If there’s one thing Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced teaches you early, it’s that Edward Kenway is only as dangerous as his ship. You can be the best swordsman in the Caribbean, but if the Jackdaw can’t survive a naval battle, you’re going to spend more time sinking than sailing.
When I started upgrading the Jackdaw, I quickly realized the game doesn’t just ask for money. It wants resources, Harbormaster upgrades, special Ultimate Plans, and a lot of exploration. It can feel overwhelming if you don’t know what to prioritize.
This guide brings everything together in one place—from every ship upgrade and Ultimate Upgrade Plan to the fastest ways to earn Reales and materials—so you can fully upgrade the Jackdaw and unlock the Ship This achievement without wasting time.
Assassin Creed Black Flag Resynced Jackdaw Upgrades Guide: All Ship Upgrades, Ultimate Plans & Best Farming Tips
To purchase every Jackdaw upgrade, you’ll need the following resources.
| Resource | Total Required |
|---|---|
| Reales | 315,800 (310,800 if you get the Diving Bell for free) |
| Metal | 4,755 |
| Wood | 2,750 |
| Cloth | 550 |
| Ultimate Upgrade Plans | 12 |
Once every upgrade has been purchased, you’ll unlock the Ship This Trophy/Achievement.
How Jackdaw Upgrades Work
Every ship upgrade is purchased through any Harbourmaster using the Upgrade Ship menu.
However, not every upgrade is available immediately.
You’ll also need to upgrade the Harbourmaster shop at Great Inagua, which becomes available after:
Sequence 04 – Mission 01: This Old Cove
There are three Harbourmaster upgrade levels, with each level unlocking additional ship upgrades.
The final upgrade tier for many systems also requires an Ultimate Upgrade Plan, which must be found somewhere in the Caribbean.
Fortunately, nothing is missable, so you can complete every upgrade after finishing the main story.
All 12 Ultimate Upgrade Plan Locations
The final Jackdaw upgrades require special blueprints called Ultimate Upgrade Plans.
You’ll collect them in two different ways:
- 6 from Underwater Shipwrecks
- 6 from Treasure Maps
Underwater Shipwreck Ultimate Upgrade Plans
These become available after obtaining the Diving Bell during:
Sequence 06 – Mission 01: Diving for Medicines
| Ultimate Plan | Shipwreck | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|
| Hull Armor | San Ignacio | 348, 744 |
| Mortars | Antocha | 600, 636 |
| Ram | La Concepción | 184, 425 |
| Swivel Guns | Devil’s Eye Caverns | 456, 332 |
| Broadside Cannons Number | The Blue Hole | 440, 145 |
| Round Shot Strength | Kabah Ruins | 738, 120 |
While you’re exploring each wreck, don’t leave after grabbing the blueprint. The treasure chests hidden throughout these dive sites contain plenty of valuable Reales and materials.
Treasure Map Ultimate Upgrade Plans
The remaining six plans come from treasure maps.
You’ll first locate the map, then travel to the marked island and dig up the buried chest.
| Ultimate Plan | Treasure Map Found At | Dig Site |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy Shot Strength | Ambergris Key (28,160) | Misteriosa (271,178) |
| Fire Barrel Strength | Santanillas (191,218) | San Juan (455,462) |
| Heavy Shot Storage | Cayman Sound (298,311) | Petite Caverne (863,235) |
| Mortar Storage | Tortuga (851,352) | Matanzas (312,617) |
| Harpoon Strength | Mariguana Island (847,514) | Andreas Island (544,693) |
| Fire Barrel Storage | Petite Caverne (862,237) | Tulum (40,372) |
Heavy Shot Strength
Find the map inside the cave at Ambergris Key.
Swim through the underwater tunnel, climb the central pillars, and collect it from the upper level.
The treasure is located on Misteriosa, behind the Mayan temple beside the fountain, hidden behind tall white flowers.
Fire Barrel Strength
Collect the map from a hilltop on Santanillas by climbing the surrounding tree branches.
At San Juan, enter through the underwater tunnel and look just before the wooden scaffold inside the cave.
Heavy Shot Storage
The treasure map is carried by a skeleton on the beach at Cayman Sound.
Dig up the reward at Petite Caverne near the Hutia hunting area behind the waterfall rocks.
Mortar Storage
Find another skeleton holding the map along Tortuga’s eastern shoreline.
The treasure lies at Matanzas, southeast of the Mayan Stelae behind the waterfall.
Harpoon Strength
On Mariguana Island, approach from the north and locate a hidden crawlspace concealed behind green leaves.
The treasure itself is buried on a small island south of Andreas Island.
Fire Barrel Storage
Retrieve the map from a skeleton inside Petite Caverne.
Travel to the southern beach of Tulum and search behind the shipwreck.
This chest also rewards an additional 3,000 Reales.
