Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Tools and Upgrade Guide

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, players can choose to play as either Yasuke or Naoe, each offering unique approaches to tackling challenges. Here’s a detailed guide on the tools available to you and how you can upgrade them to enhance your gameplay experience.

All Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Image Source: Ubisoft via The Escapist

Throughout your journey in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, you'll gain access to five different tools, with two unlocked as you progress through the story. These tools are essential for both exploration and combat:

Grappling Hook

Naoe's Grappling Hook is a game-changer for exploration. It allows you to latch onto structures and ascend without needing handholds, perfect for scouting enemy positions from high vantage points. You can also use it to swing across wide gaps, making navigation smoother and more efficient.

Kunai

The Kunai is a lethal throwing knife that's perfect for silent eliminations. It can instantly kill common enemies, but you'll need upgrades to deal with armored foes effectively. This tool is crucial for maintaining stealth while taking out specific targets.

Smoke Bomb

The Smoke Bomb is versatile, serving both defensive and offensive purposes. It creates a cloud of smoke upon impact, breaking enemy line of sight to help you escape or confuse them during combat, setting up perfect opportunities for stealth attacks and quick damage.

Shuriken

Shurikens are the traditional throwing stars essential for any shinobi. While they don't hit as hard as Kunai, they can stagger enemies and trigger environmental interactions like sabotaging alarms or detonating explosives. Their silent nature makes them ideal for stealthy operations, and upgrades can make them ricochet for increased damage.

Shinobi Bell

For those who prefer distraction over confrontation, the Shinobi Bell is invaluable. Throwing it will draw enemy attention away from you. Upgrades can enhance its range and add a gold shimmer, making it even more effective at clearing paths or managing crowds.

How To Upgrade Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Image Source: Ubisoft via The Escapist

Upgrading tools in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* is done using Mastery Points through the Tools skill tree, except for the Grappling Hook. Access to the Shuriken, Shinobi Bell, and Smoke Bomb is contingent on unlocking them first.

Grappling Hook

The only upgrade for the Grappling Hook is found in the Shinobi Tree. For 2 Mastery Points at Knowledge Rank 2, you can unlock Ascension Boost, which significantly speeds up Naoe's climbing, making it easier to ascend buildings undetected.

Kunai

To maximize the Kunai's effectiveness, focus on upgrades like Kunai Assassination Damage, which increases the health segments removed with each throw. Enhancing its armor-piercing capabilities with the Armor Piercing passive skill and ensuring retrievability with Everlast will make it a formidable tool in your arsenal.

Smoke Bomb

After unlocking the Smoke Bomb, extend its utility with Enduring Haze, which adds 10 seconds to its duration. Further, Widespread expands the area of effect, helping you obscure vision from more enemies simultaneously.

Shuriken

Upgrade your Shuriken with Bank Shot, allowing them to bounce between targets with increasing damage. Triple Threat enables you to throw three Shurikens at once for the cost of one, offering more options in both stealth and combat scenarios.

Shinobi Bell

Enhance the Shinobi Bell with Golden Bell to make it more noticeable to enemies. Louder Chimes increases its effective radius by five meters, making it a powerful tool for managing larger groups of enemies with a single throw.

This comprehensive guide covers all you need to know about the tools in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* and how to upgrade them. For more tips and strategies, check out The Escapist.

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