Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag

Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag

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100% Achievement guide
By Asura Deva
This is a short guide to 100% Steam achievements on AC Black Flag.
Note if you already have completed the game 100% on Ubisoft prior, then loading that save should give you all achievements on steam too.

I apologize in advance for the giant images as those are taken from Steam directly then i was unable to reduce the size.
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Sequence related achievements
    Heroes Aren't Born
    Complete memory sequence 1.

This achievement should unlock after you rescue the merchant and sail off in the ship.

Missions in this sequence:
Only 1 prologue mission






    Good While It Lasted
    Complete memory sequence 2.

This achievement should unlock after finish the mission "The Treasure Fleet"

Missions in this sequence:
Lively Havana
...And My Sugar
Mister Walpole, I Presume
Man They Call The Sage
Claiming What's Due
The Treasure Fleet


    A Pirate's Life For Me
    Complete memory sequence 3.

This achievement should unlock after finish the mission "A Single Madman"

Missions in this sequence:
This Tyro Captain
Now Hiring
Prizes and Plunder
Raise the Black Flag
Sugarcane and Its Yields
Proper Defenses
A Single Madman




    No Apologies
    Complete memory sequence 4.

This achievement should unlock after finish the mission "Overrun and Outnumbered"

Missions in this sequence:
This Old Cove
Nothing is True
The Sage's Buried Secret
Overrun And Outnumbered




    Death Of A Salesman
    Complete memory sequence 5.

This achievement should unlock after finish the mission "Unmanned"

Missions in this sequence:
The Forts
Traveling Salesman
Unmanned




    Mixing Up The Medicines
    Complete memory sequence 6.

This achievement should unlock after finish the mission "The Siege of Charles-Towne"

Missions in this sequence:
Diving For Medicines
Devil's Advocate
The Siege of Charles-Towne




    The Hammer Falls
    Complete memory sequence 7.

This achievement should unlock after finish the mission "The Fireship"

Missions in this sequence:
We Demand a Parlay
The Gunpowder Plot
Commodore Eighty-Sixed
The Fireship




    Adrift
    Complete memory sequence 8.

This achievement should unlock after finish the mission "Marooned"

Missions in this sequence:
Do Not Go Gently...
Vainglorious Bastards
Marooned




    A New Hope
    Complete memory sequence 9.

This achievement should unlock after finish the mission "Trust is Earned"

Missions in this sequence:
Imagine My Surprise
rust is Earned




    My Elusive Fortune
    Complete memory sequence 10.

This achievement should unlock after finish the mission "The Observatory"

Missions in this sequence:
Black Bart's Gambit
Murder and Mayhem
The Observatory




    Been Down So Long...
    Complete memory sequence 11.

This achievement should unlock after finish the mission "...Everything is Permitted"

Missions in this sequence:
To Suffer Without Dying
Delirium
..Everything is Permitted




    Just Like Starting Over.
    Complete memory sequence 12.

This achievement should unlock after finish the mission "Ever a Splinter"

Missions in this sequence:
A Governor No Longer
Royal Misfortune
Tainted Blood
Ever a Splinter




    Saw That One Coming...
    Complete memory sequence 13.

This achievement should unlock during the final cutscene
Misc achievements part 1
    All Aboard!
    Board a ship without losing any crew members.

To Note: This achievement is not available until you have reached Nassau and Ben Hornigold has shown you how to take a ship.







To Board a ship:
1. Disable the ship
2. Move up to it and make sure you hold the "Board button" as soon as the option shows up on your screen.
3. When you release the wheel of your sum, run up to the swivel gun and use it. Fire as soon as possible and aim at the enemy sailors.
4.Once the game "kicks you out" of swivel gun, jump on the railing and shoot the remaining sailors with your pistols.
5. If there are still remaining enemies assasinate them quickly.




    Employee Of The Month
    Complete 25 Abstergo challenges.


This achievement should come at natural game progression. Explore all islands as you play, collect everything available and it should unlock around half point.





    Excavator
    Find a buried treasure.

During the very first sequence you can unlock this achievement. After rescueing the Marchant as part of the story, you will be told to go to his ship. Ignore that and insted go to a Cadaver found on the map. You get a treasure map from there and luckily the treasure is in the same area.





