The Rarest Engravings in Assassin’s Creed Shadows and How to Get Them

Assassin’s Creed Shadows, set in the chaotic Sengoku period of feudal Japan, has enthralled players with its deep customization and dynamic combat. Among its many systems, engravings—special perks applied to weapons and armor—stand out as build-defining tools. While common engravings offer solid boosts, the rarest legendary engravings are in a league of their own, outclassing all others with game-altering effects. This article explores these elusive engravings, their unmatched power, and how to unlock them, drawing on community insights, patch notes, and gameplay data to guide you through the hunt.

The Allure of Legendary Engravings

Engravings in Assassin’s Creed Shadows are modifications that enhance gear, ranging from percentage-based damage buffs to unique mechanics like affliction triggers. Applied via the Forge in your Hideout, they scale with gear level (up to 60) and can be swapped freely, encouraging experimentation. Legendary engravings, tied to specific high-tier weapons and armor, are the pinnacle of this system. Unlike standard perks, they offer dramatic effects—think instant-kill triggers or immunity windows—that can reshape how you play as Naoe or Yasuke.

Patch 1.0.2 has amplified their impact by refining affliction and posture mechanics, making certain engravings must-haves for endgame builds. Community buzz on platforms like Reddit and YouTube highlights five engravings as the rarest and most powerful, each requiring a trek across Japan’s castles, Kofuns, and questlines. Below, we detail these game-changers, their effects, and how to claim them.

The Top Five Rarest Engravings

Here’s the cream of the crop, with step-by-step guides to unlock them.

1. Bleed Kills Below Two Health Segments (Crimson’s Edge Long Katana)

Effect: Instantly kills enemies with less than two health segments when afflicted with Bleed. For Yasuke, this turns Bleed builds into slaughterhouses, as even mid-tier enemies (with ~2-3 segments) fall instantly once afflicted.
Why It’s Elite: Bleed’s burst damage already chunks health, but this engraving makes it a one-shot machine. On Expert difficulty, where enemies have more segments, it trivializes grunts and speeds up elite fights. A GameRant post from April 2025 called it “the ultimate Bleed enabler,” perfect for Yasuke’s crowd-clearing.
How to Get It: Complete the Nobutsuna’s Students side quest in Act 2, available in Yamato. This multi-part quest involves tracking a rogue samurai school. The final battle pits you against Nobutsuna’s elite guard in Ueda Castle. Loot the Crimson’s Edge from the boss chest, unlocking the engraving at the Forge (Level 3 required for legendary perks).

Build Synergy: Pair with Vengeful Foe Naginata (+35% Bleed on parry) and Samurai Daimyo Armor for max damage. Naoe can use it too, but Yasuke’s higher Bleed buildup makes him the star.

2. Affliction Buildup Never Decays (Bloodshade Katana)

Effect: Affliction buildup (Bleed, Poison, Daze) doesn’t decay over time, ensuring steady progress toward triggering effects. For Naoe, this is a stealth godsend, as you can chip away at targets without restarting meters.
Why It’s Elite: Normally, affliction meters reset if you stop attacking, forcing constant engagement. This engraving lets you play patiently, stacking Poison or Bleed during hit-and-run tactics. IGN’s weapon guide notes its synergy with Naoe’s Cyclone Blast, which spreads afflictions across groups.

How to Get It: Loot the Bloodshade Katana from the legendary chest on the Osaka Boat in Izumi, Settsu. Accessing the boat requires completing the Port of Betrayal main quest (Act 3), then navigating a guarded dock. The chest is hidden below deck, behind a sliding wall. Forge Level 3 unlocks the engraving.
Build Synergy: Ideal for Naoe’s Stone Heart Kusarigama (Poison-focused) or Demon Tooth (Bleed). Combine with Noh Masterstroke Armor to spread afflictions on kills, creating a DOT nightmare.

