Burning Ships are special time-limited world events that randomly appear while sailing across the Caribbean in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. Unlike regular enemy vessels, these ships are already engulfed in flames and are moments away from exploding. Your objective is to quickly board the ship, collect its treasure, and escape before time runs out.
Although the challenge is straightforward, the short timer leaves very little room for mistakes. Here’s everything you need to know about completing Burning Ships successfully.
How to Complete Burning Ships in AC Black Flag Resynced
When you spot a Burning Ship at sea, sail the Jackdaw alongside it and board as quickly as possible. Once you step onto the burning vessel, a countdown timer begins, giving you approximately 38 seconds to collect the available treasure before the ship explodes.
Search the deck for treasure chests and loot as many as possible while keeping track of the remaining time. Since there are no enemy crew members aboard, you don’t have to worry about combat and can focus entirely on gathering loot.
Before the timer expires, immediately return to the Jackdaw or jump into the water and swim a safe distance away from the ship. If you’re still standing on the Burning Ship—or your Jackdaw remains too close when it explodes—you’ll be killed instantly and have to restart from your last checkpoint.
Tips for Completing Burning Ships
- Dock the Jackdaw as close to the Burning Ship as possible to reduce travel time.
- Ignore unnecessary climbing or exploration and head straight for visible treasure chests.
- Keep an eye on the countdown timer while looting.
- Leave several seconds early rather than risking an explosion.
- If you can’t reach the Jackdaw in time, dive into the ocean and swim away from the blast radius.
Burning Ships are random world events that can appear while exploring the open sea. These vessels are already abandoned and on fire, making them different from standard naval encounters.
Unlike enemy ships:
- They have no crew to fight.
- They cannot be captured.
- They cannot be added to your fleet.
- Their only purpose is to provide valuable loot before they explode.
Because they spawn randomly, you’ll encounter them naturally while sailing between islands and completing other activities.
Burning Ship Rewards
Successfully looting a Burning Ship can reward you with a variety of useful resources, including:
- Ship ammunition
- Upgrade materials
- Trade Goods
- Crafting resources
- Currency from valuable loot
These materials are especially useful for upgrading the Jackdaw and earning additional money by selling Trade Goods at Treasure Dealers.
How to Unlock the Last to Leave Trophy
One of the more unusual achievements tied to Burning Ships is the Last to Leave trophy.
To unlock it, locate a Burning Ship that has a chair somewhere on its deck. Sit in the chair before escaping the ship. Once the requirement is met, leave quickly before the vessel explodes.
Keep in mind that not every Burning Ship includes a chair, so you may need to encounter several before finding one that allows you to complete the achievement.
Burning Ships are fast-paced naval events that reward quick decision-making and efficient looting. By boarding the ship immediately, collecting nearby treasure chests, and escaping before the 38-second timer expires, you can earn valuable materials without engaging in combat. While they’re entirely optional, these encounters are well worth completing whenever they appear, especially if you’re gathering resources to upgrade the Jackdaw or trying to unlock the Last to Leave trophy.