    Business And Pleasure
    Earn 50,000 reales.

Easiest way to make money is to make extensive use of Kenway's Fleet.








    Owned
    Complete every activity in a single location.

This can be unlocked as soon as sequence 3 on the mission where you are guided to sail to an island and hunt some iguanas. Just complete every activity in one specific location.






    Mer-man
    Swim a total of 1 nmi.

To unlock this basically swim alot. It is accumulative so you do not have to swim all at once.








    Silence, Fool!
    Kill a guard ringing a bell.

A guard has to be actively ringing the bell. Otherwise it will not count if he stops to fight you.









    Thug Life
    Plunder 30 ships.

This achievement is either glitched a bit or intended to work like it. You must "Repair the jackdaw" after boarding a ship. Otherwise the progress seems to be stuck.








    Help A Brother Out
    Complete a Templar Hunt sequence.

These are marked as "hexagon" with assassin's symbol in them. They are usually located in the major cities. There are missions in Kingston, Nassau, Cayman Sound and Havana. You must complete all instances of the Hunt to be able to unlock this achievement.





    Sharing Is Caring
    Share each type of discovery with friends once.

To Share the events with your friends you need to play the game at the same time online to make sharing events visible on your map for you and your friend.







    King Of The Castle
    Capture all forts.

There are total of 10 naval forts scattered around the map. Capturing them is a step by step process and each fort is categorized as either easy, intermediate or expert.






    Killer Killer
    Harpoon a killer whale.

Hardest part of this achievement is actually finding a whale. Advisable is to upgrade harpoon strenght/storage to full before attempting.
Whales are at these locations: (537,340 and 120,496).






    Wild West Indies
    Kill 4 enemies in a row using multi-pistols.

To get the 3 additional holsters, you will need 2 Ocelot Pelts, 2 Humpback Whale skins and 2 pieces of Crocodile Leather. After crafting all of them simply open combat with 4 guards and use the incombat button to quickly aim and kill each guard.





    FTFY
    Fully upgrade your hideout.

You will need total of 90700 R to fully upgrade.
Harbourmaster - 500 R
Shop- 700 R
Campfire - 7000 R
Manor Facade - 6000 R
Manor Tower & Gardens 18 000 R
Manor Guest House - 40 000 R
Brothel - 15 000

Note: Upgrade brothel last otherwise this might bug out





    Sea Legs
    Complete all naval contracts.

To complete this achievement you first need to have defeated all of the forts. Once you have unlocked a fort a man will be stood on the dock with an assassins contract symbol above his head. These missions are naval missions.






    Vault Raider
    Unlock the secret door in Tulum.

You will unlock this achievement after you collect all 16 mayan stones and unlock the door underneath the large temple in Tulam







Locations of stones:

Eleuthera:
-Cat Island (1)

Dry Tortuga:
-Matanzas (1)
-Cape Bonavista (1)

Conttoyor:
-Tulum (1)

Chinchorro:
-Santanillas (2)

Serranilla:
-Misteriosa (2)
-New Bone (1)
-Isla Providencia (2)

Charlotte:
-Long Bay (1)

Punta Guarico:
-Tortuga (1)

Gibara:
-Great Inagua (1)

Castillo de Jagua:
-Pinos Isle (2)
Misc achievements part 2
    Cannon fodder
    Recruit 500 crew members.

Fastest way to get this is to play Sequence 3 Mission 2 over and over. Load up the mission on replay and keep freeing pirates until you reach 500. The mission will reset your crew meter back to zero so don't worry about having a full crew!





    Roped In
    Perform 5 air assassinations from a swinging rope.

This is gained when boarding ships that you have damaged down to their last health bar using your Jackdaw. Once your men start cheering and you see the ship is on fire move up next to the ship on either side and you will be prompted to hold to board. You need to be patient and wait for your ship to move right alongside who you are boarding or when you swing out you won't reach and will either end up in the sea or just on the rail. There is a rope at the far left and right of the jackdaw






    Ghost In The Machine
    Hack 15 computers in Abstergo Entertainment.

This can be achieved in the Modern world. There are more then 15 computers to hack but you need to have atleast level 2 security clearance in order to find them all.







    Cartographer
    Visit every location of the game.

