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Assassin’s Creed Shadows brings an interesting leveling system that many might prefer compared to those of previous entries. Instead of just focusing on obtaining experience points and skill points, you need to explore the world, gain Knowledge Ranks, and unlock new options to build either of your protagonists. However, if all of these things seem a bit overwhelming for you, we’ve made a guide to tell you how leveling, Knowledge Ranks and Mastery Points work in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Knowledge Ranks Explained
First, let’s dive into what Knowledge is. In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you obtain knowledge points by completing side activities. These range from archery and parkour challenges to finding collectibles at certain locations. Instead of just defeating enemies and completing quests, the game encourages you to explore the world. But why is Knowledge so important?
When you start the game, you’ll be at Knowledge Rank 1, with the maximum being 6. Each rank unlocks new skill rows where you can use Mastery Points to unlock new passive and active abilities. So, let’s say you want to upgrade Naoe’s Tidal Wave skill, but that passive upgrade is in Knowledge Rank 2. You need to do side activities, gain points, and then unlock that row. You can check your Knowledge progress in the Mastery menu at the bottom right corner. Also, Naoe and Yasuke share the same Knowledge Rank, so don’t worry about leveling them up separately.
How Mastery Points Work
While Knowledge Points increase your Knowledge Ranks and unlock skill rows, Mastery Points unlock the actual abilities in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. You can obtain Mastery Points in different ways. Main quests, side targets, optional missions, and leveling up will all provide Mastery Points. Some ways are easier than others, but we’ll go over that in a different guide.
When you have Mastery Points, you can head to a character’s Mastery tab and use them to unlock new skills. However, some skills are more expensive than others, and the higher your Knowledge Rank, the more expensive the abilities will be. For instance, Naoe’s first Katana skills range from one to three Mastery Points. However, those at Knowledge Rank 3 can cost five Mastery Points or more.
As a general recommendation, always save your Mastery Points until you unlock a new Knowledge Rank and have purchased all the abilities you want from one row. However, if you choose skills you didn’t want initially, you can always reset your Masteries and get all your points back. So, don’t be afraid to play around with the leveling system, and try out all skills to see which build suits your playstyle better.
