In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, Naoe excels in stealth and assassination, yet she can also handle direct confrontations with strategic planning. To maximize her potential, here are the top skills to prioritize for Naoe, focusing on skills available up to Knowledge Rank 3, which can be achieved quickly through engaging with the game's open world activities in the starting regions.

Best Skills to Get First for Naoe in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Katana

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• Dodge Attack – Katana Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1 Mastery Point)
• Melee Expert – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1/2/3 Mastery Points)
• Counter Attack – Katana Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points)
• Eviscerate – Katana Ability (Knowledge Rank 3, 5 Mastery Points)

These skills transform Naoe into a formidable defensive fighter, poised to capitalize on enemy aggression. If you master dodging and deflecting, you'll find ample opportunities to counterattack, leverage damage buffs, and decisively end battles with Eviscerate.

Kusarigama

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• Entanglement – Kusarigama Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1 Mastery Point)
• Affliction Builder – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1/2/3 Mastery Points)
• Big Catch – Kusarigama Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points)
• Multi-Target Expert – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 3, 1/2/3 Mastery Points)
• Cyclone Blast – Kusarigama Ability (Knowledge Rank 3, 7 Mastery Points)

These skills make Naoe a powerful force against both groups and solo targets. Entanglement, when upgraded, allows for significant affliction buildup and the ability to manipulate even large enemies for extra damage. The other skills enhance Naoe's capability to handle multiple foes, keeping them at bay while delivering impactful strikes.

Tanto

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• Shadow Piercer – Tanto Ability (Knowledge Rank 1, 5 Mastery Points)
• Gap Seeker – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1/2/3 Mastery Points)
• Backstab – Tanto Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points)
• Backstabber – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 1/2/3 Mastery Points)
• Back Breaker – Tanto Passive (Knowledge Rank 3, 3 Mastery Points)

These skills enhance Naoe's damage output with the tanto, particularly against vulnerable enemies. Even armored foes will dread your blade as you exploit their weaknesses, using maneuvers like spinning behind them for increased damage.

Tools

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• Smoke Bomb – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1 Mastery Point)
• Larger Tool Bag I – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points)
• Shinobi Bell – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 1 Mastery Point)
• Enduring Haze – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points)
• Kunai Assassination Damage I – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points)
• Shuriken – Tools Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points)

These tools empower Naoe to manipulate guards effectively, paving the way for targeting your main objective. Use Shuriken to disable alarms or trigger explosives, Shinobi Bell to divert enemies, and Kunai for distant kills. If spotted, deploy the Smoke Bomb to either escape or initiate a chain of assassinations, giving you strategic flexibility.

Shinobi

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• Ascension Boost – Shinobi Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 2 Mastery Points)
• Vault – Shinobi Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 1 Mastery Point)
• Igan Roll – Shinobi Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 1 Mastery Point)
• Heighten Senses – Shinobi Ability (Knowledge Rank 3, 5 Mastery Points)

These skills enhance Naoe's stealth capabilities, allowing her to move undetected towards her targets. Faster climbing, reduced fall damage, and the ability to slow time offer crucial advantages in navigating crowded areas with minimal risk of detection.

Assassin

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• Executioner – Global Passive (Knowledge Rank 1, 1/2/3 Mastery Points)
• Improved Ground Assassinate – Assassin Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points)
• Double Assassinate – Assassin Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points)
• Assassination Damage I – Assassin Passive (Knowledge Rank 2, 3 Mastery Points)
• Reinforced Blade – Assassin Passive (Knowledge Rank 3, 4 Mastery Points)

When paired with a Tanto, these skills allow Naoe to swiftly eliminate targets using her Hidden Blade. Dual assassinations and the ability to take down stronger foes are invaluable, though caution is advised against enemies with higher health until your skills are adequately upgraded.

With these prioritized skills across each tree, you'll be well on your way to becoming the most effective assassinating shinobi in all of Japan within *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*. For further assistance, be sure to check out The Escapist for more tips and guides.