Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Ubisoft’s $300 million plunge into feudal Japan, hit shelves in March 2025, delivering a breathtaking 16th-century sandbox where players dual-wield Naoe, a nimble shinobi, and Yasuke, a towering samurai. Launched to 3 million players and an 89 OpenCritic score, it’s a technical marvel—gorgeous vistas, intricate combat, and a toolset that defines its stealth-action soul. Yet, one grind has players hooked and stumped: fully upgrading tools and ammunition. From Naoe’s kunai to Yasuke’s teppo, maxing out your arsenal is no side quest—it’s a game-changer, tied to the silver trophy “In Case of Trouble” and survival in Japan’s brutal wars. Here’s how to do it, why it matters, and what fans are saying as they carve their path through Shadows’ Sengoku era.
The Stakes: Why Tools and Ammo Matter
In Shadows, tools aren’t trinkets—they’re your lifeline. Naoe’s kit—kunai, shuriken, smoke bombs—fuels her shadow-dancing stealth, letting her snipe, stun, or slip away. Yasuke’s bow and teppo (a matchlock rifle) bring ranged thunder to his brute-force brawls, softening foes before he closes in. Ammunition, finite and precious, keeps these tools humming; run dry, and you’re a sitting duck in Kyoto’s alleys or Shinbakufu castles. Upgrading isn’t optional—enemies scale fast, and by mid-game, unupgraded kunai bounce off armor like twigs. “I died 10 times without maxed smoke bombs,” an X post groaned, summing up the pain.
The “In Case of Trouble” trophy seals the deal: fully upgrade Naoe’s Tools Mastery and Yasuke’s Teppo and Bow sections. It’s a 30-hour slog, per Reddit estimates, demanding mastery points, resources, and a leveled-up Forge. Casual players might skip it, but completionists and high-difficulty runners crave the edge—maxed tools mean one-shot kills, wider smoke clouds, and ammo hauls that turn fights from desperate to dominant. “Upgraded shuriken saved my castle run,” a Twitch streamer cheered, clip racking up 50,000 views. Let’s break down the how-to.
Step 1: Unlock the Forge—Your Upgrade Hub
You can’t touch upgrades until you’ve got a Forge at your Hideout, Kakurega. Early in Act 1, after the prologue, you’ll hit the “Way of the Blacksmith” side quest in Izumi Settsu’s Sakai village. Here’s the drill:
Find Heiji: Head north of Sakai’s port. Use observe mode (L2/LT) to spot his blue marker. Bandits harass him—cut them down.
Recruit Him: Chat with Heiji; Naoe convinces him to join your league. Fast-travel to Kakurega.
Build the Forge: In Build Mode, pick “Forge” from Main Rooms. It costs 40 Crops, 30 Wood, 10 Minerals—scrounge these from chests or vendors if you’re short.
Heiji’s your guy now. At Forge Level 1, he upgrades tools to level 20; Level 2 (more resources) hits 40; Level 3 (a fortune in Mon, Iron Sand, Silk) caps at 60, matching endgame foes. “Forge Level 3 took all my silk,” a Reddit post whined, “but worth it.” Level it up as you go—your character’s level caps upgrades, so sync them.
Step 2: Mastery Points—Spend Wisely
Tools and ammo live in the Mastery menu, split by character. Naoe’s “Tools Mastery” tab covers kunai, shuriken, smoke bombs, and toolbag size. Yasuke’s “Teppo” and “Bow” tabs boost his firearms and archery. You’ll need Mastery Points—earned via combat, quests, and leveling—to unlock nodes. Problem? They’re finite. “Ran out at level 40,” an X user lamented. Plan ahead:
Naoe’s Priorities:
Kunai: Max “Assassination Damage” first—headshots kill unarmored foes instantly. Then “Armor Piercing” for tougher hides, “Everlast” for ammo boosts.
Shuriken: Unlock it, then pump “Stun Duration.” It’s for bells and lights, not damage—don’t waste points here.
Smoke Bombs: Fully upgrade “Enduring Haze” (duration) and “Widespread” (radius). Escape or chaos, maxed smoke’s clutch.
Toolbag: Bump capacity early—six kunai beat three when stealth’s tight.
Yasuke’s Priorities:
Teppo: Max “Damage” and “Reload Speed”—it’s slow but lethal. “Ammo Capacity” next; 10 shots trump 4.
Bow: Push “Silent Arrows” for stealth opens, then “Quick Draw” and “Capacity.” Arrows are everywhere—stockpile them.
“I wasted points on shuriken damage,” a Steam review sighed. Focus on what kills or saves you—kunai and smoke for Naoe, teppo for Yasuke. You’ll need 50+ points total, per Game8, so grind side quests like “The Tournament” or Animus Projects for extras.
Step 3: Resources—Gather the Goods
Upgrading ammo capacity and tool stats at the Forge demands materials: Mon (cash), Iron Sand, Silk, and rare Gold. Stockpiling’s a chore—here’s how:
Mon: Loot chests, sell junk gear, run Contracts from Kakurega’s table. “High-level contracts paid 500 Mon,” an X tip shared.
Iron Sand/Silk: Smuggle via Scouts—tag stocks in forts (locked rooms, guarded carts) and let allies haul them. Chests respawn seasonally; hit castles like Azuchi.
Gold: Rare drops from Shadow Projects or legendary quests. “Found two Gold in 20 hours,” a Reddit thread bragged. Use it on legendary tools—saves Mon.
