Take on the legendary Burning Blade (or take it for yourself) in the latest free update!
The fearsome Captain Flameheart has returned to the Sea of Thieves! Done with lying low after his long-awaited resurrection, this infamous warmonger has now taken his rightful place in The Reaper’s Hideout to kick off Season 13. He’s also brought his monstrous flagship, the Burning Blade, and initiated a hunt for lost knowledge in Ancient Temples deep below ground…
Blasting onto the scene on July 25th, the latest Season also refreshes everyone’s Renown track with 100 new levels to climb and corresponding rewards to be earned by completing daring deeds out on the waves. The update is available now and free for all players – just make sure you’ve downloaded the latest version of the game and you’ll be ready to face the Burning Blade the next time you set sail!
Captain Flameheart has been well on his way to a triumphant return ever since the ‘Return of the Damned’ decision point Adventure, when Sir Arthur Pendragon’s attempt to thwart the resurrection only resulted in his own tragic sacrifice.
Since then, with the fanatical support of the Servant of the Flame and his Reaper allies, Flameheart has been gathering strength and rallying his troops. Now, finally, the time has come for him to make his presence felt and sow chaos across the Sea of Thieves once more.
That chaos starts with two major additions to the Sea of Thieves sandbox: the high-octane Burning Blade World Event, and the intriguing new Skeleton Camps that have been constructed across the map.
The Burning Blade World Event, as the name implies, involves Flameheart’s titular flagship rising from the depths in a far less ghostly form than you might have witnessed before. Any crew can set out to battle this enormous warship when it appears and, upon victory, will have two options: defy Flameheart by sinking the ship, earning a healthy amount of loot including a powerful mêlée weapon, the Blade of Souls; or pledge service to Flameheart and claim the ship as its new crew! With a literal skeleton crew to help you sail, fight and repair, an immunity to fire-based weaponry and the unique Ashen Roar fireball weapon to torch any ships directly ahead, this vessel is a mighty prize for any pirate.
Flameheart hasn’t restored his flagship just to terrorise the seas, however. The Burning Blade has a mission to complete. All across the map, new Skeleton Camps have been erected above ancient, underground Temples, each of which contains long-lost knowledge that Flameheart desperately wants to get his hands on.
Rituals have now begun within these Temples to harvest the knowledge of the entombed Ancients. If you’re sailing the Burning Blade for Captain Flameheart, seek out an active Skeleton Camp (indicated by smoke plumes), enter the Ancient Temple, solve constellation puzzles to access the crypts and complete the Ritual within, which will increase the value of the Burning Blade – and thereby boost the amount of gold and Reaper’s Bones reputation received when you decide to return the ship to Flameheart.
If you choose not to pledge allegiance, you can still brave the Skeleton Camps, though you’ll face opposition from devout Obsidian Skeletons. Descending into the Ancient Temples and solving the puzzles then allows you to stop the Rituals by taking the Orb of Secrets, which can be handed in to most Trading Companies for a hefty reward…
In addition to the unlockables that come with 100 levels of Seasonal Renown, engaging with Season 13’s new features lets you work towards a host of new Commendations and earn plenty more themed cosmetics along the way, including the Burning Blade Reborn ship livery to enable flagship vibes of your very own.
The optional Plunder Pass is also available for Renown-seeking pirates to unlock extras in the form of the eerie Eclipse ship set and clothing, while the Pirate Emporium has greatly expanded its stock once again with the Radiant Comet collection, Runway Emote Bundle and, for the first time, toucan pets!
With so much new content sweeping in this Season and many different ways to approach it, you definitely won’t be short of options. Check out the latest release notes for a full list of all the changes you can expect, and with all that said, it’s time to set sail! The Burning Blade is out there on the seas as we speak, waiting for your challenge…
