Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Beginner Guide: Best Tips, Tricks, and Things to Do First

Whether you're stepping into the Caribbean for the first time or coming back after years away, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced hands you one of the biggest, busiest open worlds in the series. Naval warfare, treasure hunting, stealth assassinations, legendary sea battles - there's always something pulling at your attention.

That freedom is great right up until it isn't. It's easy to burn hours chasing collectibles while your Jackdaw falls behind, or to sail into waters you're nowhere near ready for. A lot of players also miss mechanics that make exploring, fighting, and earning money considerably easier than they first appear.

This guide covers what to prioritize before setting sail: the upgrades that matter most, how to keep your Reales flowing, and the mistakes that turn the opening chapters into more of a grind than they should be.

Things to Do First

Once the world opens up, sailing in every direction at once is tempting. Exploration is one of Black Flag's biggest strengths, but locking in a few priorities first will save you a lot of frustration down the line.

1. Upgrade the Jackdaw Before Anything Else

Your ship matters more than Edward does, at least early on.

Unlike most Assassin's Creed games, where character upgrades carry the campaign, Black Flag runs on naval combat. Nearly every major story mission eventually asks the Jackdaw to survive something rougher than the last fight.

Whenever Reales or resources come in, put ship upgrades ahead of cosmetics. Your first priorities should be:

• Hull Armor
• Broadside Cannons
• Heavy Shot
• Mortars
• Round Shot Damage

A stronger ship means easier naval battles, faster resource farming, safer exploration, and better rewards from enemy ships. If a naval mission keeps beating you, the fix is usually a stronger Jackdaw, not another attempt at the same fight.

Our Best Jackdaw Upgrades Guide ranks every major ship upgrade by overall value, while the Jackdaw Upgrade Path Guide tells you exactly when to buy each one as the story unfolds. Together, they cover everything you need from your first voyage to the toughest Legendary Ship fights in the Caribbean. Together, they provide everything you need to upgrade the Jackdaw efficiently from your first voyage to the Caribbean's toughest Legendary Ship battles.

2. Synchronize Every Viewpoint You Find

Viewpoints are the fastest way to make exploration less of a chore. Each one you sync reveals fast travel locations, nearby collectibles, treasure maps, activities, shops, and taverns.

Unlocking fast travel early cuts down travel time for the rest of the campaign, so climbing the local viewpoint should be one of the first things you do on any new island or city.

3. Don't Ignore Naval Contracts

Naval Contracts open up fairly early and quickly become one of the most consistent sources of income in the game. They pay out Reales, resources, upgrade materials, and useful practice with naval combat.

Unlike random encounters, contracts have fixed objectives, which makes them a reliable way to fund the Jackdaw between story missions.

4. Loot Everything

A lot of new players rush from mission to mission and leave real value behind. Always loot chests, warehouses, enemy ships, plantation stores, floating cargo, and shipwrecks.

Small amounts of Metal, Wood, Cloth, Sugar, and Rum add up faster than you'd expect. Treat every island as a chance to stockpile materials, not just a stop on the way to the next story beat.

5. Capture Enemy Ships Instead of Destroying Them

After beating an enemy vessel, you'll usually get a choice. Boarding almost always pays off better than sinking, since it brings in more resources, replenishes crew, repairs the Jackdaw, and cuts down on repair costs later.

Unless you're in real danger, board first and worry about the rest afterward.

Understand the Importance of Crew

Your crew isn't cosmetic. Run short on sailors and boarding gets harder, repairs slow down, and naval combat turns more dangerous than it needs to be. There are a few reliable ways to keep your numbers up.

Rescue Sailors

You'll run into sailors stranded in the water after naval battles fairly often. Always pick them up. They're free crew additions, no cost involved.

Free Prisoners

Some enemy ships hold imprisoned sailors below deck. Boarding those vessels lets you recruit them on the spot.

Hire Sailors

Ports and taverns occasionally sell crew recruitment outright. If your numbers dip too low before a tough mission, spending a bit of Reales here is usually worth it.

Learn Naval Combat Early

The Jackdaw's combat system runs deeper than it first looks. Winning fights isn't about firing cannons on repeat - it's about knowing which weapon fits which moment.

Round Shot

Your standard weapon, best used against enemy hulls during close-range engagements.

Chain Shot

Built to cripple movement. Ideal for stopping ships that are trying to flee, setting up a boarding run, or keeping enemies from repositioning.

Heavy Shot

One of your hardest-hitting weapons. Use it while sailing directly alongside an enemy ship - the closer you are, the more damage it does.

Mortars

Perfect for long-range engagements. Landing mortar volleys before an enemy even reaches cannon range can shorten a tough fight considerably, especially against large warships.

Swivel Guns

Once boarding starts, swivel guns clear out enemy officers and defenders fast. Getting comfortable aiming these makes boarding go much quicker.

