Windrose factions: Recommendations for improving your reputation with the Smugglers, Buccaneers, Brethren, and People of Tortuga

Windrose - A pirate player character standing beside the smuggler leader
(Image credit: Kraken Express)

There are four Windrose factions to build reputation with, but not all of them provide the same goods or accept the same smuggled wares in exchange for your friendship. With limited insignias to trade for their favor, choosing which pirate crew to woo can be a little overwhelming—but that's where I come in.

I've been sailing the high seas between Tortuga and its neighboring islands nonstop since launch, and I've got some thoughts on which crew you should rank up first and how to spend both your favor and piastre. So here's everything you should know about the Windrose factions, including their related quests, where to sell your valuables, and a list of goods each faction offers.

Windrose faction basics

You can find representatives from every Windrose faction in Tortuga, each with a Bounty Agent to trade reputational goods with and a Provisioner to buy various supplies and crafting recipes from. If you want to sell to a faction's buyer, you'll have to travel elsewhere, but don't worry about running out of Fast Travel Bells. Windrose makes it easy by offering a free teleport to Tortuga and all four of the other faction islands, so you won't have to waste your fast travel resources.

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Types of faction representatives

The buyer and 'leader' NPCs are located on islands separate from Tortuga. The easiest way to spot them is by sailing around and checking your map for waters highlighted in green. That means they're occupied by an allied faction, and the island they operate out of should be somewhere nearby.

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Faction NPCs and their locations

NPC

Description

Available on Tortuga?

Bounty Agent

Improves your reputation by trading insignias and Letters of Favor

Provisioner

Sells various resources, ship improvements, crafting recipes, etc.

Buyer

NPC for selling your smuggled goods and valuables in exchange for Piastre and Guinea

Leader

Main point of contact for faction quests

Recruitable NPC

Workers for your crafting stations that offer talents for managing resources

Two are located on faction islands; one is available in Tortuga

Improving your reputation with factions

You'll improve your rank with each Windrose faction by trading insignia or Letters of Favor. Enemy pirates are a good source of reputation-building goodies, but you can also find insignia in ship caches or hidden in chests.

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Items for improving faction ranks

Item

Favor Value

Newhand Insignia

1

Deckhand Insignia

4

Letter of Favor

10

Veteran Insignia

20

Old Sat Insignia

80

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Rank requirements

Rank

Favor Required

Level 1

0

Level 2

100

Level 3

300

Level 4

600

Quick tips for ranking up and buying provisions

Windrose - Pirate NPCs on a pier. One is nodding off while the other stares at him.

(Image credit: Kraken Express)
  • You can't sell items in Tortuga, so try to find all four faction islands as soon as possible to offload your valuables and start saving for upgrades
  • Prioritize upgrading your ship first by reaching Rank 2 with the Brethren
  • Next, reach Rank 2 with the Smugglers for hull upgrades and naval tactics
  • Invest in more ship upgrades with Rank 2 or 3 cannons from the Buccaneers
  • Don't be afraid to spend extra piastre on Shipwright's Tools, Smithing Flux, Master's Tools, and Sewing Tools for upgrading gear and naval equipment you plan to keep

Brethren of the Coast

Windrose - Two pirates sitting at a table drinking and eating

Quest: Brethren of The Coast

  1. Find the survivors
  2. Tell Captain Hornigold
  3. Destroy two pirate boats
  4. Speak to Hornigold
  5. Gather resources for the Ranger repairs
  6. Speak to Hornigold
  7. Defeat Stede Bonnet's fleet
  8. Return to tell Hornigold of your victory

Windrose - Benjamin Hornigold, the leader of the Brethren.

About the Brethren

  • Leader: Benjamin Hornigold
  • Island Recruit: Mortar Joe (Powderman)

The Brethren offer new ship designs as your reputation improves with them, making them one of the most important factions in the game. I recommend upgrading to the Brig as soon as possible, then using upgrades from the Smugglers to beef up your new ride.

