Assassin's Creed Shadows Claws of Awaji DLC Drops—Here's What You Need to Know

Assassin's Creed Shadows just got a major upgrade with the launch of the Claws of Awaji DLC, and there's a lot to unpack. This expansion brings plenty of reasons to jump back in. First off, there's a free weapon you can grab for a limited time, a wild new armor set, and a brand-new weapon type. Let's run you down on what you should come to expect from this all-new DLC.

When you start the game after updating, you'll notice a new free quest called "Go With the Bo." Completing this unlocks the new Bo staff, a weapon type that adds depth to Naoe's arsenal. You can invest mastery points into the bow tree to unlock abilities like the throw, and Flurry of Blows lets you toss enemies into each other, which locks enemies in place while dealing solid damage. 

One of the standout abilities is Windstep, which lasts for 15 seconds and can be extended by defeating foes. Windstep increases your reach and attack speed and makes breaking through enemy defenses easier. The Bo staff also introduces multiple stances that change how you fight. The top stance lets you counterattack when timed perfectly, the neutral stance pushes enemies back, and the low stance drops enemies to the ground. 

On top of that, if you equip the Teppo, chain assassinations are now possible: if enemies are close together, you can eliminate one and chain the attack to up to two more, but only if you have the required skill unlocked. You can even do a double assassination and still chain to another target. There's a lot of potential here for creative combat strategies. 

If you don't own Claws of Awaji yet, the rare Bo staff with 24% armor piercing on posture attacks is currently the only version you can get. Ubisoft initially said that other blue and purple variants would drop after acquiring your first Bo staff, but that's not the case. You also won't find Bo staffs for sale with gear vendors. 

Those who own the DLC, however, get access to two legendary bow staffs with strong perks, and more are set to be added via Helix Packs in the future. Accessing the Bo staff quest requires finishing the main story, including all key missions for Naoe and Yasuke, seasonal quests like Junjiro's, and Tomiko's missions. 

Completing these unlocks the "Out of the Shadows" quest, after which "Go With the Bo" appears near your hideout. If you're sporting the red assassin outfit, you meet the requirement for the DLC. Remember to download the expansion separately on PS5 or other platforms. For those of you who pre-ordered the base game and used their code for the Thrown to the Dogs mission, the DLC is free. Otherwise, it costs $25. 

Beyond the Bo staff, Claws of Awaji offers an exciting free weapon called the Moon Eater, which grants 100% extra damage but disables ration use. On higher difficulty levels, especially Nightmare, it's incredibly strong when combined with the right items, like the sharpened ceramic katana perk from the exchange. 

The Moon Eater is a Twitch drop available until September 29. What you have to do is just link your Ubisoft and Twitch accounts, watch four hours of AC Shadows streams, and the weapon will appear next time you start the game. Switching to a secondary weapon allows you to safely grab rations without losing them. 

The "Go With the Bo" quest also rewards two new armor pieces for Naoe. The chest piece triggers a shockwave 40% of the time when taking damage, pushing enemies back. The Bo Disciple Headband guarantees critical hits after switching targets.

Overall, the DLC adds two new legendary armor sets per character and one new legendary weapon per type, with the Bo staff receiving two. 

The Firecracker Pack also adds exciting options, especially for Yasuke. His Screaming Rocket bow lets regular arrows explode in a 2-meter radius, hurting foes nearby. He also has a trinket that increases the radius and damage even more. Naoe gets similar items. 

Kunai explode when they hit her chest piece, while Shuriken explode when they hit her helmet. This makes combat tool builds incredibly strong, letting you quickly debuff enemies in battle. There's also a new Kusarigama with firework effects, which looks great at night but is so-so in combat. 

Currently, some of these items are part of a Helix Pack that even includes a fox with a fuse for a tail. You may wish for an option to toggle off some of the magical effects from Helix items, given they can be very overbearing on your hardware. Despite that, the content in Claws of Awaji stands out as some of the best in AC Shadows. 

The story might not be the main highlight, but the gameplay improvements and new abilities make the DLC worth your money. At $25, Claws of Awaji is a strong addition for anyone who loves AC Shadows. Certain abilities initially promised to all players remain DLC-exclusive, which only adds to the value for those purchasing the expansion. You can expect exciting abilities for the Naginata, Katana, and Teppo. 

In short, Claws of Awaji brings a lot to the table. Ubisoft has offered fans a DLC that seems like a win-win, with new weaponry, gorgeous clothing, and creative skills. The price-to-content ratio is quite good. If you like Assassin's Creed Shadows, you should certainly check out Claws of Awaji.