Javascript required
Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer

Black Flag First Pressings of Nervous Breakdown

guide getting started assassins creed 4 black flag iv screenshot 7
Ubisoft Montreal's Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is a large, big game. There's a ton of things you can do, and simply exploring the map can take hours. Post-obit the master missions gives y'all a gustation of everything that can exist done in the game, but if you want to cutting a few corners we have some tips for you lot. Please notation the hours listed below every bit a reference are an approximation, and gameplay times will vary significantly from user to user.

This will be an ongoing guide and information technology will be updated. If you accept any tips to pass on, let us know in the comment section below. We'll post them and give yous the credit you deserve.

You lot can check out our full review here.

Boodle and plunder

Assassins Creed IV Black Flag screenshot 3

Although Black Flag does allow you to roam the streets of Havana early on on, the game doesn't actually open up until somewhere around the five-hr marker when yous accept possession of your transport, the Jackdaw. This transport is more than than your means of conveyance; information technology is 1 of your principal means of earning money, obtaining supplies needed to upgrade the ship and make information technology more than powerful, and securing hostile areas.

Many of the upgrades volition be locked at commencement, 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 bong, for example, won't be unlocked until the 6th sequence, which could be 15-twenty hours in depending on how y'all play. That doesn't mean you lot tin can't set though.

Assassins-Creed-4-Black-Flag-Caribbean-Sea-Naval-BattleIn guild to upgrade your ship, yous demand two things: supplies and cash (known as "reales" in the game). The latter is easy to notice in pocket-sized amounts. Treasure chests, side quests, and the looted bodies of your victims tin earn you lot some quick reales, while main missions earn you significantly more. Ane of the best ways to increase your worth though, is to take downward ships  carrying large amounts of rum and saccharide. The richer their stores, the more you can sell the loot for.

While doing this you will also earn forest, metal, and cloth. Do non sell these, as tempting equally it may exist. You lot tin earn greenbacks in a multitude of means, only supplies are the just mode to upgrade the Jackdaw and at that place are simply a few ways to earn them. Accept your fourth dimension and use the spy glass to place targets that fit your needs, and are within your means to defeat. Pay close attending to the ship'due south level and what information technology is carrying, then choose wisely. A vessel carrying 120 $.25 of metal is a tempting target, but each ship has an assigned level, and if the number is displayed in ruby information technology means the ship is more powerful than you lot are. Be sure your prey is alone besides, unless you want to fight multiple enemies at once.

Once you have saved up plenty (and unlocked the ability to upgrade in Sequence iii), purchasing hull upgrades is vital, followed by cannons, and and so mortars, in that order. Rams and fire barrels are important besides, but you won't get nearly as much use out of them every bit you lot will the other 3 until after in the game when you are facing much tougher opponents. Things like aesthetic enhancements should exist saved for the last. Crimson sails are definitely cool, but they don't stop cannon assurance.

The biggest hauls and the all-time 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. Simply exist prepared and have the Jackdaw ready to fight.

Kenway's fleet

companion_app_2When you lath and take a ship, you brainstorm with two options: use the taken ship to repair your own, or press the sailors into service to lower your wanted level (the logic of this is questionable, but just go with it). Every bit with previous AC games, when you fight enough enemies, you lot attract more guards – in the example ofBlack Flag, you lot attract "hunter ships," slightly more powerful frigates that will proceed coming for you until you lose them or set on them (you lot can board them every bit well). Later on in the game though, at around the 8-10 hr mark in Sequence iv, yous will unlock a tertiary option: Send it to Kenway's Armada.

This is an online metagame that uses the Blackness Flag second screen app. It's like to how the previous games allowed you lot to send assassins on missions, likewise equally the trading mechanic in AC3. Y'all cull where to send the ships in your fleet, and so sit back and wait for a timer to tick downwardly 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 utilize it often, to earn money and supplies. Y'all can progress without it, but the extra income makes a difference.

Go a'forting

AC4 fortThere are eleven land-locked forts spread throughout the Caribbean overlooking key waterways, ranging in difficulty from easy to hard. Destroying a fort gives you a new port including a harbor master and naval contracts (similar Assassination Contracts just you chase ships instead of people), but more importantly it shows all items inside that fort's range and makes an area "unrestricted." There will still be enough of ships to plunder, simply you won't be attacked on sight that area'southward allies.

You can assault forts at any time, but yous'll be better served by waiting until you lot upgrade the mortar a few times and have at least a slightly armored hull; two or three slots in at to the lowest degree. The fort has two ways of set on: cannon fire and mortars. Its mortars are relatively easy to avert – simply stay out of the highlighted circles that bear witness you where the strike zones volition be. The fort tin can't dodge your mortars though, so keep the assault upwards. Maintain your distance, wear the structure down with mortars, and and so, when it begins to crumble, move in and end the fight with a few passing broadside attacks with your cannons, bracing for return fire when necessary. Once yous take the fort you can repair the Jackdaw there for a pittance.

