Assassin's Creed III
Assassin's Creed III

Homestead Upgrades & Benefits — Assassin's Creed III Guide

Develop your Davenport Homestead in Assassin's Creed III. Learn about upgrades, crafting rare items, and generating income for significant benefits.

·Multi-source verified (75/75)

Homestead Upgrades & Benefits

The Davenport Homestead is more than just Connor's base of operations; it's a living, breathing community that, with your careful nurturing, can become a thriving economic powerhouse and a source of invaluable resources. Investing time and effort into developing your Homestead will yield significant benefits, from crafting rare items to generating substantial income. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to unlock and maximize these advantages.

Recruiting Artisans and Homestead Missions

The heart of your Homestead's growth lies in recruiting various artisans and specialists. These individuals, once settled, will offer their unique skills, allowing you to craft a wide array of goods and materials. Each artisan is acquired through specific "Homestead Missions," which are side quests that appear on your map as you progress through the main story and explore the Frontier.

  • Tracking Homestead Missions: Keep an eye on your map for icons indicating available Homestead Missions. They are typically marked with a house-shaped icon. Prioritize these missions as they become available, as they directly contribute to your Homestead's development.
  • Completing Missions: These missions often involve helping the prospective artisan with a personal problem, defending them, or assisting them in setting up their trade. Successfully completing these quests will convince them to join your community.

Key Artisans and Their Contributions

Each artisan brings unique skills and unlocks new crafting possibilities. Understanding who does what is crucial for strategic development:

Woodworkers

  • Artisan: Lance, the Woodworker.
  • Recruitment: Found in the Frontier. His missions often involve gathering specific types of wood or assisting him with his craft.
  • Benefits:
    • Lumber Production: Lance can process raw timber into usable lumber, a fundamental component for many crafting recipes.
    • Furniture & Household Items: Crafts various items for the Homestead and for sale, such as chairs, tables, and decorative pieces.
    • Ship Components: Essential for crafting upgrades for the Aquila, your naval vessel.
  • Strategic Tip: Ensure a steady supply of wood by hunting in the Frontier or purchasing from general stores.

Miners

  • Artisan: Warren, the Miner.
  • Recruitment: Located in the Frontier. His missions often involve clearing out old mines or dealing with dangerous wildlife near mining sites.
  • Benefits:
    • Ore & Mineral Extraction: Warren can extract various ores like iron, copper, and silver, which are vital for metalworking.
    • Precious Gems: Occasionally unearths valuable gems that can be sold for high prices or used in high-tier crafting.
  • Strategic Tip: The more you develop the Homestead, the more efficient Warren becomes at finding rare minerals.

Farmers

  • Artisan: Godfrey and Terry, the Farmers.
  • Recruitment: Found in the Frontier. Their missions revolve around establishing their farm, protecting livestock, or dealing with crop pests.
  • Benefits:
    • Food Production: Provides a consistent supply of food items like wheat, corn, and various vegetables.
    • Animal Products: Raises livestock for meat, milk, and hides, which are crucial for crafting and trade.
    • Specialty Crops: Can grow unique crops needed for specific crafting recipes or high-value trade goods.
  • Strategic Tip: A diverse farm ensures you have ingredients for a wide range of recipes and trade opportunities.

Hunters

  • Artisan: Myriam, the Hunter.
  • Recruitment: Encountered in the Frontier. Her missions often involve tracking specific animals or dealing with poachers.
  • Benefits:
    • Furs & Hides: Provides a steady supply of animal furs and hides, essential for crafting clothing, satchels, and other leather goods.
    • Meat & Animal Parts: Supplies various meats and animal parts for food and crafting.
    • Rare Animal Materials: Can track and acquire materials from rare animals, which are often required for high-tier crafting.
  • Strategic Tip: Myriam's efficiency increases with the quality of hunting equipment you provide or craft for her.

