To make Hidden Blade assassinations instantly lethal in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, pause the game and go to Options > Gameplay > Difficulty Tuning > Guaranteed Assassination. Turn the setting on. Ubisoft says it is off by default and makes Hidden Blade assassinations one-shot targets regardless of your upgrades or the enemy’s level.
Turn on Guaranteed Assassination
- Pause Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
- Open Options > Gameplay > Difficulty Tuning.
- Select Guaranteed Assassination and turn it on.
Those are the menu labels and path provided by Ubisoft’s setup guide. If the labels differ in your game, check the current Gameplay settings and the in-menu help; Ubisoft’s published guidance does not give an alternate platform-specific path.
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What changes when the setting is on
With Guaranteed Assassination enabled, a successful Hidden Blade assassination attempt kills its target regardless of the usual upgrade or enemy-level limits. It is specifically an assassination setting, not a general combat or stealth difficulty control.
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#1 Best Overall
- 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 happens if you leave it off
Without the guarantee, an assassination attempt’s result depends on factors including enemy health and your assassination damage. The prompt color signals the outcome: white indicates an instant kill, yellow means the attempt will deal damage, and red means the enemy denies the attempt, according to Ubisoft’s Stealth Gameplay Overview, published November 21, 2024.
You can still improve ordinary assassination damage through progression and equipment rather than enabling guaranteed kills. Ubisoft’s progression overview identifies Mastery Trees, gear, weapons, and engravings as ways to increase damage. Some bonuses depend on circumstances, such as performing an air assassination or attacking at night.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
- 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.
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.
Choose the assassination rules you want
- Turn it on if you want successful Hidden Blade attempts to be lethal regardless of enemy level or your upgrades.
- Leave it off if you want assassination outcomes to depend on enemy health, your damage, and progression. Use the prompt color to judge whether an attempt will kill, damage, or be denied.
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