All AC Shadows Allies Guide: How To Recruit Them
Assassin’s Creed Shadows gives you a few allies to recruit during the main story. However, some are entirely missable as they’re a part of the many sidequests in the game and require the right dialogue to recruit them. Here’s a guide on every recruitable ally and how you can get them to join you.
Table of Contents
Yaya
As a rikishi, Yaya can stagger enemies and knock them down with her sheer strength. To recruit her, you’ll need to complete both the “Heads Will Roll” and “The Stray Dogs” quests. During these quests, you can choose to either kill or spare certain people. Yaya will join you if you choose to spare your targets.
Ibuki
Ibuki is capable of dealing big posture damage while simultaneously breaking armor, making him the perfect ally for fighting tough targets. He’s only recruitable while playing as Yasuke while completing the “Ambush Interrupted” and “Homecoming” quests.
During “Ambush Interrupted,” there’s a dialogue option between “I was following orders” and “I have changed.” Choosing “I have changed” will make Ibuki like you. Next, “Homecoming” will give you a choice to either have Kyobei join you in the fight or say that he is too weak to join. If you let Kyobei take part in the fight, Ibuki becomes recruitable.
Afterward, save Kyobei before he dies so that you can romance Ibuki.
Oni-yuri
Oni-yuri is the best ally for Naoe as her abilities are oriented around sleep and poison, making her useful at stealth. She can be recruited once you complete the quest “ Sweet Lies” and “Sweet Revenge” located in Wakasa. During “Sweet Lies,” do not accuse Oni-yuri of poisoning the villagers.
Gennojo
Gennojo is another powerful stealth ally for Naoe for his distraction skills, drawing enemy attention away from you while sneaking. Before recruiting him, make sure to disable Canon Mode, as the game will automatically prevent him from joining you. First, you must complete the “Missing Missive” quest. During this, you’ll encounter the thief. Don’t kill him, instead, talk to him. Next, you’ll encounter him again in “Sake and Swords.” When he offers to help you, agree to join him.
Meet him during “Honor Among Thieves” where an important dialogue choice will appear. When he asks you for the scroll, you can choose between “This is serious” or “I’m keeping it then.” Choose “I’m keeping it then” to get him to like you.
Lastly, for “The Godless Harvest,” he’ll try to burn down the rice storage. This dialogue option will ask you to either stop Gennojo, soothe him, or do nothing. Soothing him is the correct choice for finally recruiting him in your dojo.
Katsuhime
Katsuhime is the ranged support ally that can fire upon enemies with her teppo. You’ll first need to complete “Against the Koga-ryu” to get started on her questline. There are multiple romance lines in the questline, so keep an eye out for those if you need them.
The most important step to recruit Katsuhime happens in “The Diary of Lady Rokkaku” quest. You must run to Katsuhime as fast as possible since this quest is on a timer and she’ll die if you’re too late. Kill Isono Kazumasa to save her, then carry her out of the castle to safety.
Near the end of the quest, you’ll enter some dialogue with her. Simply select “Yes, join us” to recruit her.
Yagoro
Yagoro functions as a ranged assassin and he can potentially chain kills against weaker targets in stealth.
There are many steps you must complete to unlock him. First, go through Yasuke’s questline until you reach “The Lords of Azuchi” quest. Next, switch to Naoe and complete the quest “Wolves and Foxes.” During this quest, you’ll speak to Hattori Hanzo. Simply choose the option to speak to him. Then, complete the next quest “Secrets of the Blade” to receive your Assassin armor and unlock Yagoro’s quest.
Go to the Harima region and start the quest “A Blade in the Dark.” Track down Yagoro and speak to him. Select the option “You have potential” and duel him until he submits. The next dialogue option will appear when you give him the Hidden Blade. Choose “It is a symbol” to officially recruit him.
