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Assassin's Creed:Odyssey Ability Guide
By serker31
Detailed description and set of tips for each ability.
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serker31
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Category: Classes, Gameplay Basics
Languages: English
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Updated
18 Nov, 2018 @ 5:03am
8 May, 2019 @ 3:05am
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Guide Index
Overview
Introduction 
Guide structure 
Hunter abilities 
H1. Sixth sense 
H2. Spread Shot 
H3. Predator Shot 
H4. Arrow Master 
H5. Multi-Shot 
H6. Devastating Shot 
H7. Beast Master 
H8. Rain of Destruction 
H9. Archery Master 
H10. Rapid Fire 
H11. Overpower Bow Strike 
H12. Ghost Arrows of Artemis 
Warrior tree 
W1. Bull Rush 
W2. Sparta Kick 
W3. Charged Heavy Attack 
W4. Second Wind 
W5. Weapons Master 
W6. Shield Breaker 
W7. Ring of Chaos 
W8. Gear Master 
W9. Flaming Attacks 
W10. Fury of the Bloodline 
W11. Overpower Attacks 
W12. Fire Mastery 
W13. Battlecry of Ares 
Assassin Tree 
A1. Shadow Assassin 
A2. Venomous Attacks 
A3. Revelation 
A4. Rush Assassination 
A5. Poison Mastery 
A6. Vanish 
A7. Critical Assassination 
A8. Hero Strike 
A9. Call to Arms 
A10. Stealth Master 
A11. Slow Time 
A12. Death Veil 
A13. Shadow of Nyx 
Conclusion 
Comments
Introduction
Hi and welcome to my Assassin's Creed: Odyssey advanced ability guide.

We all know what each ability does, right? Between description and small video demonstrating its use, it is hard not to.

However, each ability got its gimmicks that can greatly affect its use. So I made a more detailed description and list of tips for each ability. I hope that they will help you in your Odyssey.
Guide structure
I will go through ablities one tree at a time, starting from Hunter, then Warrior, and finally Assassin. Ability order is from left to right and then from bottom to top. I will also add ability screen shot at the beginning of each chapter to make it easier to find each ability.

Abilities can be split into Active and Passive. Active abilities must be placed on ability wheel and manually activated, while Passive always work.

Most abilities increase their effects with level. Whenever possible, I will put value on each level split by /, for example : 150%/175%/200%. If it is not possible, I will put effects into commentary instead.
Hunter abilities
Hunter abilities cover usage of bow. In this tree, you will find everything you need to fight effectively in ranged combat, and then some other things like animal taming. Even seasoned warriors/assassins can put these skills to use: at times, one well-placed shot is just as good as hour of fighting or hour of bush shaking.
Oh, and don't underestimate the "surprise arrow to the face" trick in close combat.
H1. Sixth sense
Passive ability
Description: Time slows for up to 5/6/8 seconds when you're spotted by enemies. Aimed arrows lock onto the target's torso/torso/head and deal 150%/175%/200% Hunter damage.
  • This ability will essentially stop time when you are spotted (i.e. right before combat begins, partial detection do not count). If you aim with your bow in this time window, it will snap to an enemy that spotted you and aim at his torso (head on level 3) for easy shot with increased damage.
  • You are not considered to be in combat when this ability procs, allowing you to walk in face of enemy and assassinate him, or use any non-combat only ability. Or turn tail and run pretty far before anyone get a chance to do anything.
  • There is hidden cooldown of about 10 seconds on it: it won't trigger more frequently than that even if all conditions are met.
  • Slowed time will go away on your first non-lethal attack or if all enemies that detected you are dead. It means that you can chain successful assassinations during it: I managed to kill three enemies in slowed time once.
H2. Spread Shot
Active Ability
Description: Shoot a spread of 3/5/7 arrows at the same time that each deal 100% Hunter damage.
  • On second level, this ability will allow using special arrows. On third level, it will break enemy shields if enough shots land.
