Becoming a successful pirate in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced requires more than just a formidable ship and a loyal crew. Players must prepare effectively for missions, choose their targets wisely, and leverage their assassin skills to dominate the waves. As the game is a remake rather than a direct remaster, even series veterans may benefit from a refresher on its mechanics.
Preparations and Ship Management
Before embarking on missions, a quick preparation run can prevent critical shortages. While assassins rely on their hidden blades, being equipped for various scenarios is crucial. Consumable items like remedies and mortar ammunition cannot be stocked mid-mission. Visiting the General Store and Harbourmaster in your hideout or any major city to purchase necessary items before setting out is advisable, rather than solely relying on random drops from enemies or looted chests.
Fort invasions, while promising significant rewards, should be approached with caution. These fortified locations are defended by mortars, multiple cannons, and can call for reinforcements. Players are advised to ignore them until a main quest directs them to tackle their first fort, as breaking down a fort's defenses is challenging without substantial upgrades to the Jackdaw.
Repairing the Jackdaw should be a top priority after naval encounters. When conquering an enemy ship, players have options to add it to their fleet, release prisoners to reduce their wanted level, or use its materials for repairs. Unless the captured ship is immediately needed for the fleet or the Jackdaw is undamaged, utilizing the spoils for repairs is essential. The seas can be unpredictable, and maintaining the Jackdaw's condition ensures survival until reaching safety.
When facing multiple enemy ships, prioritizing the weakest targets allows for a focus on the main threat. For smaller boats that cannot be boarded, ramming or shooting them offers a quick way to gather materials. While this yields fewer resources than boarding, it is a practical method to acquire loot when time is limited.
Understanding enemy naval capabilities is also key. Enemy cannons have cooldown periods between volleys. Players can use this time to sail alongside the enemy ship, unleash their own cannons, and then reduce speed by striking the sails to escape with minimal damage.
Combat Strategies
In naval battles, always utilize swivel guns before boarding enemy vessels. These guns help reduce the enemy crew's morale by eliminating multiple targets before Edward engages directly. Swivel gun ammo can be increased through upgrades at the Harbourmaster. Focusing fire on groups of enemies or powder barrels on deck can significantly weaken the opposition.
Parrying is a highly effective combat technique that can quickly end engagements. Attacks indicated by a blue glow can be parried, completely depleting a regular enemy's defenses. Even against bosses, a well-timed parry can create an opening for multiple hits.
The rope dart is another valuable tool for managing multiple opponents. When used with the quickfire option, it can pull an enemy towards Edward, breaking their defenses and setting them up for a heavy strike. It can also be used defensively, such as disrupting an enemy aiming a rifle or preventing a grenade throw.
Other Tips
Smoke bombs remain useful even when detected. If an assassination attempt is compromised due to multiple enemies, a smoke bomb can provide an opportunity to complete the takedown. Approaching the target within the smoke may still trigger the command prompt for an assassination, allowing for a swift escape afterward.
For underwater hunting, the harpoon mechanic can be effective even without direct line of sight. When hunting fast-moving targets like sharks or killer whales, aiming the harpoon into the water where they are likely to emerge or zigzag after an initial hit can still inflict damage. This strategy makes acquiring resources from these creatures less demanding.