TL;DR
- Blow the Man Down requires shooting down all hanging bodies in Long Bay — there are three in total.
- Long Bay is only accessible after completing Sequence 10, Mission 03: The Observatory.
- Fast travel to Long Bay at coordinates (498, 226) and head northeast along the main path.
- Bodies 1 and 2 hang above the trail leading to the northern viewpoint at around (501, 229).
- Body 3 hangs from the northern viewpoint tower itself — climb partway up, then shoot the rope.
- Shoot the rope above each body using any pistol or the rope dart to cut it down.
- The trophy or achievement pops the moment the third body drops.
- This is a Silver trophy on PS5 and worth 10 Gamerscore on Xbox.
The AC Black Flag Resynced Blow the Man Down trophy is one of the more cryptic unlocks in the game. The description just says “shoot down all the hanging bodies in Long Bay” — with no marker, no mission, and no clue when the island even becomes available. This guide gives you every body location, the exact route to follow, and what to do if the trophy doesn’t pop after you think you’ve finished.
If you’re working through the full trophy list, our Hungover trophy guide is another quick unlock you can knock out alongside this one.
What Is the Blow the Man Down Trophy?
Blow the Man Down is a hidden Silver trophy on PS5 and a 10 Gamerscore achievement on Xbox and PC. Despite sharing its name with a classic sea shanty, this trophy has nothing to do with naval combat, music, or sailing. It is entirely location-based.
The objective is to shoot down all the hanging bodies found in a single area of the map: Long Bay. There are three bodies in total. All three hang from ropes along the same route, and all three can be taken down with any ranged weapon or the rope dart. Once the last one drops, the trophy unlocks immediately.
When Does Long Bay Unlock?
This is the part that trips up most players. Long Bay is story-gated. You cannot access the island at all until you reach Sequence 10, Mission 03: The Observatory. It is one of the latest story gates in the entire game, meaning you cannot earn this trophy during the first half of your playthrough no matter how much you explore.
Once you have completed The Observatory mission, Long Bay opens up for free roam and stays accessible for the rest of the game — including after the credits roll. Nothing is missable in AC Black Flag Resynced, so if you reach the endgame without this trophy, you can go back and clean it up at any point.
Long Bay also contains the final Mayan Stele in the game, which is another reason to visit once Sequence 10 is done. For help with that, see our Long Bay Mayan Stone walkthrough.
How to Get to Long Bay
Long Bay is located in the Castillo de Jagua region at coordinates (496, 266) on the world map. If you have already visited the island during The Observatory story mission, you can fast travel there directly. If you haven’t synced a viewpoint yet, sail there and dock the Jackdaw at its shore.
Once you land on the beach, you are close to all three hanging bodies. They are all found along the route that leads northeast toward the island’s northern viewpoint tower. Follow the main sandy path and keep looking up as you move — the bodies hang from ropes above the trail and from structures overhead, so it’s easy to walk underneath one without noticing it.
All Three Hanging Body Locations in Long Bay
Body 1 and Body 2 — Along the Northern Trail (501, 229)
From the dock or fast travel spawn point, follow the main sandy path straight ahead and into the island. There are a few wild animals around — jaguars specifically — so either sprint past them or deal with them quickly before continuing. Keep Edward moving northeast.
When the path splits into a left and right fork, take the left path. Follow it across a fallen tree and jump to the wooden platforms ahead. Continue along the trail past the water. As you move northeast through this section, the first two hanging bodies appear one shortly after the other above the path.
They hang from ropes overhead — look up as you move through this stretch. Both are along the same trail and easy to spot once you know to look upward rather than ahead. You do not need to climb anything to reach either of them. Just aim upward and shoot.
Body 3 — Northern Viewpoint Tower
After shooting down the first two bodies, keep following the path northeast toward the beach. Ahead and slightly to the left, you will see a tall wooden viewpoint tower. This is also one of Long Bay’s synchronization points.
The third body hangs from this tower. You need to climb partway up the tower — not all the way to the top, just to the wooden platform partway up — and from there look upward to spot the body and its rope. Aim at the rope and shoot it down.
Once the third body drops, the Blow the Man Down trophy or achievement unlocks immediately on screen.
How to Shoot the Hanging Bodies
Each body is suspended by a rope. You need to shoot the rope — or the body itself — to drop it. There are two ways to do this:
- Pistol — Hold L2 (PS5) or LT (Xbox) to aim, press Up on the D-pad to switch to your pistol if needed, then fire with R2 or RT. This is the fastest method and works from ground level for the first two bodies.
- Rope Dart — Aim at the rope above the body and cut it down. The rope dart works just as well if you are low on pistol ammo. Either tool gets the job done.
Any ranged weapon or the rope dart counts. You do not need a specific firearm or upgrade. If you’re unsure about your loadout heading into Long Bay, our crafting guide covers what to prioritize for Edward’s equipment.