Timing is too of import when attacking a fort. Forts belong to 1 of the nations vying for control of the Caribbean. If your timing sucks and you are unlucky, yous assault and find yourself environs by the fort's allies who were nearby but just out of sight, leaving y'all to take fire from all sides and mortars from above. When approaching, keep your distance and encounter what happens – be ready to move though; forts have an exceptionally long mortar range.

Weapons

Assassins Creed IV Black Flag screenshot 9Although saving your cash for upgrades to the Jackdaw serves you well in the long run, there is one exception to this: Edward's weapons. While the hidden blades are iconic and useful, in combat you lot need a good sword and pistol. Y'all can pick up the odd discarded weapon during combat, but you can't continue whatever of those – swords and pistols can only be purchased, and the good ones aren't cheap.

Even if you are a principal 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, and so purchase a adept blade. You don't have to buy the best right away, but the longer you salvage, the happier you'll be with the results. As for the pistol, look for something with both damage and range. Until you lot get the blowpipe in Sequence four, pistols are the best way to deal with enemy riflemen.

Robbery ahoy

Assassins Creed IV Black Flag screenshot 5A potentially lucrative new addition to the Assassin's Creed serial found inBlack Flag are warehouses, a side quest of sorts that will showtime be introduced in Sequence 3. These warehouses are filled with goods that merchants are waiting to ship. They pop upwards all over the Caribbean, and may be in cities, smaller ports, or sometimes on a island to themselves. When you notice 1, find the viewpoint for the surface area and climb information technology to "synchronize" to the area. This non but shows you were everything is (including the alarm bells every warehouse features that you lot can demolition), just as well unlocks fast travel to that location. Once you practise, you can proceed checking the map in lodge to see when if the warehouse is listed as "full," or "empty." They regenerate goods you can steal frequently.

The pattern is simple: detect the person with the key using your Eagle Vision, steal it or impale them for it, so go bearding to open the warehouse door and walk away with a sizable booty of supplies you can sell or put towards upgrades. Being sneaky is recommended – you lot earn a bonus for not triggering an alarm – but sometimes y'all don't take 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, ever funny.)

Diving for treasure

Assassins Creed 4 Black Flag Caribbean Sea Shark ThreatIn one case you unlock the diving bell, yous're able to access several wrecks scattered around the Caribbean – simply canvass up to the wreck marker and dock to release the bong and explore the sea lesser. These undersea hunts offer a scattering of chests, simply the existent prizes are "upgrade plans" that you demand in order to max out the potential of the Jackdaw and achieve the "Elite" level on near upgrade trees. Some upgrades, such equally coiffure quarters and cargo concur space, can be fully optimized without picking upwardly any of these collectibles, but anything that increases offensive or defensive capabilities does.

These dives can be difficult. Sharks are constantly hunting yous, eels hide in the seaweed, and spiny anemone line the walls. Y'all can't fight any of these dangers. Stick to the seaweed to avoid sharks, and keep your optics peeled for the anemone and eels. The upgrade you find makes it worth the problem though, and the coin 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. Fifty-fifty the treasures without upgrade plans can reward yous with thousands of reales, and so if you are in demand of cash, diving and treasure hunting are a good place to look.

Crafty crafting

Black Flag sharkBlack Flag features a sizable list of items that tin can only be obtained through crafting, including the "Hunter's Outfit," which makes you less visible to animals. In society to create these items, you lot need to come across what "ingredients" yous demand. Those ingredients consist of the pelts/bones/skins of land and sea creatures, and so it is off to hunt.

Once you synchronize a viewpoint, information technology will uncover what – if any – animals are indigenous to that area. As with supplies, information technology's best not to sell annihilation until you know for certain you don't need information technology. Y'all inevitably come beyond well-nigh of the animals y'all need just through the natural grade of the game, but there are a few that are tougher to get than others, including the great white shark and the humpback whale.

Assassins Creed IV Black Flag screenshot 8Both creatures tin exist institute in the southern portion of the map near Kingston, and as with all body of water creatures you can hunt, they are marked past a white patch of water and several birds flying higher up information technology in a circumvolve.Before you lot try to tackle them though, exist certain to upgrade the armor on your rowboat and increment the number of harpoons y'all acquit. Hunting sea creatures initiates a mini-game, where you lot hook a creature by hitting information technology with a commencement harpoon, then continue to pepper it with more harpoons until the brute'southward health meter (displayed int he upper left section of the screen), empties. Many of these creatures fight dorsum though, and some will ram your rowboat, which has its own "health" meter.Upgrading to the elite harpoon requires you to find an upgrade program for it, simply you don't need it to kill the monsters. You will need patience and rowboat armor though. If y'all are running low on harpoons you can always stop the hunt at someday and then start information technology over, which replinishes your health and harpoons.

