This is a gaming guide from Polygon advising players of *Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced* on which upgrades to prioritise for the Jackdaw, the player's ship. Because in-game money (reales) and materials such as cloth, metal and wood are scarce — and some upgrades require unique plans or story progress — the article aims to help players spend wisely to survive naval combat and hunt down Templars and treasure. Upgrades are unlocked by visiting Harbourmasters throughout the game.

The guide recommends focusing first on the Armored Hull to boost damage resistance, then on the Mortar, valued for letting players attack from a safe distance and take on forts. It also advises upgrading Broadside Cannons — the ship's main guns, which fire round, heated and heavy shots — as buying more cannons early is more efficient than upgrading each shot type separately. Once defences and firepower are covered, players should invest in the relatively cheap Heavy Shot and Mortar Storage upgrades for extra ammunition, and finally the Harpoon and Harpoon Storage upgrades, which are needed to hunt tougher prey such as killer whales for crafting materials.