Advanced Tips

Golden Rules

• The most important principle in Multiplayer mode is that it is your score that matters, not kills. It’s not how many targets you kill, but how you kill them. For further advice, see the Score & Progression section.
• Stay on the move. You have a target to track down and you are being hunted constantly. You should only remain still in very specific instances, such as when you are hiding from a pursuer or poised to spring an ambush.
• You should spend most of your time in each session in Low Profile – in other words, walking or Blending. High Profile actions should only be used in emergency situations, or to accomplish specific goals. Whenever you perform High Profile moves in the open, you run the risk of being detected instantly.
• To approach a target without exposing yourself, don’t forget the Fast Walk move. It’s faster than walking and doesn’t deplete your Approach Meter – though experienced players can identify you when you change pace.
• Avoid surrendering points to other players by allowing yourself to be killed or stunned. Be patient! Running towards a target will get you to them more quickly, but will also increase the likelihood you will be noticed (or, worse, Locked) by other players.
• Make sure you don’t kill civilians. Not only will this reveal you to your opponents and prevent you from performing kills or stuns during the animation, but you will also lose your current contract in most game modes.

• A player with higher XP and character resources will always have an advantage in terms of variety and versatility, so just keep playing. Your progression curve will flatten out, with higher Levels coming more slowly, but the advanced Abilities are worth striving for.
• Improvise, don’t strategize. Concentrate on finding your target as quickly as possible, but remain alert and be ready to switch tactics in an instant.
• Blending with moving crowds enables you to approach your target without being spotted.
• Try to Lock your target whenever you identify them. Locking enables you to keep track of opponents, even when they move out of view (though only briefly), and helps to avoids situations where you execute civilians by mistake.
• It makes sense to use Abilities sooner rather than later. Even with default Cooldown periods, the assignment of contracts and tracking time with a full Ability Set roughly equates to one Ability per kill.

Ability Set Tips

• As you level up, you will acquire additional Ability Sets for a range of strategic options, enabling you to choose various sets of complementary powers. Give each set a unique descriptive name to facilitate quick choices before respawns. You can browse and change your Ability Set with every time you respawn.
• Don’t forget that you can upgrade your Abilities by Crafting them – though this is only possible once you reach certain Prestige Levels.
• If your opponents take to the rooftops, a focus on ranged Abilities may catch them out. If they act aggressively, defensive Abilities will humiliate them. If you suspect that the other participants are more experienced than you, choose a favorite Loss Bonus (such as Scavenger) to remain competitive.
• Remember that Abilities are not 100% reliable. The fog of a Smoke Bomb can be avoided during the explosion delay; the trap of a Tripwire Bomb or Booby Trap can be negotiated by walking carefully around it; you can even escape the effect of Wipe by staying out of your opponent’s range for a second or two.

• Some Abilities have a counterpart that undermines them. For example, Firecrackers can reveal a Disguised or Morphed target; Knives will slow down a target even if they have the Hot Pursuit Perk.
• Abilities such as Wipe and Distortion will silence Whispers for affected players.
• The Knives, Disruption, Wipe and Smoke Bomb Abilities can all prevent an opponent from aiming with Ranged Weapons, using a thrown Ability, or Teleporting.
• You can break an opponent’s lock with the Time Phase, Wipe, Firecrackers, and Disruption Abilities.
• To get you started on ideas for good combinations, here are a few selections of skills that complement each other well:

Defensive Sets

Offensive Sets

Score & Bonus Tips

• If you notice an opponent about to take you down, quickly press . You will earn a Contested bonus, which is better than earning nothing.
• There is a short period of grace where you remain technically hidden even after leaving a hiding place. Take advantage of this to earn a Hidden Kill bonus.
• When your target is hiding in hay, jump in yourself. This will force him or her out, setting up an easy Hidden bonus.
• In any given round, try to mix up your kills. There are significant point bonuses for variety.
• After you perform a kill, close proximity to other players will delay the assignment of another contract. Move to the outer edge of the map to reduce the waiting time.

• When another player kills your target, don’t forget to finish them off for a Ground Finish bonus.
• The better your approach is, the shorter the kill animation will be. This will help you to remain unnoticed and move on immediately to your next target.
• When an opponent has activated Animus Hack or Minor Hack, the best way to survive is to stay hidden until the effect ends.