3. Parry Unblockable Attacks (Protector’s Armor)

Effect: Allows Yasuke to parry attacks that are normally unblockable, such as heavy strikes from Kanabo-wielding ronin or boss specials. This turns defensive play into a counter-offensive.
Why It’s Elite: Unblockable attacks are a death sentence in crowded fights, forcing dodges that disrupt combos. This engraving lets Yasuke stand his ground, parrying blows to trigger counter-damage (via Protector’s Helmet). A Reddit thread from March 2025 hailed it as “Yasuke’s cheat code,” especially for castle sieges.

How to Get It: Purchase the Protector’s Armor from the Kyoto merchant in Yamashiro after reaching Knowledge Rank 8 (requires ~40 Knowledge Points from shrines and temples). Alternatively, it’s a rare drop from the Ishibutai Kofun boss chest in Tamba, but the merchant is more reliable. Engrave at Forge Level 3.
Build Synergy: Pair with Lethal Lotus Petal (Poison on deflects) and Riposte engraving for armor-piercing counters. Naoe benefits less, as her dodge-focused style rarely parries.

4. +2 Health Segments Removed on Shadow Assassinations (Mamushi Snake Robes)

Effect: Assassinations from shadows (e.g., hiding in grass or darkness) remove two extra health segments, letting Naoe one-shot tougher enemies like lieutenants.
Why It’s Elite: Without Guaranteed Assassinations enabled, elites with 3-4 segments survive Naoe’s stealth kills, blowing her cover. This engraving ensures clean kills, preserving stealth runs. Game8’s engraving guide ranks it top-tier for Naoe’s playstyle, as it stacks with mastery upgrades.

How to Get It: Find the Mamushi Snake Robes in a legendary chest at Nochiseyama Castle, Wakasa. The chest is in the castle’s upper keep, guarded by two samurai. Complete the Wakasa Intrigue side quest to weaken defenses, then infiltrate at night. Requires Forge Level 3.
Build Synergy: Use with Tools Master Mask (unbreakable shuriken) and Tanto engravings for double assassinations. Yasuke can’t equip the robes, but the engraving applies to his Brutal Assassination skill.

5. Damage per Unspent Mastery Point (Masakado’s Vengeance Amulet)

Effect: Increases damage by 1% per unspent Mastery Point, scaling massively for players hoarding points (e.g., 100 points = 100% extra damage). It’s a high-risk, high-reward perk for late-game power fantasies.
Why It’s Elite: Most players spend Mastery Points on skills, but this engraving rewards restraint, turning unspent points into raw power. A ScreenRant article notes it can “trivialize boss fights” for Yasuke, though it risks underpowering Naoe’s stealth if points are banked.

How to Get It: Loot Masakado’s Vengeance from Ishibutai Kofun in Tamba, a late-game dungeon unlocked after The Legacy Project main quest. The amulet is in a chest behind a puzzle-locked door, requiring three seals from Kofun minibosses. Engrave at Forge Level 3.
Build Synergy: Best for Yasuke’s Crimson’s Edge or Sage’s Reach Naginata, amplifying Bleed or posture damage. Naoe can use it with Dragon’s Edge Katana (AOE on dodge), but it shines in open combat.

Why These Engravings Outclass Others

These engravings stand above the rest due to their transformative effects. Standard engravings like +6% Damage on Consecutive Hits or +10% Katana Stats are solid but situational, often overshadowed by legendary perks that redefine mechanics. For example:

Crimson’s Edge makes Bleed a win condition, unlike Affliction Builder (+6% buildup), which only speeds up existing strategies.
Bloodshade’s non-decaying buildup enables flexible pacing, outshining +60% Damage at Range (Kusarigama), which limits you to specific distances.
Protector’s Armor negates a core combat threat, while +20% Ration Healing feels underwhelming in high-stakes fights.
Mamushi Robes perfect Naoe’s stealth, compared to Slow Time on Detection, which merely delays failure.
Masakado’s scales infinitely (in theory), dwarfing +2% Critical Damage per Mastery, which caps at spent points.

