Stealth Assassination#

Basic Stealth Mechanics#

Stealth State#

• Hold the stealth button (PS4: L2)
• Movement speed drops while sneaking, but footsteps are quieter
• Moving outside enemy vision keeps you undetected
• Enemy vision cones are shown as sectors on the minimap

Alert Levels#

Vision and Line of Sight#

• Enemies have a fixed vision range (farther by day, shorter at night)
• Enemies cannot spot you when their line of sight is blocked
• Noise attracts enemies (running, combat sounds)
• Some enemies wear helmets, which narrows their vision slightly

Stealth Environments#

Tall Grass#

• Grass Detection: While crouching in tall grass, you stay hidden unless an enemy steps directly into it
• Movement Technique: Stay crouched when moving between patches; sprinting exposes you at close range
• Lure Assassination: Whistling from the grass pulls patrolling guards right in front of you to be dealt with one by one
• Beware of Animals: Hunting dogs can smell you in the grass; pull back early or deal with them first

Rooftops and High Ground#

• Route Planning: First look for a chain of rooftops you can jump across to build an elevated path
• Observation from Above: Crouch at the rooftop edge and use Senu to mark enemy positions below
• Air Assassination: Rooftop edges are the best place to trigger air assassinations, with the height difference adding a damage multiplier
• Using Viewpoints: Synchronize the viewpoint near a stronghold first so you can drop straight into its core from above

Underwater#

• Approach by Diving: Come at shoreline strongholds from the water to avoid showing yourself in open view
• Underwater Assassination: Enemies on shore, docks, and ships can be dragged into the water once you get close
• Crocodile Threat: Crocodiles in the Nile attack on sight; check the water with Senu before getting in
• Breath Planning: Plan your breathing spots before entering the water and avoid surfacing within enemy sight

Blending into Crowds#

• Blending Conditions: Standing among a crowd and following its slow movement greatly lowers the chance of being noticed
• Keep a Low Profile: While blending, avoid conspicuous actions such as running, drawing weapons, or jumping
• Gaps Between Stalls: Cover between market stalls can briefly block guards’ line of sight
• Level Disadvantage: Guards far above your level will see through Bayek blending into a crowd, so steer clear of them

Assassination System#

Basic Assassination#

Approach an enemy from behind and press the assassinate button. A basic assassination kills most regular enemies outright.

Assassination Damage Calculation:

• Basic assassination damage = weapon damage × assassination multiplier
• Hidden Blade level affects the assassination multiplier
• Legendary Hidden Blades provide the highest multiplier

Air Assassination#

Leap down onto an enemy from above to assassinate them. Air assassination has a unique animation and a higher damage multiplier.

Conditions:

• Directly above the enemy
• Enough height difference
• The enemy is in an assassinable state (not alerted)

Mount Assassination#

Leap from your mount onto an enemy to assassinate them. Good for quickly clearing enemies along a patrol route.

Corner Assassination#

Hide at a corner or doorway edge and assassinate the enemy as they come close.

Underwater Assassination#

Assassinate enemies on the shore or aboard ships by approaching through the water.

Chain Assassination#

• Chain Assassination III: Increases throw damage, letting you kill higher-level enemies instantly

Chain Assassination is a skill that, right after killing one enemy, immediately throws a hidden blade at another enemy in range. It is the most important efficiency skill for clearing strongholds.

• Skill Requirement: Requires equipping the Hidden Blade and spending a skill point to unlock; the higher the level, the higher the level of enemy it can kill outright
• Best Timing: Works best when two enemies stand close together, or when a patrol is lined up in a row
• Failure Penalty: If the second throw misses, nearby enemies are alerted at once and you are thrown into combat
• Combo Usage: Whistle first to draw isolated enemies together, then trigger Chain Assassination to clear them in one go

Senu Scouting#

Senu is the most distinctive stealth support system in this game. As a controllable eagle, she provides unmatched reconnaissance from above.

