If you’re a longtime fan of the sprawling stealth action-adventure franchise, the level cap inAssassin’s Creed Shadowswon’t be a big surprise. Many prior entries launched with a level cap between 30-50, such asBrotherhoodandOdyssey, withValhallabeing a bit of an outlier andMiragedoing away with traditional experience leveling altogether.Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis returning to form, and it’s very likely the level cap will increase with future patches, updates, or DLC releases, at least based on how things panned out with previousAssassin’s Creedgames.
The level cap inAC Shadowsis initially set at 60, which will be increased by earning experience throughAC Shadows' main campaign, side quests, assassination target awards, and much more.The return to a more traditionalAssassin’s Creedleveling system is likely going to be a breath of fresh airfor anyone who wasn’t a fan ofMirage’sprogression mechanics, where advancement was tied entirely to narrative elements, orValhalla’sendless web of skill trees with a max power level of 535. However, don’t let the level 60 cap fool you, as progress isn’t strictly tied to level advancement.
Progression In Assassin’s Creed Shadows Uses Knowledge & Mastery Points
The Level 60 Cap Is A Bit Misleading
Level 60 is standard for a traditional level cap inAssassin’s Creed, but there are more ways to advanceNaoe and Yasuke’sskills than simply leveling up with experience. Increasing your level boosts your base stats, whileMastery and Knowledge points enhance skills and abilities.Assassin’s Creed Shadowsincorporates Knowledge and Mastery Points in its progression system. Mastery points are earned from advancing in level but can also be earned from other side quests, certain enemies, and more. Mastery Points allow you to unlock and enhance your abilities in any of the six skill trees for both characters.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Shorter Length Is Great For The Series
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a significantly shorter game that its predecessors, and that’s an important step that’ll hugely benefit the series.
Knowledge Points are earned from completing various exploration-based or location challenges, such as Kuji-kiri or Kofuns, and affect your Knowledge Level. There are six Knowledge Levels, which affect the specific tier of abilities and buffs you may access in the skill trees. Earning Knowledge Points is critical to spend your Mastery Points on more effective abilities or passives. Luckily,Naoe and Yasuke share their Mastery and Knowledge Points andtheir character level, so you don’t need to worry about leveling each character individually.
The Assassin’s Creed Shadows Level Cap Is A Return To Form
AC Shadows Learned Its Lessons From Valhalla & Mirage
The leveling and progression system inAssassin’s Creedhas undergone some interesting evolutions over the franchise’s lifetime. In recent memory,Assassin’s Creed Valhallahad a ridiculously high power level at 535, andthe skill trees were a messy, elaborate web of choices.Conversely,Mirageincluded skill points that allowed you to unlock new skills and abilities, but there was no traditional level, and your advancement through the “Hidden One Ranks” and access to skills was tied to narrative progression.
Assassin’s Creed Shadowsoffers a balance between earning experience through traditional quests and incentivizing exploration, as Knowledge Points are essential to skill tree progression
Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis a return to form (insofar as there is one), giving players a cap at level 60, which is more in line withpreviousAssassin’s CreedGames.AC Originshad a starting cap of 40 that increased to 55 with a DLC purchase, andBrotherhoodhad a hard-level cap of 50.Assassin’s Creed Shadowsoffers a balance between earning experience through traditional quests and incentivizing exploration, as Knowledge Points are essential to skill tree progression.
Don’t Miss This Tiny, Terrifying Detail About Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Protagonist Naoe
Composers Joe Henson and Alexis Smith discuss a unique and terrifying feature included in Assassin’s Creed Shadows involving Naoe’s stealth ability.
Overall, the level 60 cap inAssassin’s Creed Shadowswill be high enough to keep players busy for quite some time, andit doesn’t mean that your progression is limited to advancing to level 60, either. Because you’re able to earn Mastery Points outside of leveling up, your abilities and skills are not limited by your main level, only by your Knowledge Level. Earning Mastery Points and Knowledge Points while increasing your base level is the best way to fully advance your character inAssassin’s Creed Shadows.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Set during Japan’s Sengoku period, two distinct protagonists—Naoe, a shinobi, and Yasuke, a historical African samurai—must navigate political intrigue and violent clashes between the Assassins and Templars. Players can switch between stealthy, shadow-based gameplay with Naoe and Yasuke’s direct combat approach, exploring the duality of their missions in a beautifully rendered open world.