  • Arrows fly with significant spread, making head shots only possible at point blank and effective shooting - only at distance of three steps at best.
  • Special arrows effects will be covered in Arrow Master ability.
  • Shield breaking effect is useful, but only effective at point blank range. Additionally, targets hit with enough arrows will be ragdolled.
H3. Predator Shot
Active Ability
Description: Zoom to shoot an arrow that deals 380%/450%/600% Hunter damage and travels 25%/88%/150% farther.
  • At level 2 and higher special arrows can be used.
  • By holding "fire" button after shot, you can retain control of arrow after it is launched in slowed time, allowing easy head shots on moving targets, or shooting around obstacles. No firing around the corner though, controls are not that tight.
  • This ability is indispensable combat and assassination tool, allowing you to drop toughest enemies in its tracks - or executing them long before they catch wind of you. Many faction leaders died from an arrow coming far away that was defying laws of physics.
  • Comes with zoom for easier sniping, as well.
  • Comes with damage of fully drawn bow - you can't "charge" it for longer for more damage, but it already will do your damage plus any extra percentage from your "damage with bow charged shot" stat.
H4. Arrow Master
Passive ability
Description: Gain the ability to craft Paralyzing Arrows in the Inventory Menu.
  • This ability allow you to craft and use multiple types of arrows. On level 1, you can craft Paralyzing arrows. On level 2, you can also craft Fire and Poison arrows. On level 3, add Explosive arrows to the list.
  • Note that you will keep crafted arrows if you reset your abilities - but will not be able to use them until you gain the required level in Arrow Master again.
  • Paralyzing arrows is the best way of dropping your targets without killing them, allowing you to avoid bounty for killing or getting new recruits for your ship.
  • Note 1: Remember that only last strike on target must be done with knockout damage for knockdown, you are free to deplete target's health bar in any way you want before it.
  • Note 2: Knocked down targets only have 1 hp and are vulnerable to fire and poison effects, along with environmental damage (bonfires, high cliffs) and weapon damage (stray strike of you or enemy can easily kill your captive).
  • Fire and poison arrows deal fire and poison damage respectively (duh). I will cover more of elemental mechanics in Flaming Attacks and Venomous Attacks abilities.
  • Note 1: You can set your arrow on fire by holding it above source of fire, or making it fly above it.
  • Note 2: Poison arrows turn into explosive arrows when set on fire. It might or might not be the desired effect, so keep this possibility in mind.
  • Explosive arrows explode (unexpected, hmm?). Their damage equal to normal arrow damage, but they do damage in area of effect, stagger and set things on fire. They can damage you if explode close enough, also set you on fire. Explosive arrow damage is not afffected by fire or poison damage bonuses.
H5. Multi-Shot
Active Ability
Description: Target up to 4/6/8 enemies at the same time and shoot an arrow that deals 150%/200%/250% Hunter damage to each target.
  • You will automatically lock unto every target on screen that are within ability range, which is fairly short.
  • All arrows aim torso, and very likely will hit shield if enemy has one.
H6. Devastating Shot
Active Ability
Description: Unleash a bloodthirsty arrow that deals 290%/350%/400% Hunter damage (up to double when fully charged.) Fire and Poison Arrow elemental buildup is increased by 150%/175%/200%.
  • Pretty straightforward: one arrow that deal increased damage and stack fire or poison faster. Must be aimed manually, and can head shot.
  • On level 2 and up special arrows can be used.
  • This ability does not come with bow fully drawn - you can charge it for extra 100% damage (and maybe some more from equipment effects).
  • Additionally, level 1 arrow will stagger, level 2 will knock back and level 3 will ragdoll an enemy hit. Explosive arrow used with this ability will not ragdoll for some reason.
  • Arrows with this ability seem to have better range than normal arrows. Maybe 25% extra range on level 3 ability.
  • it might be worse than Predator Shot in open combat in terms of damage, because you have to draw string for a time for full power. But it is definitely easier to use due to lack of zoom.
