Unlocking the full potential of your arsenal in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is not just about finding the sharpest blade or sturdiest armor-it’s about mastering the art of upgrades. From forging powerful weapons to engraving game-changing perks, this guide reveals how to transform your gear into a lethal extension of your assassin’s skillset across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Ready to sharpen your edge and survive the fiercest battles? Here’s how to upgrade your weapons and armor step-by-step.
You won’t, however, be able to upgrade anything until after you’ve finished the “Way of the Blacksmith” quest and built the Forge at your Hideout.
Our Assassin’s Creed Shadows guide will tell you how to upgrade your armor and weapons.
How to upgrade gear in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
To upgrade gear in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you first need to complete the “Way of the Blacksmith” quest, which unlocks the Forge at your Hideout. After building the Forge and recruiting the blacksmith Heiji, you can visit him to upgrade your weapons and armor using resources and mon (in-game currency). Gear can be upgraded one level at a time or multiple levels at once, up to your character’s current level and the Forge’s upgrade limit. Upgrading improves the stats of your gear, and higher Forge ranks allow upgrades to higher levels and the addition of special perks called engravings to rare or better equipment. Resources for upgrades are obtained from chests, contracts, and dismantling gear at the Forge.
As part of setting up your Hideout at Tomiko’s Homestead, you’ll have to find Heiji and build the Forge. Once you’ve placed it, you can visit Heiji and start upgrading.
Upgrading your gear requires resources and mon. You can upgrade weapons and armor one level at a time or hit the right trigger to upgrade something multiple levels at once. You can only upgrade gear to your current level and the max level allowed by upgrading the Forge (more on this below).
In the upgrade menu at the Forge, you’ll be able to see the new stats for the upgraded gear on the right. You cannot, however, compare it to what you’ve currently got equipped, so it’s best to make sure you’ve picked out your gear before you go into the menu (it’s a pain to back out, swap out your gear, and talk to Heiji over and over).
How to upgrade armor in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
To upgrade armor in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you first need to complete the “Way of the Blacksmith” quest to recruit Heiji and build the Forge at your Hideout. Once the Forge is established, you can visit Heiji to upgrade your armor using resources and mon (the in-game currency). The materials required depend on the armor type, such as hemp cloth for Naoe’s armor and leather for Yasuke’s armor. Upgrading armor increases its stats to keep pace with your character’s level, but the maximum upgrade level is limited by both your character level and the Forge’s upgrade rank. You can also dismantle unwanted gear at the Forge to obtain additional upgrade materials. Upgrading the Forge itself unlocks higher upgrade caps and the ability to add perks to your armor, enhancing its effectiveness further.
Upgrading armor requires mon and resources that you’ll collect from chests or as rewards for completing contracts at a kakurega. You can also get extra materials by dismantling gear at the Forge.
To upgrade armor, you’ll need:
- Hemp cloth for Naoe’s armor
- Leather for Yasuke’s armor
- Silk for trinkets and amulets
How to upgrade weapons in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
To upgrade weapons in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you first need to complete the “Way of the Blacksmith” quest, which unlocks the Forge at your Hideout. After building the Forge and recruiting the blacksmith Heiji, you can visit him to upgrade your weapons using resources like crops, wood, and minerals. Weapons can be upgraded up to your current character level and the maximum level allowed by your Forge’s upgrade rank. The Forge can be upgraded from level 1 (allowing upgrades to level 20), to level 2 (up to level 40 and enabling non-legendary engravings), and level 3 (up to level 60 with legendary engravings). You can upgrade weapons one level at a time or multiple levels simultaneously, and also apply perks through engravings to enhance their abilities.
Upgrading your weapons requires mon and the same class of resources you used above – the stuff you get from chests, contracts, and dismantling gear at the Forge.
To upgrade weapons, you’ll need:
- Ironsand for Naoe’s weapons
- Tamahagane for Yasuke’s melee weapons
- Oakwood for Yasuke’s ranged weapons
How to add perks to gear in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
To add perks to gear in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you need to visit Heiji the Blacksmith at your Hideout after upgrading the Forge to at least level 2. This unlocks the engraving feature, allowing you to add a second perk to rare or higher quality weapons and armor, enhancing their combat effectiveness. You select the gear category, choose the specific item, and then pick from a list of available perks to engrave. Legendary gear can have even more powerful perks, which become accessible after upgrading the Forge to level 3, enabling the transfer of legendary perks between items. Engraving perks requires in-game currency (Mon) and perks can be reused multiple times, giving you flexibility to customize your build as you progress.
