So you want to build a ship in ArcheAge? Well, the good news is that it’s not specifically too hard to accomplish and there are options to just buy a ship directly from a vendor for travel. The bad news is that ships can be resource intensive and may require the help of many other players. Let’s first get on with what a ship is, what its uses are, and why you’d want to build one (outside of being an awesome sea pirate) then move on to the actual process.

Ship Travel in ArcheAge

Ships are used to move goods from one port to another, either on the same continent or across continents. The world in ArcheAge is huge, so you need to be able to travel on the seas sometimes to either trade goods or move materials to build something.

Ships aren’t just about transporting trade packages. They can be equipped with cannons for navel combat (aka sea piracy), harpoons (to snag other ships), aqualungs (for underwater exploration), trade package slots (to trade between ports), crows nest / sextants (to have further vision), and areas to hold fish.

Different ships also move at different speeds, which has to be a consideration since if you can outrun another ship (using a Merchant Ship) then you can sometimes avoid combat.

Your Free Ship

You will receive a rowboat as a quest reward early on in the game during the starting quests. This rowboat is slow and only has space for a lantern, however, it can get you across lakes and small bodies of water with ease. It also has an additional seat so you and someone else can ride.

However, in open water, if any other ship comes by there is a great chance that they’re going to just smash your rowboat into the water and then you’re going to pretty much probably die. So long journeys in your rowboat should be done with caution.

Blueprints

To build your ship, you’re going to need a blueprint. These are sold for Gilda Stars / Nui’s Tears and available for purchase in Mirage Isle at either the Harani Docks or Nuian Docks. Once you obtain the blueprint, you’re going to need to gather the materials to build your ship.

Building a Ship

The first step is to build the platform, which will need to be near the sea. You’ll need the required materials to perform this task (for instance the Harpoon Clipper requires 10 Lumber and 10 Iron). Once you have the materials, build the platform anywhere near the sea.

Once the platform is built, it’ll have three days protection before anyone can just destroy it. In that time, you’ll need to move materials to the platform (which any player can help with, similar to a house). Once enough materials have been walked to the boat, it’ll be finished, and you can then put it into your inventory.

Materials will need to be brought in order and crafted as trade packs, then brought to the ship platform. Again, other players can assist and will need to for the bigger boats.

Using a Ship

Once in your inventory, like the rowboat, you can just spawn it and ride it around as you wish. For larger more expensive ships you’ll want to have a crew ready to man the different cannons and harpoons. Failing that, you’ll need to be prepared for sea piracy, which is a different subject in of itself.

If your ship is destroyed, you’ll need to get some Shatigon’s Sandglasses to fix it. Depending on the size of the ship is which one you’ll need. “Pinch” repairs the rowboat, while “Spoonful” is crafted by an Alchemist with 10k proficiency and a “Handful” which is crafted by an alchemist with 20k proficiency.

That’s pretty much all there is to building a ship and getting started. Have fun sea adventures matey!