This Assassin's Creed Shadows guide highlights unique weapon perks, ideal playstyles for each weapon type, and detailed instructions on where and how to obtain each weapon - from legendary chest locations to specific quest rewards. Whether you're favoring Naoe's agile, affliction-heavy stealth combat or Yasuke's brutal, armor-breaking strength, this page will help you optimize your loadout for every encounter.
Weapons Overview
Weapon Rarity
Weapons come in several rarities - Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, and Legendary. Legendary weapons always offer the highest stats and exclusive perks that redefine combat potential. Lower-tier weapons may look identical but lack the crucial passive bonuses needed for higher difficulty content.
Mastery Scaling
Your weapon’s effectiveness increases based on your Mastery Points in that weapon category. For example, stacking points into Katana Mastery not only boosts base damage but also unlocks engraving synergies and scaling perks. Proper mastery alignment is essential for damage optimization.
Weapon Perks
Each weapon has one or more passive perks. These range from utility (like healing after tool use), to control (like spreading affliction on hit), to raw damage boosts (such as critical damage modifiers). Legendary perks often enable unique playstyles that can’t be replicated through gear alone.
Playstyle Synergy
Weapons are tuned to fit either Naoe’s stealthy, agile combat or Yasuke’s heavy-hitting brutality. Naoe thrives with speed and affliction-based builds, while Yasuke excels with posture-breaking weapons, AoE tools, and tanky armor combos. Choose gear that complements your character's strengths.
How to Obtain
You can find weapons in legendary chests, earn them through major story quests, or loot them from powerful enemies and bosses. Hidden shrines, guarded fortresses, and scout-unlocked caches often contain the best gear. Pay attention to side quests and rumors for clues.
Customization & Loadout Tips
Most weapons can be customized with engravings that enhance synergy with your playstyle. Mixing and matching tools with weapon engravings can yield powerful combos — for example, using poison tools with affliction-focused weapons or combining posture-breaking perks with armor-shredding finishers.
Assassin's Creed Shadows Best Weapons Guide
Best Weapons for Naoe
Bloodshade
Type: Katana
Rarity: Legendary
Perk: Afflictions do not decrease over time
Why It’s Great:
Apply poison or bleed, retreat, and strike again without losing buildup.
Ideal For:
Stealth and hit-and-run builds using poison or bleed tactics.
Synergy:
• Poison Kunai
• Shadow Barrage
• Affliction engravings
How to Obtain:
Legendary chest aboard a ship in Izumi Settsu, south of Amagasaki.
Masked Death
Type: Katana
Rarity: Legendary
Perk: Posture attack remains charged after dodging
Why It’s Great:
Maintains charge even after dodging — ideal for aggressive pressure.
Ideal For:
Players who chain posture breaks in close combat.
Synergy:
• Deflect-based builds
• Dodge-heavy katana combos
• Quick cooldown abilities
How to Obtain:
Found in Shimagahara Village, Iga.
Ocean's Grip
Type: Kusarigama
Rarity: Legendary
Perk: +60% damage to enemies over 3 meters away
Why It’s Great:
Tears through groups from a safe distance — great for controlling space.
Ideal For:
Players who kite or position from mid-range in stealth or chaos.
Synergy:
• Shadow Barrage
• Dodge-back combos
• Long-range stealth tools
How to Obtain:
Complete Pirate’s Alliance assassination chain in Wakasa (Shattered Coast).
Bloodletter
Type: Kusarigama
Rarity: Legendary
Perk: Entanglement applies Bleed; also causes Bleed buildup
Why It’s Great:
Applies Bleed at a distance and stacks it fast — perfect for wearing down bosses.
Ideal For:
Players who want ranged affliction buildup with crowd control potential.
Synergy:
• Engravings that enhance Bleed
• Stealth trap builds
• Ground finishers
How to Obtain:
Legendary chest located at Kashiwara Fort.
Shinobi’s Fury
Type: Tanto
Rarity: Legendary
Perk: Weak point hits make enemies vulnerable again
Why It’s Great:
Lets you trigger vulnerability twice in a row for huge damage spikes.
Ideal For:
Chain assassination and critical hit builds.
Synergy:
• Weakpoint engraving combos
• Quickstrike loadouts
• Smoke tools to set up finishers
How to Obtain:
Earned by killing The Golden Teppo during Naoe’s early story arc.
