Allies in Assassin’s Creed Shadows are managed from the Dojo, a building you construct in your Hideout as the main story progresses; once it is up, you assign recruited allies through Manage Allies and call them in combat by holding Aim/Ranged Abilities and choosing Ally Ability 1 or Ally Ability 2. That is straight from Ubisoft’s own help page on allies. Below we cover recruiting, assigning, the exact inputs per platform, training ranks, and what patches since launch changed.
Unlocking Allies: Build the Dojo
Per Ubisoft, you need to progress the main story and build the Dojo before allies can be managed at all. The developer’s Hideout deep dive describes it as the building that “unlocks the ