Factions run the seas in Windrose, and they control access to some of the best provisions and gear in the game. Every Provisioner at every faction base has a gatekeeper: your reputation score. Until you build it up, the good stuff stays locked behind the counter. Here's exactly how the system works and how to climb the ranks as fast as possible.
What is reputation in Windrose?
Reputation is a per-faction standing system. You start at Level 1 with each of the four factions, and handing over specific items to a Bounty Agent at their base raises your score. Higher reputation unlocks new items in that faction's shop, sold by the Provisioner standing right next to the Bounty Agent.
The four factions you can build standing with are:
- People of Tortuga
- Rogue Buccaneers
- Smugglers of Port Royal
- Brethren of the Coast
Reputation is not shared between factions. Points you hand over to the Rogue Buccaneers do nothing for your standing with the Smugglers of Port Royal, so think carefully before committing your hard-earned Insignias.
Windrose Guide: How to Increase Reputation
What items do you need to increase reputation?
Two item types drive reputation gains: Insignias and Letters of Favor. They earn different amounts of reputation points, and they come from different sources.
The math here is obvious: Old Salt Insignias are worth 80 times a Newhand Insignia. Prioritize collecting the rarer drops whenever possible rather than grinding standard pirates for single-point scraps.
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Don't dump all your Insignias into one faction early on. Explore the shops at each base first to see which faction's unlocks suit your playstyle before committing.
How do you get Insignias?
Insignias drop from pirates, either at their camps on land or from their ships at sea. The rank of the enemy determines the quality of the drop:
- Standard sailors drop Newhand Insignias (1 point each)
- Lieutenants, Musketeers, and other tougher enemies drop Deckhand, Veteran, and Old Salt Insignias
Clearing pirate camps and boarding or sinking enemy ships are your two main farming routes. The harder the fight, the better the Insignia, so don't avoid the challenging encounters.
warning
Spending Insignias on a faction you later abandon wastes significant progress. The 80-point Old Salt Insignia in particular is too valuable to spend carelessly.
How do you get Letters of Favor?
Letters of Favor come from completing Faction Quests (side quests tied to a specific faction). Each Letter is worth 10 reputation points, and quests reward them in bundles. The IGN wiki confirms two examples:
- The Buccaneers side quest rewards 5x Letters of Favor (50 points total)
- Catastrophe's Aftermath rewards 10x Letters of Favor (100 points total)
Letters of Favor are the most efficient way to spike your reputation quickly, especially early on when Insignia drops are mostly low-tier Newhands. Prioritize Faction Quests whenever they appear.
Where do you hand in Insignias and Letters of Favor?
Head to Tortuga first. The game's main questline will prompt you to visit, and that's where you'll encounter your first Bounty Agents. Each Bounty Agent represents a different faction and stands next to their faction's Provisioner.
Beyond Tortuga, every faction also has a Main Base scattered across the world map. These bases are randomly placed, but once you find one, you can fast travel back using any Fast Travel camp (no Fast Travel Bell required). Bounty Agents and Provisioners are present at every Main Base.
Main Bases also host Buyers, NPCs who purchase specific inventory items you may have been holding onto: Dodo Heads, Spirits, Medicine, and similar goods. Selling to Buyers is a good way to clear inventory and earn Piastre and Guinea, the currencies used to actually buy items from faction shops.
For more strategies and walkthroughs as you progress through the game, browse more guides on GAMES.GG.