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  1. Games
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  4. Assassin's Creed Shadows

How to get Mastery Skill Points in Assassin's Creed Shadows

Guides
By Joel Franey Contributions from Jasmine Gould-Wilson last updated 21 March 2025

The best way to get Mastery Points in AC Shadows is by eliminating Daisho Samurai, but that's not your only option

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Assassin's Creed Shadows Mastery
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
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Assassin's Creed Shadows Mastery Points are the game's answer to Skill Points. They work the same way: just like in past AC games, Mastery Points allow you to enhance, empower, and tailor your builds for each protagonist. Alongside upgrading weapons and armor in Assassin's Creed Shadows, earning Mastery Points is vital if you want the ultimate power fantasy in Ubisoft's latest. But if you're wondering which actions actually help you get Mastery Points in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, I have a few tricks to share.

You gain at least one Mastery Point in AC Shadows each time you kill Daisho Samurai during Castle clear-outs, level up, or eliminate optional targets. That said, I've discovered that some methods are a lot more efficient than others. You can also check out our Assassin's Creed Shadows tips guide for more generalized advice to bolster your journey across Japan, but for now, here's how to earn AC Shadows Mastery Points ninja-quick.

How to get Assassin's Creed Shadows Mastery Points for skills

Assassin's Creed Shadows Mastery

To get Assassin's Creed Shadows Mastery Points, do one of the following as either character:

- Level up by earning XP (one point per level)

- Clear Castles and kill Daisho Samurai (one point per Samurai)

- Completing optional assassination targets on your board

After testing each one, I've found the best way to earn Mastery Points in Assassin's Creed Shadows is by clearing castles and killing Daisho Samurai. You get a guaranteed point for every Daisho Samurai you kill (which could be as many as five or six), plus a lump sum of XP granted when you open the final chest, and extra XP earned for any additional enemies you kill along the way.

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The chests you can open after killing all Daisho Samurai in a castle dish out Legendary gear too, making them a great source of some of the best weapons in Assassin's Creed Shadows.

Assassin's Creed Shadows Mastery

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

When it comes to using your AC Shadows Mastery Points, remember that Mastery Points are given to both protagonists. That means that if Yasuke earns a point, then Naoe also gains one, but don't worry - they're spent separately and not pulled from the same pool, so even when you switch characters in Assassin's Creed Shadows they'll remain at the same level of power, neither one left behind.

However, what you can actually spend Mastery Points on is locked depending on which Mastery Trees you have uncovered. If you want to expand your options, you need to earn Assassin's Creed Shadows Knowledge Points. Our guide will lay out how you can do just that, fortunately! And if you want to know where you should be putting all those points you've earned, we've also got a page on the Assassin's Creed Shadows best skills.

While you're skulking about in castles for Mastery Points, use your Assassin's Creed Shadows Scouts to nab some really useful Assassin's Creed Shadows Hideout resources.

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CATEGORIES
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Joel Franey
Joel Franey
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Guides Editor, GamesRadar+

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and Very Tired Man with a BA from Brunel University, a Masters from Sussex University and a decade working in games journalism, often focused on guides coverage but also in reviews, features and news. His love of games is strongest when it comes to groundbreaking narratives like Disco Elysium, UnderTale and Baldur's Gate 3, as well as innovative or refined gameplay experiences like XCOM, Sifu, Arkham Asylum or Slay the Spire. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at Eurogamer, Gfinity, USgamer, SFX Magazine, RPS, Dicebreaker, VG247, and more.

With contributions from
  • Jasmine Gould-WilsonSenior Staff Writer, GamesRadar+

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