All your base of operations

Assassins Creed 4 Black Flag Caribbean Sea Jack And BenjaminLater completing a mission for Blackbeard at around the ten hour mark, Edward earns himself a home base chosen Slap-up Iguana. One time you've got this hideout, you'll exist asked to invest in the isle to brand improvements – plush improvements. Of the five options, only two are worth because early on: the harbor principal and the general store. If you are conserving greenbacks, don't even bother with those – with fast travel you aren't confined to i location, and store prices never alter. The brothel and pirate campfire make information technology so you can hire swordsmen and dancers anywhere in the Caribbean area for free – useful for distracting or fighting enemies– simply they simply price 150 reales without the HQ upgrade, while a brothel costs 15,000. Unless yous are flush, it'southward not worth information technology.

Templar flavour

Black FlagYour main reason for returning to Swell Iguana during the get-go one-half of the game is your pursuit of a rare Templar outfit locked backside five locks. Each of the five locks is opened by a specific key held by a Templar that needs to be slain. It's not quite that simple though. I of the five Templars meets his fate as function of the story, leaving you with four to hunt down. In order to find them you need to participate in a series of missions called "Templar Hunts." These missions are all hosted by Assassins, and the icon on the map is an Assassinator's logo.

originalYou tin tackle the missions in any guild, and three of the four Assassins are piece of cake to detect. Just await at the map for Havana, Nassau, and Kingston (bold you have those locations unlocked). Each Assassin has four missions for you to complete before you earn the key, and although the missions are varied, they are all in roughly the same area – at least close enough that y'all tin find them easily on the map. The last Assassin, Opia Apito, takes some piece of work to find.

Apito is located on the Cayman Islands, due west of Jamaica. Expect for a small island with two fast travel icons, one on the east coast and the other on the westward. She appears on the westward side at first, but be warned – the entire surface area is restricted and itch with tough, aggressive enemy ships. The second and 3rd missions for Apito are on the east side of the island. The 4th is on another island to the firsthand northward called Pinos Isle, which features a Mayan ruin and a unmarried pathway in blocked on either side by level 25 frigates. You tin can endeavour these missions at any time after they are unlocked, simply 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 in a higher place.

Once you accept the fifth and last central, render to Great Iguana and unlock your reward, the "Templar Armor," which offers Edward a new expect forth with increased defense.

Mayan Stelae

acga_sp_61_caribbeansea_spyglass_1377255636There are several collectibles in Black Flag, just some of the most useful are the "Mayan Stelae." In that location are 16 of these totems scattered around the Caribbean, and you need to discover them all in lodge to unlock a door on the eastern island of Tulum (you find the island during the grade of the story, before hour fifteen).

When you find a Mayan statue (they appear on the map afterward an area has been synchronized), you but climb it and "interact," then solve the puzzle. These puzzles ask you to align an outline with figures on the basis, which so shows you a identify to dig. There is no simple fashion to detect these beyond onetime school exploration, although conquering a fort volition unveil all the Stelae in that fort'southward surface area, as will synchronizing viewpoints on an island.

The reward for collecting all sixteen stelae is the "Mayan Outfit," created out of materials from the First Civilization that make you impervious to bullets.

Legendary Ships

Legendary ShipIn the corners of the maps, hidden in dumbo fog, you volition find level 75 "Legendary Ships." These are the biggest ships in the game, and they volition boss you if you are unprepared. To give you an idea, a Jackdaw without upgrades won't survive a unmarried broadside from a Legendary Ship. These can be difficult battles, but the xx,000 reales reward makes it too tempting to ignore.

The easiest way to face these behemoths is to upgrade the Jackdaw to its highest, elite level and only take it to them. That isn't necessary, simply the more powerful you are, the easier these fights become. No thing how tough y'all are though, these ships are tougher.

Each of the Legendaries has its ain assail blueprint, and so defeating them always comes down to learning their patterns and using the Jackdaw'south ameliorate maneuverability to your advantage. You can't trade broadsides with them, and so the all-time strategy is to stay close plenty then their mortar strikes don't hitting you, and at an angle where they can't plow to fire on y'all; ideally behind and diagonal to them, since that's where where your cannons tin can hit the well-nigh mass. An upgraded ram and concatenation shot are specially effective.Having increased ammo capacities helps also.

In that location are four Legendary Send locations, and v ships to defeat in all. When you remember you are set up, you can head to the northeast and take on two of them at the aforementioned fourth dimension, the Royal Sovereign and HMS Fearless. This is a brutal fight, and the ships volition work in tandem to destroy you. When you sink ane, the second will lite itself on fire and gain increased speed, harm, and defense. If you try this without aristocracy upgrades, good luck.Defeat all the Legendary Ships and y'all earn an Accomplishment/Trophy, and a new ram charge set on for the Jackdaw.

Editors' Recommendations

  • The adjacent Assassin'southward Creed is an upgraded Valhalla expansion
  • Best Blackness Fri Nintendo Switch deals 2021: Sales you can store today
  • Everything we know well-nigh Assassin's Creed: Infinity
  • Assassin'south Creed Infinity could use less content, non more
  • Assassinator'southward Creed Infinity volition exist a massive live service title

antonconferverd57.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/guide-getting-started-assassins-creed-4-black-flag/