In Windrose, the entire world opens up to the player—and as a pirate, you’re free to plunder it far and wide. But a ship and a handful of sailors alone won’t do the trick. For truly profitable ventures, you’ll need a crew at your base—those workers who will turn your camp into a well-oiled resource-extraction machine.
Below is a full breakdown: who to look for, where they’re hiding, how much they cost to hire, and what bonuses they’ll provide to your pirate enterprise. Short and to the point.
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Why are workers needed in Windrose and how do they work?
Workers are special NPCs that can be recruited to join your pirate crew. They won’t join you on your ship (they’re not the right profile), but they’ll settle in at your base and occupy key positions. Each one provides substantial passive bonuses to production.
Windrose is currently in Early Access, so there are only four workers available for hire. You won’t meet them right away—you’ll have to progress through the story. After hiring, you can assign each one to the desired station through a special worker tab.
Incidentally, they all cost the same—500 piastres per head. Conveniently, you can plan your budget in advance.
How do I hire Rosalind Mercer for the Alchemy Table?
You’ll likely meet Rosalind first. She hangs out near the entrance to the port city of Tortuga (or rather, what’s left of it after all the troubles). A passionate woman with a dream of brewing anything that bubbles—an ideal candidate for the Alchemy Table. Rosalind Mercer’s details:
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Purpose: Alchemy Table
Bonuses:
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Vial Master – Doubles clay vial production
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Talented Alchemist – 30% chance to create an additional potion
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Recruitment Cost: 500 Piasters
She won’t make a difference with regular potions, but when brewing epic elixirs, her chance for a “free” extra vial turns into serious cash. Elixirs of this level cost a fortune on the market—every extra slot pays off handsomely.
How to recruit Jasper Crowe to the Armor Workshop?
Jasper also lives on Tortuga, hanging around the Buccaneer supplier. It’s worth catching him early: his unique bonus really saves resources once you start seriously upgrading your armada and equipment. Jasper Crowe’s details:
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Purpose: Armor and Clothing Workshop
Bonuses:
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Thrifty Tailor – 30% chance to return resources spent on upgrading an item
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Hiring cost: 500 piastres
It sounds modest, but in the long run, he’s one of the most profitable workers. Every third upgrade is essentially free. Over the long run, the savings are colossal.
Black Axel in Windrose: Where to Find a Chef for the Base
You’ll have to work hard with Axel. The main base of the “Humans of Tortuga” faction isn’t on Tortuga itself, but on a neighboring island—that’s where you should head. He works as a cook in the camp, and you’ll agree that this is a mandatory position. You can’t sail far without food.
Details on Black Axel:
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Purpose: Firepit for cooking
Bonuses:
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Talented Chef – 30% chance to cook an extra serving of food
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Recruitment cost: 500 piastres
The bonus is as simple as pie. But considering how much food the crew eats on long expeditions, 30% of free servings saves a lot of ingredients.
Joe Mortarman in Windrose: Where to Find a Powdermaker
Last on the list is Joe Mortarman. You need to look for him at the Coastal Brotherhood base; his marker is already on the map. Joe is in charge of gunpowder, and its value skyrockets as soon as you switch from sabers to firearms.
Details on Joe the Mortarman:
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Purpose: Millstones
Bonuses:
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Talented Gunpowder Master – increases gunpowder production by 50%
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Recruitment Cost: 500 Piasters
+50% to gunpowder – the biggest numerical bonus of the four. If your playstyle revolves around cannons, muskets, and bombardments, Joe should be your priority. No question.
Which Windrose worker should you hire first?
All four cost the same – 500 Piasters each. But if you’re short on Piasters and have to choose one at a time, focus on your playstyle. For the crafter and trader, there’s Rosalind and her epic elixirs. For the fighter, there’s Joe Mortarman and his gunpowder. Jasper is useful for anyone who frequently upgrades their gear, and Axel will cover the camp’s basic needs. Ideally, have a full set. Four stations, four workers, four sources of passive income.
Windrose’s Best Employees: A Tier List for a Quick Start
The price is the same for everyone—500 piastres per head. The efficiency itself varies dramatically. If you’re starting Windrose Early Access with a hole in your wallet and want to make the most of your first few hours, here’s a strict recruitment hierarchy for you. The tier list is compiled based on three parameters: the return on investment of 500 piastres, the scalability of the bonus to the midgame, and the extent to which the NPC actually disrupts the economy over time.
S-Tier—the imba, the one we grab first
Joe the Mortarman. His +50% gunpowder is the only fixed multiplier in the game, working without RNG and without any “chance.” Ship cannons gobble up gunpowder by the bucketful, and every naval skirmish without Joe is a net loss from the hold. The number one starting option for any build that plans to board a ship at least once. No other options.
Rosalind Mercer. Doubled flask production plus a 30% chance for a free potion copy—this combination earns you 500 piastres in just a couple of batches of epic elixirs. The key point: the bonuses stack, and epic potions sell for exorbitant prices at Tortuga vendors. Pure overkill for crafters and hucksters.
A-Tier—buy it in a second run.
Jasper Crowe. 30% resource return on equipment upgrades—a hefty bonus in itself, but it only kicks in when you’re really busy upgrading your gear. In the starting phase, when you’re wearing rags instead of armor, Jasper is idle. But in the midgame, when every upgrade is consumed by a rare, he saves dozens of hours of farming. A deferred investment, but one that pays off with interest.
B-Tier – we pick it up when our budget allows.
Black Axel. A 30% chance to whip up an extra serving sounds nice, but the food in Windrose is cheap, and the ingredients are literally lying around on every other island. It’s worth picking last: not because it’s flawed, but because its bonus fills a hole you likely don’t have.
Hiring Priority Table in Windrose
How do I distribute piastres among Windrose workers?
You have exactly 500 capital and you’re choosing just one? Take Joe, don’t even think about it. Then, as you accumulate:
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500 piastres → Joe the Mortarman. The savings in gunpowder are noticeable from the very first battle.
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1,000 piastres → add Rosalind. Start the money wheel on elixirs.
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1,500 piastres → Jasper. By this point, you’ve accumulated equipment worth upgrading.
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2,000 piastres → Black Axel. Complete all four stations, your set is complete.
This chain provides the fastest progress in Early Access. The first two begin cutting costs literally from the first hours, and the proceeds from Rosalind’s epic elixirs essentially pay for the remaining two. Pure self-sufficiency – nothing extra.