H7. Beast Master
Passive ability
Description: Tame knocked out wolves. Only one wild animal can be tamed at a time.
  • Punch 'em, pet 'em, make 'em your own. Same as ship crew, but with animals and for in-land use.
  • Unlike in earlier version of game, you can tame elite animals. With certain skills like +health for tames animals and +damage for tamed animals, they become your very own little murder machines.
H8. Rain of Destruction
Active Ability
Description: Rain down a volley of arrows in an area of 3/5/5 meters, dealing 300%/350%/450% Hunter damage.
  • On level 2 and up special arrows can be used.
  • Despite animation, all enemies in an area will be hit only once for that much damage.
  • There is no area of effect damage from Explosive arrows if you use them with this ability: in fact, it looks like only one arrow explode in the middle of area and deal ability damage to all enemies.
H9. Archery Master
Passive ability
Description: Increase Hunter damage by 20%/30%/40% and Headshot damage by 0%/20%/40%. No longer consume Standard Arrows when using Hunter Abilities.
  • On level 2, this ability will additionally fill partially full Adrenaline segment when out of combat.
  • On level 3, time will be slowed down when you aim bow mid-air.
  • This ability is the most important one for ranger, because it increase damage of everything bow-related, with some headshot damage on top.
  • Note that head shots always do extra head shot damage, and can additionally crit. Headshot damage is completely separate stat from critical damage, as of patch 1.1.2.
  • Ability level 2 is extremely useful for all specializations, because you will always have more Adrenaline than you would otherwise.
  • Ability level 3 is good for some screenshots too, I guess.
H10. Rapid Fire
Active Ability
Description: Continuously shoot arrows by holding Attack button. Each arrow shot costs 35%/30%/25% of an Adrenaline segment and inflicts 60%/70%/80% Hunter damage.
  • Each level grant even faster shooting. On level 2, special arrows can be used.
  • Activation is free, only each arrow will use Adrenaline. Ability last until you stop aiming and has no cooldown, same as most other Hunter abilities.
  • Arrows inflict stagger on enemies hit, break defence on small shields, and will throw lighter enemies away after few successive hits.
H11. Overpower Bow Strike
Active Ability (not taking a slot)
Description: Requires Archery Master. Shoot a charged arrow that deals 1000%/1200%/1500% Hunter damage and explodes on impact. Uses 3 Adrenaline segments.
  • Here is the ability to rule them all. Everything in ~3m from point of impact will feel this 1000%/1200%/1500% Hunter damage.
  • You don't have to equip this ability, it use Overpower button. You have to aim your bow to use it.
  • Ability animation may look slow, but time is slowed during it so it's pretty much instant in use.
  • Arrow from this ability fly in normal time, and follow normal arrow physics.
  • It is impossible to head shot with it, so feel free to aim ground to eliminate the chance of miss.
  • Unlike with Explosive Arrows, you can't damage yourself with this ability.
H12. Ghost Arrows of Artemis
Active Ability
Description: Requires Overpower Bow Strike. Shoot a ghostly arrow that can slip through shields, enemies, and even walls. Deals 260%/290%/340% Hunter damage.
  • Arrows shot with this ability will pass through everyhing on their way, no matter how many shields, enemies or meters of stone.
  • It might be not worth it to put enemies in line, but you can surprise attack through walls or kill few seating or lying enemies with headshots with one single arrow.
  • If you draw the string before the shot - damage will be additionally increased by your "damage with bow charged shot" stat, if you have it above zero.
Warrior tree
Warrior tree is all about open combat, and melee combat at that. Even if you prefer bow or cloak and dagger approach, chances are you will enter open combat, and you better come ready. And if you like it close and personal - well, welcome to the toy shop.
W1. Bull Rush
Active Ability
Description: Quickly rush through enemies, knock them down, and deal 250%/300%/400% Warrior damage.
  • Charge distance is about 7 meters. All enemies will be thrown along the same direction. Fairly short cooldown.
