Unlock the secrets of Sakai and forge your path to power in Assassin’s Creed Shadows with the “Way of the Blacksmith” quest. Track down Heiji, a master blacksmith hidden in the southwestern Izumi region, and bring him to your Hideout to build the essential Forge-your gateway to upgrading weapons and armor. This side quest is your first step to strengthening your arsenal and shaping the future of the League.
Our Assassin’s Creed Shadows guide will tell you where to find Heiji to complete the “Way of the Blacksmith” quest and build the Forge.
Where to find Heiji in ’Way of the Blacksmith’
Heiji can be found east of the Port of Sakai in the Sakai area, located in the southwestern part of the Izumi Settsu region in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. To locate him, head to the rooftops east of the port and look for a small courtyard where Heiji is being harassed by a group of enemies. Using the zoom or focus function (L2/LT on controllers) will reveal a blue dot marking his position during the “Way of the Blacksmith” quest. Players can approach stealthily or engage in combat to rescue him. Once recruited, Heiji allows you to upgrade weapons and armor and unlocks the forge in your hideout.
You’ll have the “Way of the Blacksmith” quest on your the League board of your Objectives menu, right under Tomiko’s portrait. The clues you have will say that Heiji.
- Is in southwestern Izumi Settsu
- Is in Sakai
- Is east of the Port of Sakai
If you want to s(p)end scouts looking for him, focus in the area close to the shore about a block back. Or you can just look at the map above to see where Heiji is located. And below, let’s get into how you can reach him.
How to reach Heiji in ’Way of the Blacksmith’
To reach Heiji in the “Way of the Blacksmith” quest in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, head to the southwestern part of Izumi Settsu, specifically the port town of Sakai, east of the Port of Sakai landmark. The easiest way to find him is by traveling along the rooftops east of the port until you spot a small courtyard where Heiji is located, surrounded by enemies. Use your observation ability (L2/LT) to locate his blue marker. You can approach stealthily by taking out the enemies one by one or engage directly in combat. Once the area is clear, interact with Heiji to proceed with the quest.
When you get to Sakai, head to the rooftops along the western side of the main street.
Once up there, you’ll find Heiji in a small courtyard west of the street. Observe (L2/LT by default) to focus and look for his blue marker. There will be a bunch of resources (yellow dots) around him along with four thugs (white dots).
Luckily, the baddies are all facing the same way, so you can just work your way from north to south and assassinate each of them without too much trouble.
When the killing is done, talk to Heiji. After that, you’ll have to gather some resources for the Forge you need to build.
How to build the Forge in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
To build the Forge in Assassin’s Creed Shadows during the “Way of the Blacksmith” quest, you first need to locate the blacksmith Heiji in the city of Sakai. After rescuing him from enemies, Heiji will join your Hideout. Then, gather the required materials: 40 straw, 30 wood, and 10 stones, which can be found in enemy camps, castles, and stockpiles throughout the game world. Once you have the materials, return to your Hideout, open the Build menu, select the Forge, and place it on your grounds. A short cutscene will confirm the Forge’s construction, allowing you to upgrade and manage your weapons and gear with Heiji’s help.
Building any new buildings or rooms at your Hideout require Hideout Resources – namely, crops, wood, and minerals. You’ll kind of just pick these up everywhere as you play and, early on, you’ll probably have enough to get by.
The Forge you need to build for Heiji requires 40 crops, 30 wood, and 10 minerals. The three buckets (barrels?) of rocks right next to where you rescued him will get you 15 minerals
If you’re running low on anything else, though, there are some places you can look.
At a kakurega – like the Kakurega room you built at the Hideout or the Sakai kakurega you can unlock for 800 mon – you can take on contracts. One of these will be a liberate cargo contract that sees you looting some military supplies. Those contracts will always get you a ton of resources for very little work (stabbing).
You can also just look around for castles and camps as you travel. There are always resources stashed inside them for you to sneak in and grab. And with castles, you’ll have a chance to earn mastery points as well.
Once you have enough resources, head back to Tomiko’s Homestead. Back at the Hideout, open the Build menu and you can find the Forge in the second group down.
When it’s up and running, you can visit Heiji to upgrade or dismantle your gear.
What secrets does Heiji’s forge hold in upgrading my gear
Heiji’s forge in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the key to upgrading and customizing your weapons and armor, allowing you to keep your favorite gear competitive and even enhance legendary items to new heights. Once you build the Forge at your Hideout by gathering crops, wood, and minerals, Heiji becomes available to upgrade your equipment, improving stats and unlocking new engravings that grant special effects. The forge also lets you dismantle unwanted gear to recover valuable materials for further upgrades. Additionally, as you upgrade the Forge itself, you gain access to clues for tracking down legendary engravings and gear, turning the forge into a vital hub for crafting a powerful arsenal tailored to your playstyle.
What rare upgrades or hidden features does Heiji’s forge reveal
Heiji’s forge in Assassin’s Creed Shadows reveals rare upgrades and hidden features that are crucial for unlocking and tracking down legendary gear through unique engravings. When you build and upgrade the forge to Rank 3, you gain access to a comprehensive list of locked legendary engravings for various weapon types. Hovering over each locked engraving provides clues or locations on where to find the associated legendary gear, which often involves exploring distant regions, completing side quests, or visiting specific vendors. These legendary engravings come with powerful effects and can be slotted into any Rare or higher-level gear, significantly enhancing your weapons’ capabilities. Notably, acquiring a legendary weapon automatically unlocks its unique engraving, linking the forge’s clues directly to the best and most powerful equipment in the game. This system turns the forge into a vital hub for both upgrading gear and solving the puzzle of where to find the rarest and most effective items in the game.
