Leveling up and upgrading your falcon in The Falconeer will make you a more formidable foe. Your falcon is your steed and best friend in the game, so it is worth investing the time and resources to improve it as quickly as possible.
There are two methods to upgrading your falcon. The first is by completing missions and other tasks. These include retrieving lost goods, escorting cargo ships to different ports, protecting civilian populations from enemy attacks, seeing off pirate raids, and increasing your reputation with settlements.
You receive experience points (XP) for each task you complete. XP is determined by how quickly you complete a mission, how accurate you were with your shots, and how many enemies you defeated. Each time your rank increases, your falcon’s stats will improve. Their health regenerates quicker, their maneuverability in the air increases, and their flight energy usage improves.
The second way to upgrade your falcon is via mutagens. Mutagens are items that you can buy from various vendors across the Ursee, and you can read about what mutagens you can purchase in this guide. Different settlements have different vendors, and these shopkeepers will sell you mutagens based on your reputation and relationship with their island. You might also need a permit to trade on certain islands, and some vendors will refuse to do business with you if you don’t have the required paperwork.
To buy mutagens, you have to trade in splinters. Once you have accrued enough splinters to buy a specific mutagen, you can purchase it. If you have a free slot in your falcon’s makeup, you can add the mutagen to them, which will increase their stats further.
