How do I increase my Jomsviking rank? An in-depth guide

Hey friend! If you‘re looking to power up your Jomsviking lieutenant for River Raids in Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla, you‘ve come to the right place. As an avid raider myself, I‘m going to walk you through everything you need to know to build an elite Viking squad capable of plundering the most challenging areas of England.

Who Are the Jomsvikings?

Before we dive in, let‘s step back and talk about who the Jomsvikings actually are.

The Jomsvikings were a legendary band of Viking mercenaries and adventurers active in the 10th and 11th centuries. According to Norse sagas, they inhabited the fortress of Jomsborg on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea.

Jomsvikings valued martial prowess above all else. Their stronghold served as a brutal training ground, accepting only the mightiest warrior recruits. Despite their pagan beliefs, the Jomsvikings would fight for any lord able to pay their high fees – religion did not factor into their business.

In AC Valhalla, the Jomsvikings serve as elite raiders led by your own custom lieutenant. Recruiting a squad of high ranking Jomsvikings will enable you to take on the more punishing River Raid missions and unlock greater rewards.

Now let‘s get into how to turn your crew into an elite force!

Jomsviking Ranks and Progression

Jomsvikings come in 5 tiers, ranging from Rank 1 to Legendary Rank 5. Raising their rank requires dedicated progression through River Raid missions.

Here is an overview of Jomsviking ranks:

Rank	Max Jomsviking Hall Level
Rank 1	Level 1
Rank 2	Level 2
Rank 3	Level 3
Rank 4	Level 4
Legendary Rank 5	Level 5

Benefits of Higher Ranks

• Increased damage – Higher ranked Jomsvikings deal more melee and ranged damage against enemies.
• More rations – They can carry additional healing supplies to sustain your crew during raids.
• Withstand more hits – Greater health and resilience to survive longer in combat.
• Open locked doors/chests – Only Rank 4+ Jomsvikings can force these open for loot.

Based on my experience, the stat improvements between ranks are substantial. A Legendary Rank 5 Jomsviking can easily take on 5+ basic enemies at once, while a Rank 1 may struggle against more than 1 or 2.

Upgrading Your Jomsviking Hall

To unlock the ability to recruit higher ranked Jomsvikings, you need to upgrade your Jomsviking Hall back in Ravensthorpe:

Upgrade Level	Foreign Supplies	Max Jomsviking Rank
Level 1	–	Rank 1
Level 2	400 supplies	Rank 2
Level 3	800 supplies	Rank 3
Level 4	1200 supplies	Rank 4
Level 5	2000 supplies	Legendary Rank 5

Foreign supplies are obtained from completing River Raids – you‘ll earn 20-60 per raid depending on performance. So upgrading your hall is a gradual process earned through mastering raids.

I‘d recommend upgrading your Jomsviking Hall as soon as you have enough supplies. Having Rank 4-5 Jomsvikings makes raids far easier.

Ranking Up Your Lieutenant

Now let‘s talk about powering up your personal Jomsviking lieutenant. They serve as your second-in-command and gaining them ranks should be a priority early on.

Completing River Raid Objectives

The primary way to increase your lieutenant‘s rank is by fully completing a River Raid region. Each region has 3 objectives:

• Raid all designated monasteries
• Locate the lost cargo caches
• Defeat the River Champion boss

Finishing all objectives will raise your lieutenant‘s rank by 1, up to the current max based on your Hall level. With 5 total regions, you can get them to Rank 5.

Tips for Completing River Raid Objectives

• Bring healing rations – Keeping your crew alive is key. Upgrade your longship cargo capacity.
• Use berserker darts – These can give your troops a strong temporary combat buff.
• Employ hit-and-run tactics – Don‘t let your Jomsvikings get mobbed and overwhelmed.
• Help revive downed Jomsvikings – Instantly revive them when prompted to keep them in the fight.
• Upgrade your settlement buildings – Kitchen, Barracks, and Jomsviking Hall boost raiding.
• Adjust the difficulty – Lower it if you are struggling with a particular objective.

