Summary
Set in Feudal Japan in 1579,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsutilizes its setting to introduce front-loaded flint rifles known as Teppo, which can be wielded by Yasukealongside traditional bow weapons. The first primitive firearms appeared in Japan around 1270, while the game’s more refined Teppo versions were introduced by Portuguese visitors in 1543, followed by intense local development. By the late 16th century, Teppo had been widely manufactured locally, with Hōjutsu (or Teppōjutsu), the art of gunnery, becoming a popular Japanese martial art dedicated to the use of black powder firearms — and players can witness this shift from bow to Teppo as thepreferred ranged option for samuraiin the game.
With the history lesson out of the way, inAC Shadows, Teppo weapons generally offer higher raw damage, range, and accuracy than the bow, as well as armor-piercing capabilities, but this comes with a major drawback: a slow fire rate and very long reload time. Not to mention, for obvious gunpowder-related reasons, Teppo isn’t suited for a stealth playstyle (though there are exceptions later in the game). With all that in mind, here’s a look at the best Teppo weapons inAssassin’s Creed Shadowsthat players can obtain.
Only weapons obtainable in-game will be listed, excluding special Teppo variants with powerful perks purchased from the Helix Store or unlocked viaAnimus Season Pass (Shadows Projects) rewards. Additionally, all Teppo listed are fully upgraded andat the max level 60for the ultimate stat comparison.
6Epic Teppo with Highlighted Base Stats
Engraving: Random Ranged Engraving
InAssassin’s Creed Shadows, players would be wise not to overlook Epic weapons infavor of seemingly superior Legendary ones. Since every Legendary engraving, once unlocked, can be applied to any Epic-quality weapon, the difference is minimal, aside from the fact that players can’t equip two Legendary engravings at once, which isn’t always necessary.
Additionally, some Epic gear can occasionally roll with base stats higher than those found on any Legendary items. Players should pay close attention to the highlighted stats on Epic gear and compare them with Legendary counterparts to spot any differences. Finally,several engravingsfrom other gear provide notable boosts to key player stats, such as increased damage for each non-Legendary gear piece equipped, allowing players to fully unlock the potential of high-level Epic gear.
That said, any random Epic Teppo canoutclass Legendary firearmsin base stats like Weapon DPS, Headshot DPS, or Ability Damage (if players are lucky enough). Since these weapons are entirely random, here are just a couple of examples that can compete with the best Legendary Teppos inAC Shadows.
The Brutal Teppo of Service comes with an increased Weapon DPS stat — higher than any of the Legendary Teppos (12,320 vs. 12,188), along with a strong base engraving. The second example, the Defiant Teppo of Fragments, features a very high Ability Damage stat of 25,576, whereas the top Legendary Teppos reach no higher than 24,376. While the difference may not be game-changing, when used effectively, these Epic Teppos can deliver impressive results inranged combat for certain Yasuke builds.
5Patient Harbinger
The Patient Harbinger attempts to address one of the biggest issues with Teppo weapons inAC Shadows— their slow fire rate. The unique engraving on this Teppo allows Yasuke to chamber two bullets at once and fire two consecutive shots before reloading. While the perk is highly useful, essentially doubling the damage output of the Patient Harbinger, the weapon’s base DPS is lower to balance the double-shot ability. However, with strong Headshot DPS, this is hardly a drawback for players with accurate aim.
Players can find the Patient Harbinger Legendary Teppo in Omi, inside a chest hidden behind a tree in Kamikoga’s Ippon Sugi, in the Ado River Valley.
4Dynasty Ender
Engraving: Suppress Firing Noise
The Dynasty Ender is a very unique Teppo inAC Shadows, allowing the entire firearm category to cross into the stealth ranged weapon realm, much like the silent bow. Its engraving suppresses firing noise, enabling Yasuke to use it during stealth-focused play when clearing forts and castles with brutal assassination ability and headshots. Who knew firearm silencers were invented as far back as 1579? On top of that, this Teppo features very solid stats across the board at max upgrade level.
The Dynasty Ender Teppo can be claimed from a Legendary Chest found in Genbao Fort in Wakasa, afterdefeating two Samurai Daisho.
3Dark Burst
Engraving: Shoot Multiple Bullets in a Single Shot
The Dark Burst is one of several shotgun-style modifications available for Teppo inAC Shadows. Unlike the Patient Harbinger, the Dark Burst’s engraving allows this rifle to fire multiple bullets in a single shot, making its exact damage output difficult to gauge. As with the Patient Harbinger, the game balances this multi-shot ability by assigning the weapon a slightly lower default Weapon DPS compared to other options, so aiming for the head is a must. Additionally, the Dark Burst boasts one of the highest Ability Damage stats among the Legendary Teppos, making it a strong choice for players who favor ability-based combat.
The Dark Burst Teppo is rewarded for dueling Asari Nobutane as part of the Nobutsuna’s Students quest board. The student can be found in Kii, near the Gato Guard Post in Negoroji. Be warned: the entire duel requires players to use only Teppo against Nobutane.
2Repeating Fate
Engraving: +5% Damage per Meter of Distance
The reason the Repeating Fate ranks higher than the seemingly more powerful Dark Burst is its reliability, as the latter’s multi-shot perk isn’t as straightforward when evaluating raw damage output. With the Repeating Fate Teppo, that issue doesn’t exist — its damage increases the farther players are from their targets, so it’s easy to achieve at least +50% damage increase with this Teppo right off the bat. Combined with one of the highest Weapon DPS stats in the Teppo class, it’s an essential choicefor any Yasuke build focusedon eliminating enemies with a single headshot from a distance, and it is possibly the most powerful ranged weapon inAssassin’s Creed Shadowsto use against a single strong target.
Players can get the Repeating Fate after killing the Akiyama Agentfrom the Kurai Eikyou quest board, who hides in Uda Matsuyama Castle, northeast of Yamato, north of the Hidden River province.
1Hero’s Message
Engraving: Bullets Ricochet to Nearby Enemies
Another shotgun-style Teppo variant, the Hero’s Message is arguably the best Teppo inAC Shadowsfor players who favor an aggressive approach, choosing to eliminate hordes of enemies around them in a deadly battle dance. The weapon’s perk is somewhat reminiscent of the Dark Burst ability, but stronger, delivering the full Weapon DPS output to multiple nearby enemies. With the Hero’s Message, Yasuke can take down several weaker foes with a single shot without relying on abilities, as Teppo’s Ability Damage stats, unlike DPS, aren’t particularly impressive.
The Hero’s Message Teppo is fairly easy to obtain, as all players need to do is loot the Legendary Chest hidden beneath the Hikidan-jo Ruins near Uchinakao Mountain, northeast of Lake Suigetsu in Wakasa.
