Sunless Sea - Any tips on how to make money?

[thejboy88]

Recently, I've been completely engrossed in a game I got off Steam a few months ago, Sunless Sea, from the makers of Echo Bazaar. I'm really loving the setting and all the rest of it, but the hardest thing I'm experiencing about the game is how to make money. Most of the time, the money I have made is spent on fuel for my ship, food for my crew and just general repairs from the fights I've been in. Very rarely do I do anything but break even, and the profit I do make is usually pretty slim. Certainly not enough for me to buy anything of real worth, like a better ship.

So, if anyone has any tips for me on how to earn a decent profit in this game, I'd love to hear it.

 

[CeeBod]

I've just recently got into Sunless Sea too, and what I've found so far is that carrying Clay Men from Polythreme to London is a pretty good earner (Sphinxstone from the Salt Lions probably pays even better but needs 20 cargo spaces, so I think that's more of a later-game thing), smuggling sunlight in a mirror-box pays very well if you're willing to take the risks, and the fact that every port report submitted to the admiralty earns 1 fuel and some money each time means that it's always worth calling in at any ports you're passing just to pick up a new port report.

Each time I head out from London with a plan to do something in 1 or 2 ports, and on the way there/way back I stop off at every damn place on the map, and that always results in profits!

 

[Dragonlayer]

Go to the Admiralty's Office and offer to bring them scouting reports, then just make sure to dock at every port you find whilst exploring and take a look around. The further the port is from London, the more money it's worth and as long as you do this while taking other missions, eventually you'll start to make some profit.

 

[Slenn]

I've just recently got into Sunless Sea too, and what I've found so far is that carrying Clay Men from Polythreme to London is a pretty good earner (Sphinxstone from the Salt Lions probably pays even better but needs 20 cargo spaces, so I think that's more of a later-game thing), smuggling sunlight in a mirror-box pays very well if you're willing to take the risks, and the fact that every port report submitted to the admiralty earns 1 fuel and some money each time means that it's always worth calling in at any ports you're passing just to pick up a new port report.

Each time I head out from London with a plan to do something in 1 or 2 ports, and on the way there/way back I stop off at every damn place on the map, and that always results in profits!

I dunno, sphinxstone seems easy enough if it's along a regular path. It worked out for me going to Venderbight. But the last shipment of sphinxstone takes you far SE towards Adam's Hand. That one will take more fuel to find. Clay men from Polythreme was much farther out for me, almost towards the far upper NE part of the map. And I reached them after I was able to reach the Salt Lions. Remember that the maps are procedurally generated, so a path for selling stuff on the market will depend on what you get.

The port reports are the easiest way to make cash. The best way to do it is to go in a cardinal direction (like North) and then head back to London, gathering any reports from locations. Beware of the Iron Republic in the far south! Getting a port report there will make you lose a point in Pages and you'll get 10 terror upon giving the report to the Admiralty office. They're also the easiest way to get fuel upon returning. Try going out further each time so you can find the places for the special intelligence reports (since they take a bit more time to find than the local ports.)

 

[Nazrel]

I've just recently got into Sunless Sea too, and what I've found so far is that carrying Clay Men from Polythreme to London is a pretty good earner (Sphinxstone from the Salt Lions probably pays even better but needs 20 cargo spaces, so I think that's more of a later-game thing), smuggling sunlight in a mirror-box pays very well if you're willing to take the risks, and the fact that every port report submitted to the admiralty earns 1 fuel and some money each time means that it's always worth calling in at any ports you're passing just to pick up a new port report.

Each time I head out from London with a plan to do something in 1 or 2 ports, and on the way there/way back I stop off at every damn place on the map, and that always results in profits!

I dunno, sphinxstone seems easy enough if it's along a regular path. It worked out for me going to Venderbight. But the last shipment of sphinxstone takes you far SE towards Adam's Hand. That one will take more fuel to find. Clay men from Polythreme was much farther out for me, almost towards the far upper NE part of the map. And I reached them after I was able to reach the Salt Lions. Remember that the maps are procedurally generated, so a path for selling stuff on the market will depend on what you get.

