Assassin’s Creed Shadows introduces players to two protagonists – Yasuke and Naoe, each offering a unique playstyle and perspective on the game’s world. However, while Yasuke is the first character you control, he vanishes from the story for a significant portion of the early game. Many players wonder how to unlock him again and switch between characters seamlessly. This guide breaks down Yasuke’s best abilities, weapons, armor, and how to switch between Yasuke and Naoe.
How to Unlock Yasuke & Play
In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Yasuke is the first character you play as, but after the prologue, he disappears from the story for a while. You won’t see him again as a playable character until the end of the “Temple of the Horseman” mission, which wraps up the first act of the main storyline. Depending on how much time you spend on side activities, reaching this point can take anywhere from 10 to 20 hours.
If you want to get back to Yasuke as quickly as possible, focus on taking down the first two major targets in your Objectives menu, the Wounded and the Golden Teppo. Once both are eliminated, return to the Hideout and continue following the main story objectives for the next key target.
During the next major events, centered around the historical Honnō-ji Incident, Yasuke finally returns. After several cutscenes and brief gameplay sequences, he becomes playable again, allowing you to customize his gear and invest in his skill trees.
Yasuke’s extended absence in the first act might surprise players, especially since Assassin’s Creed Shadows was promoted as a game where you split playtime between two protagonists. Ubisoft introduced Yasuke as one of the main characters in 2024, confirming he was inspired by a real historical figure, a Black samurai who served under Oda Nobunaga in 16th-century Japan. Despite historical evidence supporting Yasuke’s existence, the game has faced some backlash over its portrayal of him, with debates around historical accuracy.
Yasuke Best Abilities
If you’re playing as Yasuke, start by focusing on passives that boost health regeneration and Adrenaline Gain. Once those are in place, you can put points into active abilities, prioritizing healing and Adrenaline Gain for the Long Katana, and damage and crowd control for the Kanabo. For stealth builds, it’s worth picking up a few passives from the Bow Mastery tree. Just keep in mind that stealth gameplay with Yasuke can feel a bit awkward.
Yasuke Best Weapons
The best weapon setup for Yasuke is a combination of the Long Katana and Kanabo. The Long Katana helps restore Adrenaline Chunks and regain health without relying on Rations, while the Kanabo is perfect for taking down elite enemies with sheer power. If you’re planning to switch to a stealth loadout, a bow is your only option. Dragon’s Wrath is the best choice since it allows you to line up charged shots for stealth kills without any delay.
Yasuke Best Armor
For Yasuke, the best armor and helmets depend on your playstyle. If you rely on healing, the Helmet of the Legendary Samurai is a great choice, as it increases Critical Chance by 15% for five seconds after healing, making it an excellent match for Yasuke’s healing abilities and the Long Katana. If you prefer damage reduction, the Elegant Samurai Hat reduces incoming damage by 5% per enemy in conflict, though it’s best used for its Legendary Engraving, which can be applied to a better helmet.
For those who want a safety net in battle, the Samurai Daimyo Helmet of Legend grants a free “final stand” upon death, letting you survive once per combat. Stealth-focused players have fewer helmet options, but an Epic Helmet with increased Critical Chance on Headshots is ideal for maximizing one-shot kills with a bow.
When it comes to armor, the Protector’s Armor is perfect for open combat, allowing you to parry even unblockable attacks, making fights against elites and large enemies much more manageable. For stealth players, the Master Archer Outfit is the best choice, boosting ranged damage by 200% while out of combat, making it easy to take down enemies with a single shot.
If you enjoy storming castles alone, the Ship Captain’s Gear provides a 50% chance to negate projectiles, which is extremely useful when facing a large number of musketeers and archers. Lastly, for those skilled in parrying, the Defense Master Clothing restores 10% health on the next hit after a successful parry, and it pairs well with the Protector’s Armor perk, which allows you to parry unblockable attacks.
Yasuke Best Trinket
In the early game, Yasuke won’t have many Trinket options. However, any standard Trinket will work as long as it has an engraving that boosts Adrenaline Gain or enhances your stats.
How to Switch between Yasuke and Naoe
To switch between Yasuke and Naoe either through the menu or by fast traveling. In the Inventory and Mastery menus, you’ll see an option at the bottom of the screen to swap characters. Holding the indicated button will reload the world and place you back in roughly the same spot, but as the other character.
You can also switch while fast traveling. When selecting a destination, you’ll get an extra prompt, so instead of just holding X on PS5, for example, you can hold Square to travel as the other character. By the time you arrive, the switch will already be complete.
There are a couple of restrictions, though. You can’t swap characters during combat or while in a restricted area, anytime there’s a red or yellow bar at the top of your screen, switching won’t be an option, even if you’re just perched on a rooftop. If you can’t fast travel from your location, you can’t switch characters either. Additionally, some quests and side activities are character-specific, meaning you’ll need to complete them as the designated protagonist before swapping out.
