Assassin’s Creed Shadows — Best Legendary Weapons & Where to Find Them

Fast “best‑in‑slot” picks, precise locations, and step‑by‑step farm routes so you can steamroll feudal Japan from Hour 1.

If you’re just starting Assassin’s Creed Shadows (or pushing toward endgame builds), this guide gives you the fastest path to the best legendary weapons for both Naoe and Yasuke—with exact pickup spots, recommended routes, and what to upgrade first. It’s written for speed: grab a few early legendaries, engrave their perks onto better bases, and keep snowballing.

How legendary gear works (30‑second primer)

• Legendary weapons come from three places: Legendary Chests in the world (often inside or beneath forts), quest rewards, and a few Shadows Projects/Exchange unlocks. Many castle chests only open after you clear the Samurai Daishō of that location.
• Naoe and Yasuke use different weapon classes:
  • Naoe: Katana, Kusarigama, Tanto
  • Yasuke: Long Katana, Naginata, Kanabō, Bow, Teppo (matchlock)
• Engraving system: once you upgrade your Hideout Forge (Tier 2+; full perk transfer at Tier 3), you can apply a legendary weapon’s unique perk to other legendary pieces. This is how you keep a busted early effect relevant all game.

Naoe — Best legendaries (and why they’re BIS)

1) Bloodshade (Katana) — early bleed carry

• Why it’s S‑tier: Built‑in Bleed Buildup and an engraving that prevents affliction buildup from decaying. Bleed snowballs through posture and health bars—perfect on bosses and elites.
• Where to get it: Legendary Chest on the castle‑ship in Osaka, Izumi Settsu (swim or grab a boat). Stealth across the deck; chest is on/inside the large “castle boat.”
• Synergy: Run Shadow Barrage/Shadow Piercer and any Affliction Damage/Build‑up engravings. If you later find Violet Night, you can engrave “Poison on Deflect” onto Bloodshade to stack bleed + poison.

2) Igan Sunset (Tanto) — the infamous time‑slow

• Why it’s (still) cracked: Its perk triggers slow time on Escape Strike. Note: Patch 1.0.4 changed it so the slow‑mo only triggers when Escape Strike interrupts an enemy attack—but it remains a powerful “get‑out‑of‑jail” tool and a perfect engraving to carry onto higher‑level tantos.
• Where to get it: Hidden Chest in Tozuku’s Lair, Katano Foothills (northwest of your early Hideout), Izumi Settsu.
• Why it matters early: You can pick this up very early; it was notorious for trivializing fights pre‑nerf, and it’s still a strong control perk post‑nerf.

3) Yami no Kage (Katana) — reflect damage on deflect

• Why it’s great: Deflects deal 100% of the attacker’s damage back to them. Excellent in duels and when you’re surrounded but confident with timing.
• Where to get it: Legendary Chest in Hiraiyama Fort, Harima. You must kill all Samurai Daishō to unlock the chest.

4) Scarlet Fate (Tanto) — universal DPS booster

• Why it’s great: Straight damage amp with fast animations—ideal as a “delete key” after you set up bleeds/poison.
• Where to get it: Chasuriyama Kofun (Tamba). Complete the tomb to reach the legendary chest.

5) Shinobi’s Fury (Tanto) — chain vulnerability

• Why it’s great: Weakpoint attacks make enemies Vulnerable a second time—huge burst windows for bosses/elites.
• Where to get it: Assassinate the Golden Teppo (Wakasa) as part of the Golden Teppo questline.

6) Violet Night (Katana) — poison on deflect (mid‑game)

• Why it’s great: Poison on Deflect + Poison Buildup. Stack with Bloodshade engraving to keep poisons ticking forever.
• Where to get it: Defeat Yuki Onna in Kawachi Kaza‑ana Cave (Omi).

7) Featherstorm (Kusarigama) — AoE crowd control

• Why it’s great: Kusarigama excels at control and mobbing; Featherstorm is a high‑impact pick you can grab while routing Omi.
• Where to get it: Hidden Chest behind the ruined tower, Kashiwabara Fortress (Ibu Highlands, Omi).

8) Winds of War (Kusarigama) — late‑game status queen

• Why it’s great: Amplifies status applications; pairs with bleed/poison builds and ally daze.
• Where to get it: Assassinate “The Wise” (main target questline).

