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With Assassin’s Creed: Unity, Syndicate features an XP and levelling system in which players can invest skill points (earned upon every 1,000XP accrues) into three skill trees. This will unlock additional passive bonuses, new combat techniques and useful new abilities that can be used both in and out of combat. The three skill trees are Combat, Stealth and Ecosystem and each has its own unique series of unlocks and bonuses.

Below you’ll find a breakdown of the three skill trees, the skills that each contains and those which you should try to invest in first.

Combat Upgrades

The Combat tree focuses on your ability to perform better in combat. The tree incorporates health increases and regeneration, boosts to damage output, counter assists, perks to help maintain combos and special attack abilities to deal additional damage.

The following skills are unlocked by default:

Skill SP Description
Multi-finisher N/A When close to multiple enemies near death, press attack to execute up to four at once.
Stun Attack N/A Press A/X to break a guard’s defence and stun them temporarily.
Counter N/A Press B/Circle to counter enemy attacks.
Tool Combo N/A Press Y/Triangle to use Tools (revolver, throwing knives, bombs) during combat.

The following Skills can be unlocked:

Skill SP Description
Health Boost I 1 Increase your health by 1 segment.
Health Boost II 2 Increase your health by 1 segment.
Health Boost III 2 Increase your health by 1 segment.
Adrenaline 4 Increases the rate at which health regenerates.
Combat Stamina 6 performing Multi-kills now regenerates health based on the number of enemies killed.
Skill SP Description
Unstoppable I 1 Increase the time before you lose your combo due to inaction.
Unstoppable II 2 The first hit taken during a combo doesn’t end your combo.
Slayer I 1 When the combo counter reaches X10, the next attack will put an enemy in a near-death state.
Slayer II 2 Upon putting an enemy in a near-death state, the next attack will put another in a near-death state too.
Counter Boost 2 Counter attacks have larger window of opportunity and do more damage.
Execute I 2 Stun an enemy with A/X and then use a Tool (Y/Triangle) for massive damage.
Execute II 4 Enemies who see you execute someone will lower their defences temporarily.
Mutilate I 2 Successful attacks bring enemies to near-death more quickly.
Mutilate II 4 (Jacob Only) Jacob’s attacks bring enemies to near-death much more rapidly.

Stealth Skills

The Stealth tree has a heavy focus on your silent and sneaky weapons. It incorporates lock picking, boosts to throwing knife damage and numbers, decreases your chances of being detected and some useful abilities such as loot takedowns and noise reduction.

The following skills are unlocked by default:

Skill SP Description
Whistle N/A Use whistle to attrack enemy’s attention.
Knockout N/A Use B/Circle behind an enemy to grab them. Hold the button to knock them out.
Stealth Navigation N/A Press A/X to enter sneak mode.
Air Assassination N/A Press X/Square whilst highlighting an enemy form above to assassinate.
Kidnap N/A Use B/Circle behind an enemy to grab them as a hostage.

The following Skills can be unlocked:

Skill SP Description
Double Assassination 1 Kill two unaware targets at the same time.
Loot Takedown 1 Automatically loot an enemy whilst performing an assassination.
Lock Picking I 1 Allows yo uto unlock locked chests.
Lock Picking II 2 Allows you to unlock locked doors.
Intimidation 2 Whilst being kidnapped, enemies will no longer try to escape.
First Strike I 2 Attack an enemy just before they enter combat for massive damage.
First Strike II 6 First Strike inflicts even more damage.
Skill SP Description
Stealth I 2 Increases stealth stat by 7 making you harder to detect.
Stealth II 2 Increases stealth stat by an additional 7 making you harder to detect.
Stealth III 4 (Evie only) Increases stealth stat by an additional 11 making you harder to detect.
Knife Master I 2 Throwing knives will now stun enemies temporarily.
Knife Master II 4 (Evie only) Doubles the number of throwing knives you can carry.
Assassin Steps 2 Reduces movement noise and fall damage significantly.
Chameleon 6 (Evie only) In sneak mode Evie is invisible when stationary.

Ecosystem Skills

The Ecosystem tree is centered around support abilities to make your life much easier. It includes upgrades to Eagle vision, carriage speed and durability, pistol boosts, passive armor increases and the ability to recruit Rooks.

The following skills are unlocked by default:

Skill SP Description
Counteshot N/A Use Y/Triangle to shoot an enemy that’s about to shoot you.
Eagle Vision I N/A Use LS/L3 to trigger Eagle Vision.
Fast Driver N/A Press A/X whilst driving a carriage for a speed boost.
Leadership I N/A Press RB/R1 to recruit up to 2 Rooks to follow you.
Leadership II N/A Unlocked at level 3. Press RB/R1 to recruit up to 3 Rooks to follow you.
Leadership III N/A Unlocked at level 5. Press RB/R1 to recruit up to 5 Rooks to follow you.

The following Skills can be unlocked:

Skill SP Description
Eagle Vision II 1 Eagle Vision now allows you to tag enemies through walls.
Eagle Vision III 2 Radius of Eagle Vision increases. Shows enemy orientations on the map.
Scavenger I 1 Find more common crafting resources.
Scavenger II 2 Find more uncommon crafting resources.
Driver I 2 Collisions don’t cause as much damage or slow you down whilst driving.
Driver II 4 Carriage acceleration increased.
Demolition Derby 6 Carriages you drive take less damage and inflict more damage.
Skill SP Description
Gunslinger I 2 When attempting to fire empty gun mid-combo, it will reload automatically.
Gunslinger II 6 (Jacob only) Jacob’s countershots are automatic head shots.
Defense I 2 Reduces melee damage.
Defense II 2 Reduces ranged damage.
Defense III 4 (Jacob only) Jacob takes less damage overall.
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Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Ubisoft
  • Platforms,
    PC, PS4, XB One
  • Genre
    Action Adventure
  • Guide Release
    14 December 2015
  • Last Updated
    11 February 2021
  • Guide Author

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Assassin’s Creed Syndicate drops us into Victorian age London to liberate the city (and by extension the world) from Templar influence one dead body and borough at a time. The most modern Assassin’s Creed title yet sees numerous new features for the series including: revolvers, trains, horse drawn carriages, Batman-style rope launchers and gang warfare all of which lend Syndicate a fresh feel after years of similar, annual experiences. In our extensive Assassin’s Creed Syndicate guide, we’ll take you through the game from beginning to end, show you how to handle all those secondary memories and just about everything else the game has to offer!

Our guide includes:

  • Every story mission (and how to get FULL Synch for each one!).
  • All secondary memories covered (London Stories, The Dreadful Crimes, etc.).
  • All Secrets of London.
  • How to takeover and conquer every borough.
  • Hunting/Harpooning/Crafting - it’s all in here.
  • Associate Activities and miscellaneous side-tasks explained.
  • Complete achievement/trophy unlock guide.

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