This achievement is not able to be obtained until sequence 10 memory 3 "the observatory". There is an area on the map located at around 528,252 called long bay that is block off until you reach the mission.







    Barfly
    Unlock all taverns.

There are total of 8 tavers in the following locations:

Andreas Island (579, 720)
Arroyos (192, 563)
Corozal (41, 266)
Crooked Island (807, 541)
Grand Cayman (394, 324)
Île À Vache (843, 140)
Kingston (See note below) (623, 172)
Salt Key Bank (495, 634)







    Destroyer
    Fully upgrade the Jackdaw.









Here is alist of upgrades and cost of them:

Hull Armor:
50 000R , 700 Metal and 1450 Wood
Elite Hull Armor - Can be upgraded from San Ignacio - (379,770)

Broadside cannons:
46 000 R, 2020 Metal
Elite Broadside Cannons Set - Can be upgraded from The Blue Hole- (471, 170)

Chase Cannons:
3000 R, 60 Metal and 100 Wood

Ram Strength:
2,500 R, 350 Metal and 950 Wood
Elite Ram - Can be upgraded from La Concepcion Shipwreck - (181, 296)

Round Shot Strength:
51 900 R
Elite Round Shot Strength Can be upgraded from Kabah Ruins - (769, 145)

Chain Shot Strength:
8500 R

Mortar:
37 300 R , 1150 Metal
Elite Mortars Can be upgraded from Antocha - (630, 660)

Swivel Strength:
20 700 R, 625 Metal
Elite Swivel Guns Can be upgraded from Devil’s Eye Cave - (487, 357)

Heavy Shot:
31 900 R
Map for Elite design plan *required* Ambergris key (55, 178)
Elite Heavy Shot Strength Can be upgraded from Misteriosa - (307, 195)

Fire Barrel Strength:
11 000
Map for Elite design plan *required* Santanillas (221, 247)
Elite Fire Barrel Strength Can be upgraded from San Juan - (479, 487)

Diving Bell:
5000 R

Heavy Shot storage:
6000 R
Map for Elite design plan *required* Cayman Sound (327, 334)
Elite Heavy Shot Storage Can be upgraded from Petite Cavern - (901, 263)

Mortar storage:
7800 R
Map for Elite design plan *required* Tortuga (882, 370)
Elite Mortars Storage Can be upgraded from Matanzas - (333, 650)

Fire Barrel storage:
6000 R
Map for Elite design plan *required* acquired by completing the Scarlatina mission, in Canada, within Kenway's Fleet minigame.
Elite Fire Barrel Storage Can be upgraded from Isla Providencia - (502, 44)

Crew’s Quarters:
4300 R , 400 Cloth

Cargo storage:
8000 R

Rowboat armour:
2400 R , 250 Wood

Harpoon strength:
5000 R
Map for Elite design plan *required* Mariguana Island (880,544)
Elite Harpoon Strength Can be upgraded from Andreas Island - (579, 720)







    Devil Of The Caribbean
    Defeat all 4 legendary ships.

Following ships:
HMS Prince (Man'o War) - It mostly focuses mortar fire.
La Dama Negra - battle is similar as to HMS Prince.
HMS Fearless and Royal Sovereign - Best tactic against these is to chain shoot one and then ram them.
El Impoluto - Probably the hardest fight because of the massive ramming power it has.







    Redingote Up!
    Craft the Hunter outfit.

For this achievement you will need to craft the Hunter outfit out of (1) White Jaguar Skin and (1) Red Howler Monkey Skin. The easiest method is to buy both at a Store and then go to the crafting menu (the White Jaguar Pelt is 6000R and the Red Howler Monkey is 5000R).








    Hungover
    Wake up in a haystack.

This can be unlocked in sequence 4. Upgrade your hideouts tavern (3500 R) pay for a shot 5 times and after your last shot you will black out and wake up in some haystack.







    Seven Deadly Seas
    Explore all underwater shipwrecks.

Locations of shipwrecks:
Ambergris Key (55, 178)
Anotto Bay (621, 277)
Antocha Shipwreck (630, 660)
Devil's Eye Caverns (487, 357)
Jiguey (565, 539)
Kabah Ruins (769, 145)
La Concepcion Shipwreck (186, 296)
Petite Caverne (901, 264)
San Ignacio Wreck (378, 769)
San Juan (479, 487)
The Black Trench (215, 449)
The Blue Hole (471, 170)









    Siren Song
    Rescue pirate hostages by distracting enemies with "dancers."