A Forge Level 3 kunai upgrade might cost 200 Mon, 50 Iron Sand, 20 Silk—multiply that by dozens of nodes. “I’m broke but deadly,” a Twitch chat laughed. Dismantle old gear at Heiji’s for scraps—every bit counts.
Step 4: Ammo Stations and Vendors
Maxed capacity’s useless without ammo. Kunai, shuriken, arrows, and teppo rounds don’t grow on trees—well, arrows kinda do. Stock up:
Stations: Scattered in castles and towns—restock kunai (5), shuriken (10), arrows (15), teppo (4). “Found one mid-fight, saved me,” an X clip showed.
Vendors: Gear sellers in Sakai, Kyoto, etc., sell ammo bundles—50 Mon for 10 kunai. Rarity scales with level; late-game stocks legendary rounds.
Crafting: Late Forge levels let Heiji craft ammo from Iron Sand—pricey but infinite. “Crafted 20 teppo shots—war ready,” a Reddit post flexed.
Explore—stations respawn, vendors restock. Maxed ammo (e.g., 12 kunai, 20 arrows) means fewer desperate scrambles.
Fan Frenzy: Triumphs and Tears
Players are obsessed. X’s #ACShadowsTools trends with clips—Naoe’s maxed kunai one-shotting samurai, Yasuke’s teppo blasting crowds. “Fully upgraded smoke bombs are OP,” a post with 5,000 likes raved. Reddit’s r/assassinscreed buzzes—threads like “Tool Upgrade Guide” hit 10,000 upvotes, warning, “Don’t sleep on toolbag size.” Twitch streams grind mastery—Erika Ishii’s “Kunai Queen” run, maxing tools in 35 hours, drew 100,000 views.
But it’s not all cheers. “50 hours for a trophy?” a Steam review griped, rating “Mostly Positive” (40,000 reviews). Mastery scarcity irks—“I’m level 60, still short,” an X rant hit 1,000 retweets. Japanese fans, per 5ch, laud the shinobi vibe but call ammo grind “tedious.” “Worth it for stealth gods,” a YouTuber with 2 million views countered, showing a maxed Naoe shredding a fort.
Why It’s Worth It: Power and Prestige
Fully upgraded tools transform Shadows. Naoe’s kunai pierce armor, smoke bombs cloak entire streets—stealth’s a breeze. Yasuke’s teppo downs elites in two shots, bow snipes silently—brute force meets finesse. “Maxed ammo feels like cheating,” a Twitch chat spammed. The trophy’s a badge—only 5% of PS5 players have it, per TrueAchievements, a flex for diehards.
It fits Shadows’ soul—Naoe and Yasuke aren’t gods, they’re honed killers. Upgrades mirror their growth, from scrappy outcasts to Sengoku legends. “Feels like I earned it,” a Reddit post sighed, post-trophy screenshot glowing. Ubisoft’s design—grind-heavy, reward-rich—hooks RPG nuts, though casuals balk.
You can upgrade tools by spending Mastery Points in the same way that you use Mastery points for other areas like Assassin and Kusarigama. Mastery Points are accrued by levelling up, completing story missions, and killing high-level enemies such as Samurai Daisho in Castles.
Best Tools Upgrades
How you play AC Shadows will really determine which are the best upgrades to tools. In general, though, if you play as Naoe regularly, focusing on her tools like Kunai and Smoke Bombs is usually best. This is partly because Yasuke doesn’t need tools to be effective, and if you’re going to upgrade his abilities, you’re best off spending Mastery Points on his Long Katana, as this is the most effective weapon in his arsenal.
Naoe’s Kunai are excellent for killing enemies from a distance without being detected, while Shuriken are perfect for stunning an enemy before going to assassinate them. Smoke bombs are ideal for escaping combat situations when you get overwhelmed and if you’re running out of tools regularly, increasing the size of your toolbag is usually a good idea.
How To Get The ‘In Case Of Trouble’ Trophy/Achievement
There is also a silver trophy that’s associated with upgrading your tools. The description of this trophy makes it sound simple, but actually getting to the point of unlocking it takes a long time. To achieve In Case of Trouble, you’ll need to fully upgrade Naoe’s Tools Mastery section and the Teppo and Bow sections for Yasuke. Your Knowledge Level will need to be at the maximum level of six to even have this available to you.
Challenges: The Grind’s Real
The catch? Time and luck. Mastery points taper off—late-game quests give 1-2, not 5. Resources drain fast—Silk’s a bottleneck, Gold a unicorn. “100 hours, still no Gold,” an X fan cried. Bugs snag some—Heiji vanished for early players, fixed in a March 27 patch, per GamesRadar. “Grind’s brutal but fair,” a Kotaku piece mused, pegging it at 60 hours for pros.
Looking Ahead
Ubisoft’s teasing DLC—leaks hint at “ninja tool packs” for late 2025, per PCGamesN. Fans beg for mastery boosts—#MorePoints trends with 80% X poll support. Modders tinker—ammo hacks float on Nexus, though risky. Shadows’ 2 million sales by April 2025, per Eurogamer, prove the grind’s a draw, not a dealbreaker.
For now, maxing tools is Shadows’ Everest—daunting, divisive, delicious. Naoe’s kunai rain, Yasuke’s teppo roars—tools fully upgraded are your ticket to rule Japan. “Heart hurts from grinding,” an X meme joked, “but my enemies hurt more.” Grab your blade, stock your bag, and forge your legend—just don’t expect it overnight.
