Optimal Naoe Build in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

When it comes to gear and skills in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Naoe has a plethora of choices, making it essential to find the best build through some experimentation. You should try various approaches, including affliction-based builds that emphasize Poison, Bleed, or Daze, as well as weapon-specific builds that utilize the many outstanding legendary items available. For a versatile Naoe build that can handle any situation, I recommend the Kusarigama Assassin as the top choice in AC Shadows.

The Kusarigama stands out as the optimal weapon for Naoe, offering incredible versatility. It excels at dealing area-of-effect damage through heavy attacks while remaining an effective single-target weapon with the Snake Bite ability. Its assassination boost, Rush Assassinate, enables you to lock onto enemies from a distance and leap toward them using the Kusarigama chain. This particular setup is based on assuming that the Guaranteed Assassination feature in AC Shadows is disabled; if you do enable it, you may have extra points to distribute elsewhere but should consider different gear options.

Top Gear for Naoe in AC Shadows

Best Weapons, Armor, Trinkets, & Engravings for Naoe

Naoe’s assassination skills are among the finest within the Assassin’s Creed series, making them vital for any true Assassin’s Creed hero. For this reason, the focus of this build revolves around an Assassin-themed Kusarigama configuration that effectively combines Naoe’s practical skills with her most powerful weapon, abilities, and enhancements. There are several legendary Kusarigama options to explore, but for this build, the Demon’s Tooth Kusarigama, which can be found in a legendary chest located at Arima Onsen in Harima, is the most powerful.

The Demon Tooth Kusarigama is especially suitable since your main method for assassinations will be Rush Assassinate. The best enchantment for this setup is from the Ocean’s Grip Kusarigama, which provides +60% damage against enemies located over 3 meters away—this will apply to most of your targets. Another fundamental item in this build is the Fluttering Moth Trinket, which grants a boost of +15% to stats when only a Kusarigama is equipped. Similar trinkets are available for other weapons, but since Kusarigama stands out for its versatility among the three options, Fluttering Moth is the ideal choice.

For your armor and headgear, the Master Assassin Gear is a prime selection for enhancing assassination skills, although there are earlier options available. Consider using the Mamushi Snake Robes for an excellent buff, which causes dead bodies you leave behind to emit poison clouds. The best choice for headgear is the Yurei-Walker Hood, paired with the engraving from the Peasant Hat, which guarantees an adrenaline chunk upon entering combat, allowing you quick access to abilities.

Key Skills for a Naoe Build in AC Shadows

Focus Heavily on the Kusarigama Tree

Once your gear is set, it’s essential to activate the right skills in AC Shadows. Invest the majority of your Mastery Points in the Kusarigama Tree, while also snagging some of the passive perks from the Katana and Tanto when you have extra points. Key passives to prioritize include the Katana’s Melee Expert, which boosts melee damage by as much as 9%, and the Critical Thinker passive for additional critical hit chances once you achieve Knowledge Rank 5.

For optimal performance, your top abilities for Naoe should include Cyclone Blast and Snake Bite. Cyclone Blast delivers substantial damage in this build due to your high critical hit chance and damage boost against enemies at a distance. Once fully upgraded, Cyclone Blast becomes a tremendous asset, sitting at the core of this build alongside the notable rush assassination ability.

Utilize Entanglement and Snake Bite for your single-target damage options; Entanglement can ensnare an enemy and catch them off guard, while Snake Bite knocks them to the ground for a powerful follow-up attack. Critical Efficiency and Multi-Target Expert are outstanding passive skills that elevate your build; however, be sure to balance these weapon skills with the necessary Assassin skills for your stealthy engagements.

Top Assassin, Shinobi & Tools Skills for Naoe

Naoe’s assassination abilities are equally important, if not more so, as they are crucial for taking out enemies. The Assassin tree has all the necessary buffs to Health Segment removal that you can stack with your armor buffs, enabling you to assassinate even larger foes. You’ll want to prioritize leveling up Naoe’s Assassination Damage skill slots, but keep in mind that this build truly comes alive once you reach Knowledge Rank 5, as that’s when Rush Assassinate in the Assassin tree becomes available. This skill also allows you to expand the number of Adrenaline Chunks Naoe can hold, allowing more chances to use Snake Bite and/or Cyclone Blast.

Along with the Assassin skills listed above, select a few Shinobi and Tools skills to round out your build and equip yourself with useful items for emergencies. For Shinobi skills, the Heighten Senses ability will greatly enhance your options while playing stealthily. Vault is a valuable addition that enhances any build, and its upgraded variants are variously beneficial, so consider acquiring this skill. Tools preference is subjective and should align with your playstyle; I favor a classic combination of Kunai and Shuriken, but all Tools provide utility.

Mastering Naoe’s Best Build

Kusarigama Assassin Excels in Stealth & Melee Situations

The Kusarigama Assassin build is versatile and effective in both stealth and melee scenarios, allowing you to adapt to any challenge. Strive for Rush Assassinations in the shadows for effective, covert takedowns. If you do draw the attention of guards, the Kusarigama’s circular damage commands respect in close-quarters skirmishes. Keep in mind that Rush Assassinations might attract other guards, so exercise caution.

In summary, the Kusarigama Assassin stands as Naoe’s most adaptable and dynamic build in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, aided by the +15% stat boost provided by the Fluttering Moth trinket. If you are in search of a singular build that accommodates both stealth and melee combat, this is undoubtedly the one to try.