Explosive Barrels
Rare seems to like playing with explosive barrels, who doesn’t? I’d like to suggest that we add the functionality of placing an explosive barrel on a X marks the spot on a map detonating and getting an instant dig up. I think it's a fair trade with you trading in the value of the explosive barrel for quicker access to the chest. This increases the usefulness of everyones favorite item even more.
The Shovel
I’ve seen this talked about before but I like the idea of using the shovel as a defensive tool in PVP let us swing it knocking enemies back. It could be uses to keep a sword wielding pirate at bay until your cremates arrive to rescue you. This mechanic should also be useable on crew mates. I think everyone would enjoy trolling those friends that get just too close to the side of the ship on a long voyage.
A secondary use for the shovel could be to remove planks from enemy players ships. Make it take about 4 times as long as fixing a hole and make a ton of noise while doing it to alert the crew of someone trying to remove planks below deck.
The Compass
I’ve always like the idea of using it to find rare minerals in the ground. Like hidden treasure if you're willing to look for it. How this would work is that if you are walking around with your compass out if you are standing above a hunk of rare metal it would start spinning like it is in a storm. Giving you the indication that if you dig below your feet you’ll find some rare minerals.
The Wooden Plank
When not facing a hole that needs plugging you could hold up a plank in front of you guarding you from bullets. Once hit the plank would be destroyed. This could work in PVP as well as fighting skeletons that all spawn with pistols or sniper rifles letting you get closer while they reload. You could balance it out with the user of the plank taking no damage to a reduced percentage of the normal damage taken if hit.
Bananas
While pirates in the Sea of Thieves tend to eat bananas whole I think we could all agree some of the fondest memories of morning cartoons was a pursuing character slipping on a banana peel someone carelessly left on the floor. With this in mind I’ve love if we could use a banana as a trap on the floor. A skeleton or pirate is chasing you drop one behind you and if they step on it they get a short stun from tripping on the banana allowing you to escape or turn around and attack. I also think plenty of people would have a blast with this trolling other pirates or teammates. Giving players different ways to interact with other players is always a good thing.
Cannon + Animal = Fun
Right now chickens, pigs and snakes are being ignored around the seas ever since cargo runs have been introduced. Let's get them back into the action!
Who doesn’t want to shoot a chicken out of a cannon? Let us pick up our fellow island adventures and get them into the action. Here are my suggested mechanics for each of our friends.
Chickens: Firing the chicken of the cannon would work like a cursed cannonball. If you hit near the area enemy players are instead of getting drunk they get a face full of feathers. Blocking their view for a short time.
Pigs: When Pigs Fly! Firing a pig out of a cannon works more like your traditional cannon ball. But instead of doing damage to players if they hit them. They have a huge mega keg level knock back. Ensuring that the hit player will go flying off the boat requiring them to find a mermaid. This could also apply to hitting the hull, causing the ship to be steered off course.
Snakes: Get these M$#!& Snakes off this M$#!& boat! When shooting a snake out of a cannon the goal is to hit the top deck of the enemy players or skeleton ship. Once they land they are not happy and will rapidly attack anyone near them. Causing your enemies to divert their attention to the snakes.
Musical Instruments
One thing I’ll say about this game is they’ve found a way to bring playing a musical instrument in a game to be fun and useful. From playing a shanty as you sail across the seas, taming a nearby snake, or unlocking a clue. It is a really great way to introduce music into a game. I want to make playing a musical instrument in this game even more useful and fun.
Give buffs to certain tasks when someone is playing an instrument. Need that lazy pirate to help raise an anchor? Well if he is playing a song while you're raising it the speed in which the anchor goes up is like they are helping. Maybe a 50% increase into anchor raising speed. Need help turning the sails, play some music and turn them faster. Getting tired of carrying a chest back to the boat? Play some music and you’ll run a little faster while carrying a chest. In the middle of a battle? Play your favorite shanty to reload the cannons a little faster. There are countless little thinks that playing an instrument could speed up. If you ever introduced a shanty picker you could have different shanty give you different buffs. Giving people the chance to play around with an instrument while still helping the crew is a good idea. Probably, maybe.
The Watch
I can’t think of a way to make the watch itself have additional functions. Maybe a stopwatch function for pirate completions? The main way to add additional value to the watch is make knowing the date and time more valuable. Like small events that happen at a specific place and time. For instance at noon on the 13th, a treasure vault opens in sailors bouty for 5 minutes. Fights over the vault could be a lot of fun. Or events like the night of the 20th, ghost skeletons spawn on Krakens Fall and drop random skulls each time you kill one. You have 10 minutes to kill as many as you can. I’d suggest adding these events in secret if the community knows they are there then its less special when everyone learns of its existence. Plus it means you can slowly roll them out.
Related post on other ideas I’ve had.
Small ideas I’d like to see added to the game