Home News Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Level and Rank Caps Unveiled

Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Level and Rank Caps Unveiled

by Adam Oct 18,2025

Assassin’s Creed Shadows stands as one of the most expansive entries in the series, featuring a robust progression system. Discover the maximum levels and how the level cap functions in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

What Is the Maximum XP Level in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?

Assassin’s Creed Shadows redefines progression for the franchise. While skill unlocks hinge on the new Knowledge Ranks (detailed below), traditional XP-based leveling remains. Advancing your XP in Assassin’s Creed Shadows grants access to superior weapons, armor, and gear, while enhancing Naoe and Yasuke’s core attributes.

Players need only reach Level 35 to explore all Japanese provinces on the game’s map, but the XP grind extends far beyond. Initially, Ubisoft pegged the level cap at 40 in their pre-launch progression overview, yet players can push to Level 60. The Claws of Awaji expansion, set for release post-launch, is expected to raise this cap further for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

What Is the Maximum Knowledge Rank in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?

Assassin's Creed Shadows max level.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Mastery menu with early progress, Image via Ubisoft.

In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Knowledge Rank introduces a significant evolution to the series’ progression system, distinct from XP leveling. Players earn Knowledge Points through diverse open-world activities focused on mindfulness and training. Advancing through Knowledge Ranks unlocks new skills for Naoe and Yasuke, though players must still spend Mastery Points to activate these abilities.

To unlock all available skills, players must reach Knowledge Rank 6. However, this milestone opens a new Knowledge tree, offering passive skills to tailor Naoe and Yasuke’s abilities to a player’s preferred playstyle.

Related: Assassin’s Creed Shadows Trophy List (All 55 Trophies)

Is There a Mastery Cap in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?

Mastery is a cornerstone of progression in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, functioning as the game’s skill point system. Players spend Mastery Points to unlock abilities within various Mastery trees, with some skills requiring more points than others.

With six Mastery trees per protagonist, Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers a wealth of skills to unlock. Mastery Points are earned through a wide range of activities, ensuring ample opportunities to acquire them. While a theoretical cap on Mastery Points exists after extensive play, the Claws of Awaji expansion, launching in 2025, will likely introduce new ways to earn them.

Does Assassin’s Creed Shadows Feature Level Scaling?

Each Japanese province in Assassin’s Creed Shadows has an associated level. The highest initial requirement is for Kii, set at Level 35. As players progress and increase their XP, some regions adjust their difficulty to align with the player’s level.

Beyond Level 40, enemy and province difficulty scaling stabilizes, with a late-game floor starting at Level 42, where recommended levels remain two below the player’s XP level. This approach maintains a balanced challenge in combat while rewarding dedicated players with a sense of progression.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is available now on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.