Crafting Materials & Locations
To truly master the Caribbean and stand as a formidable pirate, Edward Kenway must upgrade his gear. Crafting in Black Flag relies heavily on hunting and skinning various animal species found across the vast open world. These materials are essential for improving Edward's health, carrying capacity for weapons, and overall combat effectiveness. This section details where to find crucial crafting materials and offers strategies for efficient hunting.
Hunting Strategies for Essential Materials
Before embarking on your hunting expeditions, remember these key tips:
- Stealth is Key: For most land animals, approaching from stealth (crouching in bushes or tall grass) allows for a clean, one-shot kill with your hidden blade or pistol. This prevents the animal from fleeing and potentially requiring more effort to track down.
- Target Weak Spots: Aim for the head or vital organs for quicker kills, especially with larger, more aggressive predators.
- Use Eagle Vision: Eagle Vision highlights animals, making them easier to spot in dense foliage or from a distance. It also shows their patrol paths.
- Harpooning for Marine Life: Marine animals require a different approach. You'll need to use your ship's harpoon station. Upgrade your harpoon strength and storage capacity at the Jackdaw's Captain's Cabin for more efficient hunting.
- Check Your Map: Animal icons on your world map (once discovered) indicate the presence of specific species in that area. Hover over the icon to see what animals reside there.
Land Animal Materials
These materials are crucial for upgrading Edward's health, pistol holsters, and blowpipe darts.
- Jaguar Pelt & Bone:
- Location: Jaguars are fierce predators found in jungle-heavy islands. Excellent hunting grounds include Great Inagua (Edward's hideout), Tulum, and Punta Guarico.
- Strategy: Approach stealthily. A hidden blade assassination is ideal. If detected, be prepared for a quick counter-attack as Jaguars are aggressive. Use pistols or a quick sword combo to dispatch them.
- Uses: Essential for health upgrades and pistol holster capacity.
- Ocelot Pelt & Bone:
- Location: Ocelots are smaller felines, less aggressive than Jaguars, and found in similar jungle environments. Look for them in areas like Corozal, Punta Guarico, and Matanzas.
- Strategy: Easier to hunt than Jaguars. A stealth kill with the hidden blade is usually sufficient.
- Uses: Used for various pouch upgrades, including blowpipe darts and ammunition.
- Howler Monkey Skin & Bone:
- Location: These noisy primates are abundant in almost all jungle islands. You'll find them swinging through trees in places like Cape Bonavista, Great Inagua, and Tulum.
- Strategy: They are skittish. Use your pistol for a quick kill from a distance, or climb trees to get close enough for a hidden blade assassination.
- Uses: Primarily for blowpipe dart upgrades.
- Red Howler Monkey Skin & Bone:
- Location: A rarer variant of the Howler Monkey, often found in specific, slightly more isolated jungle areas. Check Punta Guarico and the northern parts of Great Inagua.
- Strategy: Similar to regular Howler Monkeys, but their rarity means you might need to be more patient.
- Uses: Required for advanced blowpipe dart upgrades.
- Iguana Skin & Bone:
- Location: These reptiles are ubiquitous, found on nearly every island, often basking in the sun on rocks or beaches.
- Strategy: Very easy to hunt. A simple hidden blade kill or pistol shot will do.
- Uses: Basic crafting, often for early-game pouch upgrades.
- Capybara Skin & Bone:
- Location: These large rodents are typically found near water sources in jungle environments. Look around the rivers and ponds of Matanzas and Punta Guarico.
- Strategy: Relatively docile. A stealth kill is easy, or a quick pistol shot.
- Uses: Used for various pouch upgrades.
Marine Animal Materials
These materials are exclusively obtained through harpooning from the Jackdaw and are vital for advanced upgrades.
- White Whale Skin & Bone:
- Location: White Whales are rare, elusive creatures that appear randomly in specific ocean zones. They are often marked by a blue whale icon on your map when nearby. Keep an eye on your world map for these fleeting opportunities.
- Strategy: Requires a fully upgraded harpoon and careful aim. White Whales are powerful and can quickly damage your ship. Aim for their head or body for maximum damage. Be prepared for a lengthy fight.
- Uses: Crucial for the highest-tier health upgrades and other rare crafting recipes.
- Hammerhead Shark Skin & Bone:
- Location: Hammerhead Sharks are common in many open ocean areas, particularly around larger islands and shipping lanes. Look for the shark icon on your map.
- Strategy: Easier to hunt than whales, but still require a few harpoon hits. They are aggressive and will ram your ship.
- Uses: Important for mid-tier health and pouch upgrades.
- Great White Shark Skin & Bone:
- Location: Great White Sharks are more dangerous than Hammerheads and are found in deeper, more treacherous waters. Check the areas around Kingston and the deeper ocean zones.
- Strategy: Similar to Hammerheads, but they deal more damage to your ship. Prioritize harpoon upgrades before tackling these.
- Uses: Used for advanced health and pouch upgrades.
- Bull Shark Skin & Bone:
- Location: Bull Sharks are found in shallower coastal waters and sometimes even in rivers or lagoons. Areas like Nassau's surrounding waters or the rivers of Matanzas can yield them.
- Strategy: Generally easier to hunt than other sharks due to their smaller size and less aggressive nature.
- Uses: Basic shark materials for early-game upgrades.