Is there a trick to the ghost ship or is it just terrible?

[Beravin]

Is there a trick to the ghost ship, or is it just terrible? Initially I thought you could get the item to increase your max health on it but apparently not. Just 1 hit of damage at any point will sink you, which in my eyes makes it the worst ship in the game by a ridiculous degree.

The skill that comes with the ship is great, but you can just take it on any other ship and not die in 1 hit, lol. I've tried making this ship work a few times now but 99% of the time I will summon a fish which will spawn right in front/on top of me before I can react and kill me.

Unless I am missing something, I suggest this ship be buffed. Firstly, the max health item should work on this ship to at least make it playable. Second, I recommend losing the gold bonus and adding a new mechanics instead. Examples: ghost fish take damage before the ship does, the ship can revive on a cooldown but you sink for good if you die while its on that cooldown, give the ship a shield that blocks 1 hit and then starts recharging, etc.

You can argue skill issue if you like, I get that, but theres often just too much to dodge and I don't see why this ship should be so punishing compared to every other ship in the game.

[Besh]

It's a challenge ship. It's there to be difficult and to gate the hardest achievement in the game.

[FreakyStrong22]

you just press escape and end day until day 4

[CocaineCougar]

So, I can reliably get to the boss in this ship, and generally make it about halfway through before dying. Here are the tips I found to get here:




FINAL BUILD:

Cursed Crown
Targeting
Volleyball
Handling
Ramming Speed
Broadside Cannons
Harpoon
Ichthyomancy (Starter)
I start in the first map because the Harbor biome is so safe. In the first shop, I restart until I have the Harpoon, Cannon Barrage, and Cursed Crown. Generally, the Lightning Lure works for Day 1 if you don't move!



Day Two!
I work my way over to the Harbor and River Altar, pop those, and start working my way toward the one in Whorl and Swamp. If I need to fight Squid for the bounty, I grab the Turtle Lure so I don’t lose a heart from the trails they leave. I try to get Ramming Speed to at least level 3 as soon as possible because it makes life easier. This is the sweet spot where I found that I don’t need to worry about moving full speed ahead, and fish will spawn underneath me.


Day Three:
If I don’t have most of my level-one build at this shop, I reset. This is where I really want Ramming Speed 3. Once I’ve got that, I swap lures over to the Magnet so I don’t need to backtrack while trucking around. Your biggest damage will come from Ichthyomancy. You want to kill little fish, then use their corpses to DESTROY the rare fish and earn enough money for the rest of the build.


Day Four to Six:
Make more money, hunt bounties, and level up the build. Level Ichthyomancy and Cursed Crown as much as possible for spawn-kill damage. Swap lures to the Lead Lure for better mobility, or just don’t go beyond Ramming Speed 3. Once you have enough money, grab the River Altar.



BOSS SPOILERS AHEAD

Load up on common and some uncommon bait (safer fights). I generally fight the boss in the spot between Whorl, River, and Reeds to ensure that I have enough fish to spawn in the Leviathan fight. I think Harbor/Whorl/Reeds would be better to avoid the trails the river fish leave, but personally, I cannot see the boss that well against the Harbor background. Once I get my spot, I sit there. I do nothing until about 10:45 or 11:00, when I begin to spawn and kill fish to prep Ichthyomancy. I start to move clockwise around the boss near the edge of the arena. The mini-boss fish are randomized boss fights. Some are... just game over, and some are a joke. You want enough summons to insta-gib bosses in front of you but avoid nonstop summoning. You will summon one on you eventually. Keep this circle going, and you should be able to win with some luck! The closest I got was the last phase (1/5th HP), but the mini-boss was a River Oyster out of the arena spamming notes... so I died. Good luck!