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Build around the heroes you have unlocked and the ship you want to improve. Match each hero to a suitable ship position, make sure the crew’s roles and damage plan work together, and invest in a lineup you can actually develop—not a late-game roster you may not have.
Start with the ship and heroes you have
There is no universal beginner crew that fits every account. Hero availability, recruitment pools, and progression can vary by version, server, and account progress. The current Sea of Conquest Handbook heroes guide organizes hero choices around role, damage type, star level, and availability—use those same factors when comparing your own options.
Pick the ship you want to strengthen, then review its available crew positions and the heroes you can field. A coherent, developed crew is usually a more practical early target than copying a showcase lineup built around heroes or ships you have not unlocked.
Assign heroes to roles that fit
Ship positions are not interchangeable labels. Pocket Gamer’s starting-player guide, published in February 2024, identifies roles including Captain, First Mate, and Gunner and describes them as corresponding to optimal ship placement. Treat that as a useful role-based principle, while checking the positions and descriptions shown in your current game.
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- Choose the ship first. Decide which ship needs the most help and inspect its available crew seats.
- Place the intended Captain. Use a hero whose role suits the Captain position rather than assigning solely by rarity or name recognition.
- Fill First Mate, Gunner, and other available seats by fit. Consider each hero’s role and damage type, and whether those choices support the ship’s damage plan.
- Compare development as well as role. If two heroes seem similarly suited, weigh their current star or development level and how realistically you can improve them.
The game’s official description presents crew formation and ship customization as core systems. That confirms the broad tools available to players, but it does not establish a single best early-game lineup.
Use early unlocks as a starting point, not a fixed meta
Pocket Gamer’s February 2024 guide describes starting with Henry Hells and obtaining Jango as a captain for the first additional ship through the story. That is a dated progression example, not a guarantee that every current player will see the same sequence. Confirm your own unlocks and use the heroes your account actually provides.
FunPlus’s launch announcement describes hero trials and choosing hero combinations, but it does not recommend a beginner crew. For current hero roles and roster context, consult the independent heroes guide alongside the information in your game; its September 2026 update references version 1.1.790.
Invest in a lineup you can keep improving
Early resources are better directed toward a crew that is both useful now and practical to develop than spread thinly across heroes chosen only for reputation. When deciding between available options, ask:
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- PHOENICIAN SEA EMPIRE: Lead the legendary city states of Tyre, Sidon, Byblos, or Arwad as you command fleets, expand influence, and recreate the achievements of master traders and navigators across the ancient Mediterranean.
- STRATEGIC DICE PLACEMENT: Use dice-placement and action selection mechanics to construct ships, mobilize fleets, research technologies, and make critical decisions that shape your path to victory.
- COMMERCE OR CONQUEST: Pursue victory through trade dominance or military strength by fortifying routes, upgrading ships, and controlling key locations without relying on traditional victory points.
- CONTROL ANCIENT TEMPLES: Compete for valuable temple sites across the map, using strategic positioning and careful planning to gain influence and achieve your ultimate objective before opponents.
- EPIC MEDITERRANEAN GAMEPLAY: Designed for 2–4 players ages 14 and up, with approximately 120 minutes of playtime focused on fleet management, exploration, trading, and ancient civilization strategy.
- Does the hero’s role suit the ship position?
- Does the hero’s damage type fit the ship’s intended damage plan?
- How developed is the hero now, and can you improve that hero with your account’s available progression?
- Is the hero actually unlocked and realistically obtainable for this account?
There is no sourced universal star-level breakpoint or resource-spending order for all early accounts, so avoid treating a precise upgrade threshold as mandatory. Reassess as you unlock ships and heroes; an early crew can be a bridge to a stronger roster rather than a permanent commitment.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Grow toward a balanced fleet over time
A fleet built only around damage can leave other needs uncovered. The Sea of Conquest Handbook fleet guide, updated September 2026, points toward balancing damage, defense, and support across fleet planning. Its specific ship and hero combinations may rely on later-game access, so use the balance as a direction for growth—not a required three-ship checklist for a new account.
Strengthen the ship and crew you can field first, then add other roles as your roster and ships expand. Compare fleet options by damage contribution, survivability or defense, and support value; the best practical choice depends on what is unlocked and developed on your account.
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Check the live recruitment pool before chasing a hero
Do not assume a hero mentioned in a guide is currently recruitable for you. FunPlus’s official draw-probability disclosure covers multiple recruitment pools and notes that available pools can vary with game progress and server group. Before spending recruitment resources, check the pool and odds shown for your active in-game banner. Those live details are more relevant to your account than a static list of featured heroes elsewhere.
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