One thing many players miss early on in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is that you cannot actually upgrade your weapons or armor right away. And if you are wondering where the customization options are: Yes, they are there, but some parts are easy to overlook.
Here is how it all works, explained in simple terms.
How to Unlock Gear Upgrades
If you want to upgrade or enhance your equipment or dismantle unwanted gear, you will need to unlock and build the Forge in your Hideout. It is one of the main buildings you can construct, and it gives access to:
- Gear Upgrades (level up your weapons, armor, and trinkets)
- Gear Customization (change the visuals /transmog of your gear)
- Engravings (add or swap perks on gear)
- Dismantling (scrap old gear for resources)
To unlock it, you need to finish a specific side quest after unlocking the Hideout early in the game. Talk to Tomiko to begin your search for a blacksmith. He is located in Sakai, and after helping him out, he will move into your Hideout and unlock the Forge.
From there, you can build and place the Forge wherever you want. It does not require many materials, just a quick build and you are good to go.
Upgrades & Engravings
Once your Forge is ready, you can upgrade your gear up to your current level. Later on, you can upgrade the Forge itself to unlock even more features:
- Forge Level 1: Upgrade gear to Level 20
- Forge Level 2: Upgrade gear to Level 40 + Engraving system unlocked
- Forge Level 3: Upgrade gear to Level 60 + legendary engravings
You can also engrave perks onto gear by spending materials and unlocking more engraving options as you collect new equipment. Legendary engravings become available once your Forge reaches Level 3.
Transmog: Customize Your Look
Building a Forge will also unlock the possibility of customizing the visuals of your gear.
As soon as you discover new gear, their visual styles are permanently unlocked for use. You can apply them at any time by opening your inventory, selecting a piece of gear, and pressing the “Customize” button (Y/Triangle).
- Armor: Change the full appearance to a style you have unlocked
- Weapons: Mix and match parts like blade, handle, guard, and sheath
- Trinkets & Mounts: Can also be visually customized
Customization is completely free, does not cost materials, and can be done whenever you want. It is a full transmog system without restrictions.
Dismantle Old Gear for Materials
If your inventory starts to fill up, head to the Forge and dismantle anything you no longer need. You will earn materials based on the gear type, which you can then use to upgrade your current loadout.
Legendary and unique gear cannot be dismantled, so no need to worry about accidentally deleting something important.
Do Not Wait Too Long
Both gear upgrades and customization options are unlocked fairly early, but it is easy to miss if you rush the main story. If you want to keep using your favorite weapons and armor throughout the game, unlock the Forge and start customizing early on. It is a quick side quest, and well worth it!