  • Level 3 of this ability end in powerful smash, dealing as much damage as ability itself in small radius. It is quite difficult to catch enemies in it though, because they tend to fly further than that.
  • If you have enemy in hard lock (designated lock button), you will go towards him. If not, you will go wherever your character was facing.
W2. Sparta Kick
Active Ability
Description: Knocks a target back and deals 160%/200%/250% Warrior damage. The target won't be killed and can be recruited afterward.
  • You know what you have to scream each time you use this ability? Damn right.
  • Kick is doing non-lethal damage, in theory allowing to use it for recruitment. Unfortunately ragdoll is very powerful, and usually kills target on impact with wall or with falling.
  • This ability is IWIN button for boarding on sea, because targets knocked off the ship are effectively dead.
  • Level 3 of ability states something about shockwave. In reality, it means that enemies hit by primary target will be ragdolled as well. It is somewhat difficult to pull off and slightly useless.
W3. Charged Heavy Attack
Active Ability (not taking a slot)
Description: Focus inner strength to unleash a powerful attack that varies depending on weapon type. Knocks enemies away or breaks their guard.
  • You can charge your power attack by holding buttons, and it takes approximately two seconds. Animation and exact effect depend on weapon type currently in hand.
  • Level 2 increase ability damage by 50%. Level 3 reduce charge time by 25%. Ragdoll force is increased on level 2 as well - level 1 is not enough to throw around heavier enemies like strategoi.
  • You have to predict an opening for charging it, else it will do you no good. Weapons like staffs and spears make it area of effect attack, so might be worth it.
W4. Second Wind
Active Ability
Description: Refills 25%/35%/50% of max Health.
  • An in-combat healing, for one point of adrenaline and average cooldown. Pretty much must have for all specializations.
  • Level 3 additionally remove fire and poison effect, so even more must have.
W5. Weapons Master
Passive ability
Description: Increase Warrior damage by 20%/30%/40%, increase CRIT chance with all weapons by 0%/5%/10%.
  • It increases all open combat and Warrior ability damage, making it mandatory for warrior.
  • Additionally, it increases critical chance with all attacks, be it Warrior, Hunter or Assassin. So it is useful for all specializations.
  • Level 3 of this ability make "combo finishers deal more damage when the combos contain both Light and Heavy Attacks". In essence, you will do double damage on finishing strike if you fulfilled the requirement.
  • Remember, properly alternating between light and heavy attacks, and knowing when you can chain your attack and when you better go defensive - is a key to maximizing your efficiency as warrior.
W6. Shield Breaker
Active Ability
Description: Break Small shield and deal 150%/160%/250% Warrior damage.
  • Tear the shield out of enemy grasp and smash their face with it. Useful and fun, on very short cooldown. This ability can't do critical damage.
  • On level 2, you can dismantle all shields, not only small ones. On level 3, enemy will be violently thrown away and everyone around you will stagger and take ability damage. It is also stated that level 2 will stun enemy, but it doesn't seem to happen.
  • This is the easiest way of removing enemy shields, with some damage dealt on top. At first glance it is easier to use heavy attack to break enemy guard, but removing their shield altogether is faster, more permanent and deny them some shield-based attacks like charge.
  • It is possible to use this ability against enemy without shield, but it will end in quick Spear strike dealing ability damage and light stagger. It will interrupt whatever enemy was doing, so it might be used as counterattack. Also, such strike CAN crit.
W7. Ring of Chaos
Active Ability
Description: A sudden shocking blast Stuns surrounding enemies within 3/5/7 meters and deals 150%/180%/250% warrior damage.
  • Deal damage and stagger all enemies around you, on average cooldown.
  • On level 3, ability will ragdoll all effected enemies.
  • Extremely useful for making some breath room.
  • This ability really begin to shine if you have access to elemental weapons, because it stack fire or poison on affected enemies. Get "elemental buildup" stat high enough, and it will set everything on fire with single cast!
  • Critical chance is checked once per ability use - if it crits, it does critical damage on all targets.
