To respec skill points in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, open the Skills menu, choose Naoe or Yasuke, and select “Reset Mastery Points” using the button prompt shown at the bottom of the screen. The reset refunds mastery points already invested in that character, allowing you to redistribute them across weapon and ability trees. It does not refund Knowledge Points used to unlock nodes, so Assassin’s Creed Shadows does not offer a complete, unlimited reset of every skill purchase.
This distinction matters because Shadows uses two progression currencies. Knowledge Points unlock new abilities and passive nodes, while Mastery Points improve those unlocked skills. You can rebuild the way a character specializes, but you cannot normally reclaim the Knowledge Points spent opening the tree itself. The reset is free, so there is no currency penalty for experimenting with a different combat setup.
How to Reset Mastery Points
Follow these steps whenever your current build no longer suits your gear, difficulty, or mission:
- Pause the game and open the Skills tab. You can also reach it from the character progression screen.
- Select the character whose build you want to change. Naoe and Yasuke maintain separate skill trees and separate mastery allocations.
- Look at the bottom-right corner of the Skills screen for the “Reset Mastery Points” command. The exact key or button depends on your platform and control scheme.
- Confirm the reset. Shadows returns the mastery points invested in that character’s upgradeable skills.
- Spend the refunded points on the weapon category or ability path that matches your new loadout.
If the command appears unavailable, leave the individual skill-detail view and return to the main character skill-tree screen. The reset prompt is tied to the overall Skills interface, not every node. Also check that you are controlling the intended character: resetting Naoe does not change Yasuke’s allocation.
The reset does not erase character level, gear, discovered regions, unlocked equipment, or completed objectives. It changes only where your available Mastery Points are assigned. That makes it useful before a major mission, after finding a powerful weapon, or when switching between stealth and direct combat.
Knowledge Points and Mastery Points Explained
Understanding the two currencies prevents the most common respec mistake. Knowledge Points are earned by improving knowledge of Japan through activities such as exploring, completing knowledge objectives, and interacting with the world. They open skills in the tree. Once a skill is unlocked with Knowledge Points, resetting mastery does not return that cost.
Mastery Points are the points you place into improvements after the relevant skill or node becomes available. These are the points returned by “Reset Mastery Points.” In practical terms, a reset lets you move investment from one unlocked branch to another, but it cannot turn an uncompleted Knowledge Point requirement into a different unlock.
For example, Naoe’s progression is divided around her Shinobi identity and weapon paths including the Katana, Tanto, and Kusarigama. You can refund mastery investment from a Katana-focused setup and put it into the Tanto or Kusarigama improvements if those nodes are already unlocked. You still need to earn additional Knowledge Points to open any skill you skipped.
Yasuke follows a different combat profile, with trees associated with the Samurai archetype and weapons such as the Long Katana, Naginata, Kanabo, and Teppo. A reset is especially useful when changing Yasuke from a close-range Kanabo or Long Katana setup to a reach-focused Naginata build. His unlocked branches remain available; only mastery spending changes.
For official game information, check the Assassin’s Creed Shadows official page, the official Steam listing, and Ubisoft Support for platform-specific controls or interface changes.
Best Times to Respec Naoe
Naoe benefits from a reset when your mission plan changes from infiltration to open combat. For fortress reconnaissance, prioritize the Shinobi side of her progression and keep mastery investment aligned with stealth, assassination, and tool usage. A Tanto-oriented setup suits players who want quick close-range kills, while the Kusarigama path gives her more flexibility against groups and enemies outside normal assassination range.
Before a stealth mission, remove mastery points from damage improvements that only matter during prolonged melee exchanges and place them into the unlocked abilities you actually use while approaching targets. This is also a good moment to review your tools, armor perks, and engraving choices. A respec cannot fix a mismatch if your equipment still rewards a completely different playstyle.
Do not reset simply because a single node feels weak. First test the skill during a patrol or side activity. Naoe’s mobility and stealth approach can make a modest-looking upgrade more valuable than a raw damage increase, particularly when playing on higher difficulty. If you regularly use the Katana after an assassination fails, keep enough mastery investment for a reliable fallback rather than building exclusively around perfect stealth.
Players comparing different playstyles can also use our solo class guide for a broader look at how specialization affects survival, or our early skills guide for another example of prioritizing limited progression resources.
Best Times to Respec Yasuke
Yasuke’s reset is most valuable after you acquire a weapon with a strong perk or decide that your current reach and damage profile are not working. The Long Katana offers a balanced melee option, the Naginata controls space with long attacks, the Kanabo emphasizes heavy impact, and the Teppo supports ranged pressure. Moving mastery points between these paths can change how safely Yasuke handles groups.
For a Naginata setup, spend refunded mastery on the unlocked reach-focused improvements you use to keep enemies outside their attack range. For a Kanabo setup, concentrate on the heavy attacks and defensive options that help Yasuke punish staggered targets. A Teppo-focused build should be paired with ammunition management and gear that supports ranged damage; resetting points alone will not create an effective gun build if your equipment has poor bonuses.
Always compare the new allocation with Yasuke’s current weapon level before confirming your next mission. A highly upgraded Long Katana can outperform a theoretically stronger but underleveled alternative. Respec after changing equipment, not before, so the mastery distribution supports the weapon you will actually carry.
Respec Checklist Before Spending Points
- Choose the correct character: Naoe and Yasuke have independent mastery pools.
- Record your current build: take a screenshot if you may want to recreate the previous setup.
- Check unlocked nodes: Mastery Points cannot replace Knowledge Points.
- Match skills to equipment: inspect weapon type, level, perks, and engraving bonuses first.
- Test the build: use a nearby patrol, hideout, or side objective before beginning a major quest.
- Spend gradually: confirm that each upgrade changes the attacks or utility you actually use.
There is no need to save the reset for a rare endgame opportunity. Because the “Reset Mastery Points” command is free, use it whenever your preferred weapon changes or a mission exposes a weakness in your build. Keep earning Knowledge Points through exploration so more branches become available over time, then use mastery resets to fine-tune Naoe and Yasuke for each situation.
For PC players, performance can affect how useful a new combat build feels. If input timing or stealth detection seems inconsistent, review our PC requirements guide and open-world Steam Deck coverage for general hardware and performance planning. The key takeaway remains simple: Shadows lets you reset Mastery Points, not Knowledge Points, so unlock broadly and respec the upgrades around the weapon and character you are using now.