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

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, Naoe's gameplay thrives on stealth and precision, yet she remains versatile enough for direct combat when strategically planned. To maximize her effectiveness, here are the top skills to prioritize for Naoe, up to Knowledge Rank 3, which you can achieve quickly by engaging in the game's early open-world activities.

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

Katana

• 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)

With these skills, Naoe becomes a formidable defensive force, adept at punishing aggressive enemies. If you excel at dodging and deflecting, these skills offer ample opportunities to counterattack, increase damage output, and finish fights decisively with Eviscerate.

Kusarigama

• 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)

These skills transform Naoe into a powerful adversary against both groups and individual targets. Entanglement facilitates affliction buildup, enabling you to manipulate even large enemies for additional damage. The other skills enhance your ability to manage multiple foes, keeping them at bay while delivering impactful attacks.

Tanto

• 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 are tailored to amplify damage output with the tanto, especially against vulnerable targets. Even armored enemies will fear Naoe's sharp blade, and her ability to quickly maneuver behind foes ensures she can always target their weak spots for maximum impact.

Tools

• 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 provide Naoe with various ways to manipulate guards, clearing paths to her targets. Use Shuriken to disable alarm bells or trigger explosives, the Shinobi Bell to divert enemies, and Kunai for long-range kills. If spotted, deploy the Smoke Bomb to either escape or initiate a chain of assassinations.

Shinobi

• 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 ability to remain undetected and navigate towards her objectives. Faster climbing, reduced fall damage, and the ability to slow down time provide crucial advantages in crowded or complex environments.

Assassin

• 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)

These skills are ideal when paired with the Tanto, enabling swift and effective takedowns using the Hidden Blade. Dual assassinations and the ability to tackle larger foes are invaluable, though caution is advised as stronger enemies may resist until you further upgrade your skills.

With these skill selections, Naoe can become the most lethal shinobi in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*. For more guidance, don't hesitate to explore resources available at The Escapist.