Recruiting the Blacksmith in Assassin’s Creed Shadows: A Forge Guide
In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, like many expansive open-world games, orienting yourself initially may take a moment. Following the introductory sequence, your primary objective is to locate Tomiko and establish your sanctuary. This base of operations serves as your central hub for gathering allies and constructing facilities. However, you will soon discover that a crucial building, the Forge, remains inaccessible. The game indicates that recruiting a blacksmith is a prerequisite for unlocking this facility, making it a natural first task to address.
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To recruit your blacksmith, initiate the quest “Way Of The Blacksmith,” found within the Objectives tab of your main menu under Tomiko’s icon. Tomiko’s dialogue, where she and Naoe discuss the initial Onryo targets, likely mentions recruiting a blacksmith named Heiji. Therefore, accessing this quest is virtually assured if you are reading this guide. Assuming default game settings, locating Heiji requires a minimal amount of exploration. His location is provided below for immediate access.
Locating the “Way Of The Blacksmith” Quest
As explicitly indicated by in-game hints, Heiji is situated in Sekai. This area is positioned directly southwest of your hideout. Sekai also marks the starting point for your pursuit of the Golden Teppo, presenting an opportunity to accomplish two objectives simultaneously by venturing there first. This allows you to both recruit the blacksmith and progress another questline concurrently.
Upon arrival in Sekai, you will encounter Heiji under siege by bandits. These are standard adversaries; eliminate them using your preferred combat approach. Victory is readily achievable even without prior character progression or advanced equipment. Following the battle, converse with Heiji to uncover the circumstances that have affected his morale. Select your preferred dialogue option; subsequently, Heiji will journey to Tomiko’s hideout. After accumulating sufficient resources, constructing the Forge at your base will become possible.
Maximizing the Blacksmith’s Utility
Once the Forge is constructed, locate Heiji within your newly established building. Interacting with him grants access to the following services:
- Upgrade: Enhance equipment level by allocating resources. Gear level is capped at your character’s current level. While Gold can instantly upgrade gear to your level, it is a rare resource. Conserve Gold for significant upgrades later in the game and avoid accidental early-game expenditure.
- Engrave: Apply engravings to compatible gear, as indicated by “Visit the Hideout’s blacksmith to engrave a perk” in the item’s stats. Engravings are reusable but require Mon currency for each application or override.
- Salvage: Dismantle gear into upgrade components.
In essence, to maintain the effectiveness of favored gear pieces, utilize the Blacksmith for continuous refinement throughout your gameplay. As you embark on your Assassin’s Creed Shadows journey, ensure resource availability for Yasuke’s arrival within your party.