Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Ship Upgrade Turn the Jackdaw Into the Pirate War Machine

Master the High Seas in Black Flag Resynced Complete Jackdaw Upgrade Plans, Farming Tips and Best Builds

That is why upgrading the Jackdaw is not simply about spending money on stronger weapons. Building the ultimate pirate ship requires careful planning, collecting valuable resources, upgrading your Great Inagua hideout, and discovering rare Ultimate Upgrade Plans hidden throughout the Caribbean.

How Ship Upgrades Work in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

Before spending every Real you earn on powerful cannons and expensive improvements, it is important to understand how the ship upgrade system works.

The Jackdaw’s progression depends on three major requirements:

• Reales (Gold)
• Crafting Materials
• Harbourmaster Levels
• Ultimate Upgrade Plans

Each part plays an important role in unlocking stronger ship abilities.

1. Reales (Gold): The Currency Behind Every Upgrade

Reales are the main currency used throughout your pirate journey. You will need large amounts of gold to purchase ship improvements, but earning it requires exploring the world and completing different activities.

Players can collect Reales through several methods, including:

• Looting defeated enemy ships
• Selling valuable cargo such as rum and sugar
• Completing contract missions
• Opening hidden treasure chests

As upgrades become more advanced, the cost increases dramatically. Building the strongest version of the Jackdaw requires careful spending and efficient resource management.

2. Crafting Materials: Metal, Wood, and Cloth

Money alone cannot transform the Jackdaw into a powerful warship. You also need large quantities of crafting materials.

The three main resources required for upgrades are:

• Metal
• Wood
• Cloth

Among these materials, Metal becomes the biggest challenge during high-level upgrades. Advanced defensive systems and weapons require huge amounts of metal, making it one of the most valuable resources in the game.

A smart strategy is to focus on attacking ships carrying large supplies of iron and steel. These vessels provide better rewards and help speed up your upgrade progress.

3. Harbourmaster Levels: Unlocking Higher Upgrade Tiers

Not every ship upgrade becomes available immediately.

Higher-level improvements are locked behind your progress at the Great Inagua hideout. To unlock stronger ship equipment, you must upgrade your Harbourmaster shop through different levels:

• Tier I
• Tier II
• Tier III

Each Harbourmaster upgrade opens access to better ship components, allowing you to purchase more powerful versions of weapons, armor, and equipment.

Without improving your hideout, even having enough money and materials will not allow you to fully upgrade the Jackdaw.

4. Ultimate Upgrade Plans: The Final Step Toward Maximum Power

The strongest ship upgrades cannot simply be purchased with Reales and materials.

Major final-tier upgrades, including powerful equipment such as:

• Armored Hull V
• Mortar IV

require special Ultimate Upgrade Plans.

These rare blueprints are hidden across the Caribbean. Players must discover them through:

• Underwater diving wrecks
• Hidden treasure locations
• Buried treasure maps

Finding these plans is one of the biggest challenges in Black Flag Resynced, but the reward is worth the effort. These upgrades push the Jackdaw beyond normal limits and turn it into a true naval powerhouse.

Upgrade Progression: What Should You Upgrade First?

When you first begin upgrading the Jackdaw, resources are limited. Many players make the mistake of spreading their upgrades evenly across every category.

However, the most effective strategy is to focus on upgrades that provide the biggest impact during combat.

A stronger defense and reliable offensive power will make resource farming easier later, allowing you to unlock even more advanced upgrades.

The best early priorities are:

1. Armored Hull
2. Mortars and Mortar Storage
3. Broadside Cannons and Heavy Shot
4. Bow Chasers and Ram Upgrades

1. Armored Hull: The Most Important Early Upgrade

If your ship cannot survive enemy attacks, powerful weapons will not matter.

The Armored Hull upgrade increases the Jackdaw’s overall health and improves damage resistance, allowing you to survive longer during intense naval battles.

Why the Armored Hull Matters

Higher hull levels allow you to:

• Survive longer against multiple enemy ships
• Take more damage during broadside exchanges
• Avoid constantly boarding ships just to repair your vessel

A stronger hull gives you confidence to fight larger fleets instead of escaping every difficult encounter.

Progression Tip

Your first major goal should be reaching Armored Hull III as quickly as your Harbourmaster upgrades allow.

For the final Armored Hull V upgrade, you need the Hull Armor Ultimate Plan.

