Cannonballs are the foundation of naval combat in Sea of Thieves. You can have the best ship positioning in the world, but if your crew wastes chainshots, fires cursed cannonballs at the wrong time, or forgets to keep standard cannonballs stocked, a winnable fight can collapse quickly.
This guide explains every major cannonball type in Sea of Thieves, what each one does, where to find them, and when to use them in PvP, PvE, skeleton ship fights, world events, and close-range boarding situations.
What Are Cannonballs Used For?
Cannonballs are fired from ship cannons to damage enemy ships, sea threats, skeleton ships, island targets, and players. Standard cannonballs create holes in ship hulls, while special cannonball types can damage masts, start fires, knock pirates around, disable ship controls, or create powerful status effects.
Good cannon use is not only about hitting the enemy. It is about choosing the right ammunition for the moment. A chainshot at the start of a fight can stop a ship from escaping. A ballastball can turn existing lower-deck holes into a sinking disaster. A peaceball can stop a broadside before it begins.
Standard Cannonballs
Standard cannonballs are the most common ammunition type and the main way to sink enemy ships. A hit below the waterline creates holes that let water into the ship. Hits above the waterline can still damage players, knock pirates off cannons, and create pressure, but they are less effective for actually sinking a ship unless the target already has water reaching that deck.
Use standard cannonballs when:
- You need reliable hull damage.
- You are fighting skeleton ships, ghost ships, or player ships.
- You have already disabled the enemy with a chainshot or cursed cannonball.
- You want to keep constant pressure while your boarder swims over.
In most fights, standard cannonballs are your default ammunition. Special shots create opportunities, but standard cannonballs usually finish the sink.
Chainshots
Chainshots are designed to damage ship parts, especially masts. A well-placed chainshot can knock down a mast, leaving the enemy ship slow, vulnerable, and easier to board or circle.
Chainshots have a different arc and travel behavior than normal cannonballs, so they take practice. Aim carefully and do not spam them at long range unless you have a large supply. A missed chainshot is more painful than a missed standard cannonball because they are less common and much more valuable.
Use chainshots when:
- You are close enough to reliably hit a mast.
- An enemy ship is trying to flee.
- You want to create a boarding opportunity.
- You need to stop a ship from turning out of your broadside.
The ideal opening in many PvP fights is chainshot first, then standard cannonballs into the hull while the enemy crew is distracted repairing the mast.
Firebombs
Firebombs create fire on impact. They can be thrown by hand or fired from cannons. Fire does not usually sink a ship by itself, but it disrupts the crew, damages pirates, spreads across the deck, and forces enemies to spend time with water buckets instead of cannons, repairs, or steering.
Firebombs are especially useful against crews that are already under pressure. A ship with holes, a downed mast, and fire on deck becomes much harder to manage.
Use firebombs when:
- You want to force enemies away from cannons, helm, or capstan.
- You are about to board and want chaos on deck.
- You are fighting a larger crew and need to divide their attention.
- You are attacking a stationary or disabled ship.
Do not waste all your firebombs at the start of a long-range fight. They are much stronger after the enemy is already busy.
Blunderbombs
Blunderbombs explode with knockback and damage. Like firebombs, they can be thrown or fired from cannons. They are excellent for knocking pirates off ladders, cannons, repairs, capstan, and the wheel.
Blunderbombs are also useful when a ship is close enough that you can target the enemy crew directly. A blunderbomb fired at the deck during a boarding attempt can knock defenders out of position and let your boarder climb safely.
Use blunderbombs when:
- You need to knock enemies off cannons during a broadside.
- You want to stop repairs on a damaged ship.
- You are defending against boarders on ladders.
- You need to interrupt a pirate raising mast, anchor, or sails.
They are not as reliable as standard cannonballs for sinking, but they are excellent at creating openings.
Cursed Cannonballs
Cursed cannonballs apply magical effects to ships or crews. They are rarer than standard cannonballs and should be saved for important moments. A cursed cannonball used at the right time can decide a fight; one fired randomly can do almost nothing.
There are two broad groups:
- Green cursed cannonballs: Affect enemy pirates directly.
- Purple cursed cannonballs: Affect the enemy ship.
Green Cursed Cannonballs
Green cursed cannonballs disrupt pirates. They are strongest when the enemy crew is trying to repair, bail, steer, or fight back.
| Cursed cannonball | Effect | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Jigball | Forces pirates to dance | Stopping repairs or cannon fire |
| Grogball | Makes pirates drunk | Disrupting movement and aim |
| Wearyball | Makes pirates fall asleep | Creating a repair or boarding window |
| Venomball | Poisons pirates | Adding damage and panic during pressure |
| Limpball | Slows pirates | Making it harder to repair, board, or flee |
Green cursed cannonballs are best after you have already created damage. Fire one when the enemy is bailing water or trying to recover from a mast down, not when they are sailing comfortably out of range.
Purple Cursed Cannonballs
Purple cursed cannonballs affect ship systems. These are excellent for controlling the fight and preventing an enemy crew from escaping or returning fire.
| Cursed cannonball | Effect | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorball | Drops or locks the anchor | Stopping a fleeing ship or locking a turn |
| Ballastball | Forces the ship lower in the water | Sinking ships with lower-deck holes |
| Barrelball | Locks supply barrels | Preventing repairs, food access, or cannon resupply |
| Helmball | Locks the wheel | Stopping course correction |
| Peaceball | Raises cannons upward | Preventing return fire during a broadside |
| Riggingball | Raises sails | Slowing or stopping the enemy ship |
Ballastballs are especially dangerous against galleons and other ships with multiple lower-deck holes. If you have landed several low shots, a ballastball can make the water rise quickly and overwhelm repairs.
