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. Do not sell these, as tempting as it may be. While doing this you will also earn wood, metal, and cloth. The richer their stores, the more you can sell the loot for. One of the best ways to increase your worth though, is to take down ships carrying large amounts of rum and sugar. Treasure chests, side quests, and the looted bodies of your victims can earn you some quick reales, while main missions earn you significantly more. The latter is easy to find in small amounts. In order to upgrade your ship, you need two things: supplies and cash (known as “reales” in the game). That doesn’t mean you can’t prepare though. 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. Many of the upgrades will be locked at first, until you hit a specific mission in the story that introduces the associated features. 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. Loot and plunderĪlthough 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. We’ll post them and give you the credit you deserve. If you have any tips to pass on, let us know in the comment section below. This will be an ongoing guide and it will be updated. Please note the hours listed below as a reference are an approximation, and gameplay times will vary significantly from user to user. 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.
There’s a ton of things you can do, and simply exploring the map can take hours. Ubisoft Montreal’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is a big, big game.