"Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Upgrade Guide for All Tools"

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, players can choose between Yasuke and Naoe, each offering unique approaches to tackling challenges. Understanding the tools at your disposal and how to enhance them is crucial for mastering the game. Here’s a comprehensive guide on all tools and their upgrade paths in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*.

All Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Players can access five distinct tools in the game, two of which are unlocked through story progression. Here's a detailed look at each:

Grappling Hook

Naoe's Grappling Hook is a game-changer for exploration. It allows you to latch onto structures and ascend without traditional handholds, ideal for reaching high vantage points to survey enemy movements or quickly navigate large gaps by swinging between points.

Kunai

The Kunai is a lethal throwing knife perfect for those aiming to stay undetected while taking out targets. A single throw can instantly kill common enemies, but upgrades are necessary to deal with armored foes effectively.

Smoke Bomb

Deploying a Smoke Bomb creates a smokescreen upon impact, serving both offensive and defensive purposes. Use it to break enemy lines of sight for escapes or to sow confusion in combat, enabling stealth kills or swift attacks.

Shuriken

A staple for any shinobi, the Shuriken is less damaging than the Kunai but can stagger enemies and interact with the environment, such as triggering alarms or explosives. Its silent nature makes it ideal for stealth, and upgrades can enhance its ricochet capabilities for increased damage.

Shinobi Bell

For non-lethal engagements, the Shinobi Bell distracts enemies with its sound, drawing their attention away from you. Upgrades can extend its reach and add visual effects, making it an even more effective tool for crowd control and path clearing.

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

How To Upgrade Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Upgrading your tools in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* involves using Mastery Points within the Tools skill tree, except for the Grappling Hook, which has its own unique upgrade path.

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 accelerates Naoe’s climbing speed, making it easier to ascend unnoticed.

Kunai

To maximize the Kunai's effectiveness, focus on the Kunai Assassination Damage upgrades to increase its lethality. Enhance its armor-piercing capabilities with the Armor Piercing passive skill, and ensure retrievability with the Everlast upgrade.

Smoke Bomb

After unlocking the Smoke Bomb, extend its duration with the Enduring Haze upgrade for more time to maneuver. Additionally, the Widespread upgrade enlarges its area of effect, enhancing its utility in various scenarios.

Shuriken

Upgrade the Shuriken with Bank Shot to enable ricocheting between targets, increasing damage with each bounce. Triple Threat allows you to throw three Shurikens simultaneously for the cost of one, offering versatile options in both stealth and combat.

Shinobi Bell

Enhance the Shinobi Bell's distraction capabilities with the Golden Bell upgrade, making it more noticeable to enemies. Follow up with Louder Chimes to extend its effective radius by five meters, allowing for more effective crowd control.

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

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