Best Naoe Skills to Level Up Fast in Assassin's Creed: Shadows: A Complete Mastery Guide

If you’re playing Assassin’s Creed: Shadows and have chosen Naoe as your protagonist, then you’re in for a treat. Naoe is one of the most versatile characters in the game, with access to a wide range of skills that allow you to tailor her abilities to your playstyle. Whether you prefer going in swords blazing with the Katana or lurking in the shadows with stealthy Tanto strikes, Naoe has you covered.

As you level up, you’ll gain mastery points that can be used to unlock and upgrade skills across multiple talent trees. The trick, though, is knowing what to prioritize—after all, you can't max out everything at once. But don’t worry! In this guide, we’ll break down the best skills to prioritize in each of Naoe’s mastery trees, ensuring that you can maximize her potential. Let’s dive in!


Naoe’s Mastery Trees: The Basics

In Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, Naoe has access to several mastery trees, each tied to a particular weapon or ability. These trees are:

  1. Katana Mastery
  2. Kusarigama Mastery
  3. Tanto Mastery
  4. Tool Mastery
  5. Shinobi Mastery
  6. Assassin's Mastery

Each tree brings something different to the table, so depending on how you prefer to play, you can pick and choose which skills to enhance. While you’ll eventually want to level up all of them, this guide will help you figure out what to prioritize based on your preferred combat and stealth style.


1. Katana Mastery: The Core Weapon

The Katana is your go-to weapon in the game, and it's available right from the start. It’s the epitome of samurai combat: swift, powerful, and effective in both offense and defense. If you're a fan of classic swordplay, this tree is where you want to start.

What to Prioritize in the Katana Mastery Tree:

  • Bonus Damage: Right off the bat, boost your Katana’s damage. This will help you clear enemies faster and make combat more efficient.
  • Affliction Effects: Skills that inflict poison or bleed damage are a huge asset. These damage-over-time effects weaken enemies, making it easier to finish them off.
  • Counter and Dodging Skills: These are nice-to-have if you prefer a defensive playstyle. These skills allow you to dodge incoming attacks and counter with powerful strikes, adding another layer to your combat effectiveness.
  • Tidal Wave and Eviscerate: Tidal Wave is an excellent AOE (Area of Effect) attack, while Eviscerate is perfect for dealing with tougher enemies. Both help you break through enemy defenses and land devastating hits.
  • Offensive Momentum: This passive skill boosts your damage with consecutive hits, making it ideal for players who love to string together combos.

Best Strategy:

If you're looking for a solid all-around weapon, the Katana is your go-to. Prioritize damage boosts and abilities like Tidal Wave, Eviscerate, and Guard Break to ensure you can deal with anything that comes your way.


2. Kusarigama Mastery: Versatility and Crowd Control

Best Naoe Skills, Assassins Creed Shadows
The Kusarigama is a unique weapon, combining a sickle and chain for both ranged and melee attacks. This weapon shines when it comes to controlling large groups of enemies. It’s also great for tactical combat, allowing you to control the battlefield from a distance.

What to Prioritize in the Kusarigama Mastery Tree:

  • Cyclonic Blast: This is a must-have for dealing with groups of enemies. It’s an AOE attack that can significantly reduce the number of opponents surrounding you.
  • Snake Bite: A fantastic ability for controlling enemies. This skill disables enemies and makes them easier to take down. It’s a game-changer in larger fights.
  • Weapon Damage Boost: Always increase your Kusarigama’s damage. This will ensure that your attacks pack a punch, especially when you’re dealing with groups of enemies.

Best Strategy:

If you prefer a more tactical, crowd-control playstyle, prioritize skills like Cyclonic Blast and Snake Bite. The Kusarigama excels in managing large groups and disabling enemies, making it a great choice for versatile players.


3. Tanto Mastery: Stealth and Precision

The Tanto is a small, agile weapon that shines in stealth combat. It allows you to deal quick, precise damage—whether you're close to the enemy or striking from a distance. This weapon is perfect if you prefer taking down enemies silently, without alerting anyone.

