Great info, thanks everyone!

Karves at least can capsize in heavy enough seas. I completely rolled my Karve once. Thought I was gonna die, but i guess the steering position is safe.

YOLO!

Originally posted by Warchild:

Originally posted by Grailoch:

If you don't have any swamps within walking distance you will want to make a Karve before heading towards swamps. Just don't leave it at the shore. Break it down and store it in a chest until you need it again. I just lost my first Karve and have had to get materials to replace it. Thought it would be safe where I left it, but something must have seen it while I was exploring the area.

Ships also like to just randomly die. I've stood there and watched a longship capsize in a calm bay and damage itself until it died. There we no enemies around.

Ships are programmed not to capsize in open water so the only way this could have happened is if it was beached on the side of a tip of a rock and low tide flipped it off the rock. Clearly not a random death, just a bad parking job.

*whispers*

If you dig out around Surtling Flames such that they're fully surrounded by water, any Surtlings that spawn will immediately drown, making for a handy dandy Core farm.
{/spoiler]

Originally posted by Grailoch:

If you don't have any swamps within walking distance you will want to make a Karve before heading towards swamps. Just don't leave it at the shore. Break it down and store it in a chest until you need it again. I just lost my first Karve and have had to get materials to replace it. Thought it would be safe where I left it, but something must have seen it while I was exploring the area.

Ships also like to just randomly die. I've stood there and watched a longship capsize in a calm bay and damage itself until it died. There we no enemies around.

Swamp is probably the trickiest biome to properly scout out. Finding a good one with multiple crypts can take time, so you will need to upgrade your boat. You won't die at sea as the sea serpents can be outrun easily with a tailwind. Your main threat comes from deathsquitoes if you stray too close to a Plains biome.

Get out exploring by sea; what you are looking for is a swamp biome with plenty of width - don't waste your time with long, narrow swamp stretches that you often see bordering other biomes. You may not see the crypts from the sea but if you can setup a forward base in a nearby meadow and build a portal to your main base then you are set.

As far as tackling the swamps themselves - i recommend a fully upgraded bronze mace to tackle the numerous skeletons and slimes, and any slashing/piercing weapons to deal with the draugr. Avoid any 1 star or 2 star units for now, steer clear of any spawners, run like hell if you trigger an Abomination spawn and beware the wraiths at night. Once you get into some iron armour the swamps become a lot easier and even eerily quiet at times.

Originally posted by Dr. Snorbulizer:

And I have only tickled the swamp so far.

Every swamp deserves a good tickle.

If your Karve is partially loaded, the Karve in a box technique can be a bit of a pain - this is especially true for Longship.

As long as you aren't close to swamp or plains you can use a raft to extend your swimming range. This allows you to park your ship much farther from shore. Think of the raft as a water ladder.

Once you've parked your partially loaded ship, use 'raft in a box' while you are out exploring.

Also to add to the above advise. Set up a portal before you leave and bring enough materials to build its pair. Set it up as soon as you land. Don't land in the swamp, land in a bordering biome.

Think about setting up an outpost at whatever good swamp you find. Preferably like 4+ Crypts.

When you're ready, sail over the materials you need to set up a Forge+Upgrades there, and some Smelters.

Then you can easily smelt and craft all your iron on the spot, while portaling back to your base when you need to.

This is what I prefer to do, rather than risk bringing massive loads of iron across sea. Then when you're done, if you still feel the need to bring your excess iron home, you can sail it home.

build more outposts.. fully functional.. increase your hold on the world.. lay paths between them.. then just extend your system of outposts into the swamp when you get there.. then make the swamp yours..

If you're going for the swamps, make life far easier and carry poison resists. Blobs and leeches are an afterthought because of them.

DO NOT land your boat ANYWHERE NEAR the swamps. Find a non-swamp location adjacent to it.

Keep in mind you have to hoof it or use a boat in order to transport iron so figure out the safest route back home.

my friend, I feel you. This was my situation almost exactly.
going into the swamp is the first big difficulty jump in the game, and I learned some hard lessons about it. the following are my lessons learned in order of importance.

-do not approach a swamp from the water. there are more mobs on the edges of biomes generally but more so for the swamp because of leaches. if you sail to a swamp and cant find a neighboring Black Forest or meadows then maybe find another. your goal is to make landing in a good place and put down a portal RIGHT AWAY. you will need to build a Karve. the raft simply isn't an option.
-It's really about learning how the mobs fight. this is just one of those things you need to experience for yourself to truly get. you can't just plow thru drauger with bronze gear so learning their movements is key. incidentally this is how I really got the roll dodge down.
-Use the large indestructible trees and crypt tops for building safe houses/portal huts. most mobs cant touch you there.
-because you are constantly wet in the swamp, the rested buff is MANDATORY.
-the hoe is your best friend. use it to make paths through deeper water to avoid leeches. this will also make roads to follow so it's not so easy to get lost.

there's more but others have touched on them and these listed here were the most impactful for me personally. happy hunting.

If you don't have any swamps within walking distance you will want to make a Karve before heading towards swamps. Just don't leave it at the shore. Break it down and store it in a chest until you need it again. I just lost my first Karve and have had to get materials to replace it. Thought it would be safe where I left it, but something must have seen it while I was exploring the area.