This plan is located at:

San Ignacio Shipwreck
Coordinates: (352, 744)

You can find it inside the Diving Bell chest.

Reaching Tier V provides a massive improvement, giving the Jackdaw 5,000 Armor, making it significantly more durable during legendary ship encounters and large-scale naval battles.

2. Mortars and Mortar Storage: Control Battles Before They Begin

Mortars completely change the way you approach naval combat.

Instead of waiting for enemies to come close, mortars allow you to attack from long distances and weaken opponents before they can respond.

They are especially useful against:

• Enemy convoys
• Naval forts
• Large warships
• Fast-moving targets

Why Mortars Matter

A perfectly placed mortar attack can remove almost half the health bar of a powerful Man-o’-War before the enemy even reaches firing range.

This gives you a major advantage and allows you to control the battlefield.

Progression Tip

Many players focus only on increasing mortar damage, but Mortar Storage is equally important.

Carrying only five mortar shots is not enough during long battles. Increasing storage capacity allows you to maintain pressure during fleet fights without running out of ammunition.

3. Broadside Cannons and Heavy Shot: The Jackdaw’s Main Firepower

While armor keeps your ship alive, weapons determine how quickly you can destroy your enemies. The Broadside Cannons are the foundation of the Jackdaw’s offensive power and remain your most frequently used weapon during naval battles.

In Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, broadside performance depends on two important factors:

• The total number of cannons installed on each side of your ship
• The type and strength of ammunition you use

A well-upgraded broadside system allows Edward Kenway to overwhelm enemy vessels faster and win difficult battles without relying only on boarding tactics.

Round Shot: Reliable Damage for Every Battle

Round Shot is the Jackdaw’s standard long-range ammunition.

It is the weapon you will use most often when fighting enemy ships from a distance. Upgrading Round Shot increases your basic cannon damage, improving every normal broadside attack.

Why Round Shot Matters

A stronger Round Shot upgrade helps you:

• Destroy smaller ships faster
• Damage larger vessels before closing distance
• Reduce the time spent in dangerous combat situations

Although it may not feel as powerful as Heavy Shot, it remains an essential upgrade because it improves the Jackdaw’s consistent damage output throughout the entire game.

Heavy Shot: Devastating Close-Range Destruction

Heavy Shot works differently from regular cannon fire.

This powerful ammunition behaves almost like a maritime shotgun blast, delivering enormous damage when fired at close range.

When used without aiming down sights, Heavy Shot releases a wide, uncontrolled blast that can tear through enemy hulls in seconds.

Why Heavy Shot Matters

Heavy Shot becomes extremely valuable when fighting:

• Large warships
• Strong enemy fleets
• Close-range naval encounters

A well-timed Heavy Shot attack can remove huge portions of an enemy ship’s health before they have a chance to recover.

For players who enjoy aggressive combat and getting close to enemy vessels, Heavy Shot upgrades should become a major priority.

4. Bow Chasers and Ram Upgrades: Controlling the Battle Direction

Naval combat is not only about attacking enemies from the side. Sometimes the most important moment happens when chasing a fleeing ship or closing the gap with a powerful opponent.

This is where Bow Chasers and Ram upgrades become essential.

Bow Chasers: Stop Escaping Ships

Bow Chasers are mounted at the front of the Jackdaw and are designed for long-distance pursuit.

They fire chain-shot, which targets enemy sails instead of the hull.

Why Bow Chasers Matter

Chain-shot helps you:

• Slow down escaping merchant ships
• Stop enemies from creating distance
• Control the movement of enemy vessels

When chasing valuable targets carrying resources, upgraded Bow Chasers make the difference between losing a ship and successfully capturing its cargo.

Ram Upgrade: Destroy Enemies With Direct Impact

The Ram turns the Jackdaw into a powerful close-range weapon.

A stronger ram allows you to attack enemy vessels by charging directly into their sides and dealing massive burst damage.

With a Tier III or Tier IV Ram, the Jackdaw can instantly cripple smaller ships through a well-executed collision attack.

Why Ram Upgrades Matter

Ram improvements are useful for players who prefer an aggressive pirate style:

• Close distance quickly
• Deal immediate damage
• Create openings for boarding attacks

Combining Ram upgrades with Heavy Shot creates one of the most destructive close-range strategies in the game.