Never Fight Every Ship You See

Early on, not every enemy is meant to be beaten. Some Man o' Wars and heavily armed Frigates will wreck an underpowered Jackdaw in seconds. If you run into something that's clearly out of your league, sail away, upgrade, and come back later. Black Flag rewards preparation more than it rewards brute force.

How to Earn Reales Fast

Reales are the backbone of your progress in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced. You'll need them for ship upgrades, weapons, maps, crafting materials, and pretty much everything else worth buying. Story missions give you a steady trickle, but they're far from the fastest route to a full purse.

Board Merchant Ships

Merchant ships are some of the best early targets. They're generally less dangerous than military vessels but still carry cargo worth capturing, look out for ones hauling Sugar, Rum, Cloth, Metal, or Wood. Taking those resources by force saves you the Reales you'd otherwise spend buying them.

Looking for the fastest ways to build your fortune? Check out our Resources & Economy Guide for farming routes, profitable naval lanes, and other strategies to keep your income climbing.

Complete Naval Contracts

Naval Contracts pay reliably while also getting you more comfortable with the Jackdaw's combat. Many reward large sums of Reales, upgrade materials, cargo, or crew, making them a solid go-to whenever funds run low between missions.

Hunt Treasure Chests

Nearly every island hides a chest or two holding Reales and collectibles. Since you'll already be climbing viewpoints and syncing points, grabbing nearby chests barely costs extra time and it adds up quickly.

Sell Excess Cargo

Not everything needs to sit in your hold forever. If you're carrying more materials than you actually need, selling the surplus at a harbor gives you a useful cash boost toward your next upgrade. Just don't sell rare materials you'll want later.

Defeat Wanted Ships

Occasionally you'll run into high-value enemy vessels carrying big rewards. These fights can be tough, but once your Jackdaw is properly upgraded, they're usually worth the risk.

Best Early Ship Upgrades

Every upgrade improves the Jackdaw, but a handful matter far more than the rest during the early game. If resources are tight, focus here first.

1. Hull Armor

This should almost always be your top priority. More health means greater survivability, fewer repairs, better performance against tougher ships, and more room for mistakes during rough encounters. A stronger hull makes everything else in the game easier by extension.

2. Broadside Cannons

Your broadside cannons are your main source of damage. Boosting their firepower ends battles faster while cutting down the damage you take in return.

3. Heavy Shot

Heavy Shot deals devastating damage at close range. Once unlocked and upgraded, it becomes one of your strongest tools against bigger enemy ships, and knowing when to use it can shorten naval fights considerably.

4. Mortars

Mortars let you soften enemies before they're even in cannon range, which is especially useful against forts and heavily armored ships. Investing here early pays off for the rest of the campaign.

5. Storage Capacity

As cargo starts piling up, storage upgrades matter more. A bigger hold means longer farming runs, more loot carried, fewer trips back to port, and bigger profits per voyage.

Upgrade Edward Alongside the Jackdaw

Your ship should get most of the early investment, but Edward's personal equipment shouldn't be ignored either. Improving his combat abilities makes stealth missions and sword fights noticeably easier. Consider putting Reales toward his health, pistol capacity, sword damage, and ammunition pouches. Small upgrades here make a real difference during longer missions.

Hunt Animals for Crafting Materials

Wildlife isn't just an optional distraction. Animal pelts unlock crafting upgrades that improve Edward's equipment, and deer, jaguars, crocodiles, boars, monkeys, sharks, and whales are all worth hunting for it.

Crafting upgrades can boost health, ammunition capacity, carrying capacity, and tool storage. If you're already exploring an island, it's usually worth a few extra minutes gathering hunting materials.

Upgrade Crafting Pouches Early

Running dry on ammunition mid-mission is never fun. Larger crafting pouches let you carry more bullets, throwing knives, smoke bombs, berserk darts, and sleep darts - a small investment that pays off constantly for the rest of the game.

Master Stealth Before Charging Into Combat

Black Flag rewards patience. Edward's a solid swordsman, but stealth is usually the faster, safer route. Stay in bushes, whistle to lure guards, take rooftop paths, go for aerial assassinations, and hide bodies when it counts. Avoid alerting an entire camp unless you have no other choice.

Smoke Bombs Are Incredibly Powerful

A lot of beginners underrate smoke bombs. They're useful for escaping bad fights, breaking up enemy attacks, setting up assassination openings, and turning boarding actions in your favor. Keep a few on hand and they'll bail you out of encounters that otherwise looked hopeless.

Use Pistols Strategically

Edward can carry multiple pistols, which makes ranged combat more useful than it first appears. Instead of firing everything at once, prioritize dangerous enemies, interrupt charging opponents, finish off weakened captains, and create openings during bigger fights. Reloading takes time, so make each shot count.

Synchronization Isn't Just for Completionists

Some players skip synchronization because they're chasing the story, which is a mistake. Syncing reveals collectibles, treasure maps, fast travel points, side activities, and nearby shops. A fully revealed map means a lot less aimless wandering later.