W8. Gear Master
Passive ability
Description: Increase Armor by 30%/60%/90%, reduce ranged damage by 0%/10%/20%.
  • Fairly straghtforward, and extremely useful if you ever going to be hit.
  • Level 3 also give 10% chance that enemy attacking in melee will stagger instead of doing damage to you.
W9. Flaming Attacks
Active Ability
Description: Conjure the fires of Hephaistos. Melee weapons and Standard Arrows inflict Fire Damage for 15/20/25 seconds. When their Fire meter is full, enemies start Burning. Burning inflicts damage over time. Requires no Adrenaline.
  • Fire damage is increased further by fire damage +x% effects on gear and abilities. This ability doesn't increase direct damage output on its own if you don't have any bonuses, but you probably will.
  • You can see the burning meter over your enemy head if you hit him with fire attack. You have to fill it landing attacks if you want to actually set enemy on fire. Once enemy is on fire, you can't refresh this effect until it wears off.
  • Burning enemies take continuous damage and may panic.
  • Damage that fire effect inflict depend only on (final) weapon damage. Elemental buildup stat affect how many strikes you have to land to set someone on fire.
  • Level 3 of this ability remove its cooldown. Hail Hephaistos!
  • This ability will make normal arrows function as fire arrows, but will not change any other arrows. Separate fire arrows have the same effect, without duration or cooldown.
  • This ability does nothing for Assassination damage or abilities.
  • You can also set various decorations on fire using this ability, and through them - yourself. Do a long roll (hold jump button) to get rid of fire.
W10. Fury of the Bloodline
Active Ability
Description: Unleash a flurry of 5/5/6 attacks against a single enemy, each dealing 120%/150%/150% Warrior Damage. Generate 3/3/4 Adrenaline segments.
  • This ability cost 1 Adrenaline to activate and will give you 3/3/4 points back if it hits. Cooldown is quite long, about 30 seconds.
  • This attack has amazing damage potential and valuable both for Adrenaline-generating properties and invulnerability frames, allowing for easier group fighting and regaining some resource for even more ability use.
  • If your target is not humanoid or stands on steep terrain like stairs, attack will not connect and will generate a single swipe that will do all damage to all targets it hits, and will return Adrenaline for each target hit. Additionally such strike can do critical damage, unlike normal ability execution.
  • Level 3 make combo longer and generate one extra Adrenaline segment, bringing net gain to three segments.
W11. Overpower Attacks
Active Ability(not taking a slot)

Description: Massively powerful attacks that vary depending on weapon type. Requires 3 full Adrenaline segments.
  • Hold your Overpower button to leap at locked enemy and unleash your fury! Combos depend on weapon used. Usually it is enough to obliterate any single enemy, except for toughest ones. Remember that most weapons require viable enemy in soft lock (yellow dot), or all you will get is pointless jump in place for 3 Adrenaline.
  • Increasing level of ability increase damage dealt, and on level 3 - make combos longer and deadlier.
  • Enemy got shield? Nope, it won't help him.
  • Overpower Attacks cannot crit, unless you use spear, staff or attack didn't connect properly (see below).
  • If attack can't properly connect (target is higher or lower than you, for example on stairs, or not human at all), all damage will be dealt in one mighty blow. Such blow CAN be blocked by shield.
  • Some single target combos have pretty wide strikes. Any other enemies hit by them will not take damage, but will be ragdolled.
  • Unarmed: Single target combo resulting in target knocked down. Level 3 make combo longer. Damage from this one is quite high and non-lethal, making it an easier option for captuing targets. You can activate unarmed combo with two weapons equipped - you have to pull out your torch and then press overpower button.
  • Swords: Single target combo resulting in enemy thrown back and the right. Level 3 make combo longer.
  • Daggers: Long single target combo resulting in enemy thrown back. Level 3 make combo even longer, and replace ragdoll with knockdown.
  • Spears: Combo with sweeping attacks that can be targeted onto single enemy with hard lock (designated lock button), or spread manually between few targets. Level 3 add ground slam in the end, dealing more damage.
