Home > News > Dead Sails: A Beginner's Guide to Mastering the Game

Dead Sails: A Beginner's Guide to Mastering the Game

Author:Kristen Update:Jun 15,2025

You might think being a ship captain is easy, but *Dead Sails* quickly proves otherwise. In this thrilling sequel to *Dead Rails*, you’ll discover just how challenging it is to balance survival, ship maintenance, resource management, and monster combat—all while sailing toward the ultimate goal of 100,000 meters. **This beginner-friendly guide will help you master the essentials of *Dead Sails* and reach your destination like a seasoned pro.**

Recommended Videos

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

dead-sails-beginners-guide-boat-day

If you're new to *Dead Sails*, don’t worry—it's actually quite straightforward, much like its predecessor *Dead Rails*. You take on the role of a **ship captain** tasked with sailing exactly **10,000 meters between towns**, eventually reaching the grand milestone of **100,000 meters**. Your main goals are simple: keep moving forward, avoid running out of fuel, and most importantly—stay alive.

Before You Set Sail

The in-game lobby before starting a round can be incredibly useful, although it comes at a cost. As a new player, you begin with **15 Dabloons**, which is the game's currency. While it may be tempting to spend this on high-end boats or early supplies like bandages and weapons, it's worth noting that these items are often found freely during gameplay. Boats are expensive and not essential for beginners, so consider saving your Dabloons for more impactful purchases.

How To Choose A Class

dead-sails-beginners-guide-class

We recommend investing your starting Dabloons into unlocking a class. Classes offer unique in-game perks and are obtained through loot-box-style draws—each purchase costs **3 Dabloons**. If you're lucky, you might land a strong class on your first try. The game features solid Common and Uncommon classes such as **Pirate** and **Gunslinger**, but your choice should reflect your preferred playstyle. For a full breakdown of available classes, check our *Dead Sails* Class Tierlist.

What To Do In Towns

dead-sails-beginners-guide-town-day

Each time you start a new journey, you'll spawn in a town where your ship is docked. These safe zones appear every **10,000 meters** and provide several key services:

  • Trading Hut: Sell collected items for extra cash.
  • General Store: Buy healing items, tools, and other essentials.
  • Hospital: Fully restore your health.
  • Gun Shop: Purchase firearms and ammunition.
  • Sheriff’s Office: Earn bounties by turning in enemy corpses.

While you start with a basic melee weapon like a hammer or pickaxe, there's no need to rush into buying a gun immediately. However, you should prioritize purchasing **coal**—lots of it. Since fuel determines how far you can sail, stocking up is crucial to surviving longer journeys.

Dead Sails Tips & Tricks

Although the core mechanics are simple, mastering *Dead Sails* requires understanding a few key strategies. From navigating eerie ruins to fending off hordes of undead creatures, here are the tips that will give you an edge over the game’s toughest challenges.

Tips For Never Running Out Of Fuel

dead-sails-beginners-guide-zombie-fuel

Fuel (in the form of coal) is vital to progress. Each chunk gives you **20% more fuel**, and buying five per town is enough to complete the game. However, collecting additional fuel sources from the environment can make your journey smoother. Many collectible items have a “fuel” tag and add **5% fuel each**, making them less efficient than coal—but better than nothing.

The best alternative fuel source? **Enemy corpses.** Every defeated monster can be picked up and used as fuel. Killing enemies becomes doubly rewarding—you stay alive and keep moving forward.

How To Survive The Night

dead-sails-beginners-guide-wire

Nighttime in *Dead Sails* significantly increases difficulty due to reduced visibility and stronger enemies. Ideally, you should remain in town during this period for safety. If you're caught outside, **Barbed Wire** is your best defense—it prevents mobs from boarding your ship. If unavailable, pause movement and engage any approaching threats head-on to protect yourself.

Which Weapon To Choose

dead-sails-beginners-guide-shotgun

Weapon preference is subjective, but certain choices offer clear advantages. Starting with a hammer or pickaxe is fine, but as enemies get tougher, upgrading becomes necessary. The **shotgun** is arguably the most effective weapon due to its high damage output and close-range effectiveness, especially during surprise attacks. The **revolver** is another solid early option, offering manageable recoil and frequent availability in buildings.

Best Items To Collect

dead-sails-beginners-guide-water

With only **10 inventory slots**, it's important to collect wisely. Here are the top items to prioritize:

  • Moyai and Bars: Valuable for selling—available in gold, silver, and diamond variants.
  • Healing Packs: Useful for emergency healing, though they can also be sold.
  • Crosses: Serve dual purposes—sell for 35 cash or use against undead enemies.
  • Weapons: Either equip or sell based on your current loadout needs.
  • Robot Head: Found in houses and banks, sells for 45 cash.
  • Holy Water: Typically located in churches, worth 25 cash.
  • Gold Llama: Rare and valuable, this item fetches 150 cash when sold.

You can store unlimited items on your ship, but remember—they’ll fall off if not secured. Use the **weld function (Z key)** to lock them in place and prevent losing valuable cargo mid-journey.

And that wraps up our comprehensive beginner’s guide to *Dead Sails*. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to becoming the greatest captain to ever navigate these treacherous waters—or at least survive long enough to see the next town. If you want to boost your progress even further, check out our latest *Dead Sails* redeem codes [ttpp].