Seafaring is a game mechanic unique to Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City. Accessed from Inver Port in Armoroad, your task is to map out the local seas of Armoroad and re-establish trade routes with the local towns to return Armoroad to its pre-Calamity glory as a trade center. You are expected to progress seafaring in parallel with your journey in the Labyrinth; if it seems you're lacking upgrades, come back after making some plot progress.
Overview[]
When you set sail, you decide on your rations and ship equipment. The rations determines how many turns you have for movement in the overworld, and ship equipment affects your ability to move, fish, and even shoot down pirate ships roaming the waters. Different ship parts have different costs and the total will be deducted from your funds before you set sail. If your ship gets damaged by crashing into pirate ships or by getting caught in whirlpools, you're sent back to town with the ship's base cost deducted from your funds for repairs.
Each time you choose to move your ship forward consumes a turn of movement. Turning your ship around, or sailing along currents, doesn't. You can unlock sails that make your ship move more squares per turn in a single direction, but they make precise movements difficult. Time flies when you're out at sea; each turn you expend, be it for movement or for firing your cannon, makes 2 in-game hours pass by, and you can easily spend several in-game days traveling to a point of interest.
When you approach a point of interest, the game will mark it with a flag icon. Once you've navigated to the objective, the game marks the place with its own icon and you're sent back to town. The harbormaster will also give you a reward and you get to unlock Sea Quests where you fight a special boss alongside NPC fighters. Re-visit the point of interest afterwards to get a sidequest - usually involving retrieving goods from different places. Complete them for unique rewards that can be turned in for money and fill out your cargo list.
Fishing requires you to move directly over a school of fish to acquire them - be careful that the fish will move with your ship. Fishing will not cost a turn. Rare fish are indicated by gold fish icons. Tanniyn are depicted as giant fish icons that you can hunt with your harpoon - they may require several strikes of the harpoon before they can be collected, but the struggle may wreck your ship and force you to return to town!
Pirates also roam the seas surrounding Armoroad. You can't harm them until you've gotten a cannon on your ship - firing the cannon expends one turn and causes all other objects on the map to move as if you've spent the turn sailing - ideal if you're "waiting" for ships to reposition. The cannon has a very short range, only capable of harming ships directly in front of you.
After you've established trade routes with surrounding cities, you may also encounter other trade ships in the form of yellow dots. These ships will not crash into yours like the pirates do, only obstructing movement if you bump into them. Interact with them and you can barter your goods, provided you have the correct labyrinth drops in your inventory.
Points of Interest[]
Each location page contains detailed instructions to get to them. This page will list instructions for reaching the Geomagnetic Poles out at sea.
South Sea[]
- See Map:EO3/South Sea for full map.
Skandalia Lighthouse is the first landmark, located just northwest of Armoroad. However, a monstrous bird nests atop the lighthouse and attacks any ships that come close. As a demonstration of sailing mechanics and puzzles, you will need to do some exploration and questing to find a route to the lighthouse.
The Trade City of Batavia is located just southeast of Armoroad, but direct access to it is hindered by currents that sweep ships away. A pirate ship has also claimed its vicinity as its territory. Careful planning is needed to slip past the pirate to get to the city, but once a route is secured, the local navy can clear them away.
Ayutthaya Port is located northeast from Armoroad but direct access is blocked by currents and seaweed. The local waters are also threatened by the Hammerhead, and the locals seek the party's help to deal with it.
Tortuga Island is an ominous point located southwest of Armoroad. A direct approach is hindered by deep reefs, and the surrounding currents threaten to shipwreck any ship that sails near. It is possible to salvage something useful from the shipwrecks, but tales speak of the Ghost Ship that threatens unlucky treasure hunters...
The Giant's Ruins is located on an island in the distant southeast corner of the South Sea. It is surrounded by treacherous currents and whirlpools, and the island itself is also guarded by mystical Golems that deter any intruders.
The Trade City of Ugarit is located northwest of Armoroad, but is almost impossible to approach due to the currents and the territorial pirates in its vicinity. A really good sail, a powerful cannon, or a nearby starting point is needed to safely get to this city. The local waters is terrorized by the Leviathan, a sea monster unleashed during the Calamity.
North Sea[]
- See Map:EO3/North Sea for full map.
The 2nd Foothold is the first Geomagnetic Pole you can find in the North Sea. Activating it allows you to start your voyages from different starting points, further extending the range of your exploration.
This route needs a 20-turn ration, the Foremast and the Culverin
- From Armoroad, sail east two times, then sail south one time and ride the current.
