As is the case with most games in the series, one of the main objectives you’ll have in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is taking down a big, evil organization. This time, it’s the Shinbakfu who you’re hunting down as part of the main quest.
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There are plenty of targets in Assassin’s Creed Shadows outside of the Shinbakfu, but your main mission is going to be taking down the eleven remaining members after the prologue. While you’ve got a lot of freedom, there is a clear order to it all to be followed.
How Assassinations Work
Before we dive into how you should approach the main story, let’s detail how assassinations in Shadows work. After you beat the prologue, Naoe will put together a big objective board featuring 11 Shinbakfu members that she’s going to take down. These missions are multi-stage affairs that require some prep work with allies before a final confrontation that usually has a boss fight.
There are actually 12 members on the Shinbakfu board, but one of them is wiped out in the prologue and doesn’t really count.
Outside of the first two assassinations that eventually lead to Yasuke joining the team, Shadows gives you a lot of free reign when it comes to taking down targets. The only thing stopping you from doing each one is your character’s level, which hints at how tough the questline and fights will be. That’s good, though, as it means there’s a suggested order to take things in.
The Wounded
One of the first proper targets you’ll get in Shadows is called The Wounded, and you’ll have the option to take them on alongside The Golden Teppo. Both are around the same level of difficulty, but The Wounded introduces you to how assassinations work a little more clearly, so it’s the better one to go for first. You’ll also be able to unlock Yaya as an early recruit after finishing this line of missions.
The Golden Teppo
The other Shinbakfu member that Naoe will take on before meeting Yasuke is The Golden Teppo. This is one of the more unique target questlines in the whole game and will see Naoe infiltrating a special tea ceremony to find her target. The Golden Teppo is much easier than The Wounded, but it’s better to do this one second since The Wounded will teach you how the game works.
The Fool
By this point in the game, you’ll have recruited Yasuke to your cause and unlocked most of the rest of the game’s assassination targets. There’s a clear first choice, though, as The Fool has the lowest level requirement for his mission chain. As a bonus, you’ll also unlock a new ally to recruit after beating this Shinbakfu member, the loveable thief Gennojo.
The Naginata
Up next on the Shinbakfu takedown list is the Naginata, who is the next lowest level out of the targets. The Naginata is a fairly straightforward assassination target overall, but they do provide more detail on Yasuke’s backstory at a time when he’s only just been introduced. You’ll also get a legendary naginata for beating this one, which is a big boon since it’s Yasuke’s best weapon.
The Mourner
Speaking of Yasuke’s backstory, The Mourner is another target that will give you plenty of insight into the samurai’s past, as well as being the next lowest-level target on the board. They’re also one of the few targets in the Shinbakfu that can be spared towards the end, making it a bit more unique than the others.
The Noble
At this point in the game, you’ll be pretty used to assassinations which is good since the next target, The Noble, is where things start to get a bit tougher. The leadup missions are a little shorter than with previous targets, but it all comes down to one of the longer final quests in the game. Get this one out of the way next, and the rest of the missions will go by swiftly.
The Ox
One of the more basic assassination targets in Shadows is next up on our list – The Ox. There’s nothing particularly memorable about this quest or anything too challenging, but he’s the next highest levelled target in the game and therefore makes a lot of sense to try and take down after The Noble. Prepare once more for a lot of combat, though.
The Wise
Most of the targets in Assassin’s Creed Shadows are kept a little mysterious, but none quite as much as The Wise, one of the last main-line foes you’ll face. Like with The Ox, The Wise is meant to be tackled pretty late into the game, so make sure you’re plenty levelled and have experience with both Naoe and Yasuke before going for it.
The Fox
One of the last ‘normal’ targets in the Shinbakfu is The Fox, who is one of the highest-levelled mainline enemies in the game. Aside from who we mention next, The Fox will take the most prep time and has one of the more unique set-ups for his final mission. In a nice twist, though, he’s also got some of the shortest quests in the game.
Akechi Mitsuhide
The second-to-last target in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is Akechi Mitsuhide, and you won’t have a choice of whether you want to go for him next. The final target, The Horseman, only unlocks after beating him so you’re a bit stuck when it comes to the next move. You’ll also have to complete some of Naoe’s personal journey to get to him, but that does at least net you the Apprentice Assassin outfit.
The Horseman
If you’ve made it this far, you’re at the finish line for Assassin’s Creed Shadows and about to take down the final member of the Shinbakfu – The Horseman. This is the briefest target in the game and doesn’t even have any combat or missions attached to it, but that won’t matter since he’s also last in line.
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