  • Staffs: High range circular attacks, perfect for room cleaning, do not lock onto target. Level 3 add ground slam in the end.
  • Heavy blunts & axes: HULK SMASH on one target, and then send it flying. Can be repeated for free for up to 2/3/4 additional targets, if they are close enough (number grow with ability level). Can be chained on one target more than once only if you have something in between (e.g. if you have targets 1 and 2, you can hit target 1 first, then chain on target 2, then chain back to target 1 and chain to target 2 again, provided they don't fly out of range or die). It might be impossible to chain if target kill caused slow time (killing officers in contest battles for example).
W12. Fire Mastery
Passive ability
Description: Fire buildup increased by 25%/40%/60%. Burning duration is increased by 0/4/6 seconds. Burning damage increased by 0%/0%/40%.
  • This ability work for all sources of fire damage - if you have weapon that do innate fire damage, you don't have to turn Flaming Attacks on to benefit from this ability.
  • More thorough description of these effects is covered in Flaming Attacks section.
  • It does, in fact, increase all fire damage you do on level 3 by 40%, even damage from strikes themselves.
W13. Battlecry of Ares
Active Ability
Description: In a fit of godly rage, all attacks inflict 20%/35%/50% more damage for 10/15/20 seconds. Requires no Adrenaline.
  • Level 2 of this ability make you immune to dying while under ability effect: you can't go below 1 hp. But you still can be staggered.
  • Level 3 additionally make all hits received increase your attack power. I believe it is about 1% more damage bonus per 1% of lost health.
  • This ability, in fact, increase your Warrior and Hunter damage stat and therefore subjected to diminshing returns as your gear get better. Also, it won't affect your Assassin damage.
  • Enemies use this ability as well, and it make them greatly resistant to stagger - they ignore most blows and only flinch from bigger hits like Charged Heavy Attack.
Assassin Tree
Assassin abilities are all about striking first and last, and never getting seen. There isn't much for open combat, but quite a few tricks to disappear in plain sight.
A1. Shadow Assassin
Passive ability
Description: Assassination and Knockout damage are increased by 20%/30%/40%. Automatically loot the enemy after Assassination. CRIT damage is increased by 0%/25%/50%.
  • This ability increase all damage dealt by your assassinations and all abilities with similar damage type. Therefore, it is must have for any assassin.
  • Critical damage increase actually affect critical damage from ALL sources, so it is useful for all specializations.
  • Besides, any spec might use assassination attack when opportunity arise. You have only one chance for making first impression, right? At very least, it will do big chunk of damage without much trouble.
  • Level 3 of this ability will give one extra Adrenaline bar on successful kill and only on kill. If you are wondering, assassination kill give about 1.4 bars of Adrenaline without this ability, half that if attack did not kill the target.
  • Assassin synergize pretty well with Archery Master from Hunter tree. You will get lots of partially filled adrenaline segments with assassinations, and you generally stay out of combat.
  • Same thing for Sixth Sense from same tree: you can just walk to enemy and assassinate him even if you get spotted.
A2. Venomous Attacks
Active Ability
Description: Melee weapons and Standard Arrows inflict Poison damage for 15/20/25 seconds. When their Poison meter is full, enemies become intoxicated. Intoxication inflicts damage over time and weakens the damage and armor of the enemy. Requires no Adrenaline.
  • Mechanics is absolutely similar to Flaming Attacks, except poison deal damage slower and won't make enemies panic, but reduce their armor and damage done.
  • Unlike you would expect from ability in assassination tree, it does nothing for assassination attacks.
  • Once again, level 3 of this ability remove cooldown.
A3. Revelation
Active ability (not taking a slot)
Description: Summon Athena's sight to reveal all secrets, including chests and hidden passages in a radius of 15/20/30 meters. All nearby enemies are tagged.
  • Hold your designated Ikaros button to highlight all collectibles, and mark all items of interest in abovementioned range. It will highlight every urn, every bag and every piece of ore for you to collect.
