Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Tools and Upgrade Guide

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, players can embody either Yasuke or Naoe, each offering unique approaches to tackling challenges. Understanding the tools at your disposal and how to upgrade them is crucial for maximizing your gameplay experience. Below, we dive into the specifics of each tool and the upgrade paths available.

All Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, you'll unlock a total of five tools, with two becoming available through story progression. Here's a detailed look at each one:

Grappling Hook

Naoe's Grappling Hook is a game-changer for exploration, allowing you to latch onto structures and ascend without needing handholds. This tool is perfect for quickly reaching high vantage points to scout enemy movements and navigate large gaps by swinging between points.

Kunai

The Kunai, a lethal throwing knife, is essential for silent eliminations. It can instantly kill common enemies, but upgrades are necessary to penetrate the armor of more formidable foes.

Smoke Bomb

The Smoke Bomb is versatile, serving both defensive and offensive purposes. It creates a smoke cloud that can break enemy line of sight, allowing for escapes, or be used in combat to confuse enemies, setting up opportunities for assassinations and quick attacks.

Shuriken

The Shuriken, a staple for shinobi, is crucial for navigating guarded areas. While it doesn't deal as much damage as the Kunai, it can stagger enemies and trigger environmental interactions like sabotaging alarms or explosives. Upgrades allow it to ricochet, increasing its effectiveness.

Shinobi Bell

For those who prefer stealth and distraction, the Shinobi Bell is perfect. When thrown, it draws enemy attention away from you. Upgrades enhance its range and allure, making it an effective tool for crowd control and path clearing.

How To Upgrade Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Upgrading your tools in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* is done through the Tools skill tree using Mastery Points. However, the Grappling Hook is the exception, with its upgrade found in the Shinobi Tree:

Grappling Hook

The only upgrade for the Grappling Hook, Ascension Boost, is located in the Shinobi Tree. For 2 Mastery Points at Knowledge Rank 2, this passive speeds up Naoe's climbing, making it harder for enemies to detect her during ascents.

Kunai

To enhance the Kunai's effectiveness, focus on Kunai Assassination Damage upgrades, which increase the damage per throw. Additional upgrades like Armor Piercing and Everlast further boost its armor-piercing capability and ensure the Kunai can be retrieved without breaking.

Smoke Bomb

After unlocking the Smoke Bomb, extend its utility with Enduring Haze, which adds 10 seconds to its duration. Widespread increases the smoke's area of effect, enhancing its ability to obscure more enemies.

Shuriken

Upgrade your Shuriken with Bank Shot to make them bounce between targets, increasing damage with each hit. Triple Threat allows you to throw three Shurikens simultaneously for the cost of one, adding versatility to your stealth and combat strategies.

Shinobi Bell

Enhance the Shinobi Bell with Golden Bell to increase its distraction capabilities. Louder Chimes further extends its effective radius by five meters, drawing more enemies away with each throw.

Mastering the tools and their upgrades in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* will significantly enhance your gameplay. For more tips and guides, be sure to check out resources from The Escapist.

*Assassin’s Creed Shadows* is now available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.