Opponent Identification

• Once you hear whispers, you know that your pursuer is drawing near. Conversely, when you hear heartbeats, you know that your target is nearby. If you are finding it difficult to hear the whispers, try adjusting sound levels on your TV, or use headphones. You can also adjust the volume of the in-game music and sound effects via the Options menu.
• An arrow inside the Compass tells you when your target is at a different elevation, perhaps striding over rooftops while you stalk the streets, or walking on a different floor level (01). Use this to plan ahead your approach and know where to look when tracking down your target.
• Blending isn’t half as effective as standing next to a civilian with an identical appearance. This leaves the sticky problem of deciding who to strike, which should at very least slow down an opponent.
• If you’re trying to kill a target that has a lookalike in a Blend group, you can use the line of sight to identify which one is your target. Position yourself behind an obstacle or around a corner, and inch round slowly to have only one character at a time in your line of sight: the color and brightness of your target’s portrait will reveal which lookalike to kill (02 & 03). Conversely, when you use a lookalike defensively (with Blender, for instance), try to position your character in such a way that you will appear in the line of sight of your pursuer at the same time as your clone.
• When you have spotted a target that has also identified you, the outcome of the duel is often determined by Abilities. Use the Ability that has the most profound and long-lasting effect: for example, a Smoke Bomb incapacitates its target whereas Knives will only slow the target down.
• Moving at a higher elevation increases your chances of targeting your contract. If you are on a rooftop above them, the range of an air assassination while in pursuit exceeds the proximity you would need to reach them at street level – and you won’t take damage from falling. At the same time, rooftop activity marks you out to all other players.

• Some characters are harder to spot at a distance than others, particularly for new players. If there is one you find troublesome, simply choose that skin as your own to avoid this problem. There is a chance, of course, that your pursuers may have the same trouble identifying you.
• Watch how AI-controlled civilians move and attempt to imitate them. Other players are just as busy as you, so a rough approximation will enable you to pass for an NPC on many occasions.
• If your pursuer performs a high profile action while in your line of sight, a red icon will appear above their head, making them very easy to spot ().

• When a player moves his camera to look behind, his character sometimes moves his head – use this distinct “tell” to locate your rivals (04).
• Take a moment to stop and look at which way the arc is moving on your Compass. By interpreting its width and direction, you may be able to intercept your target at the nearest intersection.
• If your target is constantly running around on rooftops, you can either chase them up there, or save your time and earn a bonus by shooting them in the back with the Pistol or a Poison Dart.
• The moment you locate your target and assassinate them, even if striking from a hiding place, you break your cover for the entire world to see. You are never more likely to be killed than at this moment, so you may benefit from a swift getaway rather than blending or hiding.

• Use Poison or Poison Darts to avoid creating a disturbance, then make a discrete departure – the ensuing commotion may distract any opponents closing in on your approximate position.

High Profile Tips

• Hold to barge civilians aside and gain precious time while running through crowds.
• When falling, press to grab a ledge.
• During chases, press or to vault over small obstacles and outrun your opponent.
• When in close pursuit of a target, don’t forget to regularly look around to identify opponents zeroing in on you.
• Ranged Weapons make short work of anyone scaling walls or free running.
• Always climb in steps, using beams and poles, and make distance on flat ground or free running surfaces. Scaling a wall leaves you open to ranged attacks.
• If you have your pursuer locked, press rapidly as they close in for the kill and you have a greater chance of incapacitating them and ending their pursuit. Worst-case scenario, you will get an Honorable Death bonus for your troubles.
• When a pursuer is chasing you, you can use the Disruption Ability as you go round a corner or behind an obstacle, then suddenly turn around and stun your opponent.

Team Tactics

• In team modes, use and to switch targets and adjust your Compass and Approach Meter. You can see every target that can see you if they are within a set proximity.
• Cooperative actions boost scores. Before rushing to complete a kill, check if you can’t maximize the return by involving teammates. Plan your Ability Sets together for offense or support roles.
• Whenever you are close to an ally who has just killed a target, run to the victim and perform a Ground Finish for an easy bonus. This can be achieved by all teammates and is a great way to maximize your score if you move in formation.
• If you see a teammate being stunned while standing in close proximity, try to kill their target and then immediately revive your ally. You will not only save your cohort precious seconds, but also earn more points; remind him or her to perform a Ground Finish on the vanquished target.
• When you Lock a target, your partners see them Locked too, which helps to coordinate your actions.
• If a partner is killed or stunned, their assassin is ripe for a counterattack (05). Cover each other when close, as you will be drawing both of your hunters to the same location.
• Press to revive a stunned ally and earn a bonus (06).
• Use your Target HUD to switch between targets, then go for the opponent who is closest, or in the most interesting location. Don’t necessarily settle for the first assigned target.

• Animus Hack isn’t as effective in team modes, as you only have a maximum of four targets.
• Use your teammate to drive a target towards your location. Setting a trap with Disguise is effective, as many opponents will expect to recognize their pursuers.
• Adjust your solo and cooperative efforts to suit the situation. When trailing, work together on one target for quality kills and Team Bonuses. Once you take the lead, it can be advantageous to split up and take a target each.
• Remember that a Chase Breaker that was closed by a teammate will automatically reopen for you.