The port reports are the easiest way to make cash. The best way to do it is to go in a cardinal direction (like North) and then head back to London, gathering any reports from locations. Beware of the Iron Republic in the far south! Getting a port report there will make you lose a point in Pages and you'll get 10 terror upon giving the report to the Admiralty office. They're also the easiest way to get fuel upon returning. Try going out further each time so you can find the places for the special intelligence reports (since they take a bit more time to find than the local ports.)

Actually Port reports at the Iron Republic increase or decrease stats randomly.

Part of it depends on where you are in the game, and where things have randomly spawned.

Here's a few things I found could make money.

Selling Dark drop coffee on the surface can make you good money, (till the cafe burns down.).

Selling supplies (I think they sell for 25E) during the the third (or was it second?) phase of the Iron Republic's market can make a good margin, (especially if those were free supplies, find the Iron and misery Funging station or Mangrove Collage, you can also get it really cheap (5E) on the surface.)

If you resolve the issues on Pigmote isle and you can get free fuel, supplies and repairs.

You can collect Scintillack at the Principality of Coral.

You can buy Darkdrop Coffee at Adam's way for 38E convert it to Parabola-Linen at Irem and sell it back at Adam's way for 63 E (or London for 60 E).

Excavating Mount Palmerston can get you some valuable things to sell.

If you talk to Lucy at Hunters Keep you can get Salts attention, and gain insight at the salt lions which can be sold to the university.

If you establish contacts at the Isle of Cats you can smuggle Red Honey to London, which can be profitable (and horrifying), sunlight can also be sold here.

 

[Slenn]

Oh yeah! One other thing that helped me at least:
Unlock the access to the university as soon as you can. You can sell some of your stories there as well as many odd things you might find during your travels (like searing enigmas or outlandish artifacts). Although the items the university wants will be items you may want to use elsewhere to get other significant boons. Since 7 outlandish artifacts can be used to create an almanac, which increases your pages by 7. A lot of items in the game have more than one use for them.

 

[Fdzzaigl]

The best way is to sell boxed sunlight.

First off, take risks and gather tons of port reports / do storylets until you've got a fair bit of money. Then go to Khan's Shadow to buy empty mirrorcatch boxes (as many as you can hold). Then go to the Cumeaen canal and go to the surface (requires supplies and fuel). Fill your empty mirrorcatch boxes and sell them to the shady figure in Fallen London (guarantee to get empty boxes back) or Isle of Cats (better money, but can lose the box).

Repeat the process, buying ever more boxes when your money supply grows. Then buy the freighter ship and make absurd amounts of money until you have enough cash to buy the dreadnaught + all the best items and finish the game.

Make sure you buy fuel & supplies at the cheap places. Like Iron Republic for fuel and Port Carnelian for supplies.

 

[bluepotatosack]

Sphinxstone is definitely the way to go early game, I think. As soon as you have enough money for the 200 echo deposit start making the run to the Salt Lions. Don't be afraid of having less than 20 free spaces in your hold when you set out, as you'll be using fuel and supplies on your journey anyway. I usually try to load up on fuel and supplies and pick up the sphinxstone on the return trip.

Always a good idea to get the missions from the admiralty, too (you get 150 a pop). You just have to have a reputation of 3 or better, which you can easily get on your first voyage. Just make absolutely sure to get a port report from every place you stop (assuming you can). Generally the farther away the island is, the more the reports are worth.

Plus, instead of buying fuel, use some of your standing with the admiralty to get fuel instead. 1 reputation point for 2-3 fuel.

 

[sageoftruth]

As you gather "Strategic Info" from admiralty missions, you can combine two of them with certain items if you have 40 Mirrors. Just check your hold and click on "Strategic Info". You should have the option to "Use" it, which will allow you to combine two of them into Intel, which sells for more.

However, the important thing is, giving Intel to the admiral gives you access to the shady diplomat, who sends you on spy missions that can over time give you the ability to farm certain areas like Khan's Heart and Port Carnelian for Intel.

Another great way to earn money, once you've built up your stats is to bring tons of candles to Mangrove College somewhere in the southern portion of the map, where you can venture into the swamp for random rewards, including Captivating Treasures, which sell at the University for 1000 gold. The reason you'll want your stats up is because you'll run into lots of skill checks while in the swamp, which can cause you to lose men or get wounded.