What to Prioritize in the Tanto Mastery Tree:

  • Piercing Shadow: This ability allows you to deal high damage from a distance, perfect for stealthy eliminations. It’s a great way to take out enemies before they even know you’re there.
  • Armor Piercing: This ability lets you bypass enemy armor, making the Tanto even more deadly against tougher opponents.
  • Critical Hits and Stealth: Focus on enhancing critical hit damage and stealth abilities. The Tanto is all about precision and taking out enemies quickly without being detected.

Best Strategy:

If you prefer a stealth-based approach to combat, the Tanto is your weapon of choice. Prioritize Piercing Shadow and Armor Piercing to ensure you can quickly and quietly eliminate high-priority targets.


4. Tool Mastery: Tactical Advantage

Tools play a big role in Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, especially for stealth and infiltration. Naoe can use items like Kunai, Shurikens, Smoke Bombs, and Bells to manipulate the battlefield. Upgrading your tools will allow you to stay undetected and take out enemies from afar.

What to Prioritize in the Tool Mastery Tree:

  • Kunai: These are your go-to tool for dealing with enemies at a distance. Upgrade them for higher damage and to take out targets with a single throw.
  • Tool Capacity and Damage: Increasing your tool capacity and damage is essential, especially for tools like Kunai that you’ll rely on during stealth missions.
  • Shuriken and Smoke Bombs: These tools are invaluable for disorienting enemies, allowing you to slip past undetected or create opportunities for silent kills.

Best Strategy:

Focus on upgrading Kunai first, as they are crucial for eliminating enemies from a distance without being spotted. After that, boost the overall effectiveness of your tools, especially for stealth-heavy missions.


5. Shinobi Mastery: Mobility and Agility

The Shinobi Mastery tree is all about enhancing Naoe’s mobility, allowing her to move quickly and stealthily. Whether you’re scaling walls, diving into water, or reducing fall damage, this tree makes navigating the environment much smoother.

What to Prioritize in the Shinobi Mastery Tree:

  • Heightened Senses: This ability improves your awareness of nearby enemies, helping you avoid detection and plan your moves more effectively.
  • Fall Damage Reduction: This ability is essential when exploring vertical environments or making quick escapes.
  • Underwater Breathing: If you’re tackling missions that require stealth in or around water, this ability lets you stay submerged longer without risking detection.

Best Strategy:

The Shinobi Mastery tree is perfect for players who love movement and exploration. Prioritize Heightened Senses and Fall Damage Reduction to make traversing the world much easier.


6. Assassin's Mastery: Ultimate Stealth Assassin

Finally, the Assassin’s Mastery tree is designed for those who want to become the ultimate stealth operative. It enhances your ability to remain undetected, increase your damage in critical strikes, and perform silent kills.

What to Prioritize in the Assassin's Mastery Tree:

  • Assassin’s Stealth: This is crucial for remaining hidden and undetected, especially during infiltration missions.
  • Critical Strike Damage: Boosting your critical strike damage ensures that when you do land a hit, it’s a lethal one.
  • Shadow Skills: These skills allow you to make silent kills and vanish without leaving a trace, which is perfect for any stealth-oriented assassin.

Best Strategy:

If you want to master the art of stealth, the Assassin’s Mastery tree is for you. Prioritize Assassin’s Stealth and Critical Strike Damage to become a true shadow on the battlefield.


Conclusion: How to Level Up Naoe’s Mastery Trees

In Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, Naoe offers a wide variety of combat and stealth options to suit every type of player. By focusing on the right skills within each mastery tree, you can tailor her abilities to fit your unique playstyle. Whether you prefer a straightforward combat approach with the Katana, tactical crowd control with the Kusarigama, or silent eliminations with the Tanto, Naoe has the tools to succeed.

Remember, balance is key. Don’t try to max out everything at once—focus on upgrading the skills that complement your playstyle. With the right strategy, Naoe will become a formidable force in Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, capable of dominating both stealth missions and open combat.


Helpful Resources

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Looking for detailed strategies to defeat challenging bosses in Assassin's Creed: Shadows? Check out the Ultimate Guide to Finding & Defeating Ise Sadaoki for expert tips on taking down this powerful foe. If you’re tackling another tough adversary, be sure to read our Akeshi Kagemitsu (The Naginata) Boss Fight Guide, where we provide strategies to overcome this deadly boss and claim victory!

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