Ubisoft Montreal’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is a big, big game. There’s a ton of things you can do, and simply exploring the map can take hours. Following the primary missions gives you a taste of everything that can be done in the game, but if you want to cut a few corners we have some tips for you. Please note the hours listed below as a reference are an approximation, and gameplay times will vary significantly from user to user.
This will be an ongoing guide and it will be updated. If you have any tips to pass on, let us know in the comment section below. We’ll post them and give you the credit you deserve.
You can check out our full review here.
Loot and plunder
Although Black Flag does allow you to roam the streets of Havana early on, the game doesn’t really open up until somewhere around the five-hour mark when you take possession of your ship, the Jackdaw. This ship is more than your means of conveyance; it is one of your primary means of earning money, obtaining supplies needed to upgrade the ship and make it more powerful, and securing hostile areas.
Many of the upgrades will be locked at first, until you hit a specific mission in the story that introduces the associated features. Some of these take a long time to earn – the diving bell, for example, won’t be unlocked until the sixth sequence, which could be 15-20 hours in depending on how you play. That doesn’t mean you can’t prepare though.
While doing this you will also earn wood, metal, and cloth. Do not sell these, as tempting as it may be. You can earn cash in a multitude of ways, but supplies are the only way to upgrade the Jackdaw and there are only a few ways to earn them. Take your time and use the spy glass to identify targets that fit your needs, and are within your means to defeat. Pay close attention to the ship’s level and what it is carrying, then choose wisely. A vessel carrying 120 bits of metal is a tempting target, but each ship has an assigned level, and if the number is displayed in red it means the ship is more powerful than you are. Be sure your prey is alone too, unless you want to fight multiple enemies at once.
Once you have saved up enough (and unlocked the ability to upgrade in Sequence 3), purchasing hull upgrades is vital, followed by cannons, and then mortars, in that order. Rams and fire barrels are important too, but you won’t get nearly as much use out of them as you will the other three until later in the game when you are facing much tougher opponents. Things like aesthetic enhancements should be saved for the last. Crimson sails are definitely cool, but they don’t stop cannon balls.
The biggest hauls and the best ships are located in the southern seas, but don’t be surprised to find yourself frequently outgunned at first. If your timing is right though, you may stumble upon other pirates in a pitched naval battle with multiple enemies. Just be prepared and have the Jackdaw ready to fight.
Kenway’s fleet
This is an online metagame that uses the Black Flag second screen app. It’s similar to how the previous games allowed you to send assassins on missions, as well as the trading mechanic in AC3. You choose where to send the ships in your fleet, then sit back and wait for a timer to tick down for your payoff. It is an automated process that runs in the background, and it can be controlled via the app even when you aren’t playing Black Flag. Use it, and use it often, to earn money and supplies. You can progress without it, but the extra income makes a difference.
Go a’forting
You can attack forts at any time, but you’ll be better served by waiting until you upgrade the mortar a few times and have at least a slightly armored hull; two or three slots in at least. The fort has two means of attack: cannon fire and mortars. Its mortars are relatively easy to avoid – just stay out of the highlighted circles that show you where the strike zones will be. The fort can’t dodge your mortars though, so keep the attack up. Maintain your distance, wear the structure down with mortars, and then, when it begins to crumble, move in and finish the fight with a few passing broadside attacks with your cannons, bracing for return fire when necessary. Once you take the fort you can repair the Jackdaw there for a pittance.
Timing is also important when attacking a fort. Forts belong to one of the nations vying for control of the Caribbean. If your timing sucks and you are unlucky, you attack and find yourself surround by the fort’s allies who were nearby but just out of sight, leaving you to take fire from all sides and mortars from above. When approaching, keep your distance and see what happens – be ready to move though; forts have an exceptionally long mortar range.
Weapons
Even if you are a master at countering attacks, a good sword makes the difference between a fight that lasts two minutes and one that lasts 10 seconds. Save your money, then buy a good blade. You don’t have to buy the best right away, but the longer you save, the happier you’ll be with the results. As for the pistol, look for something with both damage and range. Until you get the blowpipe in Sequence 4, pistols are the best way to deal with enemy riflemen.
