You don't have to wait until the late game to wield legendary power in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced. The key to unlocking one of the best weapon sets right after the prologue—the Matched Golden Swords—isn't buried under hours of progression, but behind a targeted hunt for three specific resources. This weapon boasts a staggering 25 damage and lets you chain four takedowns, but requires 8 deerhide, 12 crocodile leather, and 20 sugar. Forget aimless sailing; these are the exact, efficient farming loops that will get you geared up in record time.
Why Bother Farming So Early?
In a game as vast as the Caribbean, focus is power. While you can stumble upon materials eventually, targeted farming allows you to craft elite upgrades long before the story expects you to have them. The Matched Golden Swords are a prime example. Their four-takedown chain is the highest in the game, allowing you to clear entire groups of enemies after a single perfect parry. The swords also come with a legendary perk that widens the parry window and increases the trigger range for takedowns, making you a whirlwind of death in combat.
Acquiring this weapon early fundamentally changes the difficulty curve of the game, especially on higher settings. Encounters that would be a struggle become trivial. Boarding actions, fort infiltrations, and street brawls all bend to your overwhelming offensive power. The materials required are a small price to pay for this advantage, and with the right strategy, you can gather them all in under an hour.
The Ultimate Crocodile Farm: Nassar's Swamp
Your first target is 12 crocodile leather, a material that seems rare until you find the one spot on the map where they spawn in reliable, dense packs. That spot is the town of Nassar, located in the northeast region of Eluthera. Ignore the town itself and head for the wetlands just west of the large manor house.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced in-game screenshot
The Hunting Method
This swamp is your personal leather factory. The key is to avoid fighting the crocodiles on their terms—in the water. The surrounding area is filled with low-hanging trees and rock formations that give you a permanent high-ground advantage. From here, the loop is simple:
- Spot Your Prey: Use Eagle Vision to highlight the crocodiles lurking beneath the murky water. Their bright red outlines make them impossible to miss.
- Take Aim: Perch yourself on a branch and use your pistol. A clean shot to the head deals significantly more damage, often killing them in one hit. This saves ammo and time.
- Harvest: Once the coast is clear, drop down and skin the carcasses. You can typically find three to four crocodiles in this single swampy area per visit.
The Respawn Loop
Once you've cleared the swamp, you need to force the crocodiles to respawn. This is where fast travel mechanics come into play. If you run low on ammunition, the general store in Nassar is just a short run away and sells pistol rounds for cheap.
To reset the zone, fast travel to any other viewpoint or town far from Nassar. Once there, you need to advance time. On dry land, hold down the D-pad (or equivalent key) to meditate, passing time from day to night and back to day again. One full cycle is usually enough. After that, simply fast travel back to the Nassar viewpoint. The crocodiles will have respawned in the swamp, ready for another harvest. Repeat this process three or four times, and you'll have your 12 crocodile leathers with minimal fuss.
Securing Deerhide: From Scarcity to Abundance
Next on the list is 8 deerhide. While deer are more common than crocodiles, finding them in numbers high enough for an efficient farm can be tricky. There are two primary locations, but one is vastly superior to the other.
The Starter Spot: Salt Lagoon
Early in your travels, you might discover Salt Lagoon in the Jabarro region. It’s a tiny island that does have a deer hunting icon. You can even use the map to set a custom path directly to the hunting ground. However, this location is a trap for farmers. The island is home to only two deer, making it an incredibly slow and tedious place to gather the eight hides you need. It’s fine if you’re passing by and need one or two, but do not make this your primary farming spot.
The Prime Location: Santelanis Island
For a truly efficient deer hunt, you must sail to the southwest corner of the map, to the Chinchorro region. Here you'll find the island of Santelanis, home to a large Aztec temple and, more importantly, a thriving deer population. The island is teeming with them.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced in-game screenshot
Getting here early is no trouble; the game doesn't block your path. Once you make landfall, you can easily sneak through the jungle foliage, getting close enough to land easy shots with your pistol or even use your gunblades for a point-blank kill. Because there are so many deer, you can often gather four or five hides in a single pass across the island. To respawn them, use the exact same method as with the crocodiles: fast travel away, pass a full day/night cycle, and travel back. Two visits to Santelanis should be more than enough to secure your 8 deerhides and even leave you with extras to sell for a few Reales.
Plundering Sugar on the High Seas
Your final ingredient, 20 sugar, isn't hunted on land but plundered at sea. Sugar is a trade good carried by merchant ships across the Caribbean. This is by far the easiest of the three materials to acquire, often taking just one or two successful naval encounters.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced in-game screenshot
Finding and Taking Your Prize
The entire process revolves around your spyglass. As you sail, use the spyglass to scan ships on the horizon. The UI will pop up showing the ship's type, faction, and, crucially, its cargo. You are looking for ships with a sugar icon and a quantity of 10 or more. Many smaller schooners and brigs carry between 10 and 30 units of sugar, making them perfect, low-risk targets.
Once you've identified a ship carrying a sweet payload, the rest is standard pirate work. Cripple it with your cannons, pull alongside, and initiate a boarding action. After you’ve defeated the crew, you'll claim its cargo automatically. A single ship carrying 20+ sugar is common, meaning you can complete this step of the checklist in a matter of minutes. If you find one with 10-15, just find another and repeat the process. With the sugar secured, all three components are now in your possession.
A Pirate's Payday
With the materials gathered, you can return to your base on Great Inagua and purchase the Matched Golden Swords from the map merchant, assuming you've also saved up the required Reales. If you find yourself short on cash, the solution is, once again, on the open sea.
Visit any tavern and pay the keeper 100 Reales for a tip. This will mark the location of a naval convoy on your map. These convoys are your ticket to immense wealth. The lead ship alone often carries between 2,000 and 5,000 Reales. Successfully plundering it and looting the captain's cabin can net you nearly 8,000 Reales in one go. Sell the trade goods from the other ships in the convoy, and you can easily earn over 10,000 Reales per engagement. The further south you sail into more dangerous waters, the richer these convoys become.
Your Legendary Start
By following these specific farming routes, you sidestep the game's natural progression and equip yourself with a legendary weapon that will serve you well for dozens of hours. You've traded a short, focused burst of hunting and piracy for a massive advantage in every fight to come. The Caribbean is yours for the taking, and now, you have the swords to prove it.