Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Tools and Upgrade Guide

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, players can choose between Yasuke and Naoe, each offering unique approaches to tackling challenges. Here's a comprehensive guide on the tools available in the game and how to upgrade them to enhance your gameplay experience.

All Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Image Source: Ubisoft via The Escapist

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, you'll unlock a total of five tools throughout your journey, with two of them becoming available as part of the storyline. These tools are essential for various gameplay mechanics, including stealth, combat, and exploration:

Grappling Hook

The Grappling Hook is a vital tool for Naoe, enhancing her exploration capabilities. It allows you to latch onto structures and ascend without the need for handholds, making it easier to reach strategic vantage points swiftly. Use it to swing across large gaps and gain a tactical advantage over your enemies.

Kunai

The Kunai is a powerful throwing knife, perfect for those who prefer stealthy eliminations. A well-aimed Kunai can instantly dispatch common foes, but upgrades are necessary to penetrate the armor of stronger adversaries.

Smoke Bomb

The Smoke Bomb is a versatile tool that can be used both defensively and offensively. Deploy it to break the line of sight with pursuing enemies, facilitating a quick escape. In combat, use it to confuse enemies, creating opportunities for surprise attacks and rapid strikes.

Shuriken

The Shuriken, a classic ninja weapon, is invaluable in heavily guarded areas. Although it doesn't deal as much damage as the Kunai, it can stagger enemies and trigger environmental effects, such as disabling alarms or igniting explosive barrels. Its silent nature and upgrade potential for ricocheting between targets make it a formidable asset.

Shinobi Bell

For players who favor distraction over direct confrontation, the Shinobi Bell is ideal. Toss it to divert enemy attention, allowing you to maneuver safely or set up for effective crowd control. Upgrades can increase its range and allure, making it even more effective at drawing enemies away.

Related: How to Play the Assassin’s Creed Games in Order

How To Upgrade Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Image Source: Ubisoft via The Escapist

Upgrading your tools in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* is crucial for enhancing their effectiveness. Most tools can be upgraded using Mastery Points within the Tools skill tree, except for the Grappling Hook, which has a unique upgrade path:

Grappling Hook

The Grappling Hook can be upgraded under the Shinobi Tree. At Knowledge Rank 2, you can spend 2 Mastery Points to unlock the Ascension Boost passive, which significantly increases Naoe's climbing speed, making it easier to ascend without detection.

Kunai

To maximize the Kunai's potential, focus on upgrading its damage and armor-piercing capabilities. The Kunai Assassination Damage upgrade allows you to remove more health segments with each throw. Enhance its effectiveness further with the Armor Piercing passive skill, and use Everlast to ensure your Kunai can be retrieved without breaking.

Smoke Bomb

After unlocking the Smoke Bomb, upgrade its duration with Enduring Haze, giving you an extra 10 seconds of cover. Additionally, the Widespread upgrade increases the area of effect, making it more challenging for enemies to spot you.

Shuriken

Enhance the Shuriken's capabilities with the Bank Shot passive, enabling it to ricochet between targets with increasing damage per level. The Triple Threat upgrade allows you to throw three Shurikens simultaneously for the cost of one, offering greater versatility in both stealth and combat scenarios.

Shinobi Bell

Upgrade the Shinobi Bell with the Golden Bell enhancement, which makes it more enticing to enemies. Follow up with Louder Chimes to increase its effective radius by five meters, allowing you to distract more enemies with a single throw.

This guide covers all the essential information about the tools in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* and how to upgrade them. For more tips and assistance with the game, visit The Escapist.

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