One of the standout effects in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the Bleed effect, which you can enhance using various legendary weapons and basic engravings, creating a powerful Naoe build. This setup primarily utilizes the Kusarigama and Tanto weapon types. The Tanto excels at inflicting damage on individual targets, while the Kusarigama is incredibly effective against groups. Although there are top-tier weapon and armor choices for this bleed build, don’t overlook the many Epic weapons featuring strong bleed buildup stats.
You can boost bleed effects and affliction buildup mainly through engravings, and Naoe has specific abilities in AC Shadows designed to amplify affliction buildup, which in turn enhances bleed damage. The build can also include the impressive Noh Masterstroke legendary armor set, known for its intrinsic affliction capabilities that improve bleed effects. Even though this melee-focused build doesn’t heavily rely on stealth skills like other assassin builds, it still functions well in that role, especially when utilizing the Guaranteed Assassination skill.
Optimal Gear for Naoe’s Bleed Build in AC Shadows
Top Weapons for Naoe’s Bleed Build
The legendary Tanto known as Scarlet Fate is an outstanding choice for Naoe’s bleed build, offering a naturally high bleed buildup effect along with an exceptional built-in engraving that boosts impact from all attacks. Various fantastic engraving options exist for this Tanto, but the top legendary engraving is the Yukimitsu’s Revenge, which renders attacked enemies vulnerable. These combined effects make it perfect for inflicting single-target bleed damage.
The Bloodletter is the premier Kusarigama for a bleed-focused strategy, serving you best against groups of foes and instantly applying bleed effects on larger enemies thanks to its unique property that triggers bleed when entangling. For engravings, a legendary item located in the Veiled Tumulus Kofun, the Stone Heart Kusarigama, is the best option, as it enhances Bleed Affliction with combo finishers.
Best Bleed Armor and Trinket for Naoe
Naoe’s top armor choice for a bleed build is the Noh Masterstroke Set. This armor allows you to effectively inflict bleed through your Tools due to its unique effect that increases Tool Bleed Buildup. It also features an engraving that spreads affliction buildup with every enemy elimination, meaning that nearby foes will also be afflicted after a kill. The ideal engraving for this lightweight armor, which is a common engraving from a merchant in Obama, Wakasa, converts ALL Tool affliction buildup into bleed buildup.
If you’re seeking solid bleed gear without collecting all the legendary items, check out the excellent Epic-quality bleed options available from the Obama merchant.
The Noh Masterstroke Mask will help maximize your Adrenaline Chunks during encounters, adding +20% whenever you perform an affliction buildup attack. Although there’s a tricky-to-find common engraving via a rumor in Omi that provides +25% damage against bleed-afflicted enemies, a more accessible alternative gives a consistent 20% boost to damage with afflictions and works just as effectively.
For trinkets, the top legendary option for this build enhances your Kusarigama skills while significantly increasing adrenaline gain, allowing Naoe to frequently unleash her abilities. The Flight of the Ubagabi legendary trinket provides a +1% adrenaline boost for every mastery point invested in Kusarigama. Pair this with a common engraving that grants an added +30% of an Adrenaline Chunk when hitting afflicted enemies for even greater efficacy. Together, this trinket and the mask create significant adrenaline generation during battles.
Optimal Skills and Abilities for a Naoe Bleed Build
Top Global and Passive Skills for a Bleed Build
This build incorporates a variety of passive skills aimed at maximizing bleed effects for Naoe’s armaments and Tools. Start by acquiring the Affliction Effectiveness passive from the Katana tree, which enhances damage against afflicted foes by up to 12%. Make sure to include global passives like Multi-Target Expert and Affliction Builder from the Kusarigama tree. Entanglement is another crucial passive in the Kusarigama category, especially since the Bloodletter weapon capitalizes on it.
While the Backstab passive from the Tanto tree is a viable option if you have extra points, it’s not essential. In the Tools tree, prioritize investing in a comprehensive range of Tool passives, focusing primarily on Kunai and Shuriken, as these will significantly benefit from Noh Masterstroke bonuses and easily inflict bleed on enemies. Tool Affliction Proficiency is the key passive to secure, increasing bleed effects through Tools by up to 9%. There aren’t any must-have Shinobi passives, but practical options like the Igan Roll can be handy.
“Once you reach Knowledge Rank 6, you can start investing in the Damage With Affliction global passive, which can increase affliction damage by up to 40% when fully maxed out.”
In the Assassin tree, ensure you unlock the unique assassinations for Tanto and Kusarigama, plus the powerful abilities Rush Assassinate and Double Assassinate. Aim to gather as many Adrenaline Chunk increases as possible through the Vigor passive branch for more frequent ability usage. Once you hit Knowledge Rank 6, kick off investments into the Damage With Affliction global passive, which can enhance affliction damage by up to 40% when fully upgraded.
Top Abilities for a Bleed Build
The standout Kusarigama abilities for this build include Cyclone Blast and the Scarlet Fate. Cyclone Blast is particularly effective for inflicting bleed buildup on nearby enemies, swiftly taking down groups. It’s a lifesaver during swarming encounters or tight situations. While Snake Bite is a handy single-target move, Scarlet Fate is your superior choice for individual foes. It’s also wise to select both the Hidden Hand and Shadow Piercer abilities for the Tanto, making them ideal for bleeding larger enemies or focused targets.
Since this build primarily focuses on melee combat rather than stealth, opting for the Lightning Kicks Shinobi ability is your best bet. However, if you want to sprinkle in some assassin strategies, consider leaning towards stealth by acquiring the Heightened Senses ability and putting more points into the Assassin tree. In essence, the main abilities for this bleed-oriented build are Cyclone Blast for groups, Entanglement for larger foes, and Scarlet Fate for isolated targets.
