Season 18 has begun in Sea of Thieves, and the Dark Brethren have been working hard in The Devil’s Roar, detonating their recently acquired Black Powder Barrels to uncover lost Sanctuaries of the Banished. Now pirates across the seas are racing to get their hands on the long-forgotten riches kept within. Only one thing stands in their way: the Sanctuaries’ Ancient guardians have awoken, and they aren’t about to hand over their keys willingly…
Sanctuaries of the Banished
Across The Devil’s Roar, a liberal application of explosives has uncovered Ancient structures long buried beneath the rock. Previously used by those rogue Ancients expelled by their own kind, these Sanctuaries are now home to lucrative bounty including the powerful Trident of the Banished, mysterious Banished Ancient Rune Tablets and a host of unique treasures sure to interest the Trading Companies.
Whisking away some of this wealth for yourself won’t be so easy, however. Though the excavations have revealed the Sanctuary entrances, their locked stone doors will prove a tougher nut to crack. Brute force won’t get you and your crew inside; you’ll need to go hunting for a special Sanctuary of the Banished Key before you can uncover the mysteries of these hidden chambers for yourself.
View game page The Eternal Guard
The sources of those all-important keys are another new addition to the seas: the Eternal Guard! The sarcophagi containing these undying warriors, spirits bound to Ancient armour, have started appearing on islands across the waves. Pirates planning to pit their might against this fabled fighting force need only approach a sarcophagus and light the candles, and they’ll soon find themselves engaged in a face-off unlike any other.
All that time spent below ground has not dulled the skills of the Eternal Guard. They wield hunting spears and blowpipes with ease, disappear in a poisonous fog to sneak silently around the battlefield, and in the face of defeat can unleash a devastating death blow that may just drag their unwitting attacker to the Sea of the Damned with them. Prevailing over these powers will be no mean feat, but should you manage it, you’ll earn yourself the key needed to crack open a Sanctuary of the Banished.
An Evolving World
Long-buried Sanctuaries aren’t the only change coming to the Roar this Season. The Smugglers’ League is expanding into the region, with two new representatives to track down and meet. You’ll find them both in their own Hideouts tucked away on islands marked on your Map Table. They even have a new Smugglers’ Route Run Voyage for daring pirates to undertake in return for rich rewards…
And there’ll be no shortage of rewards this Season. In recognition of the added dangers presented by trading in The Devil’s Roar, all Company representatives within the region are offering boosted gold and reputation for treasures handed in to them this Season. That includes all Outpost residents, as well as Zharick and Aifrick at the Seaposts, the new Smugglers and any cargo delivery recipients you help out. If you’re looking to make a fortune, The Devil’s Roar is the place to be!
View game page More to Come
As in previous Seasons, there’ll be plenty more content to explore in the coming months! In Act 2, you’ll have a chance to delve into the Vault of Molten Sands Fortress in a new time-limited Voyage to retrieve a fabled treasure. To take part, venture out as Emissaries for your chosen Company and prove your loyalty before clashing with other crews to claim the mysterious Orb of the Banished.
Later, in Act 3, Captain Flameheart’s forces will be hard at work raising Ashen Garrisons within The Devil’s Roar. Breaching these heavily reinforced locations will prove to be a harder-won battle than most, with a sea wall and secure doors to fight your way through. In return for putting in the effort, however, a wealth of hidden treasure will be yours for the taking – should you succeed…
New Challenges and Rewards
Alongside all the new content landing throughout Season 18, there are plenty more Commendations – and corresponding rewards – arriving to test players’ prowess. Engaging with the new features in each Act will also net you time-limited rewards, including the exclusive Ashen Garrison Sails for completing all Act 3 Deeds. Each also offers a hefty bump in Seasonal Renown, so you can enjoy even more rewards for your efforts.
As always, climbing those levels of Renown throughout the Season unlocks a steady supply of new cosmetics, this time including items from the Widow’s Weave, Creepy Crawlers and Spider’s Venom collections – it’s a good time to be a budding pirate arachnologist! Plunder Pass holders will also have the opportunity to unlock the enigmatic Nightshade Sentry collection as they go, along with an extra 750 Ancient Coins to spend in the Pirate Emporium.
View game page
There’ll be much more to discover as Season 18 evolves, including all the finer details of Acts 2 and 3. For a broader look at everything we can tell you right now, stop by the dedicated Season 18 page or soak up the latest release notes; for everything else, keep an eye on our social channels for all the most up-to-date developments. We’re also about to kick off a wide range of activities for this year’s Festival of Giving, so there’s no shortage of things to keep you occupied at sea as 2025 draws to a close. Set sail and enjoy!