How to get mastery points in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

TL;DR

  • Mastery points unlock individual skills while knowledge points expand skill tree access
  • Earn one mastery point per level plus bonus points from elite enemies and bounties
  • Samurai Daisho, The Onryo, and Kabukimono bounties provide additional mastery points
  • Advanced skills cost more points, requiring strategic allocation for optimal builds
  • Combine main quest progression with targeted farming for maximum efficiency

Mastery points serve as the essential currency for advancing your character’s capabilities in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, enabling you to unlock powerful abilities across multiple skill trees. These points represent your progression toward mastering the deadly arts available to both Naoe and Yasuke as they navigate feudal Japan’s treacherous landscape.

In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, accumulating mastery points becomes crucial for enhancing your various skill trees and developing specialized combat approaches. While leveling up provides a steady stream of these points, strategic players can significantly accelerate their progression through targeted activities and enemy encounters throughout their Japanese adventure.

Mastery points specifically enable unlocking individual skills within the skill tree framework and must be distinguished from knowledge points, which serve the separate function of expanding the number of skills accessible within each mastery skill tree category. Understanding this distinction early prevents resource misallocation and ensures efficient character development.

Each skill on the progression tree requires mastery points for activation, with more advanced abilities demanding substantially higher point investments. Players aiming to develop comprehensive skill sets across multiple trees will need to amass considerable quantities of mastery points through both natural progression and targeted farming activities.

Naoe overlooks Osaka Castle in Assassin's Creed Shadows

Your character automatically receives mastery points through level advancement, with one mastery point awarded for each level gained. Experience points needed for leveling can be obtained through numerous activities including main story quest completion, enemy eliminations, and virtually any actionable content within the game world that provides completion rewards.

Beyond the steady progression from leveling, several specialized activities offer additional mastery point rewards:

  • Eliminating Samurai Daisho stationed within castle fortifications, which grants one mastery point per successful takedown. These elite warriors typically guard high-value locations and require careful approach strategies.
  • Vanquishing The Onryo, formidable boss-level adversaries that become accessible after completing specific prerequisite quest chains that gradually lead you toward these challenging encounters.
  • Completing optional bounty missions linked to influential organizations such as The Kabukimono, which provide both narrative depth and valuable mastery point rewards upon successful completion.

Advanced players should prioritize activities that offer mastery points alongside other valuable rewards. Castle infiltrations targeting Samurai Daisho not only provide points but often yield high-quality gear, while Onryo encounters typically unlock unique abilities or equipment in addition to their point rewards.

How to get mastery points in Assassin's Creed Shadows
Images: Ubisoft Quebec/Ubisoft via Polygon

For optimal efficiency, combine main story progression with targeted farming of high-value enemies. Complete quests that naturally lead toward castle areas housing Samurai Daisho, and accept Kabukimono bounties that align with your current geographical progression to minimize backtracking and maximize point acquisition per time invested.

Strategic mastery point allocation becomes increasingly important as you progress through Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Early game points should focus on core combat and stealth abilities that provide immediate gameplay benefits, while mid-to-late game investments can specialize your character for specific playstyles or counter challenging enemy types.

Avoid the common mistake of evenly distributing points across all available skill trees without a coherent strategy. Instead, identify 2-3 complementary skill trees that align with your preferred approach—whether focused on stealth assassination, direct combat, or specialized tools—and concentrate your points to unlock advanced abilities sooner.

For players struggling with specific combat encounters, our Weapons Unlock guide provides valuable insights into equipment synergies that can complement your skill selections. The right weapon combined with appropriately allocated mastery points can dramatically improve your combat effectiveness against challenging foes like The Onryo.

Time investment varies significantly between mastery point sources. Level-based acquisition provides approximately one point per 45-60 minutes of general gameplay for average players, while targeted Samurai Daisho farming can yield 3-5 points per hour in densely populated castle regions. Onryo encounters typically require 2-3 hours of preparation and combat but reward multiple mastery points alongside unique bonuses.

Endgame planning should account for respec options if available, allowing you to reallocate mastery points for New Game+ or specific challenge content. Consult our Class Guide for principles on specialized builds that can inform your mastery point distribution strategy, adapting proven role specialization concepts to Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ skill system.

Mastery point efficiency peaks when combined with comprehensive game knowledge. Our Complete Guide to progression systems provides additional context for optimizing character development across multiple game systems, ensuring your mastery point investments yield maximum combat effectiveness throughout your journey.

Action Checklist

  • Complete main story quests for consistent level-based point acquisition
  • Infiltrate castles to eliminate Samurai Daisho for bonus points
  • Pursue Onryo quest chains for high-value point rewards
  • Accept Kabukimono bounties that align with current location
  • Focus points on 2-3 complementary skill trees rather than spreading thin

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