"Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Tools and Upgrades Guide"

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, players can choose between Yasuke and Naoe, each offering unique gameplay mechanics and tools to tackle challenges. Understanding the tools at your disposal and how to upgrade them is crucial for maximizing your effectiveness in the game. Here’s a comprehensive guide on all the tools and their upgrades in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*.

All Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, you'll unlock five different tools throughout your journey, with two becoming available as you progress through the story. These tools are essential for both stealth and combat scenarios:

Grappling Hook

Naoe's Grappling Hook is a vital tool for exploration, enabling you to reach high vantage points effortlessly. It allows you to cling to structures without the need for handholds, perfect for observing enemies from above or swiftly navigating across large gaps.

Kunai

The Kunai is a powerful throwing knife that can eliminate common enemies instantly. It's a must-have for players who prefer stealth, though upgrades are necessary to deal with armored foes effectively.

Smoke Bomb

The Smoke Bomb is a versatile tool, serving both defensive and offensive purposes. It creates a smoke cloud that breaks enemy line of sight, allowing you to escape or set up surprise attacks during combat.

Shuriken

The Shuriken is a classic shinobi weapon, ideal for navigating heavily guarded areas. While less damaging than the Kunai, it can stagger enemies and trigger environmental interactions, such as sabotaging alarms or setting off explosives.

Shinobi Bell

The Shinobi Bell is perfect for players who prefer distraction over direct confrontation. When thrown, it draws enemy attention away from you, making it easier to maneuver or set up crowd control strategies.

How To Upgrade Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Upgrading your tools in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* is essential for enhancing your gameplay. 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, Ascension Boost, is found in the Shinobi Tree. For 2 Mastery Points at Knowledge Rank 2, this upgrade significantly speeds up Naoe’s climbing, making it easier to reach high points without being detected.

Kunai

To enhance the Kunai's effectiveness, focus on Kunai Assassination Damage upgrades to remove more health segments per throw. Additionally, the Armor Piercing passive skill increases its damage and armor-piercing capability, while Everlast ensures that thrown Kunai can be retrieved immediately without breaking.

Smoke Bomb

Once unlocked, extend the Smoke Bomb's duration with the Enduring Haze upgrade, adding 10 seconds of cover. Further enhance its utility with Widespread, which enlarges the area of effect, blocking more enemies from spotting you.

Shuriken

Upgrade the Shuriken with Bank Shot to enable it to bounce between targets, increasing damage with each hit. Triple Threat allows you to throw three Shurikens at once for the cost of one, providing versatile options for stealth and combat.

Shinobi Bell

Improve the Shinobi Bell's distraction capabilities with the Golden Bell upgrade, making it more effective at catching enemies' attention. Follow up with Louder Chimes to increase its effective radius by five meters, allowing you to divert more enemies with a single throw.

This guide covers everything you need to know about the tools and their upgrades in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*. For more tips and strategies, be sure to check out resources on The Escapist.

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