Trust me, keeping your Jomsvikings alive during raids takes some practice! But the effort is worth it.

Recruiting Legendary Lieutenants

Beyond standard Jomsvikings, you can recruit special legendary NPCs as lieutenants, like historic Viking figures Dotta Skull-Splitter and Hrolf The Walker.

I‘ve found the best way to recruit them is by seeking out quests involving legendary Mercenaries, Zealots, Daughters of Lerion, and Order of Ancients members. Defeating them in combat and choosing to knock them out allows recruitment.

Legendary lieutenants provide unique combat bonuses and will liven up your longship! But their rank is still limited by your Jomsviking Hall level.

Gearing and Customizing Your Crew

Don‘t neglect upgrading your lieutenant and crew‘s weapons, armor, and trinkets.

Your Jomsvikings‘ power is directly tied to their gear. I outfit mine with late-game Mythical rarity River Raid loot for the best stats. Some notable gear to pursue:

• Brigandine of the Berserker – Boosts melee damage
• Viper Bow – Powerful ranged damage and poison
• Mark of Sol – Increases critical chance
• Horn of Fury – Generates berserker rage

In addition, customize their appearance to your liking. I gave my lieutenant a fierce red beard and the Bonecruncher warhammer to intimidate foes!

Keeping Your Crew Alive

Here are some more advanced tips on keeping your Jomsviking squad alive based on my experience:

• Pay attention to health bars – Keep them green! Use rations promptly when they are hurt.
• Prioritize reviving – Make it your first action in combat to revive downed Jomsvikings.
• Let archers handle distant enemies – Don‘t let melee troops chase down and get isolated.
• Use your horn liberally – The morale boost can quickly turn the tide of a losing battle.
• Keep raiding – Higher HP pools and better gear will come naturally over time.

Learning to manage your Jomsviking crew is crucial. With practice, you can take on anything!

Maximizing Your Rewards

Beyond ranking up your lieutenant, River Raids provide some phenomenal gear and supplies. Here are tips to maximize your longship haul:

• Raid each region multiple times – The rewards improve on subsequent trips.
• Complete all objectives – This nets you the S-rank chest with epic gear.
• Open every chest – Don‘t leave any loot behind!
• Sell off unused gear – Weapons and armor can earn you 1000+ silver easily.
• Purchase rations/arrows – Stock up on supplies between raids.
• Acquire all Roman artifacts – These unlock new abilities.
• Upgrade your settlement – Bigger cargo capacity means more loot!

With a solid raiding strategy, you can stack up on exotic resources quickly. It makes progressing the story much easier.

Relationships and becoming Jarl

Lastly, some of Eivor‘s major decisions can benefit your raiding capabilities:

• Romance Randvi – Unlocks unique Jomsviking-themed gear
• Become Jarl of Ravensthorpe – Leads to more raw materials to upgrade buildings
• Strengthen alliances – Additional resources to improve your settlement

As Jarl, I focused heavily on growing my settlement. This provided the raw materials needed to fully upgrade my Jomsviking Hall, Barracks, Training Camp, and Arsenal – crucial buildings for improving your raiding potential.

Conclusion

Well friend, that covers everything I‘ve learned on maxing out your Jomsviking lieutenant and crew! Here are the key takeaways:

• Upgrade your Jomsviking Hall to recruit higher ranks
• Complete River Raid objectives to increase your lieutenant‘s rank
• Keep your Jomsvikings alive using rations, revives, and strategy
• Acquire top-tier gear to boost your squad‘s power
• Customize your lieutenant to strike fear in your foes
• Focus on growing Ravensthorpe to support upgrading key buildings

With an elite Viking raiding crew at your back, you‘ll be equipped to plunder the most challenging areas and reap the greatest rewards. I wish you glory and riches on all of your future raids! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Stay strong and skilled!