To do this select sequence 3 and memory 2, then you just have to hire the "dancers" services to save our comrades.
























Misc achievements part 3
    By The Book
    Complete 100% of all main mission constraints.

Following must be completed to unlock:
Sequence 1:
Memory 1:
- Tackle the pickpocket
- Use smoke bombs to escape combat

Sequence 2:
Memory 2:
- Hire dancers to distract guards
- Stay out of combat

Sequence 2:
Memory 3:
- Complete Roger’s shooting challenge
- Pickpocket all Templars

Sequence 2:
Memory 4:
- Use the pistol in combat
- Tackle the sage from the above

Sequence 2:
Memory 5:
- Stay out of combat
- Kill guards from stalking zones

Sequence 2:
Memory 6:
- Kill guards from behind corners
- Free 23 pirates

Sequence 3:
Memory 1:
- Shoot an iguana
- Air assassinate an ocelot

Sequence 3:
Memory 2:
- Disarm and kill guards
- Shoot the rope to save the pirate

Sequence 3:
Memory 3:
- Use a swivel to kill sailors
- Plunder 20 rum

Sequence 3:
Memory 4:
- Plunder a hunter ship
- Plunder 30 sugar

Sequence 3:
Memory 5:
- Stay out of combat
- Sabotage alarm bells

Sequence 3:
Memory 6:
- Use one broadside to sink 2 boats
- Use heavy shot to sink ships

Sequence 3:
Memory 7:
- Stay out of combat
- Air assassinate Du Casse

Sequence 4:
Memory 2:
- Knock out assassins
- Loot treasure chests

Sequence 4:
Memory 4:
- Use sleep darts on guards
- Use berserk darts on guards

Sequence 5:
Memory 1:
- Use the mortar to damage the fort
- Use a running assassinate to kill the officer

Sequence 5:
Memory 2:
- Kill gunners
- Kill guards stunned by smoke bombs

Sequence 5:
Memory 3:
- Use berserk darts on brutes
- Use sleep darts on gunners

Sequence 6:
Memory 1:
- Loot treasure chests
- Avoid being attacked by a shark

Sequence 6:
Memory 2:
- Rescue survivors
- Kill guards stunned by smoke bombs

Sequence 6:
Memory 3:
- Use sleep darts on crocodiles
- Skin a crocodile

Sequence 7:
Memory 1:
- Kill guards while hanging from a ledge
- Sabotage the alarm bell

Sequence 7:
Memory 2:
- Kill 4 guards in one kill streak
- Use blowpip darts on guards

Sequence 7:
Memory 3:
- Kill guards from stalking zones
- Air assassinate Chamberlaine

Sequence 7:
Memory 4:
- Use the mortar to sink ships
- Use barrels to sink a ship

Sequence 8:
Memory 1:
- Kill guards
- Use heavy shot to incapacitate the Man O’ War

Sequence 8:
Memory 2:
- Damage the Royal African Pearl with an upgraded ram
- Use the fort’s defenses to sink a ship

Sequence 8:
Memory 3:
- Skin animals
- Air assassinate Vane

Sequence 9:
Memory 1:
- Kill brutes
- Sabotage alarm bells

Sequence 9:
Memory 2:
- Double assassinate Cockram and Burgess
- Free pirates

Sequence 10:
Memory 1:
- Stay out of combat

Sequence 10:
Memory 2:
- Stay out of combat while finding Hornigold
- Air assassinate Hornigold

Sequence 10:
Memory 3:
- Incapacitate all guardians while unarmed
- Incapacitate guardians from stalking zone

Sequence 11:
Memory 1:
- Sabotage alarm bells
- Visit old friends

Sequence 11:
Memory 3:
- Use the rope dart to hang guards
- Use the rope dart to pull guards

Sequence 12:
Memory 1:
- Kill the diplomat from a haystack
- Kill Rogers from a bench

Sequence 12:
Memory 2:
- Kill guards by destroying powder barrels
- Use the rope dart to kill Roberts

Sequence 12:
Memory 3:
- Stay out of combat
- Use guards as a human shield

Sequence 12:
Memory 4:
- Free the guardian hostages














Secret achievements
    Routine Hacking
    Complete present day mission 2.