All Jackdaw Weapon Upgrades
Rounded & Heated Shot
| Tier | Cost |
|---|---|
| I | Default |
| II | 900 Reales |
| III | 4,000 Reales |
| IV | 12,000 Reales |
| V | 35,000 Reales + Round Shot Strength Plan |
Heavy Shot
| Tier | Cost |
|---|---|
| I | 900 Reales |
| II | 6,000 Reales |
| III | 25,000 Reales + Heavy Shot Strength Plan |
Bow Chasers
| Tier | Cost |
|---|---|
| I | Default |
| II | 2,500 Reales |
| III | 6,000 Reales |
Barrel Launcher
| Tier | Cost |
|---|---|
| I | Default |
| II | 3,000 Reales |
| III | 8,000 Reales + Fire Barrel Strength Plan |
Mortars
| Tier | Cost |
|---|---|
| I | 800 Reales |
| II | 3,500 Reales + 200 Metal |
| III | 8,000 Reales + 300 Metal |
| IV | 25,000 Reales + 650 Metal + Mortars Plan |
Swivel Guns
| Tier | Cost |
|---|---|
| I | Default |
| II | 700 Reales + 25 Metal |
| III | 5,000 Reales + 200 Metal |
| IV | 15,000 Reales + 400 Metal + Swivel Guns Plan |
All Ship Upgrades
Broadside Cannons
Broadside Cannons II unlocks automatically during the story.
| Tier | Cost |
|---|---|
| III | 2,000 Reales + 150 Metal |
| IV | 4,000 Reales + 150 Metal |
| V | 800 Reales + 350 Metal |
| VI | 12,000 Reales + 500 Metal |
| VII | 20,000 Reales + 650 Metal + Broadside Cannons Plan |
Front Cannons
| Tier | Cost |
|---|---|
| II | 300 Reales + 60 Metal + 100 Wood |
Ram
| Tier | Cost |
|---|---|
| I | 500 Reales + 25 Wood |
| II | 2,000 Reales + 75 Wood |
| III | 5,000 Reales + 150 Metal + 250 Wood |
| IV | 15,000 Reales + 200 Metal + 600 Wood + Ram Plan |
Armored Hull
| Tier | Cost |
|---|---|
| II | 1,000 Reales |
| III | 4,000 Reales + 100 Metal + 200 Wood |
| IV | 15,000 Reales + 200 Metal + 500 Wood |
| V | 30,000 Reales + 400 Metal + 750 Wood + Hull Armor Plan |
Crew Quarters
| Tier | Cost |
|---|---|
| II | 800 Reales + 100 Cloth |
| III | 3,500 Reales + 450 Cloth |
Diving Bell
Normally costs 5,000 Reales.
However, during Sequence 06 – Diving for Medicines, simply follow Adé’s objective instead of purchasing it.
Doing this saves you 5,000 Reales, reducing the total upgrade cost.
Storage Upgrades
Heavy Shot Storage
- II – 500 Reales
- III – 1,500 Reales
- IV – 4,000 Reales + Heavy Shot Storage Plan
Barrel Storage
- II – 500 Reales
- III – 1,500 Reales
- IV – 400 Reales + Fire Barrel Storage Plan
Mortar Storage
- II – 800 Reales
- III – 2,000 Reales
- IV – 5,000 Reales + Mortar Storage Plan
Harpooning Upgrades
Rowboat Armor
- II – 600 Reales + 50 Wood
- III – 1,800 Reales + 200 Wood
Harpoon
- II – 1,000 Reales
- III – 4,000 Reales + Harpoon Strength Plan
Harpoon Storage
- II – 500 Reales
- III – 1,500 Reales
Fastest Ways to Farm Reales and Materials
If you’re aiming for every upgrade, farming efficiently makes a huge difference.
Capture Every Fort
Forts reward large amounts of:
- Reales
- Metal
- Wood
- Cloth
They also unlock more of the Caribbean map and expand Kenway’s Fleet, making them one of the best early investments.
If naval combat feels difficult, lower the ship combat difficulty temporarily. There are no penalties for doing so.
Use Kenway’s Fleet
After unlocking Kenway’s Fleet in Sequence 4, let it generate resources while you continue playing.
A balanced fleet works best.
- Schooners mainly generate Reales.
- Brigs bring back crafting materials.
Running both at the same time keeps your income steady without requiring constant farming.
Hunt Man-o-Wars
For active money farming, board Man-o-Wars found in the higher-level regions.
Each captain’s lockbox is worth roughly 5,500 Reales, making them one of the fastest repeatable money sources.
Loot Every Shipwreck
Since you’ll already visit every underwater wreck for Ultimate Upgrade Plans, don’t ignore the additional treasure chests.
Many contain valuable resources alongside extra Reales, making each dive well worth completing.
Target Specific Resources
Need Metal? Wood? Cloth?
Use your spyglass to inspect nearby ships before attacking.
Board only the ships carrying the materials you’re currently missing instead of sinking everything you see.
It’s much faster and saves a surprising amount of time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are any Jackdaw upgrades missable?
No. Every upgrade, treasure map, shipwreck, and Ultimate Plan remains available after completing the main story.
When do Ultimate Upgrade Plans become available?
Shipwreck plans unlock after obtaining the Diving Bell during Sequence 06, while Treasure Map plans can be collected once you discover their respective map locations.
Should I buy the Diving Bell?
No.
Follow Adé’s story objective during Diving for Medicines, and you’ll receive it for free, saving 5,000 Reales.
Fully upgrading the Jackdaw isn’t something you’ll finish in a single evening, but it’s easily one of the most rewarding long-term goals in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. Every upgrade noticeably improves naval combat, making even the toughest Man-o-Wars feel much more manageable.
If I had to prioritize upgrades, I’d focus on the Armored Hull, Broadside Cannons, and Mortars first. Once those core systems are upgraded, the Jackdaw transforms into one of the most powerful ships in the Caribbean, making the rest of the upgrade grind much smoother—and a lot more enjoyable.