Brethren of the Coast Buyer

(Image credit: Kraken Express)
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Item

Sell Price

Naval Supplies

150 Piastre

Specialized Tools

250 Piastre

Combat Repair Kit

10 Piastre

Master Combat Repair Kit

30 Piastre

Brethren of the Coast Provisioner

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Item

Cost

Reputation Rank

Shipwright's Tools

10 Piastre

1

Steel Nails

10 Piastre

2

Salt

2 Piastre

2

Coffee Beans

3 Piastre

3

Whiskey

10 Piastre

3

Madeira

10 Piastre

3

Brandy

10 Piastre

3

Ship Design: Brig

1,000 Piastre

2

Ship Design: Frigate

3,000 Piastre

4

Style Book: Privateer Flag Designs

10 Guinea

3

Style Book: Stock Hull Colors

30 Guinea

3

Style Book: Stock Sails Colors

30 Guinea

3

Style Book: Brethren Flag Designs

10 Guinea

4

Style Book: Brethren Hull Colors

10 Guinea

4

Style Book: Brethren Sails Colors

10 Guinea

4

Smugglers of Port Royal

Windrose - A pirate holding an axe

Quest: Smugglers

  1. Talk to the leader of the Smugglers
  2. Find and search for Marita's missing ship
  3. Return to Marita
  4. Recover the stolen cargo
  5. Return the wine to Marita

Windrose - The leader of the Smugglers, Marita Suarez. She has long brown curly hair and is wearing a large pirate hat and green doublet.

About the Smugglers

  • Leader: Marita Suarez

After you score a new ship from your reputation with the Brethren, go for a hull upgrade from the Smugglers and a set of Naval Tactics. The Naval Tactics 5: Silence the Guns upgrade was my favorite of the bunch, delivering a 20% reload speed and damage reduction penalty to your enemies for 30 seconds after every hit.

Smugglers of Port Royal Buyer

(Image credit: Kraken Express)
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Item

Sell Price

Contraband

150 Piastre

Luxuries

250 Piastre

Silver Spoon

5 Piastre

Silver Button

5 Piastre

Silver Earring

10 Piastre

Bone Beads

5 Piastre

Wooden Talisman

5 Piastre

Clay Vase

5 Piastre

Ancient Incense Burner

1 Guinea

Ancient Chalice

1 Guinea

Pot with Golden Horns

1 Guinea

Gold Mask of the Priest

5 Guinea

Gold Temple Jug

5 Guinea

Gold Vase of the Chief

5 Guinea

Smugglers of Port Royal Provisioner

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Item

Cost

Reputation Rank

Smithing Flux

10 Piastre

1

Plans: Conquistador's Cuirass

200 Piastre

2

Plans: Conquistador's Pants

200 Piastre

2

Plans: Pikeman's Cuirass

200 Piastre

2

Plans: Pikeman's Pants

200 Piastre

2

Plans: Keelhold Hull Bracing

300 Piastre

2

Plans: Iron Resolve Hull Bracing

300 Piastre

2

Plans: Standfast Hull Bracing

300 Piastre

2

Naval Tactics 1: Ambush

500 Piastre

3

Naval Tactics 2: No Quarter

500 Piastre

3

Naval Tactics 3: Stretch the Supply

500 Piastre

3

Naval Tactics 4: Shipshape

500 Piastre

3

Naval Tactics 5: Silence the Guns

500 Piastre

3

Plans: Stone and Planks (Base Set)

10 Guinea

2

Plans: Timber Pillars, Beams, and Fences

20 Guinea

2

Plans: Straw Roofs and Triangular Walls

20 Guinea

3

Decoration: Luxurious Fireplace

30 Guinea

4

Decoration: Fountains and Planters

30 Guinea

4

Decoration: Elegant Iron Utensils

30 Guinea

4

Style Book: Smugglers Flag Designs

10 Guinea

4

(1) Guinea

50 Piastre

1

20 Piastre

1 Guinea

1

Rogue Buccaneers

Windrose - A player's pirate standing in front of limes

Quest: Buccaneers

  1. Deliver 50 bags of gunpowder to Henri Boucher
  2. Deliver the tanned hide shipment to Charlie Sharpe
  3. Cook 20 Skewered Meat
  4. Deliver Rum and 20 Skewered Meat to Henri

Windrose - The leader of the Buccaneers Henri Boucher

About the Buccaneers

  • Leader: Henri Boucher

The Buccaneers also offer useful offensive upgrades for naval combat, but I found defensive plans more helpful for surviving the open seas. I suggest prioritizing the Smugglers first, then move on to upgrading your offenses with cannon upgrades from the Buccaneers.