- Sail north one time, then east twice, bumping against the island with the yellow rock.
- Sail north three times, bumping against the landmass. Sail west once but don't touch the current. Sail north, west, north, and west one time, taking the current just above Ayutthaya Port.
- Sail west then sail north one time. Shoot down the red pirate ship that blocks your path.
- Continue sailing north until you reach the Geomagnetic Pole.
This route only needs a 16-turn rotation, the Foremast and the Naval Iron Plating.
- From Armoroad, sail north four times, stopping just short of the westbound current. Sail east once into the seaweed.
- Sail north four times again, slipping past the pirate ship. Sail east once and hit up the Foothold.
The Marine City of Sheba is the southmost city in the North Sea, located right next to the 2nd Foothold. Unless you have a way to sail through seaweed, you will need to maneuver the currents to get there. The city is also threatened by Corotrangul, the local sea monster.
The Dark Forest is located to the right next to the first Geomagnetic Pole, but is surrounded by seaweed. The Naval Iron Ram that you get from reaching the Giant's Ruins will make this a piece of cake to reach. The forest itself is host to a lot of hostile flora and fauna, and the Manticore that roams it can inflict a lot of diseases to its victims.
The 3rd Foothold is located in the northeast corner of the North Sea.
To get there, you need a 24-turn ration and equip the Foremast and Steel Plating.
- From the 2nd Foothold, sail east once, north five times, east once, and north once. You should meet some sailors talking about Bacalhau.
- Sail east two times, then north once, stopping just shy of the westbound current. Sail east two times to the border.
- Sail north three times, hitting the landmass. Sail west, north, west, north and then east to hit up the Foothold.
The large windmill makes the Trade City of Damavand stand out in the North Sea, but the local currents and the nearby reefs demands a careful approach to get there. Damavand used to prosper from the powers of the Ruin Caller sealed beneath the city, but its seal has since begun to weaken and the locals need help pacifying it.
The Tower of Victory is one of the tallest landmarks in the North Sea, located in the southwest quadrant. However, the large southbound current traveling down the middle of the North Sea makes it tricky to reach. The tower provides a great vantage point for sightseeing, but the King Penguin also calls it home.
The Trade City of Aeaea once used to trade goods from the North Continent with Armoroad before the Calamity struck. Since then, it's been terrorized by the Scylla, which has made it difficult for ships from other countries to even approach.
The 4th Foothold is located in the southwest corner of the North Sea, just beyond the Tower of Victory.
To get there, you need a 20-turn ration and equip the Latin Sail, Iron Naval Ram and Steel Plating.
- From the 3rd Foothold, sail west once, then sail south until you bump into land.
- Sail west two times, then south once, then west one more time. Sail south until you bump into an island.
- Sail west until you run into a southward current.
- Sail south once, east once, and then south again to activate the Geomagnetic Pole.
There Aerial Forest is a mysterious floating island off in the western parts of the North Sea. A majestic, mysterious being, the Elder Dragon, resides there. Navigating to this island is tricky enough, but the master of the island will not acknowledge visitors until they have proven their might by besting its three trials and returning to its residence.
Ship Equipment[]
Rations[]
Your rations determine how many turns you can sail for.
| Name | Turns | Cost | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biscuits | 6 | 10 | Traditional voyage food so hard, they're compared to steel plates. | Initial equipment |
| Dried Peas | 8 | 20 | Beans that grow near Armoroad, dried while they are still green. | South Sea C5, after sighting Skandalia Lighthouse |
| Sheep Cheese | 16 | 70 | A nutritious cheese made from the fermented milk of wild sheep. | Bring Armoroad Cedar to South Sea B7 |
| Raisins | 16 | 40 | A valuable source of sugar for voyages short on luxury sweets. | South Sea F7 |
| Lime Fruits | 16 | 20 | Fruit that prevents vitamin deficiencies on long voyages. | South Sea F3 |
| Sauerkraut | 20 | 130 | Salted and fermented cabbage with vitamin content for long voyages. | Reach Trade City of Batavia |
| Xian Yu | 20 | 70 | Fermented and dried silver jewfish that keeps well, but smells strong. | South Sea E7 |
| Bacalhau | 20 | 40 | Salted and sun dried codfish that must be desalinated before eating. | Bring Garum to the soldiers at North Sea C6 |
| Salted Meat | 24 | 250 | Salted and sundried beef. Its versatility makes it popular. | Reach Marine City of Sheba |
| Tanniyn Bacon | 24 | 150 | Smoked bacon that is both a cheap and tasty source of protein. | Bring 3x Silver Saury to the party at North Sea A5 |
| Elephant Turtle | 28 | 500 | A gigantic tortoise that can feed an entire ship of sailors. | Reach Trade City of Ugarit |
Ship Parts[]
At first, your ship can only hold one part. Reaching Ayutthaya Port and completing their sidequest that involves calling the shipwright back increases the capacity to two. Reaching Trade City of Damavand increases the capacity to three. It may take some time for the shipwrights to finish upgrading your ship capacity.
