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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteRecruit Mates at city Inns by spending Blue Gems or negotiating with Ducats, then build them through leveling, promotion and—after maximum promotion—training. To get their abilities working, assign each Mate to a compatible Cabin and keep Loyalty high enough to prevent slacking.
Where to hire Mates
Visit a city’s Inn to see which Mates are available there. The roster spans grades C through S, and hiring and growth costs vary by grade. Mates can also join through Admiral Chronicles; some have extra requirements or become available after a Chronicle ending. Check the in-game Mate list and current notices for availability, since rosters and recruitment locations can change.
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For example, LINE Games’ September 2026 update notice says Antonio Malatesta joins during Helen Raspberry’s Chronicle, while Louise de Beaujeuoyaux can be hired in Santo Domingo after completing it. That notice lists party ports for Melati and James Lancaster as well. These are dated examples, not a permanent or exhaustive list.
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How to negotiate with a Mate
At an Inn, you can hire directly with Blue Gems or try to negotiate using Ducats. LINE Games’ guide says negotiation success depends on the Mate’s friendship, and a Mate hired through negotiation starts with 60 Loyalty. The guide does not give current prices or guaranteed success rates, so compare the in-game costs and chance rather than assuming negotiation is always cheaper.
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To build friendship before negotiating, give the candidate a gift or sponsor them with Ducats. Either option requires a Mate in your fleet who speaks the candidate’s language. Learning additional languages also lets you use cities of other nations and can improve trade and negotiation opportunities.
What Skills, Effects and Expertise do
- Skills are active abilities.
- Effects are passive abilities that can be activated according to promotion status.
- Expertise is a job-related stat used to support ship or fleet activities, such as combat, adventure or trade.
Choose Mates based on the job you want them to do, not grade alone. For combat, consider relevant ship Expertise such as Artillery, Ramming, Support or Melee. For exploration or commerce, prioritize the Fleet Expertise suited to your goal. Also check each ability’s scope: some support an individual ship, while others benefit the fleet.
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How to promote Mates
Level a Mate and promote them when eligible. LINE Games’ official guides list Contracts, Astrolabes and Certificates of Appointment among the promotion materials. Promotion raises Expertise, teaches Effects and increases how many Effects can be activated.
The Basic Growth Guide, last updated in May 2023, describes up to four promotions for all Mates and up to four activated Effects depending on promotion status. Because those limits and material requirements may have changed, use the current in-game growth screen to confirm eligibility and costs before spending items.
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How to train fully promoted Mates
LINE Games’ guide describes a training system for Mates at maximum promotion rank. It allows up to four training rounds, with points allocated among Combat, Adventure and Trade Expertise. Training uses promotion materials and training books and takes time. The guide names tasks and palace or guild contribution stores as sources for books; it also says spent points can be reset with Blue Gems. Check the current training screen for available rounds, requirements and reset cost.
Which Cabin should you assign a Mate to?
- Open Menu > Ship > Cabins.
- Choose a Cabin that is compatible with the Mate’s Expertise and abilities; Cabin options vary by ship type and grade.
- Consider whether you need the benefit on that ship or across the fleet, then assign accordingly.
A compatible Cabin lets the Mate contribute Skills, Effects and Expertise to the ship or fleet. An incompatible assignment reduces Expertise by 50%, according to LINE Games’ guide. Duplicate Skills or Effects on the same ship can strengthen the applied ability, so a second Mate may be useful when it reinforces a deliberate build.
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Auto Assign is a quick starting point, but the guide says it selects by highest usable Expertise and chooses a Captain’s Cabin Mate by highest Combat Level. Review its choices if you are optimizing for a particular combat, adventure or trade strategy.
Keep Loyalty high enough to avoid slacking
Loyalty decreases while sailing, and a Slacking Mate cannot be assigned to a Cabin. The 2023 guide describes conversations that raise one Mate’s Loyalty every four hours and a speech that raises all Mates’ Loyalty every 24 hours. These intervals may be patch-sensitive; check the current interface for available loyalty actions and timing.
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What changed in Mate progression by September 2026?
LINE Games’ September 2026 update notice says Stage 3 Transcendence was available only to S Grade Mates at that time. It requires Sacred Stones of Transcendence, grants a new Transcendence Effect, and can raise a completed Mate to Company Level +60. The same notice raised the general Mate maximum level to 175. It described Stage 3 Transcendence for A, B and C Grade Mates as a possible future update, not an available feature at that date.
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