The sprawling world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers players an impressive arsenal of weapons to master as they navigate feudal Japan through the eyes of its dual protagonists. Among these, the Winds of War Kusarigama stands as one of the most coveted legendary weapons for Naoe, offering a perfect blend of range, devastating special abilities, and visually striking combat animations. Unlike many other top-tier weapons that require extensive exploration or challenging side activities, this exceptional chain-sickle can be acquired through natural story progression, making it accessible to all players who advance far enough in the main campaign.
Its unique armor-breaking perk transforms it from merely another collectible into a strategic game-changer, particularly against heavily armored enemies that otherwise prove troublesome. Whether you’re specifically hunting for this weapon or simply looking to understand if it’s worth prioritizing in your playthrough, this comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about obtaining and maximizing the Winds of War Kusarigama.
Table of Contents
The Path to Power: Completing Darkness Falls Mission
The journey to acquire the Winds of War Kusarigama is interwoven with one of Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ most pivotal narrative moments. Unlike many legendary weapons that require players to venture off the beaten path, this particular item serves as a story reward for completing “Darkness Falls,” a main mission found in the eleventh chapter of the campaign titled “Fall of the Shinbafuku.” This placement in the late-game ensures that by the time you receive this weapon, you’ll have developed enough skill to fully appreciate its unique capabilities.
To begin this quest, you’ll need to have made substantial progress through the main storyline. Specifically, three prerequisite missions must be completed before “Darkness Falls” becomes available: “Temple Stories,” “Restless Spirits,” and “The Lost Envoys.” These missions collectively build the narrative foundation that culminates in your confrontation with The Wise, a key member of the Onryo/Shinbafuku organization and your primary target in this mission.
Once these prerequisite missions are completed, you can track the “Darkness Falls” quest through the Shinbafuku circle menu. Look for the quest marker beneath The Wise’s portrait to ensure you’re following the correct mission path. The quest location will direct you to Kokofuji Temple, where your objective begins at a distinctive leaning tree found to the southwest of the temple grounds. This atmospheric setting provides the perfect backdrop for the dramatic mission ahead.
Upon interacting with the leaning tree, you’ll face an important choice that significantly impacts how the mission unfolds. You must select which protagonist will undertake this challenge: Yasuke or Naoe. This decision isn’t merely cosmetic – it fundamentally alters your approach to the mission. Choosing Yasuke will steer the quest toward a more combat-focused experience where you’ll need to identify The Wise through direct confrontation. Alternatively, selecting Naoe transforms the mission into a stealth-centered investigation where uncovering a conspiracy becomes your primary objective before the inevitable confrontation.
Regardless of which character you select, the mission ultimately converges on the same endpoint: a climactic encounter with The Wise that concludes with their elimination. Upon completing this objective, you’ll not only advance the main storyline but also be rewarded with the Winds of War Kusarigama, adding this powerful weapon to your growing arsenal.
Winds of War Kusarigama: Stats, Perks, and Combat Potential
The Winds of War Kusarigama isn’t merely a trophy to commemorate your victory over The Wise – it’s a formidable weapon that can dramatically enhance Naoe’s combat capabilities. As a legendary-tier weapon, it offers impressive baseline statistics that scale with your level, ensuring it remains viable throughout your remaining adventures in feudal Japan.
At level 26 (a typical level for players reaching this stage of the game), the Winds of War Kusarigama boasts the following impressive statistics:
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Legendary |
| Weapon DPS | 446 |
| Posture DPS | 2178 |
| Ability Damage | 2451 |
| Daze Buildup | 18.0% |
What truly sets this weapon apart from other options in Naoe’s arsenal is its unique legendary perk: “Posture Attacks on Dazed enemies breaks armor.” This specialized ability creates a powerful combat synergy that can trivialize encounters with heavily armored opponents. When facing enemies with substantial armor protection, you can focus on building up their Daze meter (already enhanced by the weapon’s natural 18.0% Daze Buildup stat), then follow with posture-damaging attacks to shatter their defensive armor entirely.
The weapon also includes one open engraving slot, allowing you to further customize its capabilities at the Hideout’s Blacksmith. This flexibility enables you to tailor the Winds of War to complement your preferred playstyle or address specific combat challenges. Consider engravings that further enhance the weapon’s daze capabilities, increase critical hit chance, or boost overall damage output for maximum effectiveness.