Rogue Buccaneers Buyer

(Image credit: Kraken Express)
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Item

Sell Price

Spirits

50 Piastre

Munitions

100 Piastre

Crab Shell

10 Piastre

Dodo Head

20 Piastre

Boar Head

20 Piastre

Wolf Head

30 Piastre

Head of a Mountain Goat Leader

30 Piastre

Crocodile Head

50 Piastre

Rogue Buccaneers Provisioner

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Item

Cost

Reputation Rank

Master's Tools

10 Piastre

1

Merchant Contract: Animal Products

100 Piastre

2

Plans: Flibustier's Jacket

200 Piastre

2

Plans: Flibustier's Pants

200 Piastre

2

Plans: Tracker's Jacket

200 Piastre

2

Plans: Tracker's Pants

200 Piastre

2

Plans: Tempered 12-Pounders

300 Piastre

2

Plans: Perfectly Ordered 12-Pounders

300 Piastre

2

Plans: Devastating 12-Pounders

300 Piastre

2

Plans: Tempered 24-Pounders

400 Piastre

3

Plans: Perfectly Ordered 24-Pounders

400 Piastre

3

Plans: Devastating 24-Pounders

400 Piastre

3

Plans: Tempered 36 Pounders

500 Piastre

4

Plans: Perfectly Ordered 36-Pounder

500 Piastre

4

Plans: Devastating 36-Pounder

500 Piastre

4

Plans: Clay and Logs (Base Set)

10 Guinea

1

Plans: Weathered Pillars and Fences

20 Guinea

2

Plans: Reed Roofs and Clay Walls

20 Guinea

3

Decor: Hunter's Furnishings

30 Guinea

4

Style Book: Buccaneers Flag Designs

10 Guinea

4

People of Tortuga

Windrose - Player character seated on a pile of crates beside a fire

Quest: Catastrophe's Aftermath

  1. Get the supplies from the ship
  2. Bring the supplies to Charlie Sharpe
  3. Talk to Doctor Galen
  4. Collect 15 bundles of healing herbs for Galen
  5. Bring the medicine to Charlie Sharpe
  6. Get rid of Jim Godart
  7. Return to Charlie Sharp

Windrose - The People of Tortuga leader, Charlie Sharpe. He's an older man with white hair and a mustache. He's got rope around his arms and wears a blue bandana.

About the People of Tortuga

  • Leader: Charlie Sharpe
  • Recruit: Black Axel (Cook)

The People of Tortuga don't offer much that will help you against your enemies, but they do sell new building plans and decorations that will keep your base lookin' mighty fresh. I rushed leveling this faction and regretted it since it made naval combat harder, but at least I looked good doing it. Anyway, do as I say, not as I do, and save this faction for last.

People of Tortuga Buyer

(Image credit: Kraken Express)
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Item

Sell Price

Provisions

50 Piastre

Medicine

100 Piastre

People of Tortuga Provisioner

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Item

Cost

Reputation Rank

Sewing Tools

10 Piastre

1

Merchant Contract: Food

100 Piastre

2

Merchant Contract: Natural Resources

100 Piastre

2

Plans: Privateer's Coat

200 Piastre

2

Plans: Privateer's Pants

200 Piastre

2

Plans: Marksman's Doublet

200 Piastre

2

Plans: Marksman's Pants

200 Piastre

2

Plans: Marble, Plaster, and Tile (Base Set)

10 Guinea

2

Plans: Columns and Arches

20 Guinea

2

Plans: Tile Roofs (Extras)

20 Guinea

3

Plans: Elegant Stained Glass Doors and Windows

20 Guinea

4

Plans: Mahogany Staircases and Railings

20 Guinea

4

Decorations: Luxurious Seating

30 Guinea

4

Decorations: Mahogany Tables and Cabinets

30 Guinea

4

Decorations: Elegant Cabinets

30 Guinea

4

Decorations: Elegant Curtains and Shelves

30 Guinea

4

Is Windrose worth it?Windrose Discovery listWindrose Fast Travel BellWindrose gunpowderWindrose Traveler's Camp

Is Windrose worth it? Weigh your choices
Windrose Discovery list: Don't miss a thing
Windrose Fast Travel Bell: How to make them
Windrose gunpowder: Homemade or scavenged
Windrose Traveler's Camp: Find the second chest

Andrea Shearon
Evergreen Writer

Andrea has been covering games for nearly a decade, picking up bylines at IGN, USA Today, Fanbyte, and Destructoid before joining the PC Gamer team in 2025. She's got a soft spot for older RPGs and is willing to try just about anything with a lovey-dovey "I can fix them" romance element. Her weekly to-do always includes a bit of MMO time, endlessly achievement hunting and raiding in Final Fantasy 14. Outside of those staples, she's often got a few survival-crafting games on rotation and loves a good scare in co-op horror games.

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