What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?

  • DewRadley

    If a player joins your crew and throws chests overboard, sinks your ship, or kills your pig/chickens that is griefing.

    Hostile chat including bad language or racist/derogatory remarks over voice is griefing.

    Anything else involving other crews is just simply pvp. If you get chased, sunk, killed, treasure stolen, or attacked for no reason it's literally just pvp. Other crews are playing within the construct of the game. It's the core mechanics. In every battle someone has to lose. If your fun is dependant on winning or achieving your goals at all times every time then you are simply a poor loser. Stop trying to spin it that someone is griefing because you are a poor loser. Please just lose gracefully and stop crying griefer in a pvp/pve game. If you feel some crew is killing you too much switch servers or use it as practice to get better. It's a game.

    Edit: Someone mentioned outpost camping. I would also add stronghold camping. Although both are pretty dastardly behaviour they are operating within the design of the game. So neither of those I would call griefing either. Both are just pvp game mechanics. You may not like it but freaking out about it is again just being a poor loser.

    I would also like to add I've been a victim of half of this stuff in game. You know what I did about it? I got over it and continued to enjoy the game.

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  • Ser Pineapples
    Marauder
    Insider

    I would like to add outpost camping is just pvp too

  • JarOfPeachz

    @ser-pineapples I've seen posts that have said the spawning mechanics have changed during the final beta, but i would say during the stress tests a galleon crew camping a sloop and spawn killing the person but keeping the ship intact would be considered griefing. or at the very least unsportsman like.

  • DewRadley

    @jarofpeachz said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves:

    @ser-pineapples I've seen posts that have said the spawning mechanics have changed during the final beta, but i would say during the stress tests a galleon crew camping a sloop and spawn killing the person but keeping the ship intact would be considered griefing. or at the very least unsportsman like.

    I agree it's not very sporting. We have the option of being that dastardly if we want. It's not exactly my play style but I won't condemn players that play that way. So yes it's bloodthirsty behaviour but not griefing. It's part of the pvp.

  • Lucid Stew
    Founder

    @jarofpeachz said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves:

    I've seen posts that have said the spawning mechanics have changed during the final beta

    They may have gone a bit overboard with the correction. My ship sank and I mermaided near Marauder's Arch. I respawned at Shipwreck Bay! That's almost halfway across the map, diagonally.

  • ENF0RCER
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    @jarofpeachz There is a tool to combat this. It is the ability to scuttle the ship even while on the ferry of the damned. The spawn was fixed in the final beta cause before when you died even when you scuttle the ship you could get spawn lock meaning you will spawn in the same spot and was able to be killed agian before you had a chance to respond. Now if your ship sinks or is scuttled you will respawn on a completely different island.

  • JarOfPeachz

    @enf0rcer i am aware of the scuttle tactic. I use it myself when i die and i want to get as far away from my killers as possible. its just the newer players that probably dont even know there is a scuttle option.

  • Ser Pineapples
    Marauder
    Insider

    @jarofpeachz said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves:

    @ser-pineapples I've seen posts that have said the spawning mechanics have changed during the final beta, but i would say during the stress tests a galleon crew camping a sloop and spawn killing the person but keeping the ship intact would be considered griefing. or at the very least unsportsman like.

    Actually I've done that too and will keep trying to, not bc of PvP motives but bc of supplies. My crew and I will split up, 2 holding the guy back while the other 2 steal all his supplies.

    @lucid-stew said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves:

    @jarofpeachz said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves:

    I've seen posts that have said the spawning mechanics have changed during the final beta

    They may have gone a bit overboard with the correction. My ship sank and I mermaided near Marauder's Arch. I respawned at Shipwreck Bay! That's almost halfway across the map, diagonally.

    This is a welcomed change. Now we're not going to end up in vicious cycles of players trying to take revenge for getting beat

  • DewRadley

    @lucid-stew yes I agree the respawn is a little to far away now. Not bad but doesn't feel like the sweet spot yet.

