Windrose Money Farming Guide: How to Make Piastre Fast
A pirate without any cash is just an angry person standing on a beach.
The economy in Windrose is incredibly demanding. If you want to construct luxurious mahogany stairs, forge the best epic weapons, or purchase the blueprints for a massive endgame Frigate, you need an absurd amount of Piastre and Guineas. The game casually lets you scrape together a few coins here and there by opening decrepit chests on the beach, but if you rely on scavenging, you will be broke forever.
To actually get rich, you have to commit high-stakes piracy on the open ocean. Now before you waste hours blowing random boats to splinters for pocket change, you need to understand that destroying a ship is the absolute worst way to make money. Here is exactly how to optimize your naval combat for maximum profit.
The Boarding Action Exploit
If you simply shoot an enemy ship until its health bar hits zero, it sinks. You might get a few Combat Repair Kits or a faction Insignia floating in the wreckage, but the vast majority of the cargo sinks to the bottom of the ocean.
If you want the real payout, you have to board them. Successfully seizing a ship rewards you with massive stacks of Piastre, high-tier Insignias, and highly valuable trade goods like Spirits and Provisions that you can liquidate later.
Identifying the Right Targets
Do not just attack every ship you see. You are looking for loot pinatas.
Scan the horizon for hostile vessels that have a distinct chest symbol hovering directly above their nametag. These are typically transport vessels, like the Blackbeard Haulers. The higher the level of the ship, the more devastatingly rich the cargo hold is going to be.
Equipping Your Crew
You cannot board a ship if you do not have the right hardware. You absolutely must craft Boarding Party Gear at your Shipwright's Workshop and physically equip it to your vessel at the Wharf. Upgrading this gear increases the raw attack damage of your AI crewmates when they cross over to the enemy deck. If you are entirely lost on how to manage your ship slots, take a quick detour and read my naval combat and fleet management guide.
Executing the Perfect Heist
Once you spot a Hauler, the combat loop requires a bit of finesse. You cannot just ram them.
Winning the Deck Brawl
Once the hooks are secured, a close-quarters brawl breaks out. If all of your AI crewmates get knocked out, you will be forced to fight the remaining enemies entirely alone (don't worry, your crew magically respawns after the encounter).
To ensure your crew survives, do not jump over to the enemy deck. Stay on your own ship, stand near the railing, and provide overwatch. If you completed the Glorious Hunters side quest, you should have the Buccaneer's Friend Musket. This specific rifle has zero aim spread as long as you are standing completely still, making it the ultimate sniper for clearing the enemy deck safely. If you do not have that musket, check my epic weapons tier list for suitable alternatives.
Liquidating Assets and Guineas
Once you clear the ship, your inventory will be bloated with trade goods like Provisions, Munitions, and Contraband.
You need to take these items to the specific faction Buyers located inside the major Fortresses. Before you sell a single piece of loot, ensure you have invested talent points into the Haggler perk, which permanently increases your Piastre payout by 15 percent, and the Scavenger perk, which grants a 10 percent chance to pull double Piastre from wild chests. Check my complete talents and stats guide if you need help finding those specific skill nodes. For the exact locations of every merchant, reference my complete selling guide.
Converting Cash to Guineas
Eventually, Piastre loses its value, and you need golden Guineas to buy the endgame Frigate blueprints.
You can earn Guineas by selling legendary ancient relics to the Smugglers of Port Royal. However, if your luck with dungeon loot is terrible, you can simply buy the premium currency. The Provisioner for the Smugglers of Port Royal will happily convert 50 of your hard-earned Piastre into 1 Guinea. Farm those Blackbeard Haulers, liquidate the cargo, and exchange the profits. Keep an eye on the Windrose Hub for more ways to monopolize the archipelago.
