Guide to Black Powder Stashes
Explosive New Voyages
July 17th through August 14th, 2019
Duke the Bilge Rat that hangs out in every Tavern is looking to boost his reputation- and to do that, he needs to help out the Trading Companies. He learned where the Skeletons store their gunpowder, and will give you several new types of voyages to find and deliver that gun powder back to the Gold Hoarders, Merchant Alliance, and Order of Souls. You’ll also find more Mermaid Gems populating the world during this event- and rewards for selling them to those same three trading companies.
How does this work?
Black Powder Stashes is a limited time event where you can buy special types of voyages from Duke in any tavern using Doubloons. Completing these voyages and completing other tasks will earn Doubloons and the ability to purchase some special new cosmetics. These new voyages and the new cosmetics are only available for the duration of the event, which ends on August 14th, 2019.
What are Doubloons?
Doubloons are a special currency in Sea of Thieves that are limited in quantity. You can only get them from completing tasks assigned by Duke for current or past Bilge Rat Events.
You can only spend Doubloons by talking to Duke, who will sell you bags of gold, reputation levels in the game’s trading companies, and limited time event-specific cosmetics.
To purchase the new limited time voyages, and to see the new cosmetics that are available, talk to Duke in the Tavern.
To view the event’s “commendations” or challenges, open the game’s menu, navigate to “Reputation”, and click Bilge Rats. From there you can view every present and past event page with all of their challenges- the current Black Powder Stashes challenges are listed under the “Mercenary Voyages” tab.
Limited Time Cosmetics
Throughout the duration of this event, there are three limited time cosmetic items available in Duke’s shop before they disappear. Each are locked behind completing a new commendation described down below.
The Mercenary Figurehead requires the Master Black Powder Smuggler commendation.
The Inevitable Reaper Flag requires the Legendary Eastward Black Powder Reaper commendation.
The Inevitable Reaper Sail requires the Legendary Westward Black Powder Reaper commendation.
Reaper’s Black Powder Runs
There are 2 Reaper’s Black Powder Run voyages: Eastward and Westward. You can buy these from Duke for 10 Doubloons each, and start them on your ship’s voyage table like any other voyage.
The two Runs are similar, as they each consist of four chapters, and each chapter takes you on an X-Marks the Spot quest to a stronghold fort. The Eastward Run begins in the northwest (Keel Haul) and travels from fort to fort towards the southeast (Crow’s Nest), while the Westward Run begins in the northeast (Shark Fin Camp) and travels southwest (Sailor’s Knot). At each stop you should dig up more X’s than the last, collecting merchant good crates, gun powder barrels, and stronghold gun powder barrels.
BEWARE- The two routes cross paths, which will increase unfriendly player traffic. BOOM!
Completing them the first time will earn you +20 Doubloons each. Additionally, they each have a more difficult legendary commendation- you’ll earn +50 Doubloons each, plus a unique Title if you can complete a run three times WITH the Reaper’s Mark flag flying. Doing this for each the Eastward and Westward runs unlocks the ability to purchase the Inevitable Reaper Flag and Sails from Duke’s Shop, respectively.
REAPER’S MARK- This special flag can be raised from the crow’s nest Flag Chest, but beware… it puts your ship’s location on every OTHER player’s map table!
SPECIAL NOTE- To get credit for doing the voyage with the Mark flying, you MUST raise the Reaper’s Mark Flag BEFORE beginning the voyage, and NEVER take it down!
Black Powder Smuggler’s Runs
Smuggler’s Run Voyages are a bit lower stress than the Reaper’s Runs. You don’t need to hoist the Reaper’s Mark flag, and you don’t have to travel a busy sea route of other ships. They also only cost 5 Doubloons each
There is a Smuggler’s Run in each region. Completing each one once is worth +10 Doubloons, and completing them in the original three regions (Shores of Plenty, Ancient Isles, and The Wilds) will earn the Master Black Powder Smuggler commendation and a bonus+25 Doubloons (Doing so unlocks the ability to purchase the Mercenary Figurehead from Duke’s Shop).
The run in the Devil’s Roar is only available for purchase by Pirate Legends, but can be shared with anyone in their crew. These have the added difficulty of volcanoes, but are more secluded from other players.
Each Smuggler’s Run contains Two Chapters.
Chapter 1- three X-marks the spot maps, each island containing 1–4 X’s. X’s may turn up Merchant Crate items, or Gunpowder Barrels (typically one barrel max per island)
Final Chapter- one final X-marks the spot island, containing 1 X with a Stronghold Gunpowder Barrel.
Trading Benefactors
In addition to the new voyages, the event has the added limited time promotion that the Gold Hoarders, Merchant Alliance, and Order of Souls will all accept the sale of gunpowder barrels and stronghold gunpowder barrels. Even the Mysterious Stranger will accept Stronghold Gunpowder barrels from you… IF there’s a pirate legend in your crew.
On top of that, a shipment of Mermaid Gems has been sunk and the gems are now spread around the seas for a limited time. You can find them in sunken shipwrecks, washed up on beaches, and in stronghold vaults. To reward us for gathering these gunpowders and mermaid gems, you can also earn Doubloons.
Golden Benefactor
Sell 20 Mermaid Gems to the Gold Hoarders (+5 Doubloons)
Sell 20 Gunpowder Barrels to the Gold Hoarders (+5 Doubloons)
Sell 5 Stronghold Gunpowder Barrels to the Gold Hoarders (+5 Doubloons)
Do all of the above^ (+15 Doubloons, + Title “Golden Benefactor”)
Mystic Benefactor
Sell 20 Mermaid Gems to the Order of Souls (+5 Doubloons)
Sell 20 Gunpowder Barrels to the Order of Souls (+5 Doubloons)
Sell 5 Stronghold Gunpowder Barrels to the Order of Souls (+5 Doubloons)
Do all of the above^ (+15 Doubloons, + Title “Mystic Benefactor”)
Merchant Benefactor
Sell 20 Mermaid Gems to the Merchant Alliance (+5 Doubloons)
Sell 20 Gunpowder Barrels to the Merchant Alliance (+5 Doubloons)
Sell 5 Stronghold Gunpowder Barrels to the Merchant Alliance (+5 Doubloons)
Do all of the above^ (+15 Doubloons, + Title “Merchant Benefactor)
Pirate Legend Commendations
As mentioned above, the Black Powder Smuggler’s Run of the Devil’s Roar is only purchasable by Pirate Legends. Completing this voyage nets slightly greater rewards, and also +10 Doubloons.
Additionally, crews with a Pirate Legend among them can sell Stronghold Gunpowder Barrels to the tavern’s Mysterious Stranger for a limited time to earn bonus Athena’s Fortune reputation. There is a commendation, “An Arsenal for Athena” which rewards +5 Doubloons for selling 5 Stronghold Gunpowder Barrels to the Mysterious Stranger in the taverns.
