Top Skills to Prioritize for Naoe in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, Naoe embodies the essence of stealth and precision, yet she's not limited to silent kills alone. With the right skills, she can also hold her own in direct confrontations. To maximize her potential, here are the best skills to prioritize for Naoe, organized by weapon and ability categories, up to Knowledge Rank 3, which you can achieve quickly by engaging in the open world activities in the starting regions.

Best Skills to Get First for Naoe in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Katana

• Dodge Attack – Katana Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1 Mastery Point)
• Melee Expert – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1/2/3 Mastery Points)
• Counter Attack – Katana Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points)
• Eviscerate – Katana Ability (Knowledge Rank 3, 5 Mastery Points)

With these skills, Naoe transforms into a defensive powerhouse, ready to counter aggressive foes. If you excel at dodging and deflecting, you'll find ample opportunities to counterattack, deal substantial damage with buffs, and decisively end fights with Eviscerate.

Kusarigama

• Entanglement – Kusarigama Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1 Mastery Point)
• Affliction Builder – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1/2/3 Mastery Points)
• Big Catch – Kusarigama Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points)
• Multi-Target Expert – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 3, 1/2/3 Mastery Points)
• Cyclone Blast – Kusarigama Ability (Knowledge Rank 3, 7 Mastery Points)

These skills make Naoe a formidable force against both groups and individual targets. Entanglement enhances affliction buildup, and upgrading it allows you to manipulate even larger enemies for additional damage. The other skills facilitate handling multiple enemies, keeping them at bay, and delivering impactful attacks.

Tanto

• Shadow Piercer – Tanto Ability (Knowledge Rank 1, 5 Mastery Points)
• Gap Seeker – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1/2/3 Mastery Points)
• Backstab – Tanto Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points)
• Backstabber – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 1/2/3 Mastery Points)
• Back Breaker – Tanto Passive (Knowledge Rank 3, 3 Mastery Points)

These skills are all about amplifying damage with the tanto. They enhance your damage output and exploit Vulnerable enemies, making even armored foes wary of your blade. Using your R2/RT attack to spin behind targets ensures you can consistently target their backs for maximum damage.

Tools

• Smoke Bomb – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1 Mastery Point)
• Larger Tool Bag I – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points)
• Shinobi Bell – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 1 Mastery Point)
• Enduring Haze – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points)
• Kunai Assassination Damage I – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points)
• Shuriken – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points)

These tools enable Naoe to manipulate guards and clear paths to her targets effectively. Use Shuriken to disable alarm bells or trigger explosives, the Shinobi Bell to lure enemies away, and Kunai for long-range kills. If spotted, deploy the Smoke Bomb to escape or initiate a series of assassinations, offering you versatile tactical options.

Shinobi

• Ascension Boost – Shinobi Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points)
• Vault – Shinobi Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 1 Mastery Point)
• Igan Roll – Shinobi Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 1 Mastery Point)
• Heighten Senses – Shinobi Ability (Knowledge Rank 3, 5 Mastery Points)

These skills enhance Naoe's stealth capabilities, allowing her to move undetected and reach her objectives without alerting enemies. Faster climbing and reduced fall damage are invaluable in various scenarios, while the ability to slow down time provides a crucial margin for error in crowded areas.

Assassin

• Executioner – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1/2/3 Mastery Points)
• Improved Ground Assassinate – Assassin Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points)
• Double Assassinate – Assassin Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points)
• Assassination Damage I – Assassin Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points)
• Reinforced Blade – Assassin Passive (Knowledge Rank 3, 4 Mastery Points)

These skills are best utilized with a Tanto as one of your primary weapons, enabling swift and lethal strikes with the Hidden Blade. Dual assassinations become easier, as does taking down larger and stronger foes. However, be cautious, as you'll encounter enemies with more health that can resist assassination attempts until you further upgrade your skills.

By focusing on these key skills for Naoe in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, you'll transform her into the ultimate shinobi assassin in Japan. For more tips and guides, be sure to visit The Escapist.