Part of the Sea of Conquest Events Series:

Events Hub: Every event and what it pays (Start Here).

Hero Tier List: Rankings built on Close Combat.

Best Crew Combinations: Lineup principles.

PvP Guide: Rogue's Rumble, the PvP version of Trials.

Quick Answer

Trials is Sea of Conquest's Close Combat campaign — a 5v5 turn-based mode, completely separate from the naval fleet battles you fight on the map. Stages are rated out of three stars, and your progress sets how fast you accrue Soul Stones while offline.

Three things clear stages that raw power does not:

Focus-fire. You can tap an enemy to target it. The AI spreads damage; you should not. Deleting one threat is worth more than damaging five.

Bring single-target burst. Kartal, Onimusha and Bones exist to remove a specific enemy before it acts. In a turn-based mode, a dead enemy deals zero damage for the rest of the fight — that is the whole game.

Bring a healer. Trials fights run long enough that sustain matters. Madame Lulu is free from the Pirate King's Trail and does the job.

Trials Is Not Naval Warfare

The most common reason players stall is bringing naval thinking to a turn-based mode.

	Naval Warfare	Trials (Close Combat)
Format	Fleets, up to 3 heroes per ship	5v5, individual heroes
Resolution	Real-time, automatic	Turn-based
Your input	Formation and composition	Target selection during the fight
What wins	Ship builds, damage types	Hero kits and focus-fire

Your ships, ship parts and hull archetypes are irrelevant here. Trials is purely about your five heroes.

This is also why most published hero tier lists rank Close Combat specifically — and why a hero who is mediocre on your fleet can be excellent in Trials.

The Trials Lineup

A working five, by role:

1–2 single-target burst. Your win condition. Kartal (cutthroat gunner), Onimusha (cutthroat first mate, from the Season 3 collab) and Bones (cutthroat captain, single-target burst) are the archetypes. In a turn-based fight, removing an enemy permanently removes their damage.

1 healer. Madame Lulu is free and sufficient for a long time. Cordelia is stronger if you have her — and note that Trials is one context where the "don't put Cordelia on the flagship" rule does not apply, because there is no flagship.

1 damage amplifier. Cursed Ed is the best Epic in the game and a universal amplifier, which makes him near-mandatory here. Tien works as a buffer/debuffer alternative.

1 durable body. Something that survives being focused while your burst does its work. Yuji, Obi or Akhlut the Anchor Lord (who pulls aggro deliberately).

The pattern: delete the biggest threat with burst, absorb the rest with your tank, keep everyone alive with the healer, and let the amplifier make the burst lethal enough to one-shot.

How to Actually Play a Stage

Identify the threat before you act. Enemy healers and burst dealers first. In a turn-based fight, a healer left alive can undo an entire round of your damage.

Tap the enemy you want targeted. This is the single most under-used mechanic in Trials. Left alone, your heroes spread damage and kill nothing.

Kill in order of danger, not in order of proximity. Healer, then burst, then bodies.

Do not chase three stars on your first pass. Clear the stage, bank the progress, come back when your heroes are stronger. Star ratings are worth returning for; being stuck is not.

Soul Stones and Why Progress Matters

Trials pays in two ways:

Star chests for stage ratings — one-off rewards for clearing well.

Soul Stones, which accrue while you are offline, at a rate set by how far you have progressed.

That second one is why pushing Trials early compounds. Every stage you clear permanently raises your idle income for the rest of the account's life. A stage cleared today pays every day afterwards, which puts Trials alongside a gathering fleet in the category of investments that keep paying.

Trials Gates Other Content

Trials progress is a prerequisite elsewhere, which catches people out when a mission suddenly demands it:

Chapter 8, Stage 10 and Chapter 10, Stage 10 are both required for missions in Sailboat Racing

So even if you dislike the mode, keeping pace with the early chapters avoids being blocked in content you do care about.

The Weird Whirlpool Stages

These are the stages that generate the most confusion, because they are not fights at all.

Weird Whirlpool #1 — defeat a monster. A straightforward combat objective. Bring your standard Trials five.

Weird Whirlpool #2 — this one is not a battle. You must sail across the map to a distant port without being sunk, then make gold by trading or selling the goods in your hold.

That second stage stops players cold because they keep looking for an enemy to fight. It is a navigation-and-trading objective. Two tips:

Route carefully. Getting sunk on the way fails it — avoid contested waters, and check the sailing guide on staying safe.
Carry goods worth selling. The gold requirement is the actual objective, so arrive with a hold you can convert — the trading guide covers what moves well.

Rogue's Rumble: Trials as PvP

Full detail is in the Rogue's Rumble guide — tiers, refreshes and defence lineups.

Once you understand Trials, Rogue's Rumble is the same combat system turned competitive — with one crucial difference: it is auto-battle. You cannot control targeting.

That changes lineup priorities completely. Since you cannot focus-fire, your team has to win without direction, which favours consistent damage and survivability over precision burst.

Key details:

Set a defence lineup that fights while you are offline
5 challenges per day, with 3 free refreshes (more for 50 emeralds)
Tiers run Rotten Wood → Iron → Bronze → Silver → Golden → Bloodthirsty Skull, each with III to I divisions
Rewards pay Rogue's Coins for the Rogue's Retailer shop

The thing that decides Rogue's Rumble is defence-lineup upkeep. Players set a defence once and forget it while their roster grows, then wonder why they slide down the tiers.

FAQ

What is Trials in Sea of Conquest?

A 5v5 turn-based Close Combat campaign, separate from naval fleet battles. Stages are rated out of three stars and progress raises your offline Soul Stone income.

What is the best Trials team?

One or two single-target burst heroes (Kartal, Onimusha, Bones), a healer (Madame Lulu or Cordelia), a damage amplifier (Cursed Ed), and a durable body (Yuji, Obi or Akhlut).

How do I focus-fire in Trials?

Tap the enemy you want targeted. Without this your heroes spread damage and kill nothing — it is the most under-used mechanic in the mode.

How do I beat Weird Whirlpool stage 2?

It is not a battle. Sail to a distant port without being sunk, then make gold by trading or selling the goods in your hold.

Do my ships matter in Trials?

No. Trials is hero-only. Ship builds, parts and damage types are irrelevant here.

What is the difference between Trials and Rogue's Rumble?

Same combat system, but Rogue's Rumble is auto-battle PvP — you cannot control targeting, so consistent damage beats precision burst.

Key Takeaways

Trials is 5v5 turn-based and hero-only. Your ships do not participate.
Tap to focus-fire. Kill the healer first, then the burst.
Single-target burst plus a healer plus Cursed Ed is the core five.
Progress raises offline Soul Stone income permanently — push early.
Weird Whirlpool #2 is a sailing and trading objective, not a fight.

Sea of Conquest Trials Guide: Best Team, Lineups and Weird Whirlpool