To switch weapons in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, tap right on the D-pad on PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and Switch 2, or press R on keyboard by default; each tap swaps between the two weapons you have equipped. Holding the same input instead sheathes your weapon, which is why characters sometimes put their blade away mid-fight. Below we cover the controls, how to change which two weapons you carry, loadouts, every weapon type per character, and what the post-launch updates added, including the Bo staff.
The Controls on Every Platform
Both protagonists carry two weapons at once, a primary and a secondary, and Ubisoft’s own combat overview confirms both can switch between them during a fight. The inputs:
- Controller (PS5, Xbox, Switch 2): tap D-pad right to swap, hold D-pad right to sheathe or unsheathe.
- Keyboard and mouse: tap R to swap, hold R to sheathe. R is the default most control lists give; if you have remapped it, check the controls screen in Settings, since Ubisoft lets you customize bindings.
- Switch 2 with mouse and keyboard: support arrived in Title Update 1.1.10, so the keyboard layout applies there too.
The tap versus hold split is the whole trick. A quick press swaps, a longer press puts the weapon away. Sheathing has its own uses: Yasuke’s Sheathed Posture Attack, per the developer, charges an opening strike while his katana is still in its sheath.
Switching Mid-Combo With Yasuke
Yasuke gets one extra option Naoe does not. Per Ubisoft’s combat breakdown, he is the only protagonist who can switch weapons mid-combo, through the link attack ability, stringing attacks and weapon abilities from both weapons into one flow. Community guides place it in his Mastery trees, so if the swap only works between combos for you, it has not been unlocked yet. Naoe swaps normally, just not inside a combo.
One old bug is gone: Title Update 1.0.4 fixed Naoe being unable to swap weapons after a Double Assassination while using the Katana as her primary.
Changing Which Two Weapons You Carry
The swap only moves between the two weapons already equipped. To change them, open the menu, go to the Inventory tab, highlight a weapon slot and pick a different weapon of that character’s types.
Once you build the Gallery in your Hideout, you also unlock loadouts, which save whole equipment configurations so you can jump between, say, a stealth setup and an open-combat setup without re-equipping piece by piece. Title Update 1.1.6 fixed loadout slots resetting after quests, so saved loadouts now stick. Title Update 1.1.8 added a Detailed Stats Sheet: in Inventory, click the right stick on controller or press TAB on keyboard to see how a loadout’s gear and perks combine.
Naoe’s Weapons
Naoe launched with three weapon types and now has four:
- Katana. Balanced speed, damage and defense. Per Ubisoft, it lets her assassinate through shoji doors.
- Kusarigama. Her crowd-control weapon, with a chain that reaches enemies at range and pushes groups back. It unlocks Rush Assassinate on enemies up to 10 meters away.
- Tanto and Hidden Blade. Strike-and-retreat fighting, and the weapon that unlocks Double Assassinations.
- Bo. Added in September 2025 alongside the Claws of Awaji expansion. Every player gets one free through the quest “Go With the Bo”, where Junjiro takes Naoe to a Bo master. Since Title Update 1.1.10, non-legendary Bo staves drop in the world for everyone once you have earned at least one unique Bo; legendary Bo staves with unique engravings remain an expansion perk.
Yasuke’s Weapons
Yasuke has five types, none shared with Naoe:
- Long Katana. Balanced attack and defense, good in duels and skirmishes.
- Naginata. His crowd-control reach weapon.
- Kanabo. The heaviest option, built to break defenses and armor, at the cost of speed.
- Yumi Bow. Long-range precision with several arrow types.
- Teppo. A flintlock with more range than the bow and strong armor penetration, but slow to fire and reload.
A useful pairing covers two different problems: a crowd tool plus an armor breaker, or a melee weapon plus a ranged one. Two crowd weapons leave you short against armored elites; two single-target weapons leave you surrounded.
Tips Most Players Miss
- Tap, do not hold. Holding sheathes, which is rarely what you want mid-fight.
- Character choice picks half your build. Since the two protagonists share no weapon types, swapping character swaps your whole arsenal.
- Build the Gallery early if you juggle stealth and combat setups.
If you have not reached the second protagonist yet, unlocking Yasuke covers when his five weapon types open up, and the Forge and resources guide explains how to upgrade the weapons you settle on. Our full Assassin’s Creed Shadows guides cover the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you switch weapons in AC Shadows? Tap right on the D-pad on controller, or R on keyboard by default. Each tap swaps between your primary and secondary weapon.
Why does my character keep sheathing their weapon? You are holding the button instead of tapping it. A long press sheathes or unsheathes the weapon.
How many weapons can you carry? Two at a time per character, a primary and a secondary. Change them from the Inventory tab, or save setups as loadouts once the Gallery is built.
Can Naoe use the Bo without Claws of Awaji? Yes. The free quest “Go With the Bo” gives every player a Bo, and since Title Update 1.1.10 non-legendary Bo staves also drop in the base game.
Can Yasuke use Naoe’s weapons? No. Yasuke uses the Long Katana, Naginata, Kanabo, Yumi Bow and Teppo; the Katana, Kusarigama, Tanto and Bo are Naoe’s alone.