You’ve finally caught up to the Marquis de la Montalban. Your ship is battered, your crew is starving, and for some reason, the rhythm-based dancing mini-game is making you want to walk the plank yourself. We’ve all been there. Sid Meier’s Pirates! is a masterpiece of spinning plates, but if you don't know the internal math, you’ll end up a retired "Ditch Digger" by age 38.
Honestly, the game doesn't tell you half of what you need to know. It’s a sandbox, sure, but the sand is full of glass if you don't pick the right starting skills or understand why your crew is suddenly "unhappy" despite having 50,000 gold in the hold.
The Character Creation Trap
Most people instinctively pick Fencing as their starting skill. Don't do that.
Seriously. While it makes the early duels easier, you can eventually buy items like the Balanced Sword or the Cuirass to compensate. Instead, take Medicine. As you age in the Caribbean—usually after you hit 30—your reflexes in duels start to lag. The game literally adds a delay to your inputs to simulate "getting old." Medicine slows this decline significantly. It’s the difference between being a legendary pirate at 45 or a slow, stumbling target at 35.
When picking your era, 1660: The Buccaneer Heroes is basically the "standard" experience. It’s the most balanced. If you want a challenge, go earlier, but 1660 gives you the best mix of ship types and political chaos.
Ship Selection: Forget the Galleons
Galleons are beautiful. They’re also death traps.
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If you’re sailing a Large Galleon, you’re going to get circles run around you by a Sloop. In this game, maneuverability is king. You want a Royal Sloop or a Sloop of War. Why? Because they can sail almost directly into the wind. In a tactical battle, if you have the "weather gage" (you're upwind of your enemy), you win. Period.
The Best Ships in the Game
- Royal Sloop: The best all-rounder. Fast, nimble, and can carry enough crew (125) to overwhelm most merchantmen.
- Frigate / Fast Frigate: This is your end-game powerhouse. If you're planning on sacking cities like Panama or Havana, you need the crew capacity and the 28–32 cannons.
- Mail Runner: Kinda rare, but incredibly fast if you just want to zoom across the map to find a lost sister.
One thing people get wrong: they try to keep a fleet of eight ships. Don't do it. Your sailing speed is tied to the slowest ship in your fleet. If you have a lumbering Merchantman trailing behind your Sloop, you’ll never catch a Pirate Hunter. Keep one combat ship and maybe one "baggage train" ship for cargo. Sell the rest immediately.
Winning Duels Without Losing Your Mind
Sword fighting in Pirates! is basically a high-stakes version of Rock-Paper-Scissors.
- Thrusts (Num 4 or 6): Fast, but low damage. Use these to interrupt the enemy.
- Slashes (Num 7 or 1): Slower, but they push the enemy back further.
- Taunt (Num 5): If you’ve got a huge lead, taunt them. It lowers their morale and makes them move even slower.
The real secret is the Advantage Bar at the bottom. If you have more crew than the enemy, the bar starts in your favor, and your swings are physically faster. This is why you should always use Grape Shot before boarding. Shred their crew until they have 5–10 men left. When you board, you'll be swinging your cutlass like a hummingbird while the enemy captain looks like he’s moving through molasses.
Also, always choose the Rapier if you’re young and fast. Choose the Cutlass if you’re older or struggling, as it has the best defensive recovery.
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The Dancing Mini-Game: Stop Watching the Feet
Dancing with the Governor’s daughter is the only way to get the best items in the game, like the Silk Shirt (faster dueling) or the Ruby Ring.
The biggest mistake? Watching the protagonist's feet. Instead, watch her hand signals. She will point in the direction you need to move a split second before the prompt appears on the screen.
If she gestures with her left hand, you're going left or turning. If she gestures with both, it’s a flourish. Also, listen to the music. The prompts are always on the beat. If you hit the key perfectly on the "thump" of the bass, you’ll do a golden flourish. Do enough of those, and she’ll give you the location of a Lost City or a piece of the Marquis's map.
Why Your Crew Is Always Mad
Crew morale is the most misunderstood mechanic in the game. It isn't just about how much gold you have; it’s about Gold per Person.
If you have 200 crew and 20,000 gold, they’re getting 100 gold each. They’re going to mutiny. If you have 50 crew and that same 20,000 gold, they’re "Happy."
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Practical Morale Management:
- Downsize often: If you aren't planning on attacking a city, you don't need 300 men. Purposely let them get "lost" in land battles or just don't recruit more after a tough fight.
- The "Divide the Plunder" Cycle: You have to divide the loot eventually. This resets the "months at sea" clock, which is the hidden multiplier for grumpiness.
- The 1660 Strategy: If you're playing in 1660, keep your crew small (under 100) while hunting the named pirates like Henry Morgan. Only bulk up when you're ready to take down a capital city.
Finding Lost Relatives and Cities
The map system can be a nightmare. You get a tiny scrap of paper with a drawing of a "Vaguely Rectangular Rock" and a "Dead Tree."
Here’s the trick: Look at the coastline. The maps always show a specific bend in the coast. Sail along the Spanish Main and compare the shape of the land on your "world map" to the scrap you have.
Once you land, don't just wander. The "X" is usually near a landmark you can actually see on the 3D map. If you find a "Totem Pole" or "Sunken Ship," and it’s on your paper map, the treasure is usually within a few steps of it. If you’re playing on the Wii or using a controller, use the Spyglass—it will often "lock on" to the secret location if you're close enough.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Next Run
Ready to actually finish a career without ending up as a beggar? Try this specific progression:
- Start as a Dutch or English Privateer in 1660. Take the Medicine skill.
- Hunt Raymondo immediately. Don't get distracted by trading sugar. You need those map pieces for your family while you’re still young and fast.
- Capture a Sloop of War from a Pirate Hunter or a small convoy. Upgrade it with Cotton Sails and Bronze Cannons at a friendly port.
- Keep your crew under 80 until you have at least 40,000 gold. This keeps them "Happy" or "Content" for years without needing to divide the plunder.
- Dance with every "Beautiful" daughter. They provide the pieces for the Lost Cities, which are worth 50,000 gold each—the easiest way to inflate your final score.
Don't let the "Age" meter scare you into rushing, but don't dawdle. The Caribbean is a big place, and that Marquis isn't going to arrest himself. Keep your sails full and your gold-per-crew ratio high.