Assassin's Creed Shadows focuses on stealth gameplay thanks to its Shinobi protagonist Naoe, but that doesn't mean her Samurai partner Yasuke can't be discreet when the opportunity arises. Yasuke has access to five different weapon types, each with a unique playstyle, and with the right combination of weapons and gear to go with them, you can create a loadout that fulfills his stealth potential.
You'll never be completely silent with Yasuke, as even his assassinations will make enough noise to alert any nearby enemies. However, assassinating just one or two enemies in Shadows without being seen or heard can give you a huge advantage in those one-against-many fights at which Yasuke already excels.
Best Weapons For a Stealth Yasuke Build
Which Weapon Combination And Engravings To Use
The Bow is the lynchpin for a Yasuke stealth build. The bow can take out multiple enemies, from a distance and close range if you're quick enough, without alerting nearby enemies. The best bow for a Yasuke stealth build is the Dragon's Wrath bow, which instantly charges arrows when firing them. This ability means you can perform quick instant-kill headshots multiple times, letting you take out more enemies before they realize what's happening. Pair this with an engraving that makes those charged arrows become posture shots, so if they don't get a kill, they'll knock them off-balance.

Assassin's Creed Shadows: Best Build Guides For Naoe & Yasuke (All Play Styles)
There are a number of different build options for every play style in Assassin's Creed Shadows, from a Tools Naoe build to a naked Yasuke build.
Yasuke's melee weapon matters less when it comes to stealth gameplay, but you should use the Myth Slayer Legendary weapon in AC Shadows called the Long Katana if you want to have a weapon that pairs well with a stealth-focused approach. This Katana makes Combo Ender attacks postured, and they make enemies vulnerable. You can pair this Katana with the engraving that makes sheathed attacks postured and makes enemies vulnerable. Sheathed attacks are a great way to quickly remove the remaining enemies left standing after using your bow and a brutal assassination.
Best Armor and Amulet For a Stealth Yasuke Build
Use These For Some Extra Stealth Bonuses
The Armor and Amulet choices for a Yasuke stealth bit aren't as straightforward, so don't sleep on using non-legendary pieces of gear if they have engravings that you like or work with what equipment you already have. The best armor Yasuke has for a stealth build is the Master Archer Outfit, which gives a 200% damage boost with ranged weapons while out of combat. Pair that with the bow and engravings above, and you should be instant-killing all enemies when you're not in combat.
Amulets are even trickier, but a few have complementary effects to the other pieces of equipment you'd use for a stealth build for Yasuke. The Armor Eater amulet in AC Shadows will give a 15% boost to Yasuke's stats with a ranged weapon equipped, and the Oni's Fury will provide a 15% damage boost per non-legendary gear equipped, which is good if you're using epic gear instead. My favorite is the Cerulean Core amulet, which will remove two extra health segments when performing brutal assassinations during the day.
Yasuke Stealth Build Weapons And Armor:
Equipment |
Name |
Effect |
---|---|---|
Bow |
Dragon's Wrath |
Instantly charge arrows |
Long Katana |
Myth Slayer |
Combo enders are postured and make enemies Vulnerable |
Armor |
Master Archer Outfit |
+200% damage with Ranged Weapons while out of combat |
Helmet |
Any Epic Helmet |
+% Crit Chance on Headshots |
Amulet |
Cerulean Core |
+2 Health Segments removed on Brutal Assassination during the day |
Best Skills For a Stealth Yasuke Build
Use Your Mastery Points On These When You Can
The first mastery point you want to spend on a Yasuke stealth build is for the Brutal Assassination skill. All it does is let you perform a brutal assassination on an unsuspecting enemy, which will alert other enemies around you. It's best to use this as the final stealthy move you make after you've picked off enemies with your bow, and before you go heads-on with your long katana.

All Legendary Armors In Assassin's Creed Shadows & How To Get Them
Legendary armor and headgear in Assassin's Creed Shadows is found in every major region and is rewarded for completing quests or activities.
The other skills you'll need to focus on for a stealth build are in Yasuke's Bow skill tree. The bow is the most important weapon for a Yasuke stealth build, and these specific skills in AC Shadows focus on improving your lethality outside of combat. The four bow skills you should prioritize are:
- Silent Arrows III: These Arrows have 100% Armor Piercing and remove eight health segments when fully upgraded.
- Headshot Damage III: Increase damage with Headshots by 9%.
- Critical Damage III: Increase Critical Damage by 12%
- Larger Quiver III: Increase maximum capacity for all arrows.
Though he can crouch and go prone, stealth with Yasuke is not a smooth experience in Assassin's Creed Shadows. If you want to play a more stealth-focused role with Yasuke, it's a fun challenge to take on and, with the right combination of skills and equipment, it can be a very effective way of quickly taking out castles and other large groups of enemies. For those missions that require complete silence, however, leave it to the stealth expert Naoe.











Assassin's Creed Shadows
- Released
- March 20, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Quebec
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Engine
- AnvilNext
- Franchise
- Assassin's Creed
- Number of Players
- 1
Set during Japan’s Sengoku period, two distinct protagonists—Naoe, a shinobi, and Yasuke, a historical African samurai—must navigate political intrigue and violent clashes between the Assassins and Templars. Players can switch between stealthy, shadow-based gameplay with Naoe and Yasuke’s direct combat approach, exploring the duality of their missions in a beautifully rendered open world.
- Platform(s)
- PC
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