AC Odyssey: Stealth Assassin's Creed Odyssey Guide and Walkthrough

Last update: Thursday, December 22, 2022

Stealth in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey is one of the methods in eliminating enemies or avoiding them when you are on your way to a mission objective or an important location. The game rarely gives you missions that can be failed by being detected. However, this doesn't mean that you should ignore this mechanic - thanks to stealth you can often complete mission goals with greater ease. This page contains information on how to prepare your character for stealth, how to avoid being detected and which abilities can help you stay hidden.

• Reconnaissance
• Enemies' view distance, alarm states, hideouts
• Assassinations (executions) and unarmed strikes
• Using a bow
• Sneaking in forts and other large locations
• Abilities useful in stealth

Reconnaissance

Recon in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey is done in the same way as in AC: Origins - from the sky. You can do that by using your eagle called Ikaros - the animal can be summoned with just one press of a button. Ikaros can be summoned when you aren't inside of a tomb, a cave or other underground location.

Summon your eagle right after you enter a location with enemies, that is when you are several dozens of meters away from it. This is a safe distance to scout an area while you remain undetected.

Use the eagle to mark all enemies. This will allow you to sneak around them. However, another reason for marking enemies is to see if there are any good "candidates" who can join your crew. Besides enemies, you can also mark unique loot and mission objectives.

Enemies' view distance, alarm states, hideouts

The basics of stealth in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey doesn't differ from other games. Every enemy has a limited field of view and can hear things from a certain distance - a guard can react when they hear or notice something suspicious. An enemy goes into a yellow state and can move towards the place where they have noticed something. Enemies remain in the "yellow state" even when they come across a corpse or traces of a sabotage. After that they will start examining the nearest area. Remaining hidden may be difficult.

Use various covers such as small walls, building walls or large objects. You can also sneak above enemies and reach objectives faster. Bushes are a unique "category" of hideouts. You can hide in them and remain undetected even when your character is in an enemy's sight. They can only detect you when they start searching the area (including bushes).

The option to change time of a day, known from AC Origins, is also useful. Hold the right button to speed up time until nighttime. Enemies' sight is reduced during this part of a day. Also, some of them will go to sleep. You will be able to avoid or attack enemies with greater ease.

Enemies go into red state only when they detect you. Running is the best option. Even when you manage to kill a guard who raised the alarm, there is a high chance that others will arrive soon. Try to disappear from their sight - pass large rocks, buildings and other bigger obstacles. You don't have to leave the location you are currently infiltrating. You can, i.e. hide on a rooftop or in bushes and wait until the guards calm down and go back to their posts.

Assassinations (executions) and unarmed strikes

Assassinations are the most obvious method of eliminating your enemies stealthy (your character uses the Spear of Leonidas). Get near an enemy to use the standard stealth attack - stand behind an enemy's back or above them (i.e. on a rooftop or a ledge located above your target).

Unarmed strike is the alternate method of eliminating enemies from shadows. Use this option when you want to recruit a particular enemy to your crew (more about that can be found in the Ship chapter).

Remember that assassinations and unarmed strikes can end with success only when your enemy isn't much stronger than your character. You can check that by observing an enemy's health bar. Your attack won't kill or knock down an enemy instantly when only part of their health bar has a different color (see the picture above - a part of the health bar remains white). You can deal with this problem by using abilities that can strengthen your attacks - they are listed further in the text. You can use assassination or an unarmed strike to weaken an enemy but this opponent will go into an alarmed state. Here your only solutions are either to run away or stay and fight.

Using a bow

A bow is a good alternative when you can't get closer to an enemy. Always aim at heads to deal maximum damage.

Sadly, the majority of the enemies won't die from a single headshot. You can try to solve this problem by investing in the skills described in the latter part of this chapter. Shooting an enemy in the head and not killing them doesn't mean that you will have to fight with that opponent. Enemies may not know your exact location - they will go towards the place from where you shot them. Move away from that place right after you shoot to avoid detection.

Arrows can be set on fire. Simply take out your bow and get closer to a source of fire. This arrow can set an enemy on fire or you can shoot it at red containers found in multiple locations.

Sneaking in forts and other large locations

It is harder to sneak in forts, camps and other bigger locations. However, these places also give you a few new opportunities. Scouting a larger area with enemies is mandatory. By doing that you lower a chance of encountering an enemy who can alarm the entire camp. Always sneak into these locations during nighttime.

Many forts and camps are near mountains. Use this information to get higher ground and to avoid enemies guarding main entrances. Check if there are any braziers in a fort (see the picture above) - enemies can use them to call for reinforcements. Get closer to these braziers to set a trap.

Commanders are the most problematic enemies in a fort. Usually, they are much tougher enemies who can't be eliminated with a standard assassination or a headshot. Try to leave them for last. You should also watch out for dogs because they can alarm enemies. The best way to kill these animals is to use your bow. Wild animals kept in cages are a different topic. Free them by, i.e. shooting a cage's door with an arrow. These predators can kill nearby enemies or distract them for a limited time. The same goes for certain prisoners - they can distract enemies while they are running towards an exit.

Abilities useful in stealth

Unlock skills to increase your stealth capabilities. Below you can find our list of the most important abilities. The majority of them comes from the Assassin tree. However, some of the skills from the Hunter tree are also worth checking out.

Rush Assassination (a level 5 ability from the Assassin tree) is the best new skill introduced in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey. The ability allows you to throw the spear at an enemy and deal them 100% Assassin damage (this throw works more like a teleportation). What is more, you can direct your character at another enemy, provided that the previous throw was successful, and press the right button to kill that enemy. By upgrading Rush Assassination, you increase the number of attacks (teleports) that can be performed in one chain. You will be able to attack four different enemies or jump between two or three stronger enemies. The second method is available only after you are able to perform 3 or 4 attacks. Start with attacking the strongest enemy. Then, "jump" to weaker ones and go back to the enemy who didn't die from the first Rush Assassination.

Another great characteristic of Rush Assassination is that you won't raise the alarm if both targets die immediately. However, you can still alarm others when they notice the assassination i and have witnessed the attack.

Critical Assassination (a level 10 ability from the Assassin tree) is also useful. You can spend your adrenaline on performing a charged assassination (this ability deals the default 200% of Assassin damage). Use it to kill those enemies who wouldn't get killed with a regular assassination.

However, Critical Assassination has a weakness. Besides spending adrenaline, you will also have to hold the assassination button for a few seconds. This can be problematic when your target is on a move. Sneak up on enemies who stand in one place.

The next three abilities, related to a bow, are Predator Shot (a level 1 ability from the Hunter tree), Devastating Shot (a level 5 ability from the Hunter tree) and Overpower Bow Strike. Each of these skills has unique capabilities but they also have one thing in common - you can spend adrenaline to deal A LOT more Hunter damage. The most "extreme" one is Overpower Bow Strike that can deal up to 1000% Hunter damage. However, this skill requires three adrenaline segments. This arrow also explodes upon impact (see the picture) which means that you will have to move to a different place so you won't get detected.

Besides the aforementioned abilities, you should also get passive skills, especially:

1. Shadow Assassin (a level 1 ability from the Assassin tree) - Increases assassination and unarmed strike damage (by 20% on the first level of this skill). Every new level of this ability gives you a chance that your assassinations will kill enemies instantly.
2. Stealth Master (a level 16 ability from the Assassin tree) - You make less noise while walking and you create less sound during assassinations.
3. Archery Master (a level 10 ability from the Hunter tree) - Increases Hunter damage (by 20% on the first level of this skill). Every new level of this ability gives you a chance that you will be able to kill enemies instantly with your bow.