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Scouts are a new feature introduced to the series in Assassin’s Creed Shadows and, as the name implies, their chief role is to, well, scout. Or in other words, they exist to help you hone in on quest objectives to make tracking them down easier, effectively easing the glut of markers that dotted the map in previous AC games. They can also gather resources for you, but more on that below.
Despite a brief tutorial, the system isn’t explained all that well, which might have you scratching your head as to how to best put them to work. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about scouts in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Track a The League quest in the Objective menu. Captured by VideoGamer
Read the clues and hone in on the rough location on the map. Captured by videoGamer
Using more Intel (or scouts) reveals a wider radial area. Captured by VideoGamer
Dispatch the scouts and you’ll now get a more defined quest objective marker. Captured by VideoGamer
How to reveal quest markers with scouts
Scouts are used to investigate and gather information about specific quest objectives linked to the League on the Objective Board. Using quest objective clues, you can assign them to reveal locations. To do this, head to the Objective Board and track a quest in The Onryo section. For the sake of example, we’ve selected The Killing Field quest, which tasks us with tracking down Wada Koretake’s chief executioner. According to the quest clues, we know that he’s in Izumi Settsu, west of Amagasaki, and at Nanatsumatsu.
Next, open up the world map and find the rough location hinted at, which, in this case, is across the large river in the northwest of Izumi Settsu. Hover over the area to the west of Amagasaki then tap square on PS5 or F on PC to Scout Objective. You can then decide how much Intel (or more simply, how many scouts) you want to use as indicated by the blue dots at the bottom of the screen in the Dispatch box. The more Scouts you use, the larger the search radial area of the map is searched.
Tap X on PS5 or Space bar on PC to Dispatch. The results are immediate and, if you scouted in roughly the right area, you’ll get a new, more precise quest objective marker or search zone as it’s called that you can then head towards to progress the quest.
How to gather resources, items, and materials with scouts
There are two ways that scouts gather resources, items, and materials for you.
- Season change
- Smuggle resources
The first is automatic and happens every time the season changes as long as you have scouts available. They’ll ferry back a variety of different qualities and quantities of gear, resources, Mon, and materials to the Salvage Chest at the Stables in your Hideout (remember to periodically collect these). The more scouts you have available and the higher your Hideout level, the better the quality and haul, as follows:
- Level 2 – scouts can bring back Mon at the end of the season.
- Level 4 – scouts can bring back resources at the end of the season.
- Level 6 – scouts can bring back crafting materials at the end of the season.
- Level 8 – scouts can bring back gear at the end of the season.
The second way scouts gather resources is by smuggling well-guard resources stockpiles back from castles and camps. As you explore, you’ll come across large deposits of resources that when you approach them will give you a prompt to Smuggle Resources along with a scout cost, typically two scouts. This will mark the stockpile and assign scouts to smuggle it back to your Hideout at the end of the current season. You lower the scout cost of smuggling to one scout by upgrading the Stables to level 2 at your Hideout.
How to replenish scouts
Using scouts, whether that’s as Intel to reveal quest objectives or to smuggle back resources, makes them unavailable. To recharge or refresh your available scouts, you’ll have to wait until the season changes, at which point they return to your Hideout and become available again. Scouts also recharge passively as the season progresses, though this is quite slow so not too reliable.
Alternatively, you can also refresh your scouts at any Kakurega across the world for a fee, which is determined by the number of scouts you have. Lastly, helping random citizens and people out in the open world when you come across them will replenish a portion of your Intel. Look out for citizens being harassed by soldiers and bandits. Assassinate or otherwise dispatch the enemies then talk to the citizens to get the Intel recoup. They’ll also offer up free info about the world, including points of interests and quests.
How to get more scouts in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
There are two ways to get more scouts in Assassin’s Creed Shadows:
- Recruit people to your Hideout
- Upgrade the Study Room at your Hideout
- Build the Kakurega buildings at your Hideout
As you explore Japan, you’ll come across various NPCs, who will offer to join your Hideout. When given the option, accept and they’ll be added to your pool of scouts.
Select the Study. Captured by VideoGamer
Choose Upgrade. Captured by VideoGamer
Select the upgrade on the left and tap the button prompt. Captured by VideoGamer
Secondly, and this is the most reliable way to increase your maximum number of scouts, is to upgrade the Study Room at your Hideout. This also reduces the size of the search zone for quests. Open up the Improve Hideout menu by interacting with the desk in the Hiroma in your Hideout. Hover over the Study (build one if you haven’t already) and tap X on PS5 or click on PC, then select Upgrade to level up the building. You’ll get the following increase to scout numbers:
- Level 1 Study – +1 additional scout and reduces search zone by 25%.
- Level 2 Study – +1 additional scout.
- Level 3 Study – +1 additional scout and reduces search zone by 60%.
Finally, building the Kakurega building at your Hideout grants an extra scout. You’ll do this as part of the main story so this is unmissable.
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