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Mortar Joe
April 19, 2026 at 10:55 AM
Aligned Recruit Comparison table row with the rest of the article: Mortar Joe grants a guaranteed +50% Gunpowder output, not a 30% proc.
Mortar Joe is a hireable crew member whose Talented Powderman talent grants a guaranteed 50% increase to Gunpowder production while he is assigned to the Millstones. A standard 10-count batch becomes a 15-count batch, and unlike the three Tortuga-based workers, the bonus is guaranteed rather than a 30 percent proc chance. He is found at the Brethren of the Coast main base. Community guides consistently advise waiting to recruit him until Gunpowder crafting is a regular activity (mid-game).
Detail | Value |
|---|---|
Cost | 500 Piastres |
Location | Brethren of the Coast main base |
Talent | 50% increase in Gunpowder production (10 per craft -> 15 per craft, guaranteed) |
Best Recruit Timing | Mid-game, once Millstones are built |
Gunpowder is the backbone of Naval Combat and a bottleneck in faction quests such as the Buccaneers chain, which requires 50 bags. Mortar Joe's passive effectively reduces Sulfur and Charcoal consumption for the same output, meaning more broadsides per raid and fewer Millstone runs.
In-game database entry for Mortar Joe as of Windrose version 0.10.0. This section captures the exact profession label, perk names, recruitment cost, and dialogue phrase the game surfaces for this NPC.
Field | Value |
|---|---|
Classification | Worker |
Category | Millstones Station |
Profession | Powderman |
Recruitment Cost | 500 Piastres |
Perk Name | Effect |
|---|---|
Personal Quest (coming in a future update) | Has a personal quest (coming in a future update) |
Talented Powderman | Increases Gunpowder production by 50% |
Mortar Joe greets the player with a signature line when interacted with:
"I can put together any explosive you want, so long as you've got powder. We'll make such a BOOM the dead'll start twitching."
Mortar Joe is assigned to the Millstones once hired. The in-game NPC database lists the assignment under the Millstones Station category. The perk applies automatically whenever the assigned station is used, with no further toggle or activation required.
Mortar Joe is one of four hireable named crew members on the People of TortugaBrethren of the Coastand Smugglers of Port Royal faction circuit. Every named crew member costs 500 Piastre flat, regardless of role.
Crew | Faction | Role | Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
Cook | 30 percent chance to craft an additional meal | ||
Weapon upgrader | 30 percent chance to return a material when upgrading | ||
Bottle maker + alchemist | 2 bottles per clay batch; +30 percent chance of extra elixirs | ||
Mortar Joe | Gunpowder production | Guaranteed +50% Gunpowder per craft (10 -> 15), not a proc chance |
Both the and crew-hiring guides list Mortar Joe as the latest-value hire of the four. Gunpowder does not become a meaningful bottleneck until the player is running Naval Combat on a regular basis, typically once the Ketch is upgraded to a Brethren variant or the player sails a Brig. Factions like the Rogue Buccaneers also demand large Gunpowder bundles for their quest chains (the Buccaneers quest requires 50 bags), at which point Mortar Joe's 50 percent output boost pays for his 500 Piastre fee in a single crafting session.
The Brethren of the Coast main base is a fortified island separate from Tortuga. Mortar Joe is stationed at a dedicated workstation on the base rather than walking a patrol route; once the player reaches the hub and talks to him, he remains fixed for subsequent visits. Do not confuse this location with the Rogue Buccaneers Main Basewhich is a separate faction's island home and hosts different NPCs entirely.