Yasuke — Best legendaries (big posture, bigger deletes)

1) Myth Slayer (Long Katana) — combo ender that breaks fights

• Why it’s BIS: Combo enders auto‑posture and inflict Vulnerable, letting Yasuke chunk even heavies.
• Where to get it: Reward for “The Wheel Unmasked” (defeat The Mourner) in Omi.

2) Sage’s Reach (Naginata) — “store blocks as damage”

• Why it’s BIS: Each block stacks +10% damage on your next hit. Tank, then one‑tap.
• Where to get it: “Showdown in Sakamoto” in the Naginata questline (Omi).

3) Boulder Fall (Kanabō) — unstoppable swings

• Why it’s BIS: Your attacks cannot be interrupted—perfect for crowd brawls and posture melts.
• Where to get it: “Kurai Eikyō”—defeat the Katsuragi agent in Yamato.

4) Patient Harbinger (Teppo) — double‑loaded deletes

• Why it’s BIS: Chambers two bullets; pair with headshot skills or ricochets for room clears.
• Where to get it: Hidden Chest behind a tree at Kamikoga’s Ippon Sugi (Omi).

5) Blush of the Earth (Bow) — early Clear Mind extender

• Why it’s great: Extends Clear Mind (slow‑mo archery) for longer windows; nice early ranged solution.
• Where to get it: Makino Kurumazuka Kofun (Yawata Plains, Izumi Settsu)—complete the tomb.

6) Time‑Honored Crescent (Naginata) — passive vulnerability taps

• Why it’s great: First strike makes enemies Vulnerable every 8 seconds—free posture/damage cadence.
• Where to get it: Legendary Chest in Kashiwabara Fortress (Omi).

“Grab‑and‑Go” early pickups (rough order)

Route A — Izumi Settsu (starter region) — 30–60 minutes for two meta perks

1. Tozuku’s Lair (Katano Foothills) → Igan Sunset (Tanto). Grab the hidden chest inside the shack; expect a few bandits. Engrave the slow‑mo perk later once your Forge is Tier 3.
2. Osaka castle‑ship (offshore) → Bloodshade (Katana). Swim from shore, avoid the patrols, open the hidden chest. Start bleeding everything on sight.
3. Optional: Makino Kurumazuka Kofun (Yawata Plains) → Blush of the Earth (Bow) for Yasuke. Good ranged backup.

Route B — Omi sprint (as soon as you reach Omi)

1. Kamikoga’s Ippon Sugi → Patient Harbinger (Teppo) (hidden chest behind a tree). Double‑loading the teppo is absurdly strong on armored targets.
2. Kashiwabara Fortress (Ibu Highlands) → Featherstorm (Kusarigama) (chest near the ruined tower). Great for Naoe crowd control.
3. Naginata quest in Sakamoto → Sage’s Reach (reward). A few story steps for a long‑term BIS.

Route C — Harima/Yamato push (mid‑game power spike)

1. Hiraiyama Fort (Harima) → Yami no Kage (Katana), but only after slaying all Samurai Daishō in the fort.
2. Kurai Eikyō (Yamato) → Boulder Fall (Kanabō) via quest kill. Welcome to Uninterruptible Mode.

Castle & chest logic (don’t miss the unlock conditions)

• Many Legendary Chests in castles won’t open until the local Daishō are dead. If a chest is “locked for now,” finish off the named elites in that location and return.
• Kofun = shortcut to legendaries. Several kofun tombs drop late‑tier items far earlier than you’d otherwise get them (e.g., Makino Kurumazuka for Blush of the Earth).

Fast resource & money farming while you route

You’ll want Mon (gold) and Hideout resources (Ironsand, Timber, etc.) to keep gear leveled and to upgrade the Forge for engravings:

• Smuggle castle stockpiles: Inside each castle is a locked storeroom (often behind Kura Key doors). Mark stockpiles for smuggling; with upgraded Stables and extra Scouts, these runs snowball mats fast.
• Clear hostile POIs (villages/outposts): quick enemy counts, decent valuables; contracts occasionally target these and stack rewards.
• Mon in a hurry: castles are best (loot + elite drops). Don’t ignore wandering ronin for easy coin and valuables while traveling between stops.

Upgrade priorities for speedrunners:

1. Forge → Tier 2/3 (engrave legendary perks onto higher‑level bases)
2. Stables → faster/more smuggling (resource snowball)

Engraving recommendations (carry the good stuff forward)

• From Bloodshade: “Affliction buildup does not decay” → apply to any katana or kusarigama build that leverages bleed/poison.
• From Igan Sunset: Slow Time on Escape Strike (on interrupt) → excellent panic button on a stronger Tanto once you out‑level the base.
• From Yami no Kage: Deal 100% damage to attacker on Deflect → put on your main katana if you duel a lot.
• From Patient Harbinger: Two bullets per chamber → combine with a bow/teppo headshot build for boss melts.