You cannot equip two sails or two cannons at the same time. All other parts can be stacked with each other.
| Name | Cost | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishing Flag | 0 | A modest flag said to bring good fortune. Fishing schools+ |
Initial equipment |
| Large Flag | 30 | A traditional flag flown over fishing ships. Fishing schools++ |
South Sea B2 |
| Great Flag | 300 | A flamboyant flag flown by hopeful fishermen. Fishing schools+++ |
North Sea C5. Consumes 1 turn to obtain. |
| South Banner | 200 | A banner that antagonizes the south sea pirates. Pirates+ in South Sea |
Reach the Deep City after completing the Undersea Grotto |
| North Banner | 1000 | A banner that antagonizes the north sea pirates. Pirates+ in North Sea |
Reach the Abyssal Shrine in the Labyrinth |
| Dolphin Statue | 70 | A bow dolphin statue said to increase one's luck. Rare fish+ |
South Sea C2 |
| Sedna Statue | 450 | A gold statue of an ocean goddess, granting safety. Rare fish++ |
South Sea D1. Needs Steel Plating to reach. |
| Casting Net | 120 | A popular fishing tool made of hemp and cotton. Fishing yield+ |
South Sea D5 |
| Fishing Net | 750 | It skims the water rather than being lowered. Fishing yield++ |
North Sea C3. Consumes 3 turns to obtain. |
| Trawling Net | 50 | A net for fishing while on the move. Collects fish by moving over them |
Bring Rock Silver to the Marine City of Sheba |
| Ned's Harpoon | 200 | A harpoon used by the master hunter, Ned. Harpoon strength+ |
South Sea E3 |
| Tanniyn Cannon | 1200 | A powerful harpoon that uses gunpowder to fire. Harpoon strength++ |
Learn of the cannon at South Sea A3, then find it from the wreckage at South Sea A2 |
| Foremast | 30 | This mast generates a stronger propulsion Move 2 squares per turn |
Reach Skandalia Lighthouse |
| Latin Sail | 350 | A support mast rigged to increase speed. Move 3 squares per turn |
Reach the Tower of Victory and reach the Porcelain Forest in the Labyrinth |
| Culverin | 80 | Its name means "snake" in an ancient tongue. Destroys red pirates. |
Make a second trip to Tortuga Island |
| Carronade | 500 | The newest smoothbore, nicknamed "The Crusher." Destroys any pirate. |
Reach Trade City of Aeaea |
| Iron Naval Ram | 100 | A hull armament that cuts through seaweed. Enables movement through seaweed tiles. |
Reach the Giant's Ruins |
| Steel Plating | 250 | Hull plating that greatly increases durability. Enables movement through reef tiles. |
Reach the Dark Forest and reach the Molten Caves in the Labyrinth |
Cargo[]
Fish[]
| Name | Worth | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7-Star Sardine | 5 | A small fish with seven dots on it. | Armoroad |
| Flying Fish | 9 | A winged fish that lays its eggs on the beach. | Armoroad Ayutthaya |
| Sea Iris | 90 | A seaweed for both eating and fertilizer. | Armoroad (rare) |
| Filefish | 12 | A diamond-like fish. It's actually quite fierce. | Tortuga |
| Lantern Squid | 15 | A squid with a body that glows like a lantern. | Ayutthaya |
| Dark Moray | 21 | A fish that attacks from cover. It's delicious. | Tortuga Giant's Ruins |
| South Urchin | 280 | An echinoderm covered in thorns. A popular dish. | Tortuga (rare) |
| Sea Turtle | 210 | A sea turtle with vice-like jaws. | Ayutthaya (rare) |
| Long Octopus | 28 | A long legged octopus for boiling and consumption. | Giant's Ruins |
| Stonefish | 34 | A vile fish with a poison fin, but delicious flesh. | 2nd Foothold |
| Silver Saury | 40 | A swordfish commonly eaten by grilling it. | 2nd Foothold 3rd Foothold |
| Sea Milk | 95 | A bivalve that is both nutritious and medicinal. | South Sea (rare) |
| Armored Shrimp | 450 | A tropical shrimp with an armor-like outer shell. | 2nd Foothold (rare) 3rd Foothold (rare) |
| Overlord Squid | 4200 | A gigantic squid so rare, it has inspired legends. | South Sea (very rare) |
| Parrotfish | 65 | Its body is hard and its forehead juts out. | 3rd Foothold |
