Top Initial Skills for Naoe in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

In the world of *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, Naoe's journey is defined by her mastery of stealth and precision. As a shinobi, her approach to eliminating targets is more about subtlety and strategy, though she can handle direct confrontations with the right preparation. To maximize her potential, here are the top skills to prioritize for Naoe in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*.

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

The following skills are recommended up to Knowledge Rank 3, achievable early in the game by engaging actively with the open-world activities in the starting regions.

Katana

• Dodge Attack – Katana Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1 Mastery Point): Enhances your defensive capabilities, allowing you to punish aggressive enemies with counterattacks.
• Melee Expert – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1/2/3 Mastery Points): Boosts your melee damage, making your attacks more lethal.
• Counter Attack – Katana Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points): Further enhances your ability to turn the tide in combat with well-timed counters.
• Eviscerate – Katana Ability (Knowledge Rank 3, 5 Mastery Points): A powerful finishing move that can end fights swiftly.

These skills transform Naoe into a formidable defensive fighter, perfect for players who excel at dodging and deflecting enemy attacks.

Kusarigama

• Entanglement – Kusarigama Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1 Mastery Point): Ideal for controlling crowds and building affliction on enemies.
• Affliction Builder – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1/2/3 Mastery Points): Increases the effectiveness of affliction buildup, enhancing your combat strategy.
• Big Catch – Kusarigama Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points): Allows you to manipulate larger enemies for extra damage.
• Multi-Target Expert – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 3, 1/2/3 Mastery Points): Enhances your ability to deal with multiple enemies simultaneously.
• Cyclone Blast – Kusarigama Ability (Knowledge Rank 3, 7 Mastery Points): A devastating ability perfect for clearing out groups of enemies.

Mastering these skills makes Naoe a versatile fighter, capable of handling both groups and single targets with ease.

Tanto

• Shadow Piercer – Tanto Ability (Knowledge Rank 1, 5 Mastery Points): Amplifies damage, especially against vulnerable enemies.
• Gap Seeker – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1/2/3 Mastery Points): Enhances your ability to exploit enemy weaknesses.
• Backstab – Tanto Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points): Increases damage when attacking from behind.
• Backstabber – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 1/2/3 Mastery Points): Further boosts damage from stealth attacks.
• Back Breaker – Tanto Passive (Knowledge Rank 3, 3 Mastery Points): A devastating move that maximizes damage output.

These skills make Naoe's tanto a formidable weapon, perfect for stealthy, high-damage assassinations.

Tools

• Smoke Bomb – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1 Mastery Point): Essential for creating escape opportunities or setting up chain assassinations.
• Larger Tool Bag I – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points): Increases your tool capacity, allowing for more strategic options.
• Shinobi Bell – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 1 Mastery Point): Useful for luring enemies away from your target.
• Enduring Haze – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points): Extends the duration of your smoke bomb, enhancing its utility.
• Kunai Assassination Damage I – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points): Boosts the damage of your kunai, making long-range assassinations more effective.
• Shuriken – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points): Perfect for disabling alarms or triggering explosives.

These tools provide Naoe with the means to manipulate the battlefield, creating opportunities for stealthy kills and escapes.

Shinobi

• Ascension Boost – Shinobi Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points): Speeds up climbing, essential for navigating the game's environments.
• Vault – Shinobi Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 1 Mastery Point): Reduces fall damage, allowing for more daring maneuvers.
• Igan Roll – Shinobi Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 1 Mastery Point): Enhances your mobility and evasion capabilities.
• Heighten Senses – Shinobi Ability (Knowledge Rank 3, 5 Mastery Points): Slows down time, providing more room for error in crowded areas.

These skills ensure Naoe remains undetected and agile, crucial for a stealth-focused playstyle.

Assassin

• Executioner – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1/2/3 Mastery Points): Enhances your assassination capabilities, making each strike more lethal.
• Improved Ground Assassinate – Assassin Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points): Increases the effectiveness of ground assassinations.
• Double Assassinate – Assassin Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points): Allows for simultaneous kills, perfect for clearing out multiple targets.
• Assassination Damage I – Assassin Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points): Boosts the damage of your assassinations.
• Reinforced Blade – Assassin Passive (Knowledge Rank 3, 4 Mastery Points): Enhances the durability and effectiveness of your hidden blade.

These skills make Naoe a master assassin, capable of taking down targets with precision and efficiency. When paired with the tanto, these abilities shine even brighter, though caution is advised as tougher enemies may resist until further skill upgrades are achieved.

By focusing on these early skills, you'll unlock Naoe's potential as the ultimate stealth assassin in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, navigating the shadows of feudal Japan with unmatched prowess. For more tips and guides, don't forget to check out The Escapist.