Heavy shot in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is the Jackdaw’s short-range broadside: with an enemy ship alongside you, press the fire button without holding aim (R2 on PS5, RT on Xbox, left click on PC) and the cannons on that side unload a heavy volley. Hold aim first and you fire regular round shot instead, the long-range option.
That one detail, aiming or not aiming, is why so many players think heavy shot is missing or broken. Below we cover what it is, how to fire it on each platform, how it fits with the remake’s new heated shot, and how to unlock and upgrade it.
What Heavy Shot Is in Resynced
Ubisoft’s naval deep dive lists heavy shot as one of the returning broadside options: “On top of flexible round shot and the short range heavy shot, we are adding heated shots to the Jackdaw’s arsenal.” So heavy shot keeps its original close-range role. Round shot is the flexible, aimed volley you can land from a distance. Heavy shot is the close-range punch. Heated shot is new, and it is the broadside’s secondary firing mode.
Heavy shot also runs on its own ammunition. Guides agree it draws from a limited reserve, which is why storage upgrades exist for it.
How to Fire Heavy Shot on PS5, Xbox and PC
One launch control list calls it blind fire: firing without the aim input held.
- PS5: press R2 without holding L2.
- Xbox Series X|S: press RT without holding LT.
- PC: left click without holding right click.
Step by step:
- Close the distance. Heavy shot is short range. Guides note that if the target is too far away, the volley just splashes into the waves next to the Jackdaw.
- Get the enemy alongside. Broadsides fire from the sides of the ship, so turn until the target sits off your port or starboard rail.
- Fire without aiming. Press the fire button on its own. If an aiming arc appears, you are holding aim and will fire round shot instead.
- Brace while you reload. Hold X on Xbox, Square on PS5 or Space on PC to cut the damage from the return volley.
If you get used to aiming everything, remember that holding aim is what turns your broadside into round shot. Let go of it at close range.
Heavy Shot vs Round Shot vs Heated Shot
- Round shot (aim, then fire): accurate at range, and your default broadside.
- Heavy shot (fire without aiming): big damage at close range, limited ammo.
- Heated shot (secondary mode): Ubisoft says it “fires multiple volleys of fiery projectiles in quick succession, dealing high damage to a target should you manage to land them all.”
Every Jackdaw weapon in the remake has a secondary firing mode that you can swap to at any time while aiming, per Ubisoft. Launch control lists put the swap on Triangle (PS5), Y (Xbox) or E (PC) while you hold aim. Secondary modes are unlocked over the course of the game; the game even has an achievement, Not So Little Friend, for unlocking the first one on any Jackdaw weapon. One launch guide ties heated shot to the Sequence 3 mission Proper Defences.
How to Unlock, Restock and Upgrade Heavy Shot
Unlock. Guides report that heavy shot becomes available from Harbourmasters once you complete the main quest Prizes and Plunder and gain access to their services.
Restock. Buy heavy shot ammo from any Harbourmaster between fights, and guides note you can also pick up ammunition from defeated ships. Our guide to repairing the Jackdaw covers Harbourmaster visits, since you will usually repair and restock in the same stop.
Upgrade. The Harbourmaster sells two heavy shot upgrade lines: strength (damage) and storage (ammo capacity). The final tier of each needs an Ultimate Plan, and collectible guides place both behind treasure maps:
- Heavy Shot Strength Ultimate Plan: a treasure map found in a cave on Ambergris Key, which leads to buried treasure at Misteriosa.
- Heavy Shot Storage Ultimate Plan: a treasure map found on a beach at Cayman Sound, which leads to Petite Caverne.
The top tiers also depend on your Hideout. Ubisoft says the Harbourmaster building at Great Inagua has three levels and each one increases “the number and tier of upgrades you can purchase for the Jackdaw.”
When to Use Heavy Shot
- As a finisher before boarding. Once a ship is nearly disabled, a point-blank volley ends it quickly so you can board and pick Repair.
- Against ships that ram. A ramming ship has to come close, which puts it right in heavy shot range as it passes.
- After softening a target at range. Guides recommend wearing ships down with mortars or aimed round shot, then closing in for heavy shot.
- With Deadman Smith aboard. Ubisoft says recruiting officer Tobias “Deadman” Smith lets you fire an additional volley from your broadsides with minimal cooldown between salvos.
Guides also note that cannon damage, heavy shot included, is what opens the red weak points your swivel guns exploit. Before a fight, a quick scan with the spyglass (see our Eagle Vision and scouting guide) helps you pick which ship to close on first. For more Assassin’s Creed help, our Assassin’s Creed Shadows guides hub covers the most recent mainline game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my heavy shot not come out? You are probably holding aim. Aimed fire is round shot. Release the aim input and press fire alone, with the enemy alongside.
Why do my heavy shot volleys miss? Range. Heavy shot is a short-range attack, and guides note it simply lands in the water when the target is too far away. Close in first.
Does heavy shot use ammo? Yes. It has a limited reserve that you refill at Harbourmasters or from defeated ships, and storage upgrades raise how much you can carry.
Is heavy shot the same as heated shot? No. Heavy shot is the unaimed close-range volley. Heated shot is the broadside’s secondary mode, swapped to while aiming, which fires several fiery volleys in quick succession.
Where do you upgrade heavy shot? At any Harbourmaster. The final strength and storage tiers each need an Ultimate Plan from a treasure map, plus an upgraded Harbourmaster building at Great Inagua.