Wraithballs
Wraithballs are powerful ghostly cannonballs tied to Flameheart-style ghost ship content. They hit hard and create a large damaging explosion, making them devastating when fired accurately.
Because they are rare and powerful, do not waste them on weak shots or distant targets. Save Wraithballs for moments when you can land a clean hit on a player ship, skeleton ship, or high-value target.
Use Wraithballs when:
- The enemy ship is close and broadside-on.
- You need burst damage to finish a fight quickly.
- The target is already disabled or moving predictably.
- You want to create panic before a boarding attempt.
Phantom Cannonballs
Phantom cannonballs are tied to ghostly sea battles and are usually encountered during ghost ship content. They behave differently from standard supplies and are part of the broader ghost ship combat loop.
When fighting ghost fleets, pay attention to the incoming projectiles and the loot you collect afterward. Ghost ship battles can provide powerful ammunition that is worth saving for later player encounters if you manage to leave with supplies intact.
Scattershot and Close-Range Pressure
Some ammunition is designed for close-range pressure rather than long-range precision. These shots become most useful when ships are nearly side by side, when a target is already disabled, or when you want to punish exposed crew on deck.
Close-range ammunition should not replace standard cannonballs during a long naval exchange. Use it when the enemy is close enough that the extra spread, knockback, or crew pressure will actually matter.
Best Cannonball Type for PvP
In PvP, the best ammunition depends on the stage of the fight.
| Fight stage | Best cannonball choice | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | Chainshot, Peaceball, Riggingball | Stop movement or prevent return fire |
| Pressure | Standard cannonballs, firebombs | Create holes and divide attention |
| Recovery denial | Jigball, Wearyball, Barrelball, Blunderbombs | Stop repairs and bailing |
| Finisher | Ballastball, Wraithball, standard cannonballs | Secure the sink |
Most crews lose fights because they use their strongest ammunition too early. Save rare cursed cannonballs for the moment when the enemy is already struggling.
Best Cannonball Type for Skeleton Ships
Skeleton ships are vulnerable to consistent hull damage and pressure. Standard cannonballs do most of the work, but firebombs, blunderbombs, and cursed cannonballs can still help when used correctly.
For skeleton sloops, steady cannon fire is usually enough. For skeleton galleons, focus on lower-deck holes and use a ballastball if you have one. A skeleton galleon with multiple low holes and a ballastball effect can sink much faster than one taking random upper-deck hits.
Best Cannonball Type for Ghost Ships
Ghost ship fights reward accuracy and movement. Standard cannonballs are dependable, while powerful ghostly ammunition collected during the encounter can increase your damage output.
Because ghost ships often move in predictable paths, focus on leading your shots and keeping your ship angled safely. Do not waste cursed cannonballs that only matter against living crews unless the encounter specifically allows them to have value.
Where To Find Cannonballs
Cannonballs and special ammunition can be found in barrels, storage crates, shipwrecks, sea forts, outposts, islands, skeleton ships, world event loot, and floating supply barrels. Before starting a long fight, loot nearby barrels and organize your supplies.
Good crews do not wait until combat starts to manage ammunition. Keep standard cannonballs accessible, separate rare cursed cannonballs mentally or physically, and make sure the cannon line has enough supplies before committing to a fight.
How To Store and Manage Cannonballs
Supply management matters. If every pirate grabs random ammunition and fires whatever appears first, the crew may waste its strongest tools before the fight truly begins.
- Keep standard cannonballs stocked for sustained pressure.
- Save chainshots for mast shots at reliable range.
- Call out rare cursed cannonballs before firing them.
- Use storage crates to collect supplies quickly from islands and outposts.
- Do not leave all special ammunition on a pirate who may die while boarding.
In a crew, the helm or captain should usually know which special shots are available so they can call for the right one at the right time.
Common Cannonball Mistakes
- Firing chainshots from too far away: They are valuable and easier to miss than standard shots.
- Using cursed cannonballs before creating damage: A dancing enemy is not useful if their ship has no holes.
- Only hitting upper decks: Low holes sink ships faster.
- Ignoring crew pressure: Blunderbombs and firebombs can stop repairs at the perfect moment.
- Saving everything forever: Rare ammo has no value if your ship sinks with it unused.
Quick Cannonball Strategy Summary
- Use standard cannonballs for reliable hull damage.
- Use chainshots to drop masts and stop escapes.
- Use firebombs to create chaos after the enemy is already under pressure.
- Use blunderbombs to knock pirates off cannons, ladders, repairs, and controls.
- Use green cursed cannonballs to disrupt crew actions.
- Use purple cursed cannonballs to disable ship systems.
- Save ballastballs and Wraithballs for finishing moments.
Cannonballs are more than simple ammunition in Sea of Thieves. They are control tools, finishing tools, disruption tools, and pressure tools. Learn when each type matters, and your crew will sink more ships with fewer wasted supplies. Once enemies are knocked into the water, shark pressure can become part of the danger, so it is worth knowing how to survive sharks during messy naval fights. If the battle turns into close ship combat, a well-timed Hunting Spear can also pressure boarders, repair crews, and pirates stuck in predictable movement.
