Assassin's Creed Odyssey Tips & Tricks
A beginner's guide for returning Origins players and newcomers. Covers quest prioritization, gear management, ability picks, conquest battle strategy, and quality-of-life mechanics the game barely explains.
16 Tips · 6 categories
2 tipsExploration
Turn On Exploration Mode First
Exploration Mode strips quest markers and objective indicators from the map, forcing you to read clues and observe the world to find your targets. It's more demanding but significantly more rewarding than the default navigation, and it's the version the game is clearly designed around.
Find Puzzle Tablets to Earn Engravings
Puzzle tablets work like Origins' Papyrus puzzles. Each one contains a riddle pointing to a hidden location, and reaching the treasure unlocks a new engraving. Engravings can also be upgraded by completing a specific challenge tied to each one, so check those goals regularly to maximize their potential.
5 tipsProgression
Prioritize Gold and Black Diamond Quests
The gold and black diamond icons mark the major side quests, which are consistently well-written and worth completing. White and black diamond quests from message boards vary widely in quality, ranging from decent to a simple walk to an NPC a few meters away. Stick to the gold markers for the best experience per hour.
Track Mercenaries to Target Specific Gear
Open the Mercenaries menu and check each hunter's listed loot before deciding who to chase. Once you find one carrying what you want, mark them for tracking. This is more reliable than farming conquest battles or hoping a specific piece drops from a quest reward.
Pick These Six Abilities to Start Strong
For combat, grab Shield Breaker to rip shields off enemies and hit them with it, Spartan Kick to knock targets off ledges, and Reign of Destruction for clearing groups in conquest battles. For stealth, Rush Assassination lets you chain-teleport between targets after throwing your spear, Critical Assassination raises damage so you can kill high-level enemies outright, and Hero Strike uses your assassin damage stat on a melee strike to burn down tough captains fast.
Respec Skills Anytime to Try New Builds
Hold the left stick in the Skills menu to reset all allocated points and redistribute them freely. There's no penalty beyond the cost of the respec itself, so experimenting with different build directions is always an option. Don't feel locked into your starting choices.
Save Manually Before Making Big Story Choices
Odyssey has manual and quick save options that are easy to overlook if you rely on autosaves. Before any major dialogue choice or branching moment, save manually so you have a clean restore point. The autosave system is forgiving but won't always land you before a decision you want to redo.
2 tipsCrafting
Upgrade Legendary Gear at the Blacksmith
If you find a legendary piece early that suits your build, don't assume it'll become obsolete. Blacksmiths can upgrade any gear to your current level, keeping it competitive through the late game. This is especially worth doing for pieces with rare stat combinations you won't easily find again.
Swap Engravings Freely Without Saving Them
Engravings are not consumed when applied to gear. You can put any engraving on a piece, swap it out later for a small fee, and reapply it elsewhere whenever you like. Don't hold engravings in reserve waiting for the perfect item.
3 tipsEconomy
Break Down Gear Instead of Hoarding It
Resources from dismantling gear are more valuable than the coin from selling it, so prioritize breaking down anything you won't equip. You'll need a steady supply of materials to upgrade your weapons, armor, and ship throughout the game. Don't let your inventory fill with unused loot.
Use Sell All Trade Goods Each Visit
Trade goods accumulate quickly and have no use beyond selling. Each time you visit a merchant, open the sell menu and select Sell All Trade Goods to clear them out in one step. The silver adds up and there's no reason to carry them.
Loot War Supplies Before You Burn Them
War supply caches in enemy camps carry large quantities of crafting materials. Always loot them before setting them on fire or you forfeit the resources entirely. The materials are worth more than the objective completion alone.
3 tipsCombat
Always Side With the Invading Army
When a conquest battle becomes available, joining the invading army is the harder fight but rewards two pieces of epic gear instead of one. The defending army only gives a single drop. The extra piece is worth the tougher battle every time.
Target Captains to Win Conquest Battles Fast
Ignore regular soldiers during conquest battles and go straight for captains and hero units. Eliminating them moves the victory meter far faster than picking off foot soldiers. Bring abilities that damage multiple enemies at once, like Reign of Destruction, to stay alive when groups close in.
Start Conquest Battles Before the Window Closes
Once you've lowered a region's power enough to trigger a conquest battle, don't sit on it. The opportunity can close if you wait too long. The good news is you can repeat the destabilization process in any region as many times as you want to keep the loot flowing.
1 tipStealth
Hold the Map Button to Advance Time
Holding the map button skips to the next day or night cycle. Unlike in Origins, this doesn't require spending a skill point. Use it before hitting an enemy camp since most guards sleep at night and patrols thin out considerably, making stealth approaches much easier.
Verified: 2026-05-18 · All content is original with full credit to original creators.