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A shinobi or a samurai are nothing without a piece of forged steel sheathed on their hip and that’s none truer than in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. If you’re playing a Naoe, you’ll have access to the katana, tanto, and kusarigama. On the other hand, Yasuke has access to an entirely different arsenal of weaponry – the long katana, naginata, bow, and teppo. As you explore feudal Japan, you’ll amass a veritable armory of variants of these basic weapon types, each with different base stats, but also unique perks and abilities, along with afflictions for some of them.
With so much to choose from, it can be a little overwhelming settling on the right ones to sink upgrade resources into. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best weapons to get early in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. We’ve broken this guide down by character for easier navigation and because they can’t use the same weapon type.
Kakimono’s Greed. Captured by VideoGamer
Shinobi’s Fury. Captured by VideoGamer
Death Whisperer. Captured by VideoGamer
Yukimitsu’s Revenge. Captured by VideoGamer
You’ll find Yukimitsu’s Revenge at the end of the tomb puzzle here. Captured by VideoGamer
Best weapons for Naoe
Below, you’ll find a table detailing the best weapons to get early for Naoe. It’s worth noting that you’ll likely find weapons that better suit your playstyle as you progress further into other regions, but in the starting Izumi Settsu region, these are the best of the lot so are worth hunting down. Even then, with sustained upgrades at the Hideout‘s Forge, these will see deep into the game.
| Weapon | Stats and Perks | How to Get |
|---|---|---|
| Kabukimono’s Greed Rare Katana | – Bleed Buildup – +5% armor damage per adrenaline chunk filled | Reward for assassinating the Ghost General in Sakai in Izumi Settsu in the Kabukimono quest. |
| Shinobi’s Fury Legendary Tanto | – Vulnerable damage boost – Weakpoint attacks make enemies vulnerable a second time | Reward for assassinating The Golden Tempo as part of The Perfect Gift quest. |
| Death Whisperer Legendary Kusarigama | – Critical damage boost – +200% damage on enemy collisions | Reward for assassinating Wada Koretake in the Heads Will Roll quest. |
| Yukimitsu’s Revenge Legendary Tanto | – Poison Buildup – Afflicted enemies are vulnerable | Reward for completing the Ancient Tomb of Nanjo in the Eagle’s Nest sub-region of Yamashiro. |
The Kabukimono’s Greed katana’s Bleed Buildup is the star of the show as it ensures enemies keep sustaining damage even after you’ve finished attacking. Add to that a solid boost to armor damage, which is a welcome boost in an area where Naoe struggles – heavy armored enemies.
Aside from the Igan Sunset tanto, the Shinobi’s Fury is one of the few Legendary-grade tantos you can get very early on. It’s a solid pick for its vulnerable damage boost, but also because it backs this up with weakpoint attacks that inflict the vulnerable affliction again. It makes quick work of most enemies at this stage in the game.
As for the Death Whisperer kusarigama, it’s one of the first you can track down in the game, which makes it a must-have for those wanting to trial this rangy, heavy hitting weapon. Aside from availability, it boasts a potent critical damage boost and a massive +200% damage boost to enemies when its swing collides with enemies, fantastic for thinning out crowds when Naoe isn’t skulking in the shadows.
Lastly, Yukimitsu’s Revenge is a little harder to get as it involves venturing in Yamashiro, the second region you’ll visit in AC Shadows. The weapon is a reward for completing a puzzle inside a tomb, so there are no enemies to fight, meaning you could conceivably head over there quite early on if you wanted to. The tanto itself is a poison inflicting machine. Every time you slice an enemy, poison buildup will chew away at their health bar, but the weapon’s perk will also make them vulnerable turning them into easy kills very quickly.
Blush of the Earth. Captured by VideoGamer
Spark of Ember. Captured by VideoGamer
Turquoise Zephyr. Captured by VideoGamer
You’ll find the Turquoise Zephyr here. Captured by VideoGamer
Best weapons for Yazuke
In the table below, you’ll find the best weapons to get early for Yasuke. Though he doesn’t unlock as a playable character until you make your way to Kyoto in the Yamashiro region, you can start collecting weapons for him earlier. These weapons are solid starters to equip as soon as you unlock the hulking samurai and should serve you well, especially with regular visits to the Forge for upgrades.
| Weapon | Stats and Perks | How to Get |
|---|---|---|
| Blush of the Earth Legendary Bow | – Ability damage boost – Extend Clear Mind duration by 5 seconds | Reward for completing the Makino Kurumazuka Kofun in Izumi Settsu. |
| Spark of Ember Rare Teppo | – Ability damage boost – + 20% damage with consecutive enemy kills | Reward for assassinating Ember in Osaka in Izumi Settsu as part of the Kabukimono quest. |
| Turquoise Zephyr Legendary Long Katana | – Adrenaline gain boost – Successful parries push nearby enemies back | Found in the Legendary Chest next to The Cliffs of Thought Kuji-Kiri in the Eagle’s Nest sub-region, just west of Shoryuji Castle in the southeast of the Yamashiro region. |
I found most value in leaning on abilities when using a bow as Yasuke. They are vital tools to thin down crowds, stun enemies, and pick off stragglers with headshots. With this in mind, the Blush of the Earth bow’s ability damage boost works a treat alongside the Staggering Blast ability. In addition, the Clear Mind duration extension gives you a full 15 seconds of slowed-down time to pick off enemies with the bow.
The Spark of Ember teppo is one of the first you can find. Other than that, it’s ability damage gain pairs well with the teppo skills on offer in the mastery skill tree. But, the real joy here is chaining kills for that sweet +20% damage. It’s absolutely lethal when playing from range.
Lastly, the Turquoise Zephyr takes a bit of trek to reach but should be within grasp as soon as you reach Yamashiro. Like ranged, abilities play a core part in Yasuke’s melee toolkit so the boost to adrenaline gain means more abilities, more often. The secondary skill, which pushes back enemies when you parry, is a reliable way to give you more breathing space (and learn how to parry properly), something you’ll want given Yasuke’s hands-on, all-in style when using a bladed weapon.
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