Bloodsail Buccaneers

The Bloodsail Buccaneers are the pirates who raid the coast of Stranglethorn Vale and plot to plunder the goblin port of Booty Bay. In Classic every player starts as their enemy, and most push the faction even lower by doing the Stranglethorn quests. A few do the opposite: they turn on Booty Bay, slaughter its citizens for weeks, and win the right to wear the [Bloodsail Admiral's Hat]. It is the best-known "reverse" reputation grind in the game.

Who they are

The Bloodsail are the most bloodthirsty of the pirate crews of the South Seas, and the poorest, because they leave no one alive to rob twice. Their fleet answers to Fleet Master Firallon. In Classic they are preparing an attack on Booty Bay, which the Steamwheedle Cartel holds with the help of a rival pirate crew, the Blackwater Raiders under Fleet Master Seahorn.

Both sides would rather win without a battle, so both hire adventurers. The Blackwater send players to spy on the Bloodsail camps along the coast, steal their charts and orders, and kill their officers. The Bloodsail, in turn, welcome anyone who is willing to cut down goblins and Blackwater men.

Where to find them

The Bloodsail hold camps along the Savage Coast and the Wild Shore of southern Stranglethorn, and three of their ships lie at anchor off the coast. Fleet Master Firallon commands from the Crimson Veil. Their men, such as Bloodsail Swashbucklers and Elder Magi, attack on sight until the pirates reach Unfriendly.

Earning reputation

Players start at Hated, the lowest standing. Many Booty Bay quests lower it further: the Blackwater quest line beginning with The Bloodsail Buccaneers costs Bloodsail standing at every step, and even ordinary Booty Bay quests carry a penalty.

The only way up is to kill people loyal to Booty Bay. Each citizen, guard or Booty Bay Bruiser gives a little Bloodsail reputation and costs much more with Booty Bay, and the other three goblin towns lose half as much as Booty Bay does. The bruisers respawn quickly and give the most, so players usually farmed them on the docks, dying often. Once a character reaches Hated with Booty Bay, the town's guards attack on sight and its flight path, bank and boats are closed to them.

Because the pirates start at Hated and the climb is slow, reaching even Neutral took many hours. Reaching Honored, which later counted toward an achievement, took far longer.

Rewards

Avast Ye, Admiral!

The faction's one real reward is a hat. Firallon asks the player to kill Fleet Master Seahorn and Baron Revilgaz, the two leaders of Booty Bay's defense, inside their own town. The quest needs Hated standing with Booty Bay as well as Friendly with the Bloodsail, so only players who have already turned on the goblins can do it. The reward is the [Bloodsail Admiral's Hat], a helm with +25 Stamina that also summons a Blood Parrot.

The hat is weak as armor but became a famous trophy, since wearing it shows that its owner spent days as Booty Bay's enemy and then had to win the goblins back to use their town again.

History and trivia

• In Wrath of the Lich King, completing Avast Ye, Admiral! also awarded the title "Bloodsail Admiral", and Honored with the Bloodsail became part of the "Insane in the Membrane" achievement, alongside Exalted with all four goblin towns and several other notorious factions.
• Patch 2.3 raised the starting reputation for players who had never dealt with the pirates, which shortened the climb.
• In Cataclysm, the Bloodsail finally attacked Booty Bay, and a new quest line let players fight them in the battered town.

Sources

• Bloodsail Buccaneers (Warcraft Wiki)
• Avast Ye, Admiral! (Warcraft Wiki)