Top Assassin’s Creed Shadows Allies: Best Choices for Gameplay

In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Allies are formidable combat companions who offer powerful abilities and helpful support for characters like Yasuke and Naoe. However, you’ll need to recruit them first to make the most of their unique skills. These Allies are scattered throughout the game, with some linked to main missions. To assist you in choosing your companions wisely, I’ve outlined the best Allies in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, along with tips on how to recruit all six of them and what abilities they bring to the table.

Note: This guide contains spoilers regarding key targets in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Top Allies in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Your choice of Allies in Assassin’s Creed Shadows will depend on your character and preferred playstyle. Nevertheless, Gennojo stands out as perhaps the most versatile Ally, providing excellent support for both Naoe and Yasuke with his ability to enhance stealth and avoid detection.

Additionally, if you’ve upgraded your Dojo—one of the most valuable Hideout facilities in Assassin’s Creed Shadows—you can have two Allies in your team. You can also spend Mon to train them from Initiate to Veteran rank (available once your Dojo is Level 3, which you can achieve by collecting Hideout resources), unlocking new passive skills at each rank.

Strategically combining Allies to maximize their unique abilities can significantly enhance your gameplay. Below are some effective pairings to consider:

• Gennojo + Yagoro: This combination effectively assists both Naoe and Yasuke, keeping them hidden while dispatching enemy patrols. If Yagoro is unlocked late in the game for you, Oni-yuri can serve as a solid alternative with her Sleep Dart ability.
• Ibuki + Yaya: For a more aggressive approach, this duo excels by using Ibuki’s armor-piercing attacks alongside Yaya’s ability to push enemies back, setting either character up for powerful finishes.

Recruiting Allies in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

There are six Allies available for recruitment in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, each aligned with the Kakushiba Ikki. You can recruit them by completing their respective quests. Some can be found through pursuing leads that involve taking down main Shinbakufu targets, while others are accessible through side missions.

At the conclusion of each quest—provided the Ally is still alive (your choices can affect their survival)—you’ll have the opportunity to recruit them (look for the dialogue option showing a head with a “+” next to it) or to move on without them. Keep in mind that your choices throughout the quest can lead to the Ally rejecting your offer. Once an Ally declines or if you choose not to invite them, they’re gone for good and can’t be recruited later. Unless you’re strictly role-playing, there’s every reason to try to bring every Ally on board in AC Shadows, as their abilities can be incredibly useful.

Here’s a detailed overview of how to recruit each Ally and their respective abilities:

Yaya

• Recruit by completing the “The Stray Dogs” quest in Izumi Settsu, which becomes available after defeating The Wounded/Wada Koretake.
• Rikishi – Active: Yaya summons and delivers pushback attacks on foes.
• Oshitaoshi – Passive: Yaya knocks down an enemy when entering combat.
• Inner Strength – Passive: Yaya can kick enemies, sending them flying.

Gennojo

• Recruit by completing his quest chain starting with “Sake and Swords” in Yamashiro, which unlocks after defeating The Fool/Ise Sadaoki. You must play as Naoe to romance Gennojo.
• Mischievous Sabotage – Active: Gennojo throws a stunning bomb that temporarily confuses enemies.
• Over Here! – Passive: Gennojo throws a stunning bomb just before being detected, giving you a chance to escape or perform an assassination.
• Charming Presence – Passive: Servants of enemies won’t report crimes they witness to their superiors.

Katsuhime

• Recruit by finishing her questline, starting with “Letter from Katsuhime” in Omi, which unlocks after defeating The Naginata/Akechi Kagemitsu. Play as Naoe to romance her.
• Teppodo – Active: Katsuhime performs dazing attacks on enemies.
• Explosive Entrance – Passive: Katsuhime throws a dazing bomb when combat starts.
• Bullet Ricochet – Passive: Bullets hitting a dazed enemy ricochet to hit additional foes.

Ibuki

• Recruit by completing her quest chain, which starts with “Ambush Interrupted” outside Kashiwara Village in Iga. You must play as Yasuke to romance Ibuki.
• Petals in the Wind – Active: Ibuki performs impact attacks when summoned.
• Strike of the Ronin – Passive: Ibuki damages the armor of nearby enemies upon entering combat.
• Blade of Fujin – Passive: Ibuki’s damage skills can be used more frequently in battles.

Oni-yuri

• Recruit by completing her questline that starts with “Sweet Lies” in Tsuruga, Wakasa. You can play as either Naoe or Yasuke.
• Sleep Dart – Active: Oni-yuri can put an enemy to sleep instantly.
• Increased Dosage – Passive: She releases a toxic cloud that poisons nearby enemies.
• Poison the Rations – Passive: Delays the arrival of reinforcements called in by enemies.

Yagoro

• Recruit late in the game in Harima; his quest unlocks after you’ve defeated one of the game’s final five targets, around 20 hours in.
• Assassinate – Active: Yagoro can instantly eliminate an enemy with three or fewer health points.
• Chain Assassination – Passive: Yagoro gains the ability to assassinate an additional enemy.
• One with Death – Passive: Yagoro can now take down enemies with up to five health points.

While recruiting all six Allies isn’t mandatory, having a diverse team provides excellent strategic options. Once you’ve recruited an Ally, they’ll reside in the Hideout where you can interact with them or even pursue romance quests in certain cases.

Countless secretive factions await your Allies’ assistance in dismantling, including the Assassin’s Creed Shadows Kabukimono ronin.