Legendary katanas in Assassin’s Creed Shadows provide skillset-specific moves that include stealth along with combat moves, which are needed irrespective of the playstyle. If you prefer quick, stabby hits or heavy damage inflicted, acquiring these mythic katanas early on will heavily improve your fighting skills. From the Bloodshade Katana that deals with Bleed Buildup, to the Masked Death, which carries posture attacks that are charged all the way through, each of them has something new. What follows is how this guide can help you in obtaining these overpowered weapons as soon as early within the game so that you enjoy the battle advantages from day one.
All Legendary Katana Early Locations
Katanas are good-balanced weapons, providing a nice balance of range, speed, and damage. They’re light and a great bet for harder fights, particularly if you need to remain nimble and not take any unnecessary chances. You can see all the initial legendary katana locations and how to get them below.
Bloodshade Katana
Click on the images to enlarge
Head west and a little south from the Hideout, and you’ll see Osaka Castle. Continue heading west from there, and you’ll see a big ship docked offshore near Osaka City. You can even see it from the Burnt Village of Nakajima. Swim out to the ship and climb up the hull, but be sure, don’t jump over the railing yet. The deck is filled with soldiers.
The legendary chest holding the Bloodshade Katana is on a ship anchored off the coast of Osaka. You can spot the ship from the beach just west of the Burnt Village of Nakajima.
Move along the outer edge of the ship, picking off isolated enemies one by one. If needed, whistle to lure them over, then take them out from the edge of the boat. If you get spotted, simply drop into the water below and wait for things to calm down. Once the coast is clear, climb back up and keep going until you’ve cleared as much of the deck as you want.
Once you’ve taken out most of the enemies on the ship, climb over the railing and deal with any remaining stragglers. Then, head to the western edge of the ship and take note of the large structure in the middle of the deck. From there, turn east and look up, you’ll spot a window on the second story.
Sneak your way up to it and peek inside to find a higher-ranking guard. He’s not particularly tough, but he likely stayed put even if you made some noise earlier. He’s also guarding the legendary chest you’re after. Quickly jump through the window and take him down before he reacts. Once he’s out of the way, loot the chest to claim the legendary Bloodshade Katana.
Bloodshade Katana Stats
Bloodshade is easily one of the best weapons you can get early in the game, outperforming most others even if they’re a few levels higher but of lower rarity. It has well-balanced stats, applies Bleed Buildup, and comes with a special perk that prevents affliction buildup from fading over time. This allows you to activate the bleed effect with greater ease, even when you’re not aggressively attacking. And it’s cheap to upgrade, so it’s an excellent weapon that can see you through a good part of the game and make combat much more manageable.
Masked Death Katana
Click on the images to enlarge
To obtain the Masked Death Katana, you need to locate the legendary chest within Shimagahara Valley, i.e., in Otogi Pass, located in Iga. Ascending it will not be easy, but using these instructions, you should easily be able to access it.
Your adventure starts in Shimagahara Valley in Iga Province. The region is famous for its mountains and high forests, which are difficult to pass through and navigate. Some rigorous trekking lies ahead as you force your way through.
In the valley itself, you’ll have to look for Otogi Pass. There are a multitude of concealed roads and twisted paths within the valley, so be careful and watch for key landmarks to keep you headed in the right direction. Patience and keen observation will serve you well here.
The Masked Death Katana’s chest is hidden away in a secret location. Find it using Eagle Vision or search the area yourself to identify the precise location. There are likely to be patrolling enemies surrounding the area, so Naoe’s stealth abilities will prove to be invaluable in avoiding combat.
If stealth fails, be ready to fight. Make sure you have a proper setup as regards loadouts to meet any attack. You ought to upgrade your gear before heading to Iga because it will enhance your survival and success rates.
Masked Death Katana Stats
Masked Death is a illusory katana that would be an excellent sword for Naoe’s speed and stealthy playstyle. Its special skill maintains posture charge attacks when dodging, allowing players to land high-damage, uninterupted attacks. It is an excellent sword to play for rush-in players since it places players in a mindset where they are attacking and executing smooth, uninterupted attacks.
Masked Death is not only a weapon, but also a game-saver for Naoe’s gameplay. Its posturing attacks charged through dodges are perfect for switching between offense and defense in a smooth manner. For wide-open fights or sneaky assassinations, this mythic weapon is the winner. And with the engraving Slowly, you can even personally tailor its stats to suit your playstyle. Do not think twice about adding it to your collection and become the master of the battlefield like a real shinobi.
Iga’s Flame Katana
Click on the images to enlarge
The chest containing Iga’s Flame Katana is found deep in Mount Nukai, near the Hidden River. To find this sword, you have to reach the legendary chest on the secret trails of the mountain. Mount Nukai is a hard and perilous landscape, with dense forests and rocky ground, so the adventure is not for the faint of heart.
The legendary chest holding Iga’s Flame Katana is very well hidden within the secret passageways of the mountain. After passing through the snowy area, you will enter a shade of rocks that is lightly lit during nighttime. Climb the stairs to enter access to the area and inside the legendary chest holding the Iga’s Flame Katana.
Iga’s Flame Katana Stats
Iga’s Flame Katana gives a +2% Build-up of Affliction with each filled chunk of adrenaline, and it makes it an imposing sword for fans of non-stop combat. This capability to accelerate afflictions maximizes the foes’ damage build-up over a long period and softens their bodies with constant blows.
This katana excels at handling aggressive players with adrenaline-driven abilities to apply continuous pressure during fights. Through a focus on maximum affliction effect, it encourages a sustained approach to offense where every fight feels deadlier and more calculated.
Yami no Kage Katana
Click on the images to enlarge
The legendary chest containing the Yami no Kage Katana is safely hidden within Hiraiyama Fort, in The Warfields, Harima. The fort is heavily guarded, and therefore a dangerous but rewarding challenge. To acquire this katana, you will need to fight your way through the fort and through, or around, the enemies that stand in your way.
To get into the fort, begin by scaling the edge wall and then leap onto the roof. From there, move quietly inside, for the region is well guarded. If you see enemies, eliminate them quietly so as not to disturb others. Charging in blindly may turn the mission into a fatal battle in an instant, so utilize cover and darkness to your advantage.
As you make your way deeper into the fort, keep an eye on enemy patrols and use stealth whenever possible. The path to the legendary chest is dangerous, so move carefully to avoid unnecessary confrontations. Staying hidden will make the journey much easier, but if you are detected, be ready for a fight.
Near the chest, you’ll find two guards stationed close by. Before entering the room where the chest is located, take cover and wait for the right moment to slip past them or eliminate them quietly. Once you’ve dealt with the final obstacles, open the chest and claim the legendary Yami no Kage Katana, adding another powerful weapon to your collection.
Yami no Kage Katana Stats
Yami no Kage transforms defense into offense by dealing 100% damage back to the attacker when you successfully deflect an attack. Mastering parrying with this katana allows you to punish enemies with their own aggression, making every counter a devastating blow.
