Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Tools 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 and how to upgrade them to enhance your gameplay experience.

All Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, you'll have access to five distinct tools, with two becoming available as you progress through the story. Here's a detailed look at each tool:

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 reaching high vantage points swiftly and silently, ideal for scouting enemy positions. You can also use it to swing across large gaps, enhancing your mobility.

Kunai

The Kunai is a lethal throwing knife that delivers significant damage. It's essential for players who prefer stealth, enabling instant kills on regular enemies. However, to tackle armored foes, you'll need to upgrade this tool to penetrate their defenses effectively.

Smoke Bomb

The Smoke Bomb is a versatile tool that can be used both defensively and offensively. It creates a smoke cloud upon impact, breaking enemy lines of sight and allowing for quick escapes. In combat, it can disorient foes, providing opportunities for surprise attacks and swift takedowns.

Shuriken

The Shuriken, a classic ninja weapon, is crucial for navigating heavily guarded areas. While it doesn't deal as much damage as the Kunai, it can stagger enemies and trigger environmental interactions, such as disabling alarms or igniting explosive barrels. Its silent nature makes it perfect for stealth missions, and upgrades can enhance its ricochet capabilities.

Shinobi Bell

For those who favor distraction over direct confrontation, the Shinobi Bell is invaluable. When thrown, it attracts enemies within its range, allowing you to manipulate their movements. Upgrades can increase its range and add a gold shimmer, making it even more effective at diverting attention and managing crowds.

How To Upgrade Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Upgrading your tools in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* is crucial for enhancing their effectiveness. Most tools can be upgraded using Mastery Points through the Tools skill tree, except for the Grappling Hook.

Grappling Hook

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

Kunai

To maximize the Kunai's potential, focus on upgrades that increase its damage and armor-piercing capabilities. The Kunai Assassination Damage upgrade removes more health segments per throw, while the Armor Piercing passive skill enhances its ability to penetrate armor. The Everlast upgrade ensures that thrown Kunai can be retrieved without breaking.

Smoke Bomb

After unlocking the Smoke Bomb, consider upgrading its duration with Enduring Haze, which adds 10 seconds to its effect. For broader coverage, the Widespread upgrade increases the area of effect, making it harder for enemies to spot you.

Shuriken

Enhance the Shuriken's effectiveness with the Bank Shot passive upgrade, allowing it to bounce between targets with increasing damage. The Triple Threat upgrade lets you throw three Shurikens at once for the cost of one, providing more options in both stealth and combat scenarios.

Shinobi Bell

Upgrade the Shinobi Bell with the Golden Bell enhancement, which increases its ability to attract enemies. Follow this with Louder Chimes to extend its effective radius by five meters, making it more potent for crowd control and distraction.

Understanding and upgrading these tools in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* will significantly enhance your gameplay, allowing you to tailor your approach to suit your preferred playstyle. For more tips and guides, be sure to check out The Escapist.

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