Robbery ahoy
The pattern is simple: find the person with the key using your Eagle Vision, steal it or kill them for it, then become anonymous to open the warehouse door and walk away with a sizable haul of supplies you can sell or put towards upgrades. Being sneaky is recommended – you earn a bonus for not triggering an alarm – but sometimes you don’t have time for that nonsense. That’s when a few ridiculously unnecessary and overpowered mortar strike speeds things up a bit. (Disclaimer: only works on certain plantations near the water, always funny.)
Diving for treasure
These dives can be difficult. Sharks are constantly hunting you, eels hide in the seaweed, and spiny anemone line the walls. You can’t fight any of these dangers. Stick to the seaweed to avoid sharks, and keep your eyes peeled for the anemone and eels. The upgrade you find makes it worth the trouble though, and the money you earn from the chests is respectable too. You will also find upgrade plans along with certain buried treasures. Once you find a treasure map, simply match the corresponding coordinates on the world map with those on the treasure map, and fast travel to the nearest location. Even the treasures without upgrade plans can reward you with thousands of reales, so if you are in need of cash, diving and treasure hunting are a good place to look.
Crafty crafting
Once you synchronize a viewpoint, it will uncover what – if any – animals are indigenous to that area. As with supplies, it’s best not to sell anything until you know for sure you don’t need it. You inevitably come across most of the animals you need just through the natural course of the game, but there are a few that are tougher to get than others, including the great white shark and the humpback whale.
All your base
Templar season
Apito is located on the Cayman Islands, west of Jamaica. Look for a small island with two fast travel icons, one on the east coast and the other on the west. She appears on the west side at first, but be warned – the entire area is restricted and crawling with tough, aggressive enemy ships. The second and third missions for Apito are on the east side of the island. The fourth is on another island to the immediate north called Pinos Isle, which features a Mayan ruin and a single pathway in blocked on either side by level 25 frigates. You can attempt these missions at any time after they are unlocked, but sneaking into Kingston and Pinos Isle is difficult if the Jackdaw isn’t up to it and prepared to fight multiple ships around level 20 and above.
Once you have the fifth and final key, return to Great Iguana and unlock your reward, the “Templar Armor,” which offers Edward a new look along with increased defense.
Mayan Stelae
When you find a Mayan statue (they appear on the map after an area has been synchronized), you simply climb it and “interact,” then solve the puzzle. These puzzles ask you to align an outline with figures on the ground, which then shows you a place to dig. There is no simple way to find these beyond old school exploration, although conquering a fort will unveil all the Stelae in that fort’s area, as will synchronizing viewpoints on an island.
The reward for collecting all 16 stelae is the “Mayan Outfit,” created out of materials from the First Civilization that make you impervious to bullets.
Legendary Ships
The easiest way to face these behemoths is to upgrade the Jackdaw to its highest, elite level and just take it to them. That isn’t necessary, but the more powerful you are, the easier these fights become. No matter how tough you are though, these ships are tougher.
Each of the Legendaries has its own attack pattern, and so defeating them always comes down to learning their patterns and using the Jackdaw’s better maneuverability to your advantage. You can’t trade broadsides with them, so the best strategy is to stay close enough so their mortar strikes don’t hit you, and at an angle where they can’t turn to fire on you; ideally behind and diagonal to them, since that’s where where your cannons can hit the most mass. An upgraded ram and chain shot are especially effective. Having increased ammo capacities helps too.
There are four Legendary Ship locations, and five ships to defeat in all. When you think you are ready, you can head to the northeast and take on two of them at the same time, the Royal Sovereign and HMS Fearless. This is a brutal fight, and the ships will work in tandem to destroy you. When you sink one, the second will light itself on fire and gain increased speed, damage, and defense. If you try this without elite upgrades, good luck. Defeat all the Legendary Ships and you earn an Achievement/Trophy, and a new ram charge attack for the Jackdaw.
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