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

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, mastering Naoe's skills can transform you into a formidable assassin, adept at both stealth and direct combat. Naoe thrives in the shadows, utilizing a range of tools and abilities to outsmart and eliminate her targets. Whether you're planning a silent takedown or preparing for a head-on clash, selecting the right skills early on is crucial for maximizing her potential. Here's a guide to the best initial skills for Naoe, organized by skill trees up to Knowledge Rank 3, which you can achieve swiftly by engaging in the game's open-world activities.

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

Katana

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• 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)

These skills enhance Naoe's defensive capabilities, allowing her to effectively counter aggressive enemies. If you excel in dodging and deflecting, you'll find ample opportunities to retaliate with significant damage, culminating in powerful finishing moves with Eviscerate.

Kusarigama

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• 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)

Equipped with these skills, Naoe becomes a formidable force against both groups and individual targets. Entanglement aids in building afflictions, while the other skills help manage multiple foes, keeping them at bay and delivering impactful attacks.

Tanto

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• 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 focus on maximizing damage with the tanto, exploiting vulnerabilities and targeting the backs of enemies for increased impact. Even heavily armored foes will succumb to your sharpened blade, making Naoe a deadly assassin.

Tools

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• 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 empower Naoe to manipulate guards, clear paths, and execute assassinations effectively. Use Shuriken to disable alarms or trigger explosives, the Shinobi Bell to divert attention, and Kunai for long-range kills. The Smoke Bomb is invaluable for escaping or initiating a series of assassinations.

Shinobi

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• 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 mobility and stealth, enabling her to navigate the environment undetected and reach her targets swiftly. Faster climbing and reduced fall damage, combined with the ability to slow down time, provide more room for error in crowded areas.

Assassin

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• 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)

Ideal for use with the Tanto, these skills streamline Naoe's assassination techniques. They facilitate swift, powerful strikes with the Hidden Blade, enabling dual assassinations and the takedown of stronger foes. Be cautious, however, as you'll encounter enemies with higher health as you progress, necessitating further skill upgrades.

By prioritizing these skills, you'll unlock Naoe's full potential as an assassin, mastering the art of stealth and combat in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*. For more tips and guides, don't forget to check out The Escapist.