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If you’re a fan of the Assassin’s Creed RPG series, you might think you know what to expect from Assassin’s Creed Shadows, but that would be a mistake. This installment brings quite a few changes.
One major shift is in the levelling-up system. In addition to gaining XP for upgrade points, you’ll need to explore the world and participate in various activities to progress.
Levelling Up and Mastery Points
The levelling system in Assassin’s Creed Shadows will feel familiar to RPG players. Completing missions, defeating enemies, and discovering new locations will earn you experience points (XP) that help raise Naoe and Yasuke’s levels. Notably, these two characters share all awarded XP, so you don’t have to worry about one of them lagging behind.
As you hit new levels, you’ll receive basic boosts for stats like damage and health, along with Mastery Points. These points can be used in the "Mastery" section of the menu to unlock new skills for both characters, each of whom has six skill trees tailored to their weapons and play styles.
Certain side quests and activities will also yield Mastery Points in addition to XP, making them worthwhile if you want to enhance Naoe and Yasuke.
When you visit the Mastery menu, you might notice many skills are locked. This is where Knowledge Ranks come into play.
Knowledge Points and Ranks
To unlock higher-tier abilities, you’ll need to spend time exploring Assassin’s Creed Shadows and participating in side activities. Engaging in these tasks will earn you Knowledge Points, which contribute to your Knowledge Rank. Once you achieve a new rank, you can access the associated skills.
You can earn Knowledge Points by completing activities marked in orange on the map. These activities include Kuji-Kiri as Naoe, Kata as Yasuke, discovering Lost Pages, honoring Shrines in temples, looting chests in tombs, and finishing various "Paths of" missions. Completing these tasks is well worth your time.
The easiest way to rack up Knowledge Points is by finding Lost Pages. Just play as Naoe for a straightforward way to collect them.
Like Mastery Points, Knowledge Points and Ranks are shared between Naoe and Yasuke, even though you can choose to spend them separately. This design encourages players to engage deeply with the world instead of just rushing through the storyline. The rewards are significant, as many powerful abilities are locked behind the higher Knowledge Ranks.
