With the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, players all over the world will be entering a franchise they have been familiar with since 2007. Gamers have been excited to find every secret, assassinate every templar of The Order, stealth their way into hidden treasure rooms, and take down the enemy without breaking a single drop of Viking sweat.
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These confident players have typically been getting kicked in the jaw early on. It's not that these goals aren't possible, but with a total overhaul to the combat system as well as the addition of a few mechanics, it turns out that taking over forts and running raids is initially a bit more of a bruise and a bit less of a steamroll than fans of the series were expecting. With some tips from the pros, players will be back to clobbering their way through the English countryside in no time.
Updated on August 14th, 2021 by Hodey Johns: What was once a top ten list grew to fifteen after a few months in, and now it's got to be even more. Every time somebody completes Assassin's Creed Valhalla, including the recently released The Siege of Paris DLC, there is always something players wish they could have done differently. Of course, with a game that takes three-digits worth of hours to complete, having any regrets at all can be pretty serious. Most people who play the game won't finish it due to its significant length, so those who do are almost certain not to do so again. This list has grown to make sure that anybody willing to put in the time has a perfect run.
19 Dive Into The DLC During The Campaign
Common sense tells players that, if the DLC was released after the game, it should be completed after the main game. Many players, therefore, are mistakenly holding off on the adventures to Ireland and France.
Not so! Wrath of the Druids has a recommended starting level of 55 and Siege of Paris has a starting level of 200. Doing them late will make them too simple to be real challenges, and the levels gained here will be a great help when it comes to the final areas.
18 Keep Up With Upgrades And Enhancements
Checking the inventory screen for potential upgrades can go a long way in juicing up Eivor in the long run. Ubisoft's more streamlined system of armor and gear means that players can theoretically cling to many of the same armor pieces for long periods of time. Thus, it's a good idea to keep up with upgrades and close in on maxing out each piece of gear. Gather Iron Ore, Titanium, and Leather, which can be looted from small chests and around the environment. Focus on cloaks, torso armor, and helmets in particular.
Be sure to take occasional trips back to the settlement and talk to the blacksmith as well. He'll offer gear Enhancements, which expands the potential usefulness of each piece. Players will need Carbon, Nickel, and Tungsten Ingots. Bumping up armor to the Flawless or Mythical level can do wonders in strengthening Eivor, as they'll allow for far higher stats and added Rune slots.
17 Seek Out Books Of Knowledge
Though players can obtain skills through the vast skill tree, it's also a good idea to scour the vast regions of England for Books of Knowledge. Though these will be hit and miss, some solid abilities can make a huge difference in the heat of battle. Pull up the map to pinpoint the yellow book icons, as these will mark the location of brand new abilities along with upgrades to old ones.
To streamline this process, players can seek out Cartographers, who are represented by question marks on the map. Through these NPCs, maps revealing more Book of Knowledge locations can be purchased.
16 Try Out Every Kind Of Weapon
One big mistake that players make is deciding beforehand what kind of weapon to use. They may decide on sticking with two hatchets simply because that's what they started with. Or they may decide on using strictly bows because of the role-playing element.
There's no harm in trying new things! This game is long, and it's even longer using inferior weapons. Slap on a large shield or a couple of daggers. The right weapons make the games smooth sailing.
15 Take Advantage Of Raiding
Raids are both a fun and rewarding activity to engage in, and Assassin's Creed Valhalla offers ample opportunities to do so. This feature has recently become even more appealing with the distinct River Raid missions. These are permanent additions that allow Eivor to venture off the beaten path and provide greater challenges, along with unique wealth.
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Raiding will not only hone one's game and grant more EXP, but it will also yield bounties of wealth. These goodies can be utilized in a number of ways, including being put towards armor and settlement upgrades. Players can find better gear and books of knowledge in the more lavish settlements as well.
14 Upgrade The Viking Settlement
Settlement upgrades tend to get overlooked quite a bit, being a somewhat tedious RTS mechanic in an otherwise action-packed game. Still, while it can feel chore-like at times, settlement upgrades can really make an impact over time.
Players can erect various new buildings, which means new side quests and activities like hunting and fishing. Not only this, but new buildings will provide various boosts when partaking in feasts. This allows Eivor to enjoy the fruits of their flourishing colony.
13 Utilize All Available Tools In Combat
Much of the combat involves hacking, slicing, and dicing. However, there are plenty of moves in Eivor's arsenal to take advantage of. Fill each of the eight ability slots, and seek out offensive and defensive skills. Skills like Stomp, Chain Assassination, and Harpoon Impalement can keep the flow of battle smooth and offer a range of options. Perform assassinations, fire arrows, throw explosive objects. Do whatever it takes to gain an advantage.
Prolonged button-mashing may work on the weaker foes, but this one-dimensional approach can create problems, especially later on when opponents get far tougher. Having an array of different moves at one's disposal will make Eivor a versatile fighter. It also ensures crucial stamina doesn't drain too often.
12 Initiate Fights With Long-Range Sniping
Players looking to get the best ending won't live to see it unless they start with the best beginning. Many gamers, even experienced ones, take the role of Viking a bit too seriously as they charge headlong into battle, absorbing arrow blows and ballista fire along the way.
In open combat, the rest of the crew will provide a solid first line but they fall quickly without some supporting fire. This advice is even more important when going solo; there may be no way to get through a fort without provoking the enemy, but picking off as many as possible with sniper fire first is a sound strategy.
11 Research Before Upgrading
Nobody in an immersive game likes to tab out of their game, but a little research can go a long way. Players who upgrade the best weapons they have found so far will get some short-term benefits, sure, but they actually hurt themselves in the long run.