  • It is not "worse Ikaros" - sometimes you have to search for something on your own, and this ability make it much easier. I'll say that it is worth putting at least a point in for each specialization.
A4. Rush Assassination
Active Ability
Description: Launch the Spear of Leonidas at a distant enemy to deal 110%/130%/150% Assassin damage up close. Can be chained 1/2/3 times.
  • You can use this ability only out of combat, and on distance up to 15m. Your soft lock range (yellow dot) will helpfully extend to this range if you have this ability on your bar.
  • On use, you will teleport to an enemy and perform an assassination attack. If there are other enemies in range, time will be slowed to allow you to choose target and repeat attack for free, number of chained attacks you can do depend on ability level.
  • You can chain back to targets you already hit, but not in succession - e.g. if you have targets 1 and 2, you can start with target 1, chain to target 2, then chain to target 1 and chain to target 2 again.
  • You will likely be detected during this animation, but it will not be interrupted.
  • This ability can do a lot of damage in short time window, or wipe entire camps at once - and only for 1 Adrenaline.
A5. Poison Mastery
Passive Ability
Prerequisite: Venomous Attacks
Decription: Poison buildup is increased by 25%/40%/60%. Intoxication duration is increased by 0/4/6 seconds. Intoxication damage and weakening effect is increased by 0%/0%/25%.
  • Fairly straightforward passive poison powerup. Remember that it will affect all your poison attacks, including standalone poison arrows or weapons with innate poison damage.
  • Level 3 of this ability will increase all your poison damage, as stated in stat screen.
A6. Vanish
Active ability
Description: With a burst of bright light, Stun nearby targets for 6/8/10 seconds. Attacking breaks the stun.
  • Ability range is about 15 meters, require line of sight to work. Long cooldown.
  • It will allow you to run away and hide, or pick your enemies one by one.
  • Enemies can not lose you while they are stunned, so you will be considered in combat for duration of this ability. No assassinations during this time.
  • Can not be used in conquest battle for some reason.
A7. Critical Assassination
Active ability (not taking a slot)
Description: Launch a Stealth attack with deadly precision, dealing 200%/250%/300% Assassin damage. Must be in range and out of conflict to perform it.
  • Hold your designated assassination button instead of tapping it, and you will deal vastly increased damage on assassination at the cost of one Adrenaline.
  • Additionally, you won't gain any Adrenaline on hit or kill with this skill.
  • Increased damage may be worth it if you want to dispatch one tough target. If you have multiple targets, Rush Assassination might give more bang for your buck.
A8. Hero Strike
Active ability
Description: Single strike attack unleashing the full power of the Spear of Leonidas. Inflicts 60%/80%/100% Assassin damage.
  • Basically, the only offensive Assassin ability that can be used in combat. Even then, cooldown is too long to make open combat comfortable.
  • Level 3 of this ability additionally change animation.
  • Hero Strike can't crit, unless it didn't connect properly (see below).
  • If attack can't properly connect (target is higher or lower than you, for example on stairs, or not human at all), all damage will be dealt in one sweeping strike. This strike CAN be blocked by shield. Additionally, it can hit more than one enemy - or miss entirely, if you were looking into wrong direction.
  • This ability is useful if you want to quickly finish target that survived your assassination attempt.
A9. Call to Arms
Active ability
Description: Summon a Lieutenant to distract enemies for at least 30/40/50 seconds.
  • This ability require an enemy target and not usable in combat. It will bring forth a lieutenant from your ship, who will attack marked enemy and any other enemies nearby.
  • With ability level 3 lieutenant will do more damage.
  • Lieutenant from top left cell is always summoned. Summons keep their abilities from before you recruited them, and some of them are pretty devastating; for example grenade using mercs or leaders. Spolier: Deimos.
  • Lieutenant will not leave until combat is over or ability duration run out, and ability cooldown will not start until lieutenant leave.
