The Assassin’s Creed series revolves around the art of stealth, and while Assassin’s Creed Shadows allows for more direct confrontation in various situations, remaining hidden remains a powerful asset. Naoe, a skilled Shinobi, has an extensive array of tools and skills at her disposal to help her navigate through enemy territory unnoticed.
Though it can be nerve-wracking to slip past guards who are just an arm’s length away, becoming proficient in stealth within Assassin’s Creed Shadows is immensely rewarding. Whether you prefer the life of a true assassin or want to steer clear of large-scale battles in castles and forts, we have all the stealth tips you need for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Essentials of Stealth
Mastering stealth in Assassin’s Creed Shadows entails understanding the tools, abilities, and strategic advantages you can employ to stay hidden from foes.
First, it’s crucial to grasp the three states of detection:
- Guard is Attentive (indicated by a white line)
- Guard is Suspicious (indicated by a yellow line)
- You are Detected (the yellow line fills and turns red)
You can briefly draw a guard’s attention to complete your stealth objectives, but be cautious not to get too close.
Now that you understand what to watch out for, here are some key factors for maintaining stealth in Assassin’s Creed Shadows:
- Your Abilities (such as Eagle Vision and Stances)
- Your Timing and Decision-Making
- Your Tools (like Shinobi Bells and the Grappling Hook)
- Surveying and Utilizing the Environment
We’ll explore the last three points in more detail, but first, let’s look at what abilities you have at your disposal.
Your primary stealth ability is Eagle Vision (hold the right stick), which lets you see the location of all enemies within a certain radius of Naoe.
Utilizing Eagle Vision is essential for assessing the timing and making use of the environment and tools to bypass or eliminate your targets.
Next, you have the Eavesdropping/Observing (hold LT/L2) ability, which enhances Eagle Vision by allowing you to overhear enemy conversations or tag people and points of interest.
Finally, your Stance (hold X or Square to adjust) dictates whether Naoe is standing, crouching, or lying prone. Changing your stance enables you to conceal yourself in tall grass and move quietly to avoid detection.
With these three core abilities at your fingertips, let’s delve deeper into mastering stealth.
Alongside Naoe’s inherent abilities, she also possesses a variety of useful tools to evade detection, among other functionalities.
To select a tool, navigate to it using the d-pad while holding LT/L2. To use a tool, hold LT/L2 to aim, then press RT/R2 to deploy it.
- Kunai – Causes damage and is effective for headshots.
- Smoke Bomb – Disrupts enemy vision.
- Shinobi Bell – Distracts or lures nearby foes.
- Shuriken – Causes damage and can be used in the environment.
While the Kunai is only effective for taking down weak enemies from afar, the other three Shinobi tools are indispensable for stealth gameplay.
Smoke Bombs are especially useful for escaping a sticky situation, but they can also be used offensively to reposition during a conflict.
In general, smoke bombs should ideally not be your only option for remaining hidden; they are best used when you have already been detected.
Shinobi Bells are very versatile, allowing you to either distract guards or draw targets closer to your hiding spot, making them excellent tools for stealth.
Shurikens can be thrown to create diversions by impacting the environment, which, similar to the Shinobi Bell, allows you to stealthily slip away or take down enemies. You can even use them to trip foes and send them tumbling off ledges if you’re clever.
Using the Environment to Enhance Stealth
Two of the four fundamental aspects of stealth come together here, as surveying your surroundings goes hand in hand with executing your plan at the right moment.
First and foremost, always utilize your Eagle Vision to identify enemy patterns by climbing to a higher point using your grappling hook. Note down the paths and timings of the guards.
This knowledge is critical for devising a plan that enables you to traverse from one location to another undetected.
One of your greatest advantages is to exploit shadows or dimly lit areas for stealthy movement. Traveling during nighttime can make this much easier.
Be aware that specific opportunities may only be accessible during certain seasons; for instance, you can knock icicles onto guards only in winter.
When scoping out an area, pay attention to three key environmental features:
- Water – An excellent hiding place that allows for repositioning.
- Hay bales and other concealment spots
- Trapdoors – Enable movement without exposure.
Water makes for a fantastic concealment option since it allows you to maneuver into better positions while remaining hidden.
Trapdoors offer similar advantages, giving you the chance to slip away undetected. There are roof trapdoors, which will lead you inside buildings, and floor trapdoors, which are excellent for escaping when guards come to investigate.
Lastly, hay bales, wells, and the like are less mobile but can effectively allow you to hide in plain sight near guards, facilitating quiet assassinations or keeping you unnoticed until they pass by.
Putting It All Together
With all this information, here’s the best strategy to maintain stealth while silently taking down your enemies:
- Ascend to a high vantage point to observe the environment.
- Activate Eagle Vision to identify all enemy locations and mark them.
- Outline a path to your target or between locations, ensuring you have a safe spot, like a hay bale, as a goal.
- Watch enemy movement and wait for the perfect moment to act.
- Have your preferred tool ready for quick improvisation if things go awry.
Additionally, keep an eye out for gear that offers stealth enhancements, making it harder for enemies to detect you.
By combining the right gear, knowledge, preparation, tools, and execution, you’ll be able to eliminate your targets silently as Naoe.