What to Do If the Trophy Doesn’t Pop
The most common reason the trophy fails to unlock is a missed body. There are exactly three in Long Bay, and all three must be shot down. If the trophy hasn’t popped after what you thought was the last one, the culprit is almost always a body still hanging somewhere on the route.
Here’s what to check:
- Confirm each body actually fell. Occasionally a body may appear to drop but snag mid-fall. Watch for the body to fully hit the ground before moving on.
- Resweep the northeast path. Fast travel back to Long Bay, head back to the main trail, and look upward along the entire stretch from the fork to the viewpoint tower. Walk slowly and scan overhead.
- Check the tower platform. The third body on the viewpoint tower is the one most often missed because players reach the top of the tower instead of stopping at the midway platform. Climb to the wooden platform partway up, not to the very top, and look directly above you.
If you swept the full route and all three are confirmed down but the trophy still has not unlocked, exit to the main menu and relaunch the game, then fast travel back to Long Bay to try again.
What Else to Do at Long Bay While You’re There
Long Bay unlocks late in the story and has a handful of collectibles worth grabbing on the same visit. It contains 3 viewpoints, 1 Mayan Stele, 3 chests, 2 secrets, and 4 huntable animals. Since you need Sequence 10 to access the island at all, most players visit during or just after the endgame.
The key things to grab while you’re at Long Bay:
- Mayan Stele (502, 216) — The final Mayan Stone in the game, located near the Observatory entrance. Required for the full Mayan Mysteries quest, which rewards the Mayan Outfit and the Yax Tun Pendant trinket. See our Long Bay Mayan Stone guide for the full puzzle.
- Bracelet Art Piece (507, 223) — A secret art piece found in the upper section of the cave near the Mayan enemies. Needed for the Dilettante trophy along with the 40 other art pieces across the game.
- Chest at (503, 230) — A treasure map chest found near the viewpoint on the beach, next to three huts in the sand.
- Sync all three viewpoints — Long Bay has three viewpoints. Syncing them reveals all remaining collectibles on the island and unlocks it as a fast travel destination for future visits.
Clearing all of these in one visit saves you a return trip and keeps your completion percentage ticking up efficiently. For a full overview of what’s still left after the story, see our post-story guide.
Is the Blow the Man Down Trophy Missable?
No. AC Black Flag Resynced has no missable trophies. Long Bay remains accessible indefinitely after The Observatory mission, including in full post-game free roam. If you didn’t grab this during the story, you can return at any point and do it as cleanup.
The game also confirms this itself — nothing is permanently locked once you reach the endgame. All collectibles, trophies, and side activities stay available after the credits roll.
For the full list of all trophies and how to approach the Platinum, our main and side missions guide gives a complete picture of what the game asks you to finish.
You can pick up AC Black Flag Resynced on PlayStation Store, Xbox, Steam, and Epic Games Store.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Blow the Man Down trophy in AC Black Flag Resynced?
It is a Silver trophy on PS5 and a 10 Gamerscore achievement on Xbox and PC. The requirement is to shoot down all hanging bodies in Long Bay. There are three bodies in total, all found along the northeast trail and on the northern viewpoint tower.
Where is Long Bay in AC Black Flag Resynced?
Long Bay is in the Castillo de Jagua region at coordinates (496, 266) on the world map. It is only accessible after completing Sequence 10, Mission 03: The Observatory. Before that point, the island cannot be entered.
How many hanging bodies are in Long Bay?
There are exactly three hanging bodies in Long Bay. Two hang above the northeast trail at around (501, 229), and the third hangs from the northern viewpoint tower. All three must be shot down to unlock the trophy.
How do you shoot down the hanging bodies in Long Bay?
Aim any pistol or use the rope dart and target the rope above each body. On PS5, hold L2 to aim and press R2 to fire. On Xbox, hold LT and press RT. The body falls once the rope is cut. Any ranged weapon works — no specific firearm or upgrade is required.
What if the Blow the Man Down trophy doesn’t unlock after shooting all three bodies?
The most likely cause is one body still hanging. Retrace the full northeast trail from the path fork to the viewpoint tower, looking upward the whole way. Check that each body fully hit the ground rather than snagging mid-fall. The third body on the tower is the most commonly missed — climb to the midway wooden platform rather than the very top to find it.
Is the Blow the Man Down trophy missable?
No. Nothing in AC Black Flag Resynced is permanently missable. Long Bay stays accessible throughout the game and after the credits roll. You can earn this trophy during The Observatory mission itself or any time after in free roam.
What is the name connection between the trophy and the shanty?
Both share the name “Blow the Man Down,” which is a traditional sea shanty. However, the trophy itself has no connection to the shanty or to collecting music in the game. It is purely about shooting the hanging bodies in Long Bay. The name is a nautical reference, not a musical one.