Complete Ultimate Upgrade Plans Locations for the Jackdaw

To completely maximize the Jackdaw and unlock the famous “Ship” achievement/trophy, players must collect all 12 Ultimate Upgrade Plans.

These special blueprints represent the highest level of ship customization.

While many locations remain similar to the original game, Black Flag Resynced introduces subtle adjustments, meaning players should carefully explore diving areas and treasure locations.

Below are the confirmed Ultimate Upgrade Plan locations:

Important Reminder

Before searching for underwater blueprint chests, players must first unlock the Diving Bell in Sequence 6.

Without the Diving Bell, many of these valuable underwater upgrade locations cannot be accessed.

Best Ways to Farm Materials in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

Fully upgrading the Jackdaw requires a massive amount of resources.

Players should expect to collect:

• More than 300,000 Reales
• Thousands of units of Metal
• Thousands of units of Wood
• Thousands of units of Cloth

Grinding randomly can take a huge amount of time, so efficient farming methods are extremely important.

Use the Spyglass Frequently

The Spyglass is one of the most useful tools for resource farming.

Instead of attacking random ships, scan enemies from a distance and check their cargo before engaging.

Focus on:

• Hunter ships
• Heavily loaded brigs
• Ships carrying large amounts of Metal

This method saves time because you target valuable ships instead of wasting battles on poor rewards.

Increase Your Wanted Level

A higher pirate reputation comes with danger, but it also creates opportunities.

When you increase your Wanted Level, Hunter ships begin spawning regularly to chase you down.

These enemy vessels often carry valuable resources, including:

• Metal
• Wood
• Gold

For players looking to upgrade quickly, intentionally attracting hunters can become an effective farming strategy.

Board Ships Instead of Destroying Them

One of the biggest mistakes new players make is sinking every enemy vessel.

Destroying a ship only gives you around 50% of its available cargo.

Instead, always try to board defeated ships.

Boarding provides:

• 100% of the available materials
• Additional rewards
• The ability to repair the Jackdaw instantly by using captured ships
• A method to reduce your Wanted Level

Smart pirates collect everything they can.

Capture Naval Forts

Naval forts are among the most rewarding targets in the Caribbean.

Taking control of regional forts provides several benefits:

• Reveals the surrounding map
• Removes fog of war
• Provides large amounts of Reales
• Rewards valuable materials

Capturing forts also makes exploration easier because you gain better visibility across the region.

Recommended Jackdaw Upgrade Build Orders

Every player approaches naval combat differently. Some prefer aggressive close-range attacks, while others enjoy strategic long-distance battles.

Here are two recommended upgrade paths depending on your preferred playstyle.

Defensive Brawler Build

Best For:

Players who enjoy getting close to enemies and fighting through direct attacks.

Stage 1:

• Armored Hull II
• Broadside Cannons III

Focus on improving survival and increasing basic damage output.

Stage 2:

• Heavy Shot I
• Heavy Shot Storage II

Increase your close-range destruction power and prepare for tougher battles.

Stage 3:

• Ram II
• Armored Hull III

Become stronger during aggressive attacks while improving durability.

Stage 4:

• Maximum Heavy Shot Upgrade
• Maximum Hull Upgrade

This creates a powerful frontline pirate ship capable of surviving heavy combat.

Tactical Long-Range Sniper Build

Best For:

Players who prefer destroying enemies before they get close.

This build works especially well against:

• High-level naval forts
• Legendary ships
• Powerful fleets

Stage 1:

• Mortars I
• Mortar Storage II

Build your long-range attack ability.

Stage 2:

• Bow Chasers II
• Armored Hull II

Improve control and defense.

Stage 3:

• Mortars III
• Round Shot IV

Increase your long-distance damage potential.

Stage 4:

• Maximum Mortars Upgrade
• Maximum Broadside Cannons Upgrade

This creates a strategic combat ship that can weaken enemies before they enter close-range combat.

Why Jackdaw Upgrades Matter in Black Flag Resynced

The ship upgrade system remains one of the most satisfying parts of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced because every improvement creates a visible difference in gameplay.

The Jackdaw does not simply become stronger on paper. It changes the entire experience.

A ship that once struggled against larger enemies can eventually challenge legendary vessels, survive powerful attacks, and dominate the Caribbean seas.

The journey from a small pirate ship to a legendary war machine creates a rewarding sense of progression.

Every treasure hunt, underwater dive, naval battle, and resource collection mission contributes to building something bigger.