Explore Every Island

Some of Black Flag's best moments aren't tied to story missions at all. Exploring islands turns up treasure chests, crafting materials, hidden collectibles, side quests, rare resources, and unique viewpoints. Taking breaks from the main story keeps your ship well supplied while you uncover a lot of what the game is hiding.

How Treasure Maps Work

As you explore the Caribbean, you'll occasionally find treasure maps in chests or as exploration rewards. They're hand-drawn sketches rather than precise map markers, which pushes you to study landmarks and coastlines instead of just following a pin.

Finding the treasure usually pays out Reales, crafting materials, upgrade resources, or unique collectibles. If a map seems confusing at first, don't stress over it. Keep unlocking viewpoints and exploring nearby islands - the landmarks get a lot easier to recognize the more time you spend sailing.

Capture Forts Whenever You're Ready

Forts are some of the toughest naval encounters in the game, but the payoff makes them worth it. Capturing one unlocks extra fast travel points, reveals more of the map, cuts down enemy naval presence nearby, makes sailing safer, and opens up easier access to surrounding activities.

Don't rush into a fort the moment you spot it. Wait until Hull Armor, cannons, and mortars are upgraded to avoid an unnecessary loss.

Use the Diving Bell to Find Rare Resources

Later in the story, you'll unlock the Diving Bell and access to underwater exploration. These sections hide shipwrecks, treasure chests, crafting materials, upgrade resources, and hidden collectibles. Take your time down there - sharks, jellyfish, and limited oxygen make it dangerous, but the rewards are usually worth it.

Don't Forget About Kenway's Fleet

Kenway's Fleet is easy to overlook. As you capture enemy ships, you can add some of them to your fleet instead of repairing or selling them. Managing your fleet lets you send ships out on trade missions that generate Reales, resources, gems, and trade goods over time. Checking in on it regularly gives you a steady stream of passive income throughout the playthrough.

Explore Side Activities

The main story is great, but a lot of the best rewards live in optional content. Assassin Contracts, Naval Contracts, hunting, Templar Hunts, Mayan Stelae, Warehouse Raids, and Shipwreck Exploration are all worth your time, both for the resources and for the sense of actually experiencing the Caribbean.

Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

Even seasoned Assassin's Creed players fall into a few traps when starting Black Flag Resynced. Steering clear of these will make the adventure noticeably smoother.

Ignoring Ship Upgrades

A lot of players spend too much on Edward's gear while neglecting the Jackdaw. Naval missions get a lot harder if your ship falls behind.

Rushing the Main Story

The campaign eases up naturally if you upgrade your ship between missions. There's no need to sprint from one story objective straight to the next.

Selling Every Resource

Selling cargo is a fine way to earn money, but selling everything can leave you short on materials for important upgrades. Keep a healthy stock of Metal, Wood, Cloth, Sugar, and Rum whenever you can.

Fighting Every Enemy Ship

Not every battle is worth winning. If a Man o' War shows up while your ship is still underpowered, sailing away is usually the smarter call. You can always come back better equipped.

Forgetting to Board Ships

Sinking ships is quicker, but boarding almost always pays out better. Board enemy vessels whenever it's safe instead of sending them straight to the bottom.

Ignoring Hunting

Crafting upgrades stay useful for the whole game. Skipping hunting means missing out on bigger pouches, extra health, and other upgrades worth having.

Never Using Fast Travel

Once viewpoints are synced and forts are captured, use fast travel to cut down on unnecessary sailing. That's more time on objectives and less time crossing water you've already seen.

Wasting Smoke Bombs

Smoke bombs are one of Edward's strongest tools. Don't hold onto them for "later" - using one to survive a rough encounter is almost always worth it.

Forgetting to Repair the Jackdaw

Before major story missions or fort attacks, make sure your ship is fully repaired. Starting an important battle with damaged armor rarely goes well.

Skipping Exploration

Some of Black Flag's best moments happen away from the main story. Hidden islands, underwater caves, secret chests, and optional activities are all part of the experience. Don't be afraid to wander off course.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I upgrade first?

Hull Armor, Broadside Cannons, Heavy Shot, and Mortars. Those four cover most of what the early and mid-game throws at you.

Should I complete side content before finishing the story?

Yes. Side activities build up your resources and your Jackdaw, which makes later story missions noticeably easier.

Is boarding ships better than sinking them?

In most situations, yes. Boarding usually rewards more resources, restores crew, and can even repair the Jackdaw for free.

How do I earn money quickly?

Naval Contracts, boarding merchant ships, treasure chests, selling excess cargo, and Kenway's Fleet are the most reliable methods.

Is hunting necessary?

It's optional, but it unlocks crafting materials for bigger pouches and health upgrades, so it's worth doing when you're already on an island.

Can I return to previous areas later?

Yes. The Caribbean stays open for the whole game, so revisiting islands and finishing what you skipped is always an option.

Note: This beginner guide reflects Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced as of launch, based on hands-on play and official Ubisoft gameplay information. As new features, balance changes, or gameplay updates are released, we'll update this guide to ensure it remains the best starting point for new pirates.