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To max out a truly spectacular item, it takes incredibly rare resources. So rare that collecting every single one in the game's universe isn't enough in most cases. If once determining what kind of armor and weapon work the best, make sure to look online and see if there are any unattained upgrades for the weapon/armor piece of choice before improving anything.
10 Block Sparingly
Some damage is unavoidable, especially in those one-on-one boss fights. Upgrading rations is one way to deal with this. Just keep eating after every hit and hopefully whittle down the enemy before the snacks run out.
Usually, the issue here is managing the stamina mechanic. Players get locked into blocking because it is so easy to hold on to one button. The problem is that this drains stamina quickly and only absorbs a fraction of the damage. If possible, it's better to dodge, which mitigates all damage. Players can also parry instead, which costs barely any stamina.
9 Take Advantage Of The Free Off-Hand
Players who go for a full set of gear will be well-rewarded. Wearing a completed armor set yields a statistical advantage, but it also fulfills that role-playing desire to look awesome. Take Thor's armor (yes, it's available in the game) as an example.
This set, and others, only has one main-hand weapon. Don't feel the need to equip an offhand weapon, as it slows down the main-hand weapon and drains stamina. If an offhand weapon is equipped, make sure it is part of the combat (or blocking) rotation. Otherwise, it is best to leave the hand free. Shields can be useful when deflecting against powerful attacks, but in the heat of battle, it's usually best to utilize the speed and evasiveness that the offhand helps provide.
8 Use The Bird
Synin is not as central to the plot and characters as the birds in the last few Assassin's Creed games, but he's arguably more important. Like in the other games, he's circling overhead, ready to scout ahead and mark targets.
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Players might have access to the locations of every single artifact and treasure, but knowing where they are is only half of the battle. Most are locked off, underground, or trapped. Thankfully, Synin can see keys, underground passages, and additional treasures well before Eivor has to track them down in the middle of combat.
7 Save Stamina
It should be obvious by this point that stamina management is a huge part of what separates the pros from the amateurs. It's new to the series, but it is a critical part of how players experience victory (or defeat) in Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
Stamina should be saved whenever possible. Save dodging for the big red attacks, then try dodging toward the enemy instead of away. Stamina is gained on successful attacks, so after the big attack has finished, regenerate the stamina lost on the dodge with some immediate follow-up strikes.
6 Rune Up
As players remember Edward Kenway from the still-popular Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, they might feel tempted to mimic his moves and battle prowess in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. As far as combat style, it actually translates rather well. However, players will need to modify their gear in a way that Kenway could not.
Runes start off scarce, but after about halfway through the game, it takes a long time to scroll past them all. Even if not using ideal gear, go ahead and throw some low-value runes into it. Their bonuses can almost double the effectiveness of the stats on the armor itself. Players can throw these together rather liberally, as there's no shortage of them. They can be mixed, matched, and swapped out from old weapons.
5 Be A Lightweight
Ezio is likely the most popular assassin in thefranchise and people still want to know more about him. Assassin's Creed Valhalla invokes his name on more than one occasion. His charming personality isn't the only component of his winning formula, however.
Ezio's choice of light armor is still the best selection, even as Ubisoft has added more heavy options into the game. Players might be seduced by large armor numbers, but weight adds to stamina drain and slows down Eivor. One hit, in any armor, staggers Eivor and enemies can stun-lock him in a Mortal Kombat sequence of combos. It's best to gear up light and improve the ability to avoid the attacks altogether.
4 Pick The Right Zone
Gamers that want to push through the plot and get to the delicious end-game content are going to be disappointed when they keep getting killed over and over. Undoing the change in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Valhalla brings back static levels.
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This means that some zones and raids are not reasonably doable until much later on. This is not a massively multiplayer online game where killing low-level targets yields no experience; in Valhalla, shooting a bird with an arrow is always worth three experience points at any level. So always pledge to the lowest-level zones first.
3 Complete Areas
Not everyone who plays Assassin's Creed needs to be a completionist. However, those who explore find that the rewards and lore are multiplied exponentially. Some people just want to get through the game and defeat one of those infamous villains.
That being said, anyone who rushes through the plot in Assassin's Creed Valhalla is going to get creamed at the end of the game. The final zone recommends that players have 340 skill levels. Those who only accomplish the bare minimum will be lucky to have 190 skill levels when this area becomes available. Players don't have to find everything, but at least look for side quests and treasure chests in the immediate vicinity.
2 There Are No Wrong Answers
This may come as a shock because many will argue that any decision that contributes to saving Sigurd is the "good" ending. Or that executing the correct spy is the "right" choice. But the RPG freedom is so much more important than technical correctitude.
So many NPCs live and die that can't be controlled. Sometimes Eivor saves Sigurd only to realize that his life is essentially over and he's a meaningless character. Even if Eivor picks the wrong spy, executing the wrong person has a unique set of dialogue and Eivor grows from these mistakes. Player preference is chief to being "right." Gamers who don't like certain characters shouldn't pretend to because it leads to some desired outcome.
1 Feast
The longhouse has a bell out front which calls everyone from the settlement to a feast. This is not some role-playing element, the buff is vital, doing the work of a full set of runes for only a few silver coins.
Before starting a new section, remember to ring the bell. The buff lasts a long time, usually the entire time it takes to knock out an entire region's pledge. At only 60 silver, it's an absolute bargain even for the lowest level settlement. Improvements to the settlement improve the buff, turning casual gamers into unstoppable monsters overnight.
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