My Journey with the Allies of Assassin's Creed Shadows: A First-Person Ranking from 2026

As I reflect on my adventures across feudal Japan in Assassin's Creed Shadows, I realize that my journey with Naoe and Yasuke was never truly a solitary one. The allies we recruited along the way became more than just tools; they were companions who shaped my strategies and saved my life more times than I can count. In the heat of battle or the tense silence of a stealth mission, knowing I could call upon their unique skills was a comfort. But with six distinct allies to choose from and only one summon available at a time, I had to learn which companions were truly indispensable. This is my personal ranking, forged from countless hours of play in 2026, of the allies who stood by my side.

6. Ibuki: The Armor-Breaker

Ibuki was a funny case for me. On paper, he sounded perfect. His entire focus was on dealing damage and, more importantly, shattering enemy armor with his passive abilities. Given how many samurai and guards in this game are clad in thick plates, having a dedicated armor-wrecker seemed like a no-brainer. And he was effective. When I summoned him, he'd charge in and make quick work of those heavily armored foes, especially in the early game when my own gear wasn't up to the task.

So why does he sit at the bottom of my list? Simple: Naoe and Yasuke outgrew their need for him. As I progressed, I found that with the right weapon upgrades—focusing on armor-piercing traits—I could break an enemy's defense in just a swing or two myself. Weapons like the kusarigama could even cleave through multiple armored opponents at once. Ibuki's niche became redundant. Still, I won't deny his utility. In a prolonged brawl, especially when I was playing as the more fragile Naoe, having that extra burst of damage was sometimes the difference between victory and a reloaded save. He was reliable, but ultimately, replaceable.

5. Yaya: The Wrestler

Ah, Yaya. My first ally, and a dear friend. She's pure, straightforward combat support. Her signature move is fantastic: upon being summoned, she immediately slams one unfortunate soul to the ground. There's nothing more satisfying than following up her entrance with a devastating ground execution, the highest-damage move in my arsenal outside of a stealth kill. For the first leg of my journey, she was my go-to muscle.

However, her limitations became clear over time. That powerful knockdown? She only does it once, right when she appears. After that, she's just another fighter by my side. Her other trick—kicking enemies off ledges—was incredibly situational but hilariously effective when it worked. I remember one chaotic fight on a castle rampart where she sent three guards plummeting to their doom. 😄 Yet, against large groups, she could feel a bit overwhelmed. She truly shone in one-on-one duels or boss fights, where that initial knockdown could turn the tide. A solid, dependable brawler, but one whose toolkit felt a bit shallow compared to what came later.

4. Gennojo: The Charmer

Gennojo represented a complete shift in strategy. He isn't a fighter; he's a manipulator, a ghost who made my stealth runs infinitely smoother. His active ability is to startle and distract a target, creating the perfect opening for a silent kill. But his passives are where the magic happens. One automatically triggers a distraction on an enemy who's about to spot you—a literal lifesaver that covered for my occasional mistakes. Another passive makes servants stay quiet instead of raising an alarm, which was a game-changer. No more having to hunt down every lowly servant who witnessed me eliminate a high-ranking official.

While my shinobi, Naoe, is already a stealth goddess, Gennojo made playing as the towering, conspicuous Yasuke a viable stealth option. He leveled the playing field. A word of caution, though: in 2026, I learned the hard way that Gennojo is the only ally with specific recruitment conditions in the canon story mode. Miss those, and you'll have to go without his unique brand of chaos control.

3. Yagoro: The (Other) Shinobi

If Gennojo is the distraction, Yagoro is the execution. He is, in essence, a light version of Naoe. Summon him while you have an enemy in your sights, and he will instantly assassinate them. With upgrades, he can take down foes with five health segments or less and even chain-kill a nearby second target. For Yasuke, he was the ultimate stealth enabler. For Naoe, he was a force multiplier.

The greatest benefit he offered me, regardless of who I was playing, was safety. When Yagoro kills, he takes the risk. He can't be busted mid-assassination, and his kills don't trigger open combat. I could use him to thin out a heavily guarded courtyard from the safety of a rooftop, or create a path through a patrol without ever exposing myself. He didn't do anything I couldn't do myself, but he did it without any of the consequences. For pure, risk-free target elimination, Yagoro was my silent partner in crime.

2. Katsuhime: The Sharpshooter

When the stealth plan fell apart and all hell broke loose, Katsuhime was my queen of chaos. Her upgraded ability is a thing of beauty: she appears, throws a bomb that dazes a group of enemies, and then proceeds to pick them off with her rifle. The dazed condition is brutally effective:

• Enemies have a chance to miss their attacks.

• They become incapable of blocking or parrying.

This last point is crucial. In Shadows, enemy parries can shut down your special abilities and turn the momentum of a fight. Katsuhime removes that threat entirely. Her passives make her bullets ricochet between dazed foes, allowing her to control entire battlefields. I found her especially useful when I was surrounded. A quick summon, a cloud of disorienting smoke, and suddenly I was facing confused, vulnerable opponents instead of a disciplined wall of swords. Just one tip: keep an eye on her. She can draw a lot of aggro, and you don't want your star sharpshooter getting overwhelmed.

1. Oni-Yuri: The Poisoner

And here we are. The most versatile, game-changing ally in my arsenal: Oni-Yuri. At first, I underestimated her. Her basic ability puts a single enemy to sleep, which seemed neat but limited—other guards could just wake them up. Oh, how wrong I was. Once fully upgraded, she transforms into an absolute monster of crowd control.

Her upgraded ability doesn't just sleep one target. It envelops them and everyone nearby in a cloud of sleep poison. And the cherry on top? If some hapless guard tries to shake their comrades awake, they too succumb to the drowsy haze. This ability was my ultimate "reset button" for any situation.

• For Naoe: An entire patrol falls asleep, presenting a row of perfectly still necks for my hidden blade. It was assassination heaven.

• For Yasuke: A way to vanish from sight instantly. Cause a commotion, summon Oni-Yuri, and watch as your pursuers slump to the ground, letting you slip away into the shadows.

Her passive, which delays the arrival of reinforcements when alarms are raised, is just a wonderful bonus. Oni-Yuri offered unparalleled tactical flexibility, seamlessly bridging the gap between pure stealth and controlled chaos. In 2026, she remained my most trusted and frequently summoned companion, the secret weapon that made the impossible seem routine.

Looking back, each ally brought a unique flavor to my adventure. From Ibuki's brute force to Oni-Yuri's subtle poison, they were the pieces that allowed me to solve the puzzle of feudal Japan my own way. The true joy of Assassin's Creed Shadows wasn't just in mastering Naoe and Yasuke, but in building this found family of specialists and learning which combination of skills fit my playstyle at any given moment. They weren't just allies; they were the shadows at my back, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.