| Spear Squid | 70 | A fish with a huge body and a spear-like head. | Damavand |
| North Flounder | 100 | A flounder that dwells north of Armoroad. | Damavand Aeaea |
| Tiger Puffer | 950 | Its poisonous organs make this tasty fish pricey. | Damavand (rare) |
| West Conger | 115 | A thin sand-fish that is tasty and popular. | 4th Foothold |
| Daimyo Bass | 160 | A carnivorous fish with delicious white flesh. | 4th Foothold Ugarit |
| Native Sunfish | 180 | A fish with a disc-shaped body found in the trenches. | Aeaea |
| Emperor Crab | 1400 | This large crab's paste and eggs are treasured. | 4th Foothold (rare) Aeaea (rare) |
| Niphon | 380 | A longtooth grouper that swallows squid whole. | Ugarit |
| King Tuna | 3200 | It easily grows over 3m, nicknamed Black Diamond. | Ugarit (rare) |
Other Cargo[]
| Name | Worth | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanniyn Skin | 30 | Once tanned, it is used for items such as bags or armor. | South Ocean Tanniyn |
| Tanniyn Meat | 72 | Considered a blessing, it is eaten in celebration. | South Ocean Tanniyn |
| Tanniyn Bone | 430 | Its ease of use makes it a craftsman's favorite. | North Ocean Tanniyn |
| Tanniyn Liver (gold) | 600 | If smoked and crushed, it becomes a pricey tonic. | South Ocean Tanniyn |
| Tanniyn Oil | 1600 | Skin oil used mainly for cooking and fuel. | North Ocean Tanniyn |
| Tanniyn Whisker | 6800 | Has perfect flexibility for use as a bowstring. | Golden Tanniyn |
| Armoroad Cedar | 50 | Found along coasts, it's great for detail work. | South Ocean Island (D4) |
| Terra Rossa | 35 | Red clay for bricks and other industrial crafts. | South Ocean Island (B1) |
| Crawfish Claw | 120 | A giant pincer that could cut a person in two. | South Ocean Event (D3) |
| Screwpine Fruit | 60 | An orange, thorned fruit that is unfit to eat. | South Ocean Island (E4) |
| Breadfruit | 75 | A tropical fruit used for a multi-purpose starch. | |
| Honey Ant | 110 | An ant that stores honey, making it delicious | South Ocean Island (C6) |
| Light Salp | 25 | A rare animal that can chain itself to others. | |
| Bull Ant | 20 | An ant with a huge red body and a painful bite. | South Ocean Island (C6) |
| Dye-murex | 75 | The liquid it spits can be used as a purple dye. | |
| Giant Kelp | 40 | Seaweed better used as fertilizer than food. | South Ocean Event (B2) |
| Basket Star | 30 | A starfish pest that can tangle fishing nets. | |
| Amber | 270 | A resin gem that may have fossil insects inside. | South Ocean Island (D1) |
| Iron Ore | 210 | Ore called hematite used for steel manufacturing. | South Ocean Island (D2) |
| Coral Necklace | 320 | A fisherman's charm, available in many shops. | Tortuga Island (3rd revisit onward) |
| Black Pepper | 250 | It can sterilize food and is usually traded raw. | South Ocean Reef (D7) |
| Niter | 220 | Crystal used for natural and artificial gunpowder. | South Ocean Island (A4) |
| Rock Silver | 360 | A quality silver, sold at high prices in the east. | Sink the pirate ship at the east edge of South Sea |
| Demon Melon | 50 | A rare purple melon not found in encyclopedias. | Dark Forest (Route) |
| Frankincense | 300 | Tree resin used for incense and ointments. | Reach Marine City of Sheba |
| Chintz | 330 | Craftwork with cultural patterns dyed in cotton. | Reach Trade City of Damavand |
| Armoroad Cane | 65 | A type of sugarcane with a distinct sweet scent. | |
| Ivory | 350 | A pretty elephant tusk, valued as craft material. | |
| Cacao | 110 | A large, round fruit used mostly to make chocolate. | North of Marine City of Sheba |
| Garum | 65 | A seasoning made by fermenting salted fish. | |
| Kava-kava | 1000 | A fremented fruit crushed by a clan maiden's teeth. | Bring Crawfish Claw to an island in North Sea |
| Circe Chocolate | 750 | A cacao-based sweet. It's quite nourishing. | Bring Armororad Cane and Cacao to Trade City of Aeaea. |