Warrior’s Garden
Type: Tanto
Rarity: Legendary
Perk: Shadow Piercer removes 2 Health Segments; bonus Vulnerable damage
Why It’s Great:
Upgrades Naoe’s most lethal assassination move with a brutal opener.
Ideal For:
Stealth-first players who use Shadow Piercer to eliminate high-value targets.
Synergy:
• +Assassination damage engravings
• Tools that cause Vulnerable
• One-hit elimination tactics
How to Obtain:
Kill Masatoshi Nakahara during “The Betrayers” quest.
Best Weapons for Yasuke
Crimson's Edge
Type: Long Katana
Rarity: Legendary
Perk: Inflicts Bleed; kills enemies below 2 Health Segments
Why It’s Great:
Bleeds enemies with every slash and executes low-health targets passively.
Ideal For:
Sustained melee builds that whittle down enemies quickly.
Synergy:
• Bleed engravings
• Riposte combos
• AoE finishers
How to Obtain:
Reward for completing Nobutsuna’s student duels (Azuchi, Act 2).
Flowing Peace
Type: Long Katana
Rarity: Legendary
Perk: Instantly removes 1 Health Segment after armor break
Why It’s Great:
Shaves off enemy health right after breaking their armor — fast and brutal.
Ideal For:
Boss fights or elite enemies with high defense.
Synergy:
• Armor-breaking engravings
• Posture-focused moves
• Stagger-heavy combos
How to Obtain:
Kill Tsuchi-Gumo during the “Hunters of Kyonyo” side quest.
Vengeful Foe
Type: Naginata
Rarity: Legendary
Perk: Builds Bleed when parrying
Why It’s Great:
Turns defense into offense — stack Bleed while playing reactively.
Ideal For:
Parry-based builds and players who master timing.
Synergy:
• Weakpoint engravings
• Bleed-over-time bonuses
• Heavy Kanabo follow-ups
How to Obtain:
Reward from “The Tournament” quest at Ominesanji Temple, Yamato.
Cerulean Nexus
Type: Naginata
Rarity: Legendary
Perk: Shoulder tackle sends enemies flying
Why It’s Great:
Launches enemies with dramatic knockback, perfect for disruption and style.
Ideal For:
Crowd control builds and those looking to clear space fast.
Synergy:
• Sprint Attack engravings
• AoE burst follow-ups
• Impact-boosting armor
How to Obtain:
Unlock via Legacy Project (complete 4 Animus anomaly missions).
Venom Pillar
Type: Kanabo
Rarity: Legendary
Perk: Instantly charge posture attacks by alternating strikes
Why It’s Great:
Maintains Yasuke’s momentum — heavy strikes become instant execution tools.
Ideal For:
Players who chain varied attacks in fast succession.
Synergy:
• Combo engravings
• Posture attack buffs
• AoE finisher tools
How to Obtain:
Legendary chest at Kajimiya Cemetery (Mount Hiei, Western Omi).
Tale Smasher
Type: Kanabo
Rarity: Legendary
Perk: Combo Enders create an AoE burst
Why It’s Great:
Smashes enemies with explosive finishers, great for Bleed-heavy crowd fights.
Ideal For:
Area damage builds and pressure-focused combat.
Synergy:
• Bleed perks
• Impact/Collision engravings
• Ground Attack buffs
How to Obtain:
Legendary chest in the basement of Saika Castle.
Dragon's Wrath
Type: Bow
Rarity: Legendary
Perk: Instantly charges arrows
Why It’s Great:
Removes delay from ranged damage — you can fire instantly at full strength.
Ideal For:
Players who favor speed sniping and mobile ranged engagement.
Synergy:
• Critical Shot engravings
• Posture Shot modifiers
• Retreat/Quickfire skills
How to Obtain:
Kill Tsutsui Agent in Koriyama Castle during the Kurai Eikyou subquest.
Patient Harbinger
Type: Teppo
Rarity: Legendary
Perk: Load two bullets at once (fire twice before reloading)
Why It’s Great:
Doubles your burst output — destroy enemies before they react.
Ideal For:
Heavy-hitting, fast-paced gunplay and close-range elimination.
Synergy:
• Reload-speed engravings
• Headshot execution effects
• Ammo-doubling buffs
How to Obtain:
Legendary chest near Kamikoga’s Ippon Sugi (Western Omi).
