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Spoiler warning: Recruiting some allies depends on story events, target kills, and choices that can permanently close a character’s questline. The six allies in the walkthrough are Yaya, Gennojo, Katsuhime, Ibuki, Oni-yuri, and Yagoro. Each joins through a character quest, and you must reach the end of the questline and accept the recruitment invitation.
All six allies at a glance
| Ally | Quest and location | Unlock or key requirement | Recruitment risk or choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yaya | The Stray Dogs, Izumi Settsu | Unlocks after you kill The Wounded, Wada Koretake. | Keep Yaya alive through the relevant choices, then accept her invitation. |
| Gennojo | Sake and Swords, Yamashiro | Unlocks after you kill The Fool, Ise Sadaoki. Play as Naoe. | Soothe him at the end of his questline, then accept recruitment. |
| Katsuhime | Letter from Katsuhime, Omi | Unlocks after you kill The Naginata, Akechi Kagemitsu. Play as Naoe. | When she is captured, disrupt the executioner or she can be killed and become unavailable. |
| Ibuki | Ambush Interrupted, outside Kashiwara Village in Iga | Play as Yasuke. | When confronting Nakatomi, choose “Fight with us, Kyobei.” |
| Oni-yuri | Sweet Lies, Tsuruga, Wakasa | Either Naoe or Yasuke can pursue the quest. | Naoe can still recruit her even if Yasuke antagonized her earlier. |
| Yagoro | A Blade in the Dark, Harima | Available after all 12 Shinbakufu targets have been assassinated. | This is an endgame recruitment; the quest does not unlock until the target requirement is met. |
Quest triggers and choices in this guide are attributed to GamesRadar+’s walkthrough, last updated March 27, 2025. Exact map coordinates and every alternate dialogue branch are not established here, so use the quest names and regions rather than relying on an assumed marker position.
How to recruit each ally
Yaya
After killing The Wounded, look for The Stray Dogs in Izumi Settsu. Complete the quest while keeping Yaya alive through the relevant decisions. At the end, accept her recruitment invitation; reaching the quest’s conclusion alone is not enough if she is no longer willing or able to join.
Gennojo
After killing The Fool, start Sake and Swords in Yamashiro as Naoe. At the end of Gennojo’s questline, choose the response that soothes him, then accept his invitation to join. The walkthrough notes that Gennojo can also be romanced, but romance is separate from recruiting him as an ally.
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- Only at Amazon Limited Edition Content includes the base game and Sekiryu Character Pack
- Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
- Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles.
- Make information your weapon as you explore the world, and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions.
- Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s layout, decorations, and accessories.
Katsuhime
After killing The Naginata, play as Naoe and begin Letter from Katsuhime in Omi. During the capture sequence, disrupt the executioner. The walkthrough warns that failing to intervene can result in Katsuhime’s death and permanently block her recruitment. Finish the quest and accept her invitation if she survives.
Ibuki
Go to Ambush Interrupted outside Kashiwara Village in Iga as Yasuke. When you confront Nakatomi, select “Fight with us, Kyobei.” The choice is the specified recruitment path; complete the questline and accept Ibuki’s offer at its conclusion.
Rank #2
- ENTER FEUDAL JAPAN - Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
- MASTER COMPLEMENTARY PLAYSTYLES - Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles. As Naoe, use stealth to avoid detection and agility to confound your enemies. As Yasuke, strike your foes with lethal precision and power. Unlock new skills, gear, and progression independently for each character.
- MAKE INFORMATION YOUR WEAPON - Travel the world and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions
- BUILD A PLACE TO CALL HOME - Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s buildings layout, decorations, and accessories.
Oni-yuri
Start Sweet Lies in Tsuruga, Wakasa, as either Naoe or Yasuke. Complete the questline and accept Oni-yuri’s invitation. According to the walkthrough, choosing Naoe keeps this recruitment possible even if Yasuke antagonized her earlier.
Yagoro
Once all 12 Shinbakufu targets have been assassinated, look for A Blade in the Dark in Harima. This quest is gated behind the full target requirement, so it is not an early-game recruitment. Complete it and accept Yagoro’s invitation.
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- Only at Amazon Limited Edition Content includes the base game and Sekiryu Character Pack
- Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
- Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles.
- Make information your weapon as you explore the world, and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions.
- Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s layout, decorations, and accessories.
What allies do and how the Dojo helps
Allies support combat with active abilities you can call on and passive abilities that operate automatically or under specific conditions. The Dojo can be upgraded to allow two allies on a team; further progression unlocks ally training and additional passive abilities. Which allies work best depends on whether you favor stealth or direct combat, so treat any suggested pairing as a playstyle choice rather than a universal ranking.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How this guide fits the current game
Ubisoft’s June 16, 2026 update identifies “Black Tides” as the game’s last free content drop. Access to that final mission requires finishing the main story and the earlier post-launch quests A Critical Encounter and A Puzzlement. Ubisoft’s update does not confirm whether the six-ally roster or the recruitment choices above changed, so the walkthrough details here remain attributed to GamesRadar+ rather than presented as independently verified patch-by-patch instructions. Ubisoft lists Assassin’s Creed Shadows for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC storefronts, and Mac computers with Apple silicon in that update.
Sources: GamesRadar+, “How to recruit all Allies in Assassin’s Creed Shadows,” updated March 27, 2025; Ubisoft News, “Assassin’s Creed Shadows Final Update Launches Today,” June 16, 2026; Ubisoft, “Assassin’s Creed Shadows – A Guide To Allies,” March 27, 2025.
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