Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag Beginner Guide: Early Upgrades & Combat Tips

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced drops you into an open-world Caribbean where you’re free to roam, hunt, and sail as a pirate Assassin—playing as Edward Kenway. If you’re just getting started, these early-game pointers cover upgrades, exploration, fights on land and sea, and the small UI details that make a big difference.

Key takeaways

• In this version, power comes from upgrading Edward Kenway’s gear and ship using resources and materials, rather than relying on classic skill trees or leveling.
• The Great Inagua hideout becomes available in Sequence 3 during the “This Old Cove” quest, and upgrading it can boost passive income and unlock Jackdaw ship improvements.
• Treasure map coordinates can be found via longitude and latitude numbers on the maps, and those same coordinate values appear under your cursor on the world map.
• Exploration is easier when you use Eagle Vision to spot lights through walls—white/yellow for supplies and valuables, and green for key mission items.
• Naval sailing has a half-sail versus full-sail indicator in the bottom-left corner, and switching to half-sail helps you turn more tightly.
• Combat and looting can be streamlined with features like Area Loot and quick pistol firing against heavier enemies.

Checklists

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is an open-world game set in the Caribbean, and you get plenty of freedom to sail the seas as a pirate Assassin. Here are a few early-game tips and tricks to keep in mind as you step into the boots of Edward Kenway.

• General Tips and Tricks
• Exploration Tips and Tricks
• Combat Tips and Tricks
• Naval Tips and Tricks

General Tips and Tricks

• Upgrades make you stronger, not skill trees or levels. Modern Assassin’s Creed games often feel more RPG-like than the original Black Flag. In Black Flag Resynced, you’ll be collecting resources, money, and crafting materials so you can upgrade Edward Kenway’s equipment and his ship.
• Upgrade your hideout early. The Great Inagua hideout unlocks during the “This Old Cove” quest in Sequence 3. Putting upgrades into that hideout can raise passive income, open up additional Jackdaw ship upgrade options, and more.
• Treasure maps provide longitude and latitude. When you inspect treasure maps, check the numbers in the bottom-right corner to read the longitude and latitude for the treasure location. You can also see longitude and latitude readouts under your cursor on the world map, which should help you pin down where to go.
• You can adjust your walk speed on mouse and keyboard. Open the Mouse & Keyboard tab inside the Controls menu and find the Walking Speed slider to tailor movement to your preferences.

Exploration Tips and Tricks

• Hover over named map locations to see what they contain. On the map screen, move your cursor over a labeled location to reveal what’s there—viewpoints, collectibles, treasure, flora, fauna, and more. This is especially useful if you’re aiming for full completion, but it also helps when you need specific materials for crafting recipes.
• Eagle Vision helps find treasure and important objects. To activate Eagle Vision, hold the Right Stick on controller or press V on keyboard. When it’s on, look for faint white and yellow lights shining through walls to identify supplies, treasure, or rare items. Soft green lights point to mission-critical items.
• Secrets and chests make sounds when nearby. As you explore, listen for a “shimmering” sound—chests trigger an audio cue as you get close. Using Eagle Vision afterward can make it easier to pinpoint the nearby treasure you’ve just heard.
• Viewpoints and other icons show up on the map as you explore. Eagle icons that mark viewpoints appear on your map as you get near them, which naturally nudges you toward exploration. Once you synchronize a viewpoint, you can often find additional viewpoints and points of interest in the surrounding area.

Combat Tips and Tricks

• Turn on the Area Loot option. This setting is located under Accessibility Presets in the Motor Preset tab. If you want to loot faster, Area Loot lets you take items from the surrounding area with a single button press, rather than moving from one body to the next.
• Certain weapons can chain takedowns. When you pick up swords, check their descriptions for the takedown count. If you land a takedown with these weapons, you can quickly switch to the next nearby enemy and defeat them right away without breaking their guard.
• Use your gear when overwhelmed. You aren’t restricted to swordplay. You can quickly bring out pistols, a rope dart, and smoke bombs using input shortcuts during close-range encounters when the situation gets messy.
• Quick pistol shots destroy heavy enemies. For heavier foes, hold R2/RT and press Triangle/Y to fire your pistols quickly without aiming. This is especially effective for eliminating large threats in tight quarters.

Naval Tips and Tricks

• Pay attention to the sails icon. In the bottom-left corner, an icon shows whether you’re running at half sail or full sail. Your crew or Kenway will also call it out when you change sail settings. For sharper handling and tighter turns—particularly during naval combat—switch to half-sail.
• Naval weapons used are determined by camera placement. Your ship automatically changes its weapons depending on which way the camera is aimed. Whatever direction you’re facing is the direction the weapon will fire.
• You can sail to marked locations automatically. While sailing, enable the pathfinder line, then hold Y/Triangle on controller or E on keyboard. Your ship will follow the line on its own.
• Use your spyglass! The spyglass shows what loot you can expect from enemy ships, along with their naval strength and vessel type. It can also tag targets so you can mark objects on the map.
• Listen to your crew. When you bring up the spyglass, Adéwalé or another crewmate often shares details about the vessel or point of interest you’re viewing. They can even mention weather patterns and warn you when enemy targets look too strong for the Jackdaw.
• Start combat with the mortar. Hold L1/LB on controller or Q on keyboard to aim the mortar from long range well before you reach your target. Mortar damage hits effectively at a safer distance, which makes the later close-quarters fight easier.

Up Next: Walkthrough

Top Guide Sections

• Things to Do First
• Tips and Tricks
• Walkthrough
• Collectibles

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