  • ENF0RCER
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    @jarofpeachz Then the goal should be to educate the new players. I agree the scuttle option is not made obvious. This can be easly corrected, but this is what seprates experince pirates from land lubbers who have yet to get ther sea legs. This is why you not consider this greifing think of it more as a ritual hazing.

  • ENF0RCER
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    I have an interesting story to tell about this. My crew and i while attacking a sloop our ship sank do to some kind of bug. So i instructed my crew to comindeer to the enermy vessel which we did. We had recovered all our tresure and sailed the ship back to port after spawn killing the own a few times. We then sank his ship as our ship happened to spawn on that outpost and we mange to sell off all out treasure and his. Now some would call that greifing. I call that just good pirating cause at any moment he could have scuttle the ship or kill all of us and get all the booty for himself but he didn't we did.

  • Natsu v2
    Lord
    Insider
    Founder

    @lucid-stew It's honestly still not far enough. Halfway across the map seems accurate, furthest I've seen was Golden Sands to Shipwreck. But Shipwreck to Marauder's was too much for you? That's literally just 5 minutes away.

  • DewRadley

    @enf0rcer said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves:

    I have an interesting story to tell about this. My crew and i while attacking a sloop our ship sank do to some kind of bug. So i instructed my crew to comindeer to the enermy vessel which we did. We had recovered all our tresure and sailed the ship back to port after spawn killing the own a few times. We then sank his ship as our ship happened to spawn on that outpost and we mange to sell off all out treasure and his. Now some would call that greifing. I call that just good pirating cause at any moment he could have scuttle the ship or kill all of us and get all the booty for himself but he didn't we did.

    That's creative and critical thinking skills right there. That's what this game's vision has been.

  • DewRadley

    @ser-pineapples said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?:

    Actually I've done that too and will keep trying to, not bc of PvP motives but bc of supplies. My crew and I will split up, 2 holding the guy back while the other 2 steal all his supplies.

    That's actually a good idea for collecting supplies.

  • SERGENT COOTER

    Well said sir!

  • DamnStraightEye
    Master
    Insider

    @ser-pineapples NO, that's the worst. Not too bad because people can tell you are there by checking for a merman or boat but still not cool. Don't they have that as a rule, keeping battles at sea?

  • DewRadley

    @sergent-c****r Thank you. Too many have been trying to spin a narrative about the game being full of griefers. The truth is a lot of people just simply feel that any opposition to their plans is griefing. I agree that having your game plan thwarted sucks and people may do so in unsporting ways, but its part of the game. What they don't understand is being a poor loser is also unsporting behaviour.

  • Vaca Hombre
    Champion
    Boatswain
    Founder

    @ser-pineapples said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?:

    Actually I've done that too and will keep trying to, not bc of PvP motives but bc of supplies. My crew and I will split up, 2 holding the guy back while the other 2 steal all his supplies.

    I've always viewed much of what makes something "griefing" to be the intent behind it. I've seen others say that they've utilized spawn-camping (and by extension, someone's ignorance of scuttling) in order to buy them time to steal chests and/or supplies.

    I agree that this is not griefing.

    Now if someone does it just because they think it's funny or because there's something about the other player they just want to harass them for; then I think you're getting into griefing territory. If not technically, then certainly in spirit.

  • Gholin
    Seafarer

    @dewradley I'd also say killing a guy over and over again even when there is no treasure gain for the killer and the killer knows it, is griefing. it's toxic. You might be able to scuttle, but that doesn't change the fact the player killing the other is being toxic.

  • hammy hamstar
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    @dewradley said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?:

    Posting the same things over and over and over.

  • DewRadley

    @v**a-hombre said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?:

    @ser-pineapples said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?:

    Actually I've done that too and will keep trying to, not bc of PvP motives but bc of supplies. My crew and I will split up, 2 holding the guy back while the other 2 steal all his supplies.

