7 mistakes you need to avoid in Assassin's Creed Shadows

Assassin's Creed Shadows will be launching on March 20, 2025, on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. This latest installment takes us on a journey across Feudal Japan. But, unlike previous games, you will now be taking control of two characters — Naoe, a skilled shinobi assassin, and Yasuke, the legendary African samurai.

The game has introduced several new features such as new combat mechanics, character-specific missions, and customization for your armor and character. This guide will introduce you to these new mechanics and help you avoid some common mistakes in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

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7 common mistakes in Assassin's Creed Shadows

1) Exploring the map

AC Shadows has a huge map to explore (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

The map covers almost 31 square miles, so not quite as big as Valhalla but still quite a big map for you to explore. The focus in Shadows is on central Japan, specifically Kyoto, Osaka, and Zushi, because of their historical significance during that period.

Kyoto and Osaka are the biggest cities in the game, with Kyoto being about half the size of the Unity map and containing seven castles to explore and clear. Skipping the exploration means missing out on hidden treasures, lore, and side quests that enrich the overall experience.

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2) Character switching

You can switch between characters (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

In Assassin's Creed Shadows, you can mostly stick to playing as one character if that’s what you prefer. You’re able to switch between Naoe and Yasuke during most quests through the menu, but not during important stealth missions called black box missions.

Once you pick a character for these missions, you’re locked in and can’t switch without losing your progress. This means you need to think carefully about which character to use. For example, if you pick Yasuke for a mission that needs climbing, it might take longer since Naoe is better at scaling walls.

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3) Not spending skill points

You should always spend your mastery points (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

You can improve your combat skills using two systems: Mastery Skills and Knowledge Ranks. These systems work together but function differently.

Mastery Skills let you unlock new abilities and upgrades for specific weapons by earning mastery points. You get these points by leveling up, defeating strong enemies, or completing challenges at samurai dojos.

Knowledge Ranks are a separate leveling system tied to the mastery trees. Each tree has six knowledge ranks. To increase your rank, you need to earn knowledge points, which you get by completing activities and missions.

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4) Don’t rush into combat

Use your character's unique skills (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

In Assassin's Creed Shadows, stealth and combat are influenced by your level and skills. The game’s level cap is 60, but you can explore any area from the very beginning. However, if your level is low, assassinating stronger enemies will be harder.

The color of an enemy’s health bar shows your chances of success — white means a guaranteed kill, yellow means you’ll deal damage but not kill them outright, and red means your attempt will fail.

Assassin's Creed Shadows has also upgraded stealth with dynamic lighting, allowing you to hide in the shadows to avoid detection. You can even create darkness by throwing certain items, while a new prone feature lets you lie down or hide underwater. Additionally, Gadgets like smoke bombs can help you escape or assassinate in the confusion, while kunais and shurikens can stun enemies or create openings for attacks.

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5) Armor customization

You can customize your character (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

Once you unlock the forge at your hideout, you’ll be able to craft engravings to enhance your weapons and armor. For example, Naoe's mushroom headband lets you vault over enemies when you sprint toward them.

Customization in Assassin's Creed Shadows goes beyond just perks. You can change the look of your armor without affecting its stats, which is an improvement from Valhalla. You can modify weapon skins and details like handles and guards. While the developers didn’t confirm legacy armor from older games, they hinted that more news about it might be coming pretty soon.

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6) Uses character-specific weapons

Naoe is best suited for katana combat in Assassin's Creed Shadows (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

Naoe is a shinobi and she relies on speed and precision. Her main weapon is the katana, which lets her perform quick assassinations but to do that you must first equip it. She also uses a hidden blade for stealth kills. You can use her blade and katana combo to deal quick damage to enemies.

Yasuke, on the other hand, is like a bulldozer. His main weapon is the naginata (a spear), which is great for crowd control and wide-reaching attacks. He also wields the kanabo (a heavy club), which is slower but can deal massive damage with a single hit. Yasuke can equip two ranged weapons at once — the teppo rifle and the yumi bow for long-range stealth kills.

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7) Posture and special attacks

Your weapon will indicate when to strike (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

In Assassin's Creed Shadows, the Posture System adds a new layer to combat that sets it apart from Valhalla. You activate the posture attacks by holding down your light or heavy attack buttons.

While holding the button your posture charge will increase and once ready your weapon will indicate that is ready to strike. A successful posture attack will break almost all guards in the game letting you follow up with other attack combos.

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Assassin’s Creed Shadows promises to deliver a rich and immersive experience with its detailed open world, dynamic combat, and deep character customization. Understanding the game's mechanics and learning from common mistakes will help you progress more smoothly and enjoy what the game has to offer.