This is a secret achievement that you do not see until you have unlocked it.
To unlock it Go Upstairs and speak to the CEO/COO. YOu have to then get a file from the second floor and bring it to the person in the lobby. This is a story related achievement so unmissable




    Getting Weird Around Here
    Complete present day mission 3.

This can be unlocked after sequence 6. You will be pulled from the animus and have to go to the executive's office. Then you will be asked to go to a control room and will see a new hacking mini-game.
Enter 5-2-7 and move on, once in the office you have to play another hacking game. Deliver the package back and that should unlock the achievement





    Bunker Buddies
    Complete present day mission 4.

This achievement can be unlocked after sequence 10. Follow the way-point and when the camera needs to be hacked use the code 3-7-7-5.







    It's All Good
    Complete present day mission 5.

This achievement is story related and can be unlocked after sequence 12. It is more if an interactive video type of mission then actually doing things. But answers alot of plot questions.
Freedom Cry DLC achievements
    Liberation Day
    Free your first slave.

This will for sure be the first achievement you unlock in this dlc. Right at the beginning of the 2nd mission you will free the first slave








    His Word Was “Perhaps”
    Freedom Cry - Complete all missions.

This will unlock after killing the Governor. Related to story









    His Own Medicine
    Disarm the Gouverneur and kill him with the branding iron.

Kill the Gouverneur with his own branding iron.
This is at the end of the last mission, which means once you kill him it will start a cut scene sequence which you cannot skip until the credits roll.









    Firepower
    Kill 5 guards at once with a blunderbuss.


You can do this in memory 4 called "A Ship of His Own" and play the Firecrackers Tutorial.
Don't jump down to kill the Tutorial guards, stay at the roof and go forward. On the left side stays a Guard at the Roof, kill him and go in direction to the powder Keg.
When above Powder Keg, switch to firecrackers and throw it down. Wait until all 4 investigate the firecracker and then Shoot with the Blunderbluss at the powder keg.









    Seeds of independence
    Liberate 500 slaves.

You gain the ability to liberate slaves immediately after the first mission. From there you can run around that town liberating 3-5 in random encounters, but your best bet are plantations. Each plantation gives you up to 30 or 40










    His Full Attention
    Freedom Cry - Achieve 100% synchronization


Memory 1:
- Locate the Templar Admiral's ship using the Spyglass

Memory 3:
- Perform an air assassination from a height of 10 meters
- Push an overseer into the water

Memory 4:
- Use Bastienne's Girls to distract the guards
- Distract 4 guards with Firecrackers

Memory 5:
- Kill the overseer who led the slaves
- Liberate slaves from the slave barracks

Memory 6:
- Complete all 5 investigations
- Do not kill anyone while investigating

Memory 7:
- Sink the pirate schooners before sinking the brig
- Destroy the pirate flotilla in 6 minutes

Memory 8:
- Take less then 50% damage during the naval fight
- Liberate 15 slaves

Memory 9:
- Kill 5 guards with the blunderbuss
- Kill de Fayet with the branding iron





Multiplayer achievements
As of writing this guide the multiplayer servers are still online and available.

    Preemptive Strike
    Playing as The Orchid, block 10 abilities from opponents with Sabotage.

at level 28, you unlock Sabotage. It's a ranged weapon. Add it to one of your ability sets, then either find a boosting partner or do it solo in Wolfpack mode on Prison.

To explain it further you have to listen and hear a "buzz" sound before you can kill, then it only counts. Enemies that start spawning on 11/25 stage for example create the sound. Do not use the ability on the Blue Coat enemies as those do not generate it.










    Elevator to the Gallows
    Kill a player using a lift that has been trapped with Booby Trap.


You can unlock this during a manhunt match when you are a pray. Throw a booby trap at the Chase Breaker, run up it and wait for the pursuer to follow. After he runs to it blow it up and achievement should unlock.

It does not unlock in private matches and you have to be level 26 to unlock trap.









    Lab Technician
    Play and complete a game session of Game Lab in the Multiplayer Public playlist.

You don't need to use the Game Lab to get this achievement. Just go into the Custom Match menu and set session type to Game Lab and Matchmaking to Public, then wait to find a game.