    I've always viewed much of what makes something "griefing" to be the intent behind it. I've seen others say that they've utilized spawn-camping (and by extension, someone's ignorance of scuttling) in order to buy them time to steal chests and/or supplies.

    I agree that this is not griefing.

    Now if someone does it just because they think it's funny or because there's something about the other player they just want to harass them for; then I think you're getting into griefing territory. If not technically, then certainly in spirit.

    I agree the ones pulling off the latter may be twisted individuals but they are still acting within their rights in the game. I've been on the receiving end of this but did not get upset over it. In the end if you get upset that someone sunk your boat for any reason that's just being over sensitive. I mean come on people are you playing this game to be someone made of glass or are you playing to be a pirate.

  • HappyAlbe
    Founder

    After the third time a guy killed me after i docked at the fort, i decided if i can't have my booty neither will he. i swam to his ship with some gunpowder and blew his ship off. then i took one turret and finished him.

  • Ironuzuka
    Master
    Insider

    @dewradley
    To grieve:
    verb (used without object), grieved, grieving.
    1.
    to feel grief or great sorrow:
    She has grieved over his death for nearly three years.
    verb (used with object), grieved, grieving.
    2.
    to distress mentally; cause to feel grief or sorrow:
    It grieves me to see you so unhappy.
    3.
    Archaic. to oppress or wrong.

    Anything you do can fall into this. It's not a crime and should never become so. I mean the other day, I f****d really loud and it smelled real bad, that grieved a lot of people in the room. The oppression by the smell was too stronk!
    So this translates in SoT as follows. I dropped the sails, I was put in the brig. I killed my all crew with a GP, I was put in the brig. I refused to join party chat, I was put in the brig. I called out someone from my crew for killing a guy from another crew to whom I was talking, I was put in the brig.
    You want to define something that by it's own nature is a spectrum, or the reflection of one. What I consider to be grieving, some others will think it's hilarious, even as victims. The whole prank business is based on this.
    This is my mere take on it. Might as well be wrong ...

  • KattTruewalker
    Vanguard
    Insider
    Founder
    Deckhand

    @jarofpeachz If any specific mechanics have been altered, it would have been mentioned in the release notes prior to the session.

  • DewRadley

    @gholin said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?:

    @dewradley I'd also say killing a guy over and over again even when there is no treasure gain for the killer and the killer knows it, is griefing. it's toxic. You might be able to scuttle, but that doesn't change the fact the player killing the other is being toxic.

    It's pvp not griefing. Sorry but some people want to just fight in this game for any reason. That's there perogative and their right to do so. Someone is always going to be on the losing end of that. If you're upset about it then that's more of a player's personal problem. Not everyone is going to want to play the game the same way you do. In the end you make the choice to either respect their actions or be over sensitive about it.

  • Vaca Hombre
    Champion
    Boatswain
    Founder

    @dewradley said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?:

    I agree the ones pulling off the latter may be twisted individuals but they are still acting within their rights in the game.

    Yeah, that's what I meant by it being more griefing in spirit than in mechanics.

    And yes, you shouldn't get mad at being killed and sunk. The setbacks are minor and you can get right back to enjoying the game. I've always said, the best way to handle people trying to grief you is by ignoring them. Like rowdy toddlers, real griefers are looking for the reaction. Denying them that is the best revenge you can get.

  • DewRadley

    @v**a-hombre Well said

  • DewRadley

    @ironuzuka said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?:

    @dewradley
    To grieve:
    verb (used without object), grieved, grieving.
    1.
    to feel grief or great sorrow:
    She has grieved over his death for nearly three years.
    verb (used with object), grieved, grieving.
    2.
    to distress mentally; cause to feel grief or sorrow:
    It grieves me to see you so unhappy.
    3.
    Archaic. to oppress or wrong.