Blacksmiths

  • Artisan: Big Dave, the Blacksmith.
  • Recruitment: Found in the Frontier. His missions often involve acquiring specific metals or repairing his forge.
  • Benefits:
    • Tool & Weapon Crafting: Forges various tools, weapons (like axes and swords), and weapon components.
    • Metal Parts: Produces metal parts necessary for ship upgrades and other complex crafting recipes.
    • Repair Services: Can repair damaged items, though this is less of a gameplay mechanic and more for flavor.
  • Strategic Tip: A well-equipped blacksmith is vital for crafting superior weapons and tools for Connor.

Tailors

  • Artisan: Ellen, the Tailor.
  • Recruitment: Located in the Frontier. Her missions often involve gathering specific fabrics or helping her set up her shop.
  • Benefits:
    • Clothing & Satchels: Crafts various clothing items, pouches, and satchels, increasing Connor's carrying capacity for items.
    • Outfit Customization: Can create unique outfits for Connor, offering both aesthetic and sometimes minor gameplay benefits.
    • Trade Goods: Produces high-value textile goods for sale.
  • Strategic Tip: Prioritize satchel upgrades early to maximize your inventory space.

Doctors

  • Artisan: Doctor White.
  • Recruitment: Found in the Frontier. His missions often involve gathering rare herbs or assisting him with medical emergencies.
  • Benefits:
    • Medicinal Supplies: Produces various tinctures, poultices, and other medicinal items, including health consumables.
    • Poison & Special Ammunition: Can craft specialized ammunition like poison darts and sleep darts.
    • Research & Development: Unlocks advanced crafting recipes related to alchemy and medicine.
  • Strategic Tip: Doctor White is essential for maintaining a healthy stock of healing items and specialized combat tools.

Crafting and Trading

Once you have recruited artisans, the true potential of your Homestead is unlocked through crafting and trading. This is your primary method for generating wealth and acquiring powerful items.

Accessing the Crafting Menu

You can access the crafting menu from the ledger inside the Homestead Manor or at any general store. This menu displays all available recipes, required ingredients, and the artisan responsible for crafting.

Crafting Process

  1. Gather Ingredients: Ensure you have all the necessary raw materials. These can be acquired through hunting, foraging, purchasing from stores, or produced by your Homestead artisans.
  2. Select Recipe: Browse the crafting menu and choose the item you wish to create.
  3. Assign Artisan: The game will automatically assign the appropriate artisan to the task.
  4. Wait: Crafting takes time. The duration varies depending on the complexity of the item. You can continue playing the game, and the item will be ready upon your return to the Homestead or after a certain amount of in-game time has passed.

Trading System

The trading system allows you to sell crafted goods and raw materials for profit. This is managed through the Homestead Ledger.

  • Convoys: To sell goods, you must send out convoys. These are groups of wagons or ships that transport your goods to various markets.
  • Market Selection: Different markets (Boston, New York, Frontier) offer varying prices for goods. Always check the market prices to maximize your profit. Prices fluctuate, so timing your sales is crucial.
  • Convoy Risks: Convoys can be attacked by bandits or privateers. You can reduce this risk by purchasing escorts or upgrading your convoys. Successfully defending a convoy (if you choose to intervene) will save your goods.
  • Maximizing Profit:
    • Craft High-Value Items: Focus on crafting items that require multiple artisan inputs, as these generally fetch higher prices.
    • Monitor Market Prices: Sell goods to markets where demand is high, indicated by higher prices.
    • Upgrade Convoys: Invest in stronger convoys to carry more goods and reduce the risk of loss.

Homestead Upgrades and Enhancements

Beyond recruiting artisans, you can also invest in physical upgrades for your Homestead, which further enhance its capabilities and appearance.

  • Manor Upgrades: Upgrading the Manor itself can unlock additional storage space, improve the aesthetic, and sometimes provide minor passive bonuses. These upgrades are typically purchased through the ledger.
  • Artisan Workshops: As your artisans gain experience and you complete more of their missions, their workshops will naturally upgrade, allowing them to craft more complex and valuable items.
  • Roads and Infrastructure: While not a direct upgrade you purchase, the development of the Homestead will see improved roads and pathways, making navigation easier and visually representing your progress.

By diligently completing Homestead Missions, strategically crafting goods, and shrewdly managing your trade convoys, your Davenport Homestead will transform into a prosperous hub, providing you with a steady stream of income and essential resources for Connor's journey.