Beyond just improving your gear’s stats, you can also engrave perks onto anything of rare rarity or better. On that gear, you’ll see a second perk slot that says “Visit the Hideout’s blacksmith to engrave a perk.”
These engravings vary widely and cover everything from extra damage at night to adding armor piercing to just increasing damage. Perks cost mon to engrave, and you’ll find new perks in chests out in the world or you can purchase them from gear merchants. Perks are not consumed when they’re engraved, so you can use them multiple times.
Heiji’s ability to engrave perks unlocks with the second upgrade (350 crops, 260 wood, 90 minerals) to the Forge. But before you drop all those resources, though.
Don’t upgrade your Forge (right away) in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
When starting out in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, it’s advisable not to rush upgrading your Forge immediately. The initial level of the Forge allows you to upgrade gear up to level 20, which is sufficient for a significant portion of the early game. Since you will frequently find and swap out new weapons and armor in the beginning, investing resources to upgrade the Forge to higher levels right away may not be the most efficient use of materials. Waiting until you approach level 20 before upgrading the Forge to unlock higher upgrade caps and engraving options can help you conserve valuable resources and make the most of your gear progression.
At the first level, the Forge lets Heiji upgrade gear up to level 20. That will probably last you 15 hours or more since you can’t wield anything higher than your current level. With the second upgrade (350 crops, 260 wood, 90 minerals), that jumps to level 40.
That said, you’ll be changing gear constantly – especially early on – so you can probably hold off on upgrading the Forge until you’re closer to level 20.
What secret perks can I engrave to make my gear unstoppable in Shadows
In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, secret perks engraved on your gear can turn you into an unstoppable force. Some of the most powerful legendary engravings include:
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Shadow Piercer (Tanto): Removes 2 health segments on hit, amplifying stealth kills and enabling faster assassinations.
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+2 Health Segments Removed on Assassinations (Light Armor): Crucial for one-shot stealth takedowns and survivability.
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Slow Down Time on Escape Strike (Tanto): Allows repositioning or safe finishing hits during combat.
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Restore 20% Health After Using a Tool (Light Armor): Provides sustain for tool-focused assassination loops.
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Avoid Death and Gain Immunity for 8 Seconds (Light Armor): A clutch survival perk for escaping deadly situations.
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+2% Tool Damage per Mastery Point (Trinkets): Boosts kunai and shuriken damage significantly for tool-heavy builds.
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+15% Damage with Only a Katana Equipped (Trinkets): Perfect for specialized katana users aiming for maximum damage output.
To unlock and apply these secret perks, you must upgrade the Forge to level 3 at Heiji the Blacksmith, enabling legendary engravings and the ability to transfer perks between legendary gear pieces. This system allows you to customize your weapons and armor with two powerful perks tailored to your playstyle, making your gear truly unstoppable in Shadows.
What legendary engravings can give my gear unstoppable combat perks in Shadows
Legendary engravings in Assassin’s Creed Shadows provide some of the most powerful combat perks, making your gear truly unstoppable. Key legendary engravings include:
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Shadow Piercer (Tanto): Removes 2 health segments on hit, greatly enhancing stealth assassination lethality.
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Slow Down Time on Escape Strike (Tanto): Grants a crucial time-slow effect after an escape strike, allowing for better positioning or follow-up attacks.
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Avoid Death and Gain Immunity for 8 Seconds (Light Armor): Provides a clutch survival mechanic to evade lethal damage and counterattack safely.
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Restore 20% Health After Using a Tool (Light Armor): Enables sustained combat by healing after tool use, perfect for aggressive tool-based playstyles.
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+2% Tool Damage per Mastery Point (Trinkets): Amplifies damage output of kunai, shuriken, and other tools, synergizing with mastery progression.
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+15% Damage with Only a Katana Equipped (Trinkets): Boosts katana damage for focused melee builds.
To access and apply these legendary engravings, you must upgrade the Forge to level 3, which unlocks the ability to equip and transfer legendary perks on weapons and armor, allowing you to customize your gear with two potent perks tailored to your combat style.
