Assassin’s Creed Shadows has eight weapon types in its base-game overview: three for Naoe and five for Yasuke. Naoe also gained the Bo staff after launch. This guide covers every playable weapon category and what each is for—not every named loot item, cosmetic, or store bundle.
All weapon types at a glance
| Character | Weapon type | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Naoe | Katana | Versatile melee combat |
| Naoe | Tanto with Hidden Blade | Fast close-range attacks and, with the relevant mastery ability, double assassinations |
| Naoe | Kusarigama | Reach, crowd control, and a ranged rush assassination |
| Naoe | Bo staff | A post-launch staff option |
| Yasuke | Long katana | Versatile single-target and broader combat |
| Yasuke | Naginata | Reach and sweeping attacks against groups |
| Yasuke | Kanabo | Heavy impact and breaking armor or guards |
| Yasuke | Yumi bow | Quieter ranged attacks |
| Yasuke | Teppo | Powerful, conspicuous ranged attacks |
Naoe’s weapons
Katana
Naoe’s katana is the straightforward general-purpose melee choice. It suits duels and smaller groups, and Ubisoft notes that it can enable assassinations through shoji doors. Ubisoft’s combat overview and Xbox Wire’s weapons guide describe its role.
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Tanto with Hidden Blade
The tanto is a fast dagger for close-range attacks, used alongside Naoe’s Hidden Blade. Unlock the relevant Assassin mastery ability and an equipped tanto can enable double assassinations. It is the weapon choice for players who want quick attacks at close quarters rather than the kusarigama’s reach.
Kusarigama
This weapon pairs a sickle with a chained weighted ball. Its reach and broad heavy attacks make it useful against groups. Ubisoft says it enables Rush Assassinate at a distance, up to 10 meters; that figure is Ubisoft’s description of the game mechanic, not a real-world measurement or independent test.
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- 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.
Bo staff
The Bo is a post-launch addition to Naoe’s arsenal, introduced through a free quest. In Title Update 1.1.10, released in April 2026, players who do not own Claws of Awaji gained a way to find non-legendary Bo weapons in the world. Once a unique Bo has been obtained, non-legendary versions can also drop from enemies, appear in chests, or be sold by merchants. Legendary Bo staves and their unique engravings are tied primarily to the expansion’s island and story, alongside other Ubisoft distribution channels; see Ubisoft’s Awaji guide and the update information.
Yasuke’s weapons
Long katana
Yasuke’s long katana is a balanced, flexible melee option for single targets or broader fights. It is a sensible default if you want one weapon that does not specialize as strongly as the naginata or kanabo.
Naginata
The naginata is a long polearm with sweeping attacks. Its reach helps Yasuke keep enemies at a distance, while its broad attacks suit groups.
Kanabo
The kanabo is a heavy club that sacrifices speed for force. It is the clearest choice when you want to hit hard and break enemy armor or guards.
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- Experience an epic, historical action adventure in feudal Japan and become a deadly Shinobi assassin and a powerful legendary samurai as you explore a beautiful open game world in chaotic times
- Sneak as a Naoe to not be discovered, use your agility to confuse your opponents and stretch down your opponents with deadly precision and power as a Yasuke
- Use information as weapons and build your own spy network to have eyes and ears everywhere and find your targets easier and recruit new allies on the go with unique skills to help you with your missions
- Create a fully customizable hideaway for your growing Shinobi league, where you train recruits, craft new equipment and interact with important characters; set the room layout, decoration and accessories yourself
Yumi bow
The yumi is Yasuke’s quieter ranged option, suited to accurate attacks at a distance. It is preferable to the teppo when a loud shot would undermine a stealthy approach.
Teppo
The teppo is a powerful firearm with stronger impact and armor penetration than the bow. Its trade-offs are slow firing and reloading, and its shots can attract attention. Use it for a high-impact ranged opening when stealth is not the priority.
Choosing and switching weapons
The practical choice depends on the fight: consider range, whether you need to handle one enemy or a group, how much noise you can risk, and whether speed or impact matters more. These are role descriptions, not a universal ranking.
- Naoe: Choose the katana for flexible melee, the tanto for fast close-range attacks and ability-enabled double assassinations, the kusarigama for reach and crowd control, or the Bo for a staff-style option.
- Yasuke: Choose the long katana for versatility, the naginata for reach and groups, the kanabo for heavy impact, the yumi for quieter ranged attacks, or the teppo for a louder, harder-hitting shot.
Each protagonist can carry two weapons and switch between them during combat. Yasuke can also switch weapons mid-combo through the link-attack ability. The Ubisoft combat overview and Xbox Wire guide explain these combat options.
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Rank #3
Throwable tools are separate from the weapon list
Kunai, shuriken, and smoke bombs are useful equipment, but they are not included in the main weapon-type count above. Kunai deal damage; shuriken can interrupt or distract; smoke bombs support stealth. Ubisoft’s weapons overview and tool information cover these tools.
Weapon levels, mastery, and upgrades
Weapons have levels, mastery abilities, rarity tiers, and engraving or perk systems. Xbox Wire describes five rarity tiers—Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, and Legendary—and says weapon mastery unlocks abilities while the Hideout Forge can upgrade lower-level weapons. Upgrade requirements can change with updates, so check the current in-game menus and update notes before following version-specific instructions.
What “all weapons” means here
This is a complete list of the playable weapon categories established by the official overviews, including the post-launch Bo. It is not an exhaustive catalogue of every named weapon, loot variant, appearance, or store bundle. Ubisoft’s June 16, 2026 final major update added Domains challenges and unlockable gear, but that does not establish a complete item-by-item inventory. See Ubisoft’s update announcement for that update.
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