Learn how to recruit all of the Ship Officers for the Jackdaw in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. Recruiting Officers for your ship is an important task to complete as they unlock new abilities and gear for both Edward Kenway and the Jackdaw.
In Black Flag Resynced, there are three Ship Officers you can recruit to join your crew. When they do join, they’ll grant abilities you’ll rely upon throughout the entire game. It’s important to get them as soon as you can and do their followup quests for even more rewards.
When to start recruiting Ship Officers
You technically recruit your first officer after completing the quest “The Treasure Fleet”, as Adéwalé becomes your Quartermaster at the end of the quest. He serves no functional purpose in terms of game mechanics, but he makes boarding ships more fun with his lines.
To start recruiting new officers, you’ll need to finish the tutorial main story quests ending at “This Old Cove”. After completing This Old Cove, Adéwalé will tell Kenway about two potential ship officers that can serve as a Master-at-Arms and Shipwright. This opens up two quests for you: A Second Chance and A Proper Shipwright.
If you enter the menu and select the Ship Page, you’ll see towards the bottom left of the page your currently unlocked officers. You won’t be able to recruit the last one until you’re late into the game.
Abel “The Padre” Galvão – Master-at-Arms
The first potential officer Adéwalé brings up was a pirate who has found religion and reformed, Abel Galvão. He’s a good officer to recruit first as doing so is very simple to do.
A Second Chance
You can begin the recruitment process for Padre with the quest A Second Chance. You’ll need to go to Caracol in Punta Guarico, a short trip southeast of Great Inagua. Talk to him, tell the village that the food is ready, and this will start the next quest Loyalty, Discipline, and Courage.
Loyalty, Discipline, and Courage
Padre wants Kenway to look into some of Du Casse’s surviving men. For this quest, you’ll need to make a short trip west to Cumberland Bay and investigate the area. Once you’ve investigated Du Casse’s men, return to Padre and he’ll become your Master-At-Arms.
As your Master-at-Arms, Padre will join your crew and will join you while boarding enemy ships. More importantly, he unlocks the Ram Dash ability for the Jackdaw.
Ram Dash Ability
The Ram Dash ability allows you to travel forward at a high speed for a short time, dealing increased damage for ship collisions. When you use the Ram Dash, the camera will be moved towards the bow of the ship.
Steering is limited due while performing the ram dash. It’s also a good ability to use to get away from mortar fire or other hazards at a moment’s notice.
If Thy Right Hand Offend Thee
As you make more progress with the story, you’ll unlock this officer quest. You’ll need to go to Cape Bonavista as Padre has found the killers. Clear out Du Casse’s men and investigate their camp for clues.
The Other Cheek
Edward and Padre must head towards Kingston to confront Padre’s former mentor. Meet Padre at the market, investigate the area for clues on the bishop’s location, then confront the bishop.
After completing this quest, you’ll unlock the Small Goblet trinket. This rare trinket increases all healing done by food, drink, and remedies while equipped.
Lucy Baldwin – Shipwright
The other potential officer Adéwalé mentions is Lucy Baldwin. She’s been imprisoned by the British, so you’ll need to break her free to get her as a Shipwright.
A Proper Shipwright
To free Lucy, you’ll need to go to Salt Key Bank in southeast Dry Tortuga. Sneak onto the Man O’ War to rescue Lucy from her cell.
The One with the Gun
After rescuing Lucy, meet up with her at Great Inagua. After learning her backstory, it’ll become your task to find her grandfather’s murderer so she’ll join your crew. You’ll recruit her after she explains her backstory despite your previous dialogue with her.
As you sail to her grandfather’s plantation on Black Island, you’ll have to take down a small fleet of ships surrounding it. This gives you the chance to test out the Perfect Brace ability she grants.
Search the manor on the island then find Lucy for some cutscenes. With her business concluded, she says she’s not fully convinced to be your shipwright but sticks around as one anyway.
Perfect Brace Ability
The Perfect Brace ability is basically a parry for the boat. When you brace right before receiving damage, you’ll perform the Perfect Brace and significantly reduce the amount of damage you receive.
When you perform a Perfect Brace, your ship’s health bar will glow and you’ll hear a metal impact sound. This is an excellent ability you’ll need to practice with if you want to survive late-game encounters such as fighting Legendary Ships.
Plantain!
This quest is just some roleplay where Edward and Lucy bond at Great Inagua. You give her some plantains, and in return she gives you her grandfather’s pistols.
Baldwin’s Golden Pistols are a decent set of rare pistols that have a Range of 26 and Draw Speed of 1.00. It’s a solid choice for early to mid game, but you’ll likely replace them with better ones later on.
Big Wig
The last officer quest for Lucy is to meet her in Havana. You’ll need to deal with the Barrister that aided her grandfather’s murderer.
After dealing with the Barrister, you’ll need to dig up some buried treasure by the beach. It’s east of where you found the Barrister near some foliage. Interact with the shovel on the ground to wrap up the quest.
Tobias “Deadman” Smith – Master Gunner
The final officer, Tobias “Deadman” Smith, can’t be recruited until you’re late into the main story. You’ll need to complete the quest …Everything is Permitted. Once you’ll do, you’ll find the quest That Bastard Maynard on Great Inagua.
The quest That Bastard Maynard is the first in a chain of quests that’s part of the story arc A World without Gold. This is a new story arc that wasn’t in the original Black Flag and it’s where you’ll get a Master Gunner for the Jackdaw.
Details on this story arc will be kept to a minimum in this guide so you can enjoy that new story yourself. Instead, we’ll show relevant quests where you recruit the officer and his unlocks.
It’s a Start
This is the fourth quest in A World Without Gold, and it’s where you’ll recruit Deadman. After bringing Deadman to Great Inagua, you’ll need to talk to your officers, Deadman, and then your crew.
After the dialogues and cutscenes, Deadman will join your crew as a Master Gunner. He unlocks a new perk for the Jackdaw, broadside cannons now fire an extra salvo, dramatically increasing firepower.
The Round Shot will now fire two salvos, while the Heated Shot fires four. The Heavy Shot is not affected by this perk.
Very Little, But Something
After completing A World Without Gold, you’ll get three officer quests for Deadman. Very Little, But Something is the final quest of these three where you’ll earn Deadman’s Cohort Mortars.
You’ll get the chance to test them on British ships once they’ve been installed on the ship. Unlike regular mortars, these new ones have a smaller area of effect but a much faster travel time. You’ll only need to account for a two second delay instead of four for the mortars to hit their targets.
It’s a great mortar for more intense combat scenarios where you need to hit more mobile ships. Unlike the standard mortar, the Deadman’s Cohort Mortar can create a trail if you move the target area. This allows you to accommodate for the ship’s movement to ensure all shots land.
