"Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Upgrading All Tools Guide"

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, the choice between playing as Yasuke or Naoe opens up a variety of strategic options for tackling challenges. Understanding the tools at your disposal and how to enhance them is crucial for mastering the game. Here's a detailed guide on all the tools and their upgrades in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*.

All Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Image Source: Ubisoft via The Escapist

Players can access five unique tools in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, with two becoming available as you progress through the story. Here’s a breakdown of each tool:

Grappling Hook

Naoe’s Grappling Hook is a game-changer for exploration, allowing you to latch onto structures and ascend without the need for handholds. It’s perfect for scouting enemy positions from high vantage points and quickly traversing large gaps. The ability to swing from point to point enhances your mobility and strategic options.

Kunai

The Kunai is a deadly throwing knife essential for silent eliminations. A single throw can instantly kill regular enemies, but tougher, armored foes require upgrades to penetrate their defenses. This tool is indispensable for maintaining stealth while taking out specific targets.

Smoke Bomb

The Smoke Bomb is a versatile tool that can be used both defensively and offensively. Upon impact, it releases a cloud of smoke that breaks enemy line of sight, enabling you to escape or set up surprise attacks. In combat, it can confuse opponents, giving you the upper hand for assassinations or dealing swift damage.

Shuriken

The Shuriken, a classic ninja throwing star, is vital for navigating heavily guarded areas. While it doesn’t deal as much damage as the Kunai, it can stagger enemies and trigger environmental interactions like sabotaging alarms or detonating barrels. Its silent nature makes it ideal for stealth, and upgrades can make it ricochet for increased effectiveness.

Shinobi Bell

For those who prefer distraction over direct confrontation, the Shinobi Bell is perfect. When thrown, it draws the attention of nearby enemies, clearing your path or setting up better crowd control. Upgrades can increase its range and add a gold shimmer, making it even more effective at diverting enemy attention.

How To Upgrade Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Image Source: Ubisoft via The Escapist

Upgrading your tools in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* involves spending Mastery Points in the Tools skill tree. Note that the Grappling Hook is the only tool that cannot be upgraded, though the other tools require initial unlocking.

Grappling Hook

The sole upgrade for the Grappling Hook 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 reach high places undetected.

Kunai

To maximize the Kunai’s effectiveness, focus on upgrades that increase its damage. The Kunai Assassination Damage upgrade removes more health segments with each throw, while the Armor Piercing passive enhances its ability to penetrate armor. The Everlast skill ensures that thrown Kunai can be immediately retrieved without breaking.

Smoke Bomb

After unlocking the Smoke Bomb, the Enduring Haze upgrade extends its duration by 10 seconds, providing more time to maneuver. The Widespread upgrade further increases the smoke’s area of effect, making it easier to obscure vision from multiple enemies.

Shuriken

Upgrading the Shuriken with the Bank Shot passive allows it to bounce between targets, dealing increasing damage with each hit. The Triple Threat upgrade enables you to throw three Shurikens at once, enhancing your stealth and combat capabilities.

Shinobi Bell

The Shinobi Bell’s effectiveness can be improved with the Golden Bell upgrade, which makes it more noticeable to enemies. The Louder Chimes upgrade extends its effective radius by five meters, allowing you to distract a larger number of enemies with a single throw.

That covers everything you need to know about the tools and their upgrades in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*. For more tips and guides, be sure to check out The Escapist. *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* is now available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.