  • Lieutenants are not immortal (sort of) - if they are defeated in combat, they will kneel down and remain passive until combat is over or ability duration ends, then they will bail away. Enemies ignore defeated lieutenants.
  • You get no bounty for kills made by lieutenants.
  • it might be useful for specializations: everyone can use the bullet spounge pincushion buddy from time to time.
A10. Stealth Master
Passive ability
Description: Become a silent killer. Noise from movement and Assassination is reduced.
  • This ability reduce noise you make when walking and running, and from level 2 and up - reduce the distance on which you will be detected when crouched. Level 3 additionally increase damage out of combat at night.
  • This ability will make your assassination runs much faster - you can run when there is no enemy line of sight to you without worry about making noise. Can run to enemy from behind and assassinate him without having to crawl all the way.
  • Visibility reduction while crouched is nice, too. It won't make you invisible in plain sight, but will make moving around a bit easier.
  • Finally, at night, all your assassination damage and all damage out of combat increased by 50%. A godsend for assassins and hunters who prefer "one hit, one kill" approach. Less useful for a warrior, unless you open fight with assassination attack or ability.
  • Remember that you can meditate until night or day whenever you feel like it.
A11. Slow Time
Description: Move faster than Hermes as time is slowed down for 5/7/10 seconds.
  • This ability allow you to perform few combos on enemies without interference. Long cooldown.
  • Note that enemies still move, and can do damage and stagger you.
A12. Death Veil
Passive Ability

Description: Requires Shadow Assassin. Enemies killed by Asassination automatically disappear and cannot be detected by everyone.
  • Pretty straightforward. Note that only assassination, Critical Assassination and Rush Assassination will trigger this effect, Hero Strike will not.
  • Saves you from having to hide corpses yourself.
A13. Shadow of Nyx
Active ability
Prerequisite: Stealth Master
Description: While out of conflict, become as invisible as a shadow. Moving will cause exposure. Adrenaline is consumed quickly over time.
  • Level 2 of ability allow you to move without breaking it, level 3 will greatly reduce Adrenaline consumption and let you aim with your bow without breaking effect.
  • There is no upfront cost for activating it, and you can fully restore Adrenaline used with Archery Master if you used less than one full segment.
  • You can't use it during Sixth Sense opportunity window. I guess it would be too cheap.
Conclusion
And this is it about abilities in AC:O. At least until Ubisoft add new ones, I will be waiting and update this guide accordingly.

I will welcome any (constructive) criticism of my guide, it is my first guide after all. Please comment with any ideas that can make it better.
30 Comments
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Prince Vegeta 15 May, 2024 @ 12:34pm 
:104: :vegeta:
damianvincent 5 Jul, 2021 @ 10:35am 
Awesome, very nice, and well structured, thank you for sharing this with the community, your efforts are appreciated, not only liked, favorited, but also gave some steam points to ya. Thanks again!
Asparagus 7 Jan, 2021 @ 7:17am 
the hero strike is very good
loganjamesalex 10 May, 2020 @ 2:49am 
@Hug :3™ you need to own DLC to access that skill.
Hug :3™ 10 May, 2020 @ 2:06am 
A12. Death Veil

why I don't have that in my skills
SlimSlim3 10 Dec, 2019 @ 6:01pm 
@JusBlaze28 I think it may have a connection with DLCs. Do you have both major DLC installed?

Anyway, much appreciated for the guide. Very informative.
serker31  [author] 29 Jun, 2019 @ 12:20am 
@saucey Thank you, that's what I did it for.

@real_mister I wouldn't say that there are useless abilities. They all are useful at least for some gameplay style, so I decided not to go there.
CiaphasCain 28 Jun, 2019 @ 2:40pm 
Would help to have a dedicated section with must haves, mediocres and avoid
saucey 28 Jun, 2019 @ 7:44am 
Thanks for this. Love knowing in-depth what my stuff actually does.
ExcuuuseMoi 21 May, 2019 @ 11:39pm 
Thanks for posting. Very helpful in prioritizing selections.