The people telling you to use a shield clearly don't understand how shields work or they are completely ignoring the fact that you just built a Karve and are likely in early game.

The dmg output on a deathsquito is going to stagger you with anything less than an iron shield, you will die.

At that stage of the game, on a boat, bow is best

use the bow

Originally posted by Nascarman:

use the bow

on something with a tiny hitbox? yah no.

Use stagbreaker if you have problems with the hitbox of something that its literally flying to you in straight line
The splash damage is in a big "sphere", you cant fail with it ...

Originally posted by Jex:

I finally build a karve and a deathsquito killed me when i was trying to hit it in the boat. im sooooooooooo far away from where i started. ultra pissed off

Don't sail close to the Plains.

Originally posted by Jex:

Originally posted by Nascarman:

use the bow

on something with a tiny hitbox? yah no.

Then don't fight on the boat...

didn't think i was that close and the squito ran to me. i died with my current gear. i have to get it back so i have to get close again. going painstakingly slow on a raft for now. this game sure hates curiosity. i was curious to see if the plains stopped so i could settle somewhere safer. nope. it kept going. i thought about turning back but decided to keep going. then the bug showed up

Originally posted by Jex:

Originally posted by Nascarman:

use the bow

on something with a tiny hitbox? yah no.

If you can’t hit a deathsquito with a bow there’s a larger issue at hand, literally just try it and you’ll find it easy since they charge at you in a straight line (although if you get good at it they fly at a constant speed so you can learn to lead a shot and kill them while they circle you)

Originally posted by Jex:

didn't think i was that close and the squito ran to me. i died with my current gear. i have to get it back so i have to get close again. going painstakingly slow on a raft for now. this game sure hates curiosity. i was curious to see if the plains stopped so i could settle somewhere safer. nope. it kept going. i thought about turning back but decided to keep going. then the bug showed up

Yeah risks and rewards ain't worth in this game. Play it safe all the time, consider this your slap in the face for being overconfident exploring new lands

Originally posted by Fzanco:

Originally posted by Jex:

didn't think i was that close and the squito ran to me. i died with my current gear. i have to get it back so i have to get close again. going painstakingly slow on a raft for now. this game sure hates curiosity. i was curious to see if the plains stopped so i could settle somewhere safer. nope. it kept going. i thought about turning back but decided to keep going. then the bug showed up

Yeah risks and rewards ain't worth in this game. Play it safe all the time, consider this your slap in the face for being overconfident exploring new lands

it wasn't my first time doing that. it just looks like i have to go through plains to get to bonemass

You can just block the squito with nearly any shield, and counterattack if you can (a spear should be capable of being used on board a ship without damaging the vessel), though it may require keeping your health up to have enough block power to do so. But as others said, I'd also recommend training to shoot at them at range, it's very useful. And finally, sailing the longship is generally more safe all around, since they can take many more accidental hits.

i got it. i thought maybe you could fight with melee though. it was super close. i could see the bugger. (forgot to send this) got to bonemass too. turns out fire arrows on quality 1 huntsmen do pitiful damage to it. gotta get more iron...

Originally posted by Rhapsody:

You can just block the squito with nearly any shield, and counterattack if you can (a spear should be capable of being used on board a ship without damaging the vessel), though it may require keeping your health up to have enough block power to do so. But as others said, I'd also recommend training to shoot at them at range, it's very useful. And finally, sailing the longship is generally more safe all around, since they can take many more accidental hits.

Nope , squitos hits for 90 , you cant parry them even with bronze buckler lvl 3 like loong before
But you can do it very well with iron buckler and 2 swamp hp foods so OP dont have it , as a mistake when sailing not much people refresh their food

Originally posted by Jex:

i got it. i thought maybe you could fight with melee though. it was super close. i could see the bugger. (forgot to send this) got to bonemass too. turns out fire arrows on quality 1 huntsmen do pitiful damage to it. gotta get more iron...

Arrows in general do pitiful damage to Bonemass. Highly recommend Iron Mace.

Originally posted by Nascarman:

use the bow

IF you are not able to do this, sword and board after letting go of the rudder.
When it hits the shield it is stunned for a second and you can hit it with an axe, sword, or other 1h.