Sea of Thieves introduces boars, enhances the spear, and eliminates a longstanding movement exploit

It’s patch day for Sea of Thieves, and at long last, players will get to face that most notorious and dangerous form of wildlife common to multiplayer and MMO gaming: the fiercely aggressive wild boar. As previously reported, these new foes can be found in treasure-filled wallows either scattered across the world or tracked directly through a new boar hunting voyage offered by the Hunter’s Call faction. Additionally, the update brings megalodon hunting voyages into the mix.

While these changes are expected by many players, the spotlight also falls on a series of buffs to the throwing spear. These enhancements make spears harder to remove from ships, increase the amount of water they let into a ship’s hull, and boost their overall damage. Spears now deal even more damage to megalodons and ancient megalodons, and they gain the ability to instantly eliminate players in one hit. A development video from Rare elaborates that while this addition might spark debate, the studio views landing such a kill as a skillful maneuver. Spear users are highly exposed while preparing an attack, emphasizing a balance of risk and reward.

Another significant change is the removal of ladder launches or “funny launches,” a longstanding movement exploit that allowed players to exploit a game mechanic to propel themselves at high speeds. Now, players stuck in geometry will be gently nudged out of the problem area instead.

Finally, today marks the official rollout of the game’s new points-based enforcement system, alongside measures to combat stream sniping and ban evasion. For all the specifics, check out the full patch notes here.