Build and Defend Your Raft Guide: Your first ten minutes
About
OverviewBuild and Defend Your Raft drops you onto a tiny wooden platform in the middle of the ocean and asks you to turn it into a fortress while other players try to rob you blind. You gather resources, upgrade your crafting table to unlock new gear, and defend your chest from raiders — all at the same time. This guide walks you through the first few minutes, how to grow your raft safely, and how to handle both defense and raiding.
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Build and Defend Your Raft
Your first ten minutes
Step
You start on a small raft that already has a crafting table, a chest, and a helm. Follow the tutorial prompts first, then use your harpoon to drag nearby crates and barrels toward you. Once you have enough resources, upgrade the crafting table to level 2, which unlocks walls, doors, the collection net, and the cannon.
- Harpoon floating crates
pull wood crates and barrels to your raft without entering the water
- Upgrade the crafting table to level 2
this unlocks walls, doors, the collection net, and the cannon
- Build a collection net
it catches floating resources while your raft moves
- Expand the floor
aim for a roughly square shape rather than a long narrow strip
- Move the chest and crafting table toward the center
keep them away from the edge
- Surround with walls and a single door
one entrance completes the basic defense
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Where resources come from
TableWood crates and metal barrels drift past constantly, and islands concentrate a lot of them in one place.
| Wood crates | drop wood or scrap |
| Metal barrels | drop metal or scrap |
| Islands | cluster many crates and barrels in one spot for quick hauls |
| Sharks | drop resources when defeated, but dangerous in the early game |
| Collection net | passive catch while sailing; you still pick up what lands in it |
Crafting table upgrades in order
StepThe crafting table is the engine behind every other improvement. Level 1 covers basic flooring and starter weapons. Level 2 adds walls, doors, stairs, the collection net, and the cannon. Level 3 opens reinforced building materials, upgraded weapons, a better harpoon, and the turret. Costs and available recipes can change with Saturday updates, so check the in-game crafting table display before spending.
- Reach level 2 first
unlock walls, doors, collection net, and cannon
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Build the collection net right after
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Surround the chest and crafting table with walls and a single door
- Check raft-size upgrades when you have spare wood
they raise the cap on how many floors and items you can place
- Accumulate metal and scrap
then push toward level 3 for reinforced materials and the turret
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Leave decoration until defense and resource collection are both running smoothly
Raft layout and chest placement
Tips
A square of roughly three-by-three to four-by-four tiles uses fewer walls than a long rectangle. Every extra door is an extra way in, so stop at one entrance and make sure your cannon can see the path leading to the chest.
- Build a square
fewer walls needed
- Place the chest and crafting table near the center, away from any edge
- Keep to a single entrance
each extra door is another weak point
- Make sure cannons have a clear sightline down the approach to the chest
- Leave a walkable path between the helm and the collection net
- Add a second floor only after the ground-level defenses are complete
Cannons, turrets, shields, and the lock
WarnCannons target enemies automatically but stop shooting if a wall or upper floor cuts off their view of the sea, so place them on the outer edge with nothing in front. Turrets are short-range and work best guarding the corridor that leads to your chest. The shield blocks incoming cannon fire from other rafts. The raft lock briefly stops attacks and boarding, but it has a cooldown afterward.
Deciding when and who to raid
CheckBefore leaving, close your door and make sure your defenses are running. Once inside an enemy raft, head straight for the chest and return to your own raft as soon as you have it.
- Your door is closed before you leave
- Target rafts where the chest is visible from outside or walls have obvious gaps
- Avoid rafts with reinforced walls, multiple cannons, turrets, or multiple crew actively defending
- Head for the chest first not decorations
- Return to your own raft immediately after grabbing the chest
- Check your own hull and door after a raid before pursuing anyone
Playing with a crew
TipsYou can form a crew to play alongside friends. With multiple people, you can split the work so no role gets neglected. The crew leader can assign steering and building permissions, so give those only to people you trust.
Safety and spending
WarnThis game includes player-versus-player combat, looting, and optional paid resource packs. Third-party scripts that promise auto-collection or speed changes risk getting your account banned and can expose your personal information. Never share passwords with crew members or anyone you meet through the game's chat.
Glossary
Glossary- Raft
- Your floating base, which you expand by placing floor tiles and building upward.
- Crafting table
- The station where you spend resources to make building materials, weapons, and gear; upgrading it unlocks new recipes.
- Harpoon
- A tool that pulls distant crates and barrels toward your raft so you do not have to swim.
- Collection net
- A deck fixture that catches floating crates and barrels as your raft passes through them; you still pick up what lands in it.
- Scrap
- A resource found in both wood crates and metal barrels, used for upgrades and higher-tier crafting.
- Raft lock
- An emergency function that briefly blocks attacks and boarding, followed by a cooldown period.
- Shield
- A force field that stops incoming cannon fire from other rafts, separate from the raft lock.
- Turret
- An automated short-range defense that targets players who get close to your raft.
- Crew
- A team you form with friends to share steering, building, gathering, and defense duties.
Common questions
FAQCan I play with friends?
Yes — you can form a crew and share the work between you. The crew leader controls who gets steering and building permissions, so only give those to people you actually trust.
How often does the game update?
New updates arrive every Saturday. After each update, open the crafting table and check for new recipes or changed costs before spending your stored resources.
Is it possible to enjoy the game without spending Robux?
Gathering resources with the harpoon and collection net, then steadily upgrading the crafting table, works fine without any paid purchases. Because other players on the same server can raid you, seal your chest behind walls and a closed door before heading out to collect.
Do the raft lock and shield work against sharks?
Neither the lock nor the shield has any effect on sharks — both are designed to counter other players and their cannon fire. Stay on deck and use the harpoon and collection net instead of swimming.
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