Jackdaw Upgrade Costs & Best Build Guide

Upgrading the Jackdaw works differently in Resynced. You no longer visit the Captain's Cabin — instead, you deal with the Harbormaster at ports throughout the Caribbean. Here's everything we know about the upgrade system, resource economy, and how to build the deadliest ship on the seas.

Where to Buy Upgrades

All ship upgrades are purchased from the local Harbormaster, found at docks in every major port. There is no single upgrade screen on the Jackdaw itself — you need to be docked and speaking to the Harbormaster.

This change means planning your upgrade runs: dock, sell cargo, buy upgrades, restock, sail out. It makes port visits more meaningful than the original's menu-driven approach.

Upgrade Categories

Category	What It Improves
Hull Armor	Damage resistance, survivability
Broadside Cannons	Side cannon damage, new ammo types
Mortar	Long-range bombardment, Deadman's Cohort secondary mode
Ram	Ramming damage, Ram Dash (requires Padre recruitment)
Round Shot	Standard cannonball damage and range
Heavy Shot	Close-range devastating damage
Crew	Boarding strength, crew capacity
Storage	Cargo capacity for loot and resources

New Secondary Firing Modes

Every weapon now has a secondary ammo type you can swap to while aiming:

Weapon	Primary	Secondary (New!)
Broadside Cannons	Round shot	Heated shot
Mortar	Explosive shells	Deadman's Cohort
Bow Chasers	Chain shot	Double shot
Stern	Fire barrels	Shrapnel barrels

Ram Dash — Padre Recruitment

In the original, Ram Dash was locked behind defeating all four Legendary Ships — effectively post-game content. In Resynced, recruit the Padre to unlock it much earlier. This makes the Ram a viable weapon throughout the story, not just cleanup duty.

Upgrade Priority Order

Early Game (Sequences 1–4)

Your Jackdaw is fragile and under-gunned. Survival is everything.

1. Hull Armor — you can't fight if you're sunk. Every point here keeps you alive longer.
2. Broadside Cannons — your primary damage dealer. Upgrade these to win fights faster.
3. Crew — more crew means stronger boarding actions and faster repairs.

Mid Game (Sequences 5–9)

You're taking on stronger ships and your first forts. Offense scales up.

1. Mortar — essential for fort assaults and softening targets at range. The Deadman's Cohort secondary mode is devastating.
2. Heavy Shot — close-range broadside punch for frigates and Man-o-Wars.
3. Ram — now that you have the Padre recruited, Ram Dash becomes a tactical tool.
4. Storage — more cargo room means more loot per voyage.

Late Game (Sequences 10+)

Legendary Ships and max-level Pirate Hunters demand a fully kitted Jackdaw.

1. Max Hull Armor — legendary ships hit hard. You need every point.
2. Max Broadside Cannons & Heavy Shot — your sustained damage output.
3. Max Mortar — Deadman's Cohort at full power clears decks on impact.
4. Round Shot & Bow Chasers — finish out your arsenal for flexibility.

Resources You Need

Resource	Used For	How to Get It
Wood	Hull, structural upgrades	Boarding merchant ships, warehouses
Metal	Cannons, ram, weapon upgrades	Boarding military ships, forts
Cloth	Sails, crew upgrades	Boarding, warehouse raids
Reales	All upgrades (currency)	Boarding, fleet missions, hideout income

Resource Farming Tips

Boarding Gives Double Loot

Sinking a ship yields significantly fewer resources than boarding it. Always board when you can — you get roughly double the resources plus the option to send the ship to Kenway's Fleet.

Use the Spyglass

Before engaging, pull out your spyglass and scan enemy ships. It now shows what materials they're carrying — wood, metal, cloth quantities — so you can target ships with the resources you actually need.

Captain's Lockbox on Large Ships

When boarding frigates and Man-o-Wars, you get a new option alongside the standard three: Captain's Lockbox. This gives a significant bonus of reales. Always choose it when boarding high-value targets — the extra gold adds up fast.

General Farming Loop

1. Sail a trade route with your spyglass out
2. Identify ships carrying resources you need
3. Disable with chain shot, then board
4. Choose Captain's Lockbox (if available) or send to fleet
5. Dock at nearest port, sell excess, upgrade at Harbormaster
6. Repeat

What We Don't Know Yet

Exact upgrade costs (wood/metal/cloth/reales per tier) have not been publicly released. The priority order above is based on developer commentary about the intended progression curve. We'll update this guide with specific numbers once they're available.

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Related: How to Make Money Fast | Ships & Naval Combat Guide | Beginner's Guide