Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Guide: The Best Weapons to Dominate the Caribbean
Master the new combat system with the ultimate sword and pistol combinations for Edward Kenway.
Quick Answer: The combat meta in Resynced revolves around Maximum Takedowns and Legendary perks, not just raw damage. Pair the Persian Scimitars with the Golden Flintlock Pistols for an unstoppable crowd-control build, or grab Naoe’s Shadowblade if you want to master the new perfect parry mechanics.
How Weapon Stats Actually Work Now
If you are just equipping whatever blade has the highest damage number, the combat overhaul in Resynced is going to punish you. The new system is built entirely around Chain Takedowns, Defense meters, and distinct Heavy Strikes.
Every melee weapon you pick up has two stats that dictate how it performs: Damage and Maximum Takedowns. Damage is simple, it governs how hard your standard swings hit. Maximum Takedowns, however, is the real game-changer. This stat determines exactly how many enemies Edward can instantly execute in a sequence following a Perfect Parry, with the absolute maximum cap sitting at four.
A blade packing 38 Damage but only two Maximum Takedowns will often get you overwhelmed in massive boarding brawls. Meanwhile, a 25 Damage weapon that lets you string together four instant executions is vastly superior for clearing a crowded deck. The developers have balanced the game so you can technically win with the starting swords, meaning raw damage is less important than finding a weapon with a Legendary perk that fits your playstyle.
Melee Weapon Classes
Before we get into specific recommendations, you need to understand your weapon class. Each class dictates the animation and utility of your Heavy Strike:
| Weapon Type | Heavy Strike Style | Tactical Advantage |
| Cutlass | A massive, wide swing that connects with multiple foes | Ultimate crowd control and creating breathing room |
| Rapier | A high-damage, forward-piercing thrust | Melting single targets and elites |
| Pistol Sword | Instantly fires two shots at your targets | Adding ranged burst damage into your melee combos |
The Absolute Best Swords in the Game
If you want to clear out enemy galleons without breaking a sweat, you need to track down these specific blades.
Persian Scimitars
These are arguably the undisputed kings of melee combat. You get the maximum 38 Damage alongside four Maximum Takedowns. Better yet, their Legendary perk completely nullifies one of the most frustrating mechanics in the entire game: Brutes can no longer interrupt your Chain Takedowns. If you hate having your flawless execution streak ruined by a heavy enemy popping their Defense, equip these immediately.
Dragon’s Fang Swords
Matching the Persian Scimitars in raw stats (38 Damage, 4 Takedowns), these swords trade the anti-Brute utility for pure momentum. Every kill you secure temporarily buffs your attack power. If you play aggressively and love snowballing through a dense fight, this is your weapon.
Ezio’s Swords
While 25 Damage and three Maximum Takedowns might look weak on paper, Ezio’s Swords hold a distinct tactical advantage. The unique perk allows you to Perfect Parry incoming attacks that are normally completely unblockable. This makes them ridiculously overpowered against boss encounters and aggressive elite enemies.
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Naoe’s Shadowblade & Matched Golden Swords
Both of these blades clock in at 25 Damage and four Maximum Takedowns, but they serve slightly different tactical purposes:
- Naoe’s Shadowblade: Makes executing Perfect Parries and Perfect Dodges noticeably easier. This is the ultimate training-wheels weapon while you build muscle memory for the new combat rhythm.
- Matched Golden Swords: Extends the physical reach of your Chain Takedowns and makes them easier to trigger. This is highly practical when enemies are spread out across a wide area.
High-Risk, High-Reward Options
- Le Bourgeoys Blades: A Legendary Pistol Sword boasting 38 Damage and two Takedowns. The catch? The Heavy Strike fires three shots instead of the usual two, giving you insane burst pressure without dipping into your normal pistol ammo.
- Dual Cleavers: Also sitting at 38 Damage and two Takedowns, these blades shine when you are taking a beating. Your attack power surges when your health drops low, and the Heavy Strike features a massive area of effect.
Top Tier Pistols to Equip
Pistols operate on a completely different system than swords. They ignore Damage and Takedowns, relying instead on Range and Draw Speed. You will use them to extend combos, break enemy Defense meters mid-brawl, or pick off snipers before a fight even starts.
| Pistol Name | Range | Draw Speed | Unique Perk & Why It Rocks |
| Golden Flintlock Pistols | 28 | 1.20 | Slows time briefly after a kill, granting a huge reaction window. The best all-around firearm. |
| Baldwin’s Golden Pistols | 26 | 1.00 | A Rare-tier weapon that draws lightning fast and outranges most Legendaries. Excellent mid-game pick. |
| Dragon’s Roar Pistols | 28 | 1.50 | Securing a kill extends your maximum range even further, making them lethal in long engagements. |
| Fury of the Deep | 28 | 1.50 | Landing a headshot restores a small chunk of health, giving you vital sustain during long fights. |
Exactly Where to Find the Best Gear
Resynced scatters its best weapons across a variety of different activities. Here is exactly where you need to look to build your ultimate loadout:
- Max Out Great Inagua: Once you fully upgrade the General Store at your pirate haven, you can purchase the Golden Flintlock Pistols and the Dual Cleavers (which will run you 19,000 Reales).
- Knock Out Side Quests: Finish the “Art Lover” quest to unlock the Le Bourgeoys Blades. You can also find The Fortune cutlass hidden inside a chest at the Manor.
- Finish Officer Questlines: Push through Lucy Baldwin’s story arcs. Her third quest, “Plantain!”, directly rewards you with Baldwin’s Golden Pistols.
- Dive for Underwater Chests: Explore the sunken shipwrecks. Captain’s Wheellock Pistols are at coordinates 823, 448 near Great Inagua, while Captain Morgan’s Pistols are waiting for you at Black Island (917, 616).
- Spend Your Animus Keys: Redeeming these keys will unlock a rotating pool of powerful weapons and cosmetics.