    Queen Anne’s Revenge
    Playing as Blackbeard, perform an acrobatic kill and a gun kill in less than 10 seconds.

Choose Wolfpack Mode - private - Saint Pierre - Standard.
Choose Blackbeard, dont forget equip your pistol (unlocked at Level 38)









    Sacred Land
    Playing as The Jaguar, be the highest scoring player of a Domination game session.

As of 09.01.2025 (Confirmed) you do not need to play as the Jaguar to earn the achievement. Just get highest score in Domination.
Easiest to do this is to queue domination on public lobbies and inviting seems broken.









    All Rounder
    Play on every game mode, and use every ability and ranged weapon once in Multiplayer.

You must be level 48 to unlock everything.
Here's the list of game modes, abilities, and ranged weapons you'll need to go through:
Everything can be done alone in Wolfpack mode apart from the game modes and ability called "bodyguard" those are the only things that need a multiplayer public lobby. Rest just boot up private game of wolfpack and get them out of the way

Game modes (8):

Artifact Assault
Assassinate
Deathmatch
Domination
Manhunt
Wanted
Wolfpack: Discovery
Wolfpack: Unleashed

Abilities (15):

Disguise
Money Bomb
Time Phase - Level 6
Decoy - Level 6
Morph - Level 12
Firecrackers - Level 12
Tripwire Bomb - Level 18
Bodyguard - Level 18
Booby Trap - Level 26
Glimmer - Level 26
Wipe - Level 34
Animus Shield - Level 34
Teleport - Level 42
Poison - Level 42
Smoke Bomb - Level 48

Ranged Weapons (5):

Disruption - Level 4
Knives - Level 12
Sabotage - Level 28
Pistol - Level 38
Poison Dart - Level 48










    Master Of The Caribbean
    Complete the Discovery Mode of Wolfpack in Multiplayer.

If you are new to this mode, Discovery mode is basically the tutorial for Wolfpack mode, and can be accessed at anytime through the Wolfpack Multiplayer menu, however the first time you start up Wolfpack it will ask you if you want to do it, so it can't be missed.










    Personal Bag Of Tricks
    Finish a game session with an ability set that you customized in Multiplayer.

When you first start playing you will naturally be lvl 1 and have a default set. You can simply switch Money Bomb and Disguise around.










    Committed To The Cause
    Reach level 55 in Multiplayer.


Play single-player Wolfpack for 30mins each day until you get to lv 55. Does not require MP matches.



31 Comments
Shinigami 11 Jan @ 2:27pm 
Getting achievements together is relatively easy, get a group of players in steam chat, search for the same mode at once and you'll end up in the same public game, most likely (there aren't many games played). Then just choose where you gather and who will get the cheevo.

We used this chat here:
https://steamproxy.com/chat/invite/Au2X21k3

Feel free to create a separate chat if needed.
Shinigami 11 Jan @ 2:24pm 
I got sacred land and elevator, ready to help others, add me.
Excrete The Khajiit 10 Jan @ 12:08pm 
Also down to help people out with these as I want to get all the multiplayer achieves. Also UK based, will add the last few of you that commented
Parzalai 10 Jan @ 4:23am 
im doing multiplayer achievements rn, its so long what dumbass ubi dev thought this was a good idea to keep these achievments.

im down to play whenever, based in uk playing mornings on weekdays and any time weekend, add me on steam or ubisoft so we can organise a play session, really need sacred land and the trap trophy
McShawarma 10 Jan @ 2:07am 
anyone willing to help with the multiplayer achievements? i've been trying for ages but cant find a single lobby for any gamemode...
nicolas65 8 Jan @ 7:34pm 
I'm building an UBISOFT friends list of people who want to get Sacred Land, etc done. Add me on UBI -- nicolas_65 and I'll try to assemble clan on clan matches to finish this one for folks
koz 8 Jan @ 7:33pm 
need help w all the multiplayer achievements pls add me
Ubane 7 Jan @ 4:22pm 
Does anyone still need multiplayer achievements?
Pepéroni 7 Jan @ 12:40pm 
so, does downgrading Ac4 for kenways fleet still pop achivments?
Bobban 6 Jan @ 12:24pm 
im not doing this yet, need mental preparations first