Senu Basic Controls#

Scouting Techniques#

1. High Vantage Point: Fly to the highest point for the widest view
2. Scout from the Outside In: Mark the outer patrols first
3. Tag Collectibles: Senu can mark chests, pottery shards, and more
4. Track Specific Targets: Quest targets are highlighted
5. Find Hidden Entrances: Some tomb entrances must be discovered with Senu

Senu Upgrades#

The following abilities can be unlocked for Senu in the skill tree:

Recommended Stealth Gear#

Stronghold Stealth Guide#

The best flow for clearing a stronghold:

Step One: Scouting Phase

1. Use Senu to scout the whole stronghold from above
2. Mark all enemies (numbers, positions, patrol routes)
3. Mark chests and collectibles
4. Identify priority targets (commanders, archers)

Step Two: Clear the Perimeter

1. Start clearing from the outermost patrol routes
2. Eliminate archers first (on rooftops / towers)
3. Use whistling to lure and assassinate enemies one at a time
4. Deal with animals (dogs and lions will give away your position)

Step Three: Clear the Interior

1. Enter the stronghold’s core area from high ground
2. Assassinate the commander first (to break morale)
3. Use Chain Assassination to handle group patrols
4. Clean up the remaining enemies last

Step Four: Looting

1. Open every chest
2. Collect materials
3. Synchronize the viewpoint (if there is one)
4. Complete the quest objective

Special Stealth Techniques#

Whistling#

The whistle is the most commonly used stealth tool, used to draw a single enemy to a chosen spot.

• Lure Flow: Whistle from tall grass or a corner, wait for the enemy to come within attack range, then assassinate
• Handling Pairs: When two enemies patrol together, lure the first one, deal with it, then immediately handle the second to avoid noise carrying
• Spacing It Out: Whistling repeatedly raises enemy alertness, so move to a new ambush spot immediately if it fails

Body Disposal#

• Carry and Hide: Hold the interact button to hoist the body and drag it into tall grass, a rooftop corner, or the inside of a room
• Order of Priority: If a patrol route is still nearby after an assassination, hide the body before moving on
• Throw It Away: Bodies can be dropped off rooftops or thrown into water to erase all traces
• Detection Rule: Once an enemy finds a body, they immediately go on alert and call for reinforcements

Using Light Sources#

• Douse Torches: Put out wall torches and oil lamps to create dark pockets in bright areas
• Night Vision: Enemy vision shortens noticeably at night, making distant patrols far less likely to spot you
• Lamp Distraction: Knock over oil lamps along patrol routes; the spilled oil and flames draw enemy attention

Decoys#

• Smoke Bomb: Throws out smoke you can move through without being seen, and lets you force an assassination
• Sleep Darts: A non-lethal option; put high-level enemies to sleep and slip past or execute them
• Fire Bomb: Use the flames to draw a crowd of enemies, then sneak in from the other side

Stealth Playstyles#

Depending on your skill points and gear, stealth can branch into several established playstyles.

Pure Assassination#

• Core Skills: Enhanced Assassination, Chain Assassination, assassination damage boosts
• Approach: Never trigger open combat; clear point by point using tall grass and rooftops
• Best For: Stronghold clearing, escort quests, high-difficulty camps
• Recommended Gear: A maxed Hidden Blade with assassination damage affixes

Scout Sniper#

• Core Skills: Senu Marking, precision shooting, Bullet Time
• Approach: Mark every enemy with Senu first, then pick them off one by one from range with the Predator Bow
• Best For: Open strongholds and areas with scattered guards
• Recommended Gear: Predator Bow with headshot damage affixes

Phantom Tools#

• Core Skills: Smoke Bomb, Sleep Darts, Bait, Tool Expert
• Approach: Use tools to create chaos and finish assassinations amid smoke and sleep
• Best For: Levels with dense enemies and single-file routes
• Recommended Gear: Tool Expert raises carry limits, and an upgraded Smoke Bomb widens your cover

Common Stealth Mistakes#

1. Exposing Yourself Too Early: Acting before you finish observing
2. Underestimating Animals: Dogs and lions will break your stealth
3. Overestimating Tall Grass: Enemies will check the grass when they come near
4. Forgetting to Close Doors: The AI will open doors to investigate anything unusual
5. Ignoring High Ground: Archers on rooftops can see you
6. Leaving Bodies: A discovered body triggers the alarm
7. Being Underleveled: You cannot kill high-level enemies in one assassination