Data from TheGamer’s April 2025 engraving tier list supports this, ranking these five in the S-tier for their ability to “break encounters wide open.” Their rarity—tied to specific quests, Kofuns, or high Knowledge Ranks—adds exclusivity, as most players won’t stumble across them without effort.

How They Play in Action

Testing these engravings (via community footage and mechanics analysis) reveals their dominance. Yasuke with Crimson’s Edge and Protector’s Armor becomes a tank, parrying unblockables while Bleed wipes groups—perfect for Shinbakufu castle raids. Naoe’s Bloodshade and Mamushi Robes let her clear outposts silently, stacking Poison from afar and one-shotting elites in shadows. Masakado’s is a wild card: at 50 unspent points, Yasuke’s Samurai Stand can two-shot bosses, but it demands sacrificing skill unlocks, making it a niche endgame choice.

A YouTube video from April 2025 showcased Bloodshade Naoe clearing Hiraiyama Fort in under five minutes, using Poison to soften patrols before Bleed assassinations. Similarly, Protector’s Yasuke tanked a Kofun boss’s unblockable combo, countering with Lethal Lotus Poison ticks. These engravings don’t just boost stats—they rewrite the rules.

Unlocking the Forge: Your Gateway

To use legendary engravings, upgrade your Hideout’s Forge to Level 3, requiring substantial resources (wood, iron, Mon). Method.gg recommends prioritizing the Forge early, as it unlocks at the Hideout’s first tier but needs upgrades for gold-tier perks. Check locked engravings in the Forge menu for location clues—e.g., “Nochiseyama Castle” for Mamushi—streamlining your hunt.

Community Context and Balance

These engravings have sparked debates about balance. A Reddit post from April 2025 argued Crimson’s Edge and Masakado’s make Yasuke “too OP,” potentially overshadowing Naoe’s finesse. Others counter that Bloodshade and Mamushi keep Naoe competitive, rewarding skill over brute force. Patch 1.0.2’s notes suggest Ubisoft boosted legendary perks to encourage build diversity, but rumors of a 1.0.3 nerf (per Steam forums) could tweak Masakado’s scaling to prevent trivializing content.

Still, their rarity ensures they’re rewards for dedicated players. Unlike epic engravings, which drop from vendors or common chests, these require story progress, exploration, or puzzle-solving, aligning with Shadows’ theme of earning power through mastery.

Counterarguments: Are They Truly Unrivaled?

No engraving is perfect. Crimson’s Edge relies on Bleed buildup, which fast enemies can dodge, delaying kills. Bloodshade’s benefit wanes in prolonged fights where afflictions trigger quickly anyway. Protector’s parry focus demands timing, less forgiving for casual players. Mamushi’s shadow requirement limits it to stealth, useless in forced combat. Masakado’s sacrifices skill progression, potentially crippling early-game versatility.

Alternatives like +2 Health Segments on Double Assassinations (Nochiseyama chest) or AOE on Dodge Attacks (Dragon’s Edge Katana) are strong contenders, offering consistency over situational power. Yet, the top five’s ability to redefine playstyles—Bleed instakills, permanent buildup, unblockable parries—gives them an edge, especially in endgame scenarios like Kofuns or target boards.

Conclusion: Claim Your Legacy

The rarest engravings in Assassin’s Creed Shadows—Crimson’s Edge, Bloodshade, Protector’s, Mamushi, and Masakado’s—aren’t just perks; they’re game-changers that elevate Naoe and Yasuke to mythic status. From Yasuke’s battlefield dominance to Naoe’s shadow-dancing lethality, they offer tools to conquer any challenge. Unlocking them demands patience, skill, and exploration, but the payoff is worth it: a build that feels uniquely yours, tailored to shred Japan’s warlords.

Head to Ueda Castle, sail to Osaka, or delve into Ishibutai Kofun. The engravings await, ready to etch your name into Shadows’ legend. Which will you chase first? The community’s watching.