    Anything you do can fall into this. It's not a crime and should never become so. I mean the other day, I f****d really loud and it smelled real bad, that grieved a lot of people in the room. The oppression by the smell was too stronk!
    So this translates in SoT as follows. I dropped the sails, I was put in the brig. I killed my all crew with a GP, I was put in the brig. I refused to join party chat, I was put in the brig. I called out someone from my crew for killing a guy from another crew to whom I was talking, I was put in the brig.
    You want to define something that by it's own nature is a spectrum, or the reflection of one. What I consider to be grieving, some others will think it's hilarious, even as victims. The whole prank business is based on this.
    This is my mere take on it. Might as well be wrong ...

    I see what you're getting at here. I'm just trying to get a clearer definition of griefing for the sea of thieves community. As it is I've seen a number of posts where people want to report or ban people simply because they don't play the game the same way. Everyone is going to play the game differently. I think having a clearer definition of what griefing is could help this community. It would also be a nice spot to give tips so players can avoid being in situations they don't like.

  • Ghostpaw
    Legend

    I don't know. My situation seems like a clear case of griefing.

    I went to one of the forts and there were all these people dressed as skeletons camping the place. As I pulled up they started firing canons at me! I didn't have any treasure and I even said so. They were probably all on teamspeak or something so they didn't hear me.

    I was just looking around searching for the key to a vault. They just kept coming at me! I kept respawning and killing them. It was terrible and unnecessary. It went on for a while.

    Finally, this guy dressed like a skeleton (where did they get that outfit?) named Captain Boom Boom or something comes out. He's the one with the key. He's not doing anything with it. I could understand if he used it to get into the vault himself and cash in the chests. No! He's just holding it to lure others onto the island because the skull cloud tells you when the treasure respawns. He doesn't want the treasure. He and his gang just wanted to PVP.

    I didn't want to PVP anyone. I just wanted to play PVE. That skeleton crew was obviously griefing.

  • DewRadley

    @hammy-hamstar said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?:

    @dewradley said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?:

    Posting the same things over and over and over.

    Seeing the endless wave of "this player griefed me wahhhhh" is why I made this thread. Sorry if it upset you.

  • MisterDoomed

    Anyone participating in pvp of any kind is griefing.
    ......thats sarcasm for anyone who dont get it.

  • DewRadley

    @ghostpaw said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?:

    I don't know. My situation seems like a clear case of griefing.

    I went to one of the forts and there were all these people dressed as skeletons camping the place. As I pulled up they started firing canons at me! I didn't have any treasure and I even said so. They were probably all on teamspeak or something so they didn't hear me.

    I was just looking around searching for the key to a vault. They just kept coming at me! I kept respawning and killing them. It was terrible and unnecessary. It went on for a while.

    Finally, this guy dressed like a skeleton (where did they get that outfit?) named Captain Boom Boom or something comes out. He's the one with the key. He's not doing anything with it. I could understand if he used it to get into the vault himself and cash in the chests. No! He's just holding it to lure others onto the island because the skull cloud tells you when the treasure respawns. He doesn't want the treasure. He and his gang just wanted to PVP.

    I didn't want to PVP anyone. I just wanted to play PVE. That skeleton crew was obviously griefing.

    I see what you did there and it was funny. Let me guess when you used the key the treasure was gone to further troll you. 😅

  • Ghostpaw
    Legend

    @dewradley said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?:

    I see what you did there and it was funny. Let me guess when you used the key the treasure was gone to further troll you. 😅

    YES!! They got you too!?

  • DewRadley

    @ghostpaw said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?:

    @dewradley said in What is griefing in Sea of Thieves?:

    I see what you did there and it was funny. Let me guess when you used the key the treasure was gone to further troll you. 😅

    YES!! They got you too!?

    Yes those darn skeletons always trying to impede my quest for treasure. In fact they always pop up when I dig up a chest. They should be banned. /sarcasm

  • DewRadley

    @damnstraighteye The game world is made up of islands so everything is pretty much at sea. I'm pretty sure that rule is written to mean don't take your battles outside of the game. Sort of a what happens in Sea of Thieves stays in Sea of Thieves. I agree camping an outpost is pretty lame but there has been no definitive rule stating people can't do it.

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