In practical combat scenarios, the Kusarigama weapon class offers a distinctive fighting style that combines mid-range capabilities with swift strikes. The chain component allows Naoe to engage enemies from a greater distance than most melee weapons, while the sickle end delivers precise damage. The Winds of War exemplifies this versatility while adding its specialized armor-breaking capability, making it particularly effective against more resilient enemy types like heavily armored samurai or elite guards.
Maximizing Your Legendary Weapon’s Potential
Once you’ve obtained the Winds of War Kusarigama, several strategies can help you maximize its effectiveness throughout the remainder of your journey through feudal Japan. Understanding how to properly leverage this weapon’s unique properties will transform it from merely another tool in your arsenal into a game-changing asset for challenging encounters.
First, consider investing in the Kusarigama Mastery path in Naoe’s skill tree. These specialized abilities enhance your proficiency with this weapon type, unlocking new combat moves, increased damage potential, and improved handling. Since the Winds of War is a legendary Kusarigama, any points allocated to this mastery path will directly enhance your effectiveness with this specific weapon.
When engaging in combat, focus on building up the Daze meter of heavily armored opponents. The weapon’s inherent 18.0% Daze Buildup stat makes this process more efficient, allowing you to more quickly reach the state where your posture attacks will break enemy armor. Against standard enemies, this creates an opening for critical strikes, while against bosses or mini-bosses, it provides valuable windows of opportunity for sustained damage.
The engraving slot offers another avenue for customization. Consider visiting the Blacksmith at your Hideout to add a complementary perk that enhances the weapon’s strengths or addresses its limitations. Some particularly effective options include:
- Increased critical hit chance or damage
- Additional daze buildup percentage
- Stamina cost reduction for heavy attacks
- Affliction effects like poison or bleeding
Keep in mind that as you progress further through the game and increase in level, the Winds of War Kusarigama’s stats will scale accordingly. What appears as 446 Weapon DPS at level 26 will increase significantly by the time you reach the level cap, ensuring this legendary weapon remains viable throughout your entire journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to miss the Winds of War Kusarigama if I choose the wrong approach in the Darkness Falls mission?
No, you cannot miss obtaining the Winds of War Kusarigama regardless of which character or approach you choose for the “Darkness Falls” mission. Both Yasuke’s combat-focused approach and Naoe’s stealth-centered method will ultimately lead to the same conclusion – the elimination of The Wise and the acquisition of this legendary weapon. The different approaches simply offer varied gameplay experiences tailored to each character’s strengths.
While Yasuke’s path involves more direct confrontation and focuses on identifying The Wise through combat encounters, Naoe’s route emphasizes stealth, investigation, and uncovering a broader conspiracy. Both paths converge at the same endpoint, ensuring that all players will receive the Winds of War Kusarigama upon mission completion. This design allows players to experience the content in a way that matches their preferred playstyle without missing out on significant rewards. If you’re particularly interested in seeing both approaches, you can always replay the mission later through the story replay feature to experience the alternative perspective.
How does the Winds of War Kusarigama compare to other legendary weapons for Naoe in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?
The Winds of War Kusarigama occupies a unique niche among Naoe’s legendary weapons due to its specialized armor-breaking capabilities. When compared to other legendary Kusarigamas like Bloodletter (which triggers Bleed on Entanglement) or Death Whisperer (which deals 200% damage on enemy collisions), the Winds of War excels specifically against heavily armored opponents thanks to its ability to break armor on dazed enemies.
This makes it particularly valuable for late-game encounters where armored elites and bosses become more common. Unlike some other legendary weapons that require extensive exploration or challenging side activities to obtain, the Winds of War’s acquisition through story progression makes it more accessible. Its baseline stats are comparable to other legendary weapons of similar level requirements, with the 18.0% Daze Buildup offering excellent crowd control potential.
While weapons like the Stone Heart Kusarigama (which spreads Poison Affliction Buildup with Combo Ender) might offer better mob-clearing capabilities, and the Demon Tooth Kusarigama (which removes +2 Health Segments on Rush Assassinate) provides superior assassination utility, the Winds of War offers the most consistent performance against the game’s most challenging enemy types through its armor negation.