Tip: You unlock an engraving by first obtaining that legendary—then the Forge (Tier 3) lets you put that perk on another legendary of the same slot. This is how early pickups remain BIS until credits.

“One evening” optimized loop (new file → late‑game ready)

1. Izumi Settsu: Tozuku’s Lair → Igan Sunset → Osaka castle‑ship → Bloodshade → optional Makino Kofun → Blush of the Earth.
2. Omi: Grab Patient Harbinger (Ippon Sugi) → Featherstorm (Kashiwabara ruins) → Naginata quest for Sage’s Reach.
3. Harima/Yamato: Hiraiyama Fort for Yami no Kage (clear Daishō) → Kurai Eikyō for Boulder Fall.
4. Hideout: Push Forge to Tier 3, engrave Bloodshade + Igan Sunset perks on your preferred blades, and start engraving deflect/poison mixes.

That route hands you two S‑tier Naoe blades in the first hour, a BIS Yasuke rifle as soon as Omi opens, and the best naginata/kanabō shortly after—plus enough resources to keep them on‑level.

Frequently asked (quick answers)

• Do legendary chests respawn? No—stockpiles and world resources do (via seasonal systems and contracts), but legendary chests are one‑time rewards.
• Can I skip fights to loot legendaries? Often yes, but castle legendaries typically require killing the Daishō first. Kofun legendaries are all doable via tomb puzzles/combat.
• Which “first” legendary matters most? For Naoe, Bloodshade; for Yasuke, Patient Harbinger (until Myth Slayer/Sage’s Reach slot in).

BIS lists at a glance

Naoe (stealth/assassin focus)

• Bloodshade (Katana) — Bleed + non‑decaying afflictions (Osaka ship, Settsu).
• Igan Sunset (Tanto) — Slow Time on Escape Strike (Tozuku’s Lair). Nerfed but still excellent engraving.
• Yami no Kage (Katana) — Reflect damage on deflect (Hiraiyama Fort, Harima).
• Scarlet Fate (Tanto) — High flat damage (Chasuriyama Kofun).
• Shinobi’s Fury (Tanto) — Weakpoint → double Vulnerable (Golden Teppo questline).
• Violet Night (Katana) — Poison on Deflect (Yuki Onna, Omi).
• Featherstorm (Kusarigama) — AoE control (Kashiwabara Fortress, Omi).

Yasuke (brawler/duelist focus)

• Myth Slayer (Long Katana) — Combo enders posture + Vulnerable (The Wheel Unmasked, Omi).
• Sage’s Reach (Naginata) — Stored block damage (Showdown in Sakamoto).
• Boulder Fall (Kanabō) — Uninterruptible attacks (Kurai Eikyō, Yamato).
• Patient Harbinger (Teppo) — Two bullets per chamber (Ippon Sugi, Omi).
• Blush of the Earth (Bow) — Longer Clear Mind slow‑mo (Makino Kofun).

Final build notes

• Naoe meta right now favors bleed/poison stacking with Bloodshade engraving and either Yami no Kage (if you love parry play) or Violet Night (poison deflects) as your second blade. Add Igan Sunset engraving to your tanto for emergency slow‑mo.
• Yasuke meta: Sage’s Reach for “block → nuke” and Boulder Fall for uninterruptible crowd control. Swap to Patient Harbinger or Blush of the Earth when fights demand range.

3 quick alternative routes (if you play differently)

• Thief’s Path (all stealth): Bloodshade → Scarlet Fate → Yami no Kage → Featherstorm. You’ll rely on afflictions and deflects; engrave Igan Sunset once your Forge is up.
• Duelist’s Path (parry enjoyer): Yami no Kage → Myth Slayer → Sage’s Reach → Boulder Fall. Boss killers and red‑attack bullies.
• Guns & Arrows Path: Patient Harbinger → Blush of the Earth → (engrave ricochets later) for ranged clears between castle dives.

TL;DR loadout

• Naoe: Bloodshade + (Violet Night or Yami no Kage), Igan Sunset engraved on your preferred tanto, Featherstorm for crowds.
• Yasuke: Myth Slayer + Sage’s Reach for bosses, Boulder Fall for mobs, Patient Harbinger for armor‑busting.