heal, and stoves can be used to cook meat.

Check every nook and cranny for hidden treasure; opening multiple containers, cabinets, and drawers will eventually give you the Master Burglar commendation, and one of them should contain an extra Fortress Store Room Key. The Store Room is located on the fort's upper floor, outside. The fort is yours for as long as you stay in it; if you leave it for an extended period of time, the fort will expand for the next crew to seize.