| Ivory Netsuke | 550 | A stout, naked, old man carved from a tusk. | Bring Ivory to Trade City of Ugarit. |
| 100-En Coin | 100 | A copper coin made over a century ago worth 100en. | Skandalia Lighthouse (Quest) |
| 500-En Coin | 500 | A silver coin made over a century ago worth 500en. | Trade City of Batavia (Quest) Ayutthaya Port (Quest) |
| 1000-En Coin | 1000 | A gold coin made over a century ago worth 1000en. | Marine City of Sheba (Quest) |
| Platinum Money | 10000 | Platinum currency worth 10,000en. | Trade City of Aeaea (Quest) |
| Coastal Goods | 200 | Items from the ocean city, sacked by pirates | Sink red pirate ships with the South Banner equipped |
| Foreign Goods | 700 | Rare items form faraway lands, sacked by pirates. | Sink red pirate ships with the North Banner equipped |
| Torn Flag | 400 | There is a reward for a captured pirate flag. | Sink black pirate ships with the South Banner equipped |
| Bloody Flag | 1300 | The flag of a pirate ship hard won. | Sink black pirate ships with the North Banner equipped |
Epic Glossary[]
The Epic Glossary are documents found during your voyages, detailing legends and history of the game's world. These do not have any practical function, but some contain hints on how to obtain some of the best equipment in the game.
| Name | Referenced | Related Monster | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epigraph Piece | Cyclopean Haunt | Abyssal God | South Sea E-5 (C-3), daytime event |
| Tome Page | Dark Forest | Manticore | Defeat Meregho Saeno, then return to Skandalia Lighthouse and give Terra Rosa to the guard |
| Weapon Tome I | Jolly Roger - Rapier | Ghost Ship | Bring the Chief Shipwright to Ayutthaya Port |
| Weapon Tome II | Hrunting - Sword | Ruin Caller | Return to the Dark Forest after defeating the Manticore |
| Weapon Tome III | Ice Fang Rapier | Scylla | Give Niter to the guard the second time you visit the Trade City of Damavand |
| Weapon Tome IV | Kurikara - Katana | Leviathan | Retrieve Black Pepper and bring it back to the Trade City of Batavia |
| Weapon Tome V | Rhongomyniad - Spear | Anemone | Give Armoroad Cane and Cacao to the guard during your second visit to the Trade City of Aeaea |
| Weapon Tome VI | Beast's Chain - Armor | Manticore | Revisit the Giant's Ruins after defeating the Golem |
| Weapon Tome VII | Ukonvasara - Club | Dragon | Revisit the Tower of Victory after defeating the King Penguin |
| Weapon Tome VIII | Trident - Spear | Leviathan | Bring Ivory to Trade City of Ugarit |
| Weapon Tome IX | Carbide Armor, the Deep City | N/A | Received from a trade ship in the south sea |
| Weapon Tome X | Dragonbane | Elder Dragon | Obtained after defeating Pendra (gold tanniyn) near Ugarit |
Trade Ships[]
During your marine travels, you might encounter friendly merchant ships. Interacting with this ships will give the option to trade a Compendium item for a consumable item, including permanent stat increasing items. Have in mind that the position of the ship and the item requested are entirely random, and also that you can only trade one item for every encounter.
| Item Requested | Item Given |
|---|---|
| Topaz | Amrita |
| Green Algae | Hamao |
| Narcissus | Luck Book |
| Trileaf Stalk | Nectar II |
| Poinciana Pod | Speed Book |
| Serpentinite | Amrita II |
| Memimorphite | Vigor Book |
| Life Honey | Amrita III |
| Aloe | Intelligence Book |
| Star Driftwood | Madora II |
| Stardust Twig | Power Book |
| v · t · eEtrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City |
|---|
Info Monsters • Weapons • Armor • Accessories • Consumables • Items • Quests • Missions • Subclass • Seafaring • Limit Skill
Waterfall Wood • Undersea Grotto • Molten Caves • Abyssal Shrine • Porcelain Forest • Cyclopean Haunt
Sovereign • Gladiator • Hoplite • Buccaneer • Ninja • Monk • Zodiac • Wildling • Arbalist • Farmer • Shogun • Yggdroid |