Summary
- Naoe in Assassin's Creed Shadows can equip three weapons - Katana, Tanto, Kusarigama - obtained from specific locations.
- Legendary gear levels up with players; obtaining weapons through castle raids or quests is beneficial for late-game.
- Each weapon has unique skills - Tanto with Impact, Katana with Counter, and Kusarigama with crowd-control abilities like Bleed and Poison.
Naoe is one of the leads in Assassin's Creed Shadows; a ninja out for revenge. Besides her assortment of ninja tools, including a grappling hook and Kunai, Naoe can equip three different types of weapons. The Katana needs no explanation and neither does the Tanto, as it’s just a short knife.
Assassin's Creed Shadows: 6 Ways Naoe Is Better Than Yasuke
Can a ninja beat a samurai? In Assassin's Creed Shadows, Naoe certainly makes a strong case for being the ideal Japanese hero.
Players may be more unfamiliar with the Kusarigama, which is a sickle attached to a chain. The easiest way to get the best versions of these three weapons is to invade castles, search Kofuns, or track down high-ranking targets in side quests within Assassin's Creed Shadows. Legendary gear levels alongside players, so finding these weapons for the late-game may be more beneficial. Here are a few key examples of the best weapons Naoe can equip in Assassin's Creed Shadows and why they’re great based on power.
9 Scarlet Fate (Tanto)
Get Back
- Skill: Increased Impact With All Attacks
- Location: Chasuriyama Kofun (Tamba Region)
The Scarlet Fate Tanto can be acquired in the Tamba region if players explore the Chasuriyama Kofun. Kofuns in Assassin's Creed Shadows are like little mini tomb-raiding adventures, and some of the more fun side quests in the game.
The Scarlet Fate’s Impact skill can knock enemies off their guard more easily and increase the push the weapon can have against armor. It’s far from the best Tanto in the game, but it will do some nice damage for players when push comes to shove.
8 Artist’s Tear (Tanto)
Keep The Combo Going
- Skill: +6% Damage With Consecutive Hits
- Location: Takagi Otsuka Fort (Harima Region)
The Artist’s Tear Tanto can be found in the Harima region inside Takagi Otsuka Fort. Forts are just like castles in the game, in that players have to kill a set amount of Daisho to unlock legendary chests. Tantos are the fastest weapons in Assassin's Creed Shadows between Naoe and Yasuke, which makes sense given their size.
With the Artist’s Tear, players can make use of this speed to strike more effectively and build a combo which will increase the weapon's attack power the more they keep their momentum up.
7 Yami No Kage (Katana)
A Proper Counter
- Skill: Deal 100% Damage To The Attacker On Deflect
- Location: Hiraiyama Fort (Harima Region)
For a change of pace, let’s look at a Katana via the Yami no Kage, which can be acquired in the Harima region inside Hiraiyama Fort. Katanas are Naoe’s strongest weapon type, balancing speed and power to create a deadly combo.
Assassin's Creed Shadows: 6 Best Abilities In Naoe's Katana Mastery Path
Let Naoe become one with the blade in Assassin's Creed Shadows by choosing the following abilities in her Katana Mastery Path.
When enemies shine with a white glint, players can deflect their attacks and, if they are fast enough, they can even counter. If players successfully counter after a deflect, that attack will be multiplied by 100% thanks to the Yami no Kage's skill, which is one heck of a counter rate for any game.
6 Masked Death (Katana)
A Defensive Stance
- Skill: Posture Attack Remains Charged After Dodge
- Location: Shimagahara Valley (Iga Region)
The Masked Death Katana is a great name for a ninja weapon. This blade can be found in the Iga region within the Shimagahara Valley. The name makes it sound like it should be a scythe-type weapon or cause instant death, but that is sadly not the case.
This Katana is still powerful though, as it keeps its charge even after players dodge an enemy’s attack. Normally, a dodge after a full charge would revert the weapon’s stance back to normal, which is frustrating. Thankfully, this weapon eliminates that issue.
5 Death Whisperer (Kusarigama)
A Knock-Out
- Skill: +200% Damage On Enemy Collisions
- Location: Complete The Wounded (Main Story)
The Death Whisperer Kusarigama is another deadly-sounding weapon, and this time, it is technically scythe adjacent. Kusarigamas are Naoe’s slowest weapons because the weighted chain attached to the sickle takes a bit to swing around and build momentum. As slow as it can be, Kusarigama are great for dealing with crowds, especially when surrounded.
This particular weapon can increase damage if players successfully toss enemies into each other. This weapon will be automatically unlocked during "The Wounded" main mission in Assassin's Creed Shadows, but players can increase the Death Whisper’s level later at The Forge, like with all legendary weapons.
4 Bloodletter (Kusarigama)
Bleed ‘Em Dead
- Skill: Trigger Bleed On Entanglement
- Location: Kashiwara Fort (Iga Region)
The Bloodletter is another good Kusarigama, and this one can be acquired in the Iga region within Kashiwara Fort. The Iga region, of course, is where Naoe is from, and there is quite a bit of good ninja gear in this area for both early-game and late-game builds in Assassin's Creed Shadows.
Assassin's Creed Shadows: 6 Best Abilities In Naoe's Shinobi Mastery Path
Naoe becomes even more efficient while working in the shadows, provided players pick the right abilities from her Shinobi Mastery Path.
The Bloodletter sticks to its name and can cause Bleed to occur on enemies if players wrap their chains around them during combo attacks. Bleed will cause damage over time, and it’s one of the game’s main and most effective status effects.
3 Shinobi’s Fury (Tanto)
Strike While The Iron’s Hot
- Skill: Weakpoint Attacks Make Enemies Vulnerable A Second Time
- Location: Complete The Golden Teppo (Main Story)
The Shinobi’s Fury is definitely one of the best Tantos players can find in Assassin's Creed Shadows, and it can be acquired easily by completing a main mission: "The Golden Teppo". To make this weapon competitive in the late game requires some upgrades, but it will be well worth it once players get into the thirties or forties level range.
When players destabilize an enemy through a myriad of ways, the enemy will flash yellow. That means they are Vulnerable, and in this state, the Shinobi’s Fury can essentially get a second attack in to make double use of this weakness.
2 Featherstorm (Kusarigama)
Gathering Power
- Skill: Instantly Charge Posture Attacks When Hitting Multiple Enemies
- Location: Kashiwabara Fortress (Omi Region)
The Featherstorm is one of the deadliest Kusarigama in the game, and it can be found within the Omi region inside Kashiwabara Fortress. Again, Kusarigama are best used when battling multiple enemies, so they are good for storming forts or castles.
If players get a good combo going against a group, this weapon’s attacks will act like they are charged even without the player’s input. It’s best to use Naoe stealthily in Assassin's Creed Shadows, but sometimes an all-out brawl cannot be helped, and that’s the perfect time to equip a Kusarigama like the Featherstorm.
1 Violet Night (Katana)
A Poisonous Blade
- Skill: Trigger Poison On Deflect
- Location: Kawachi Kaza-ana Cave (Omi Region)
Last, but not least, the incredible Violet Night Katana. The design of this blade is great thanks to its purple color scheme and poison-tipped edge. Like Bleed, the Poison status effect in Assassin's Creed Shadows can cause damage over time. If players hit any enemy, even a boss character, with it, they will surely go down in no time.
The Violent Night Katana is a bit tricky to acquire, as players have to get to the Omi region and find the Kawachi Kaza-ana Cave. Inside, they will have to deal with a Yuki Onna as part of "The Yokai" questline, which is one of the most interesting and challenging in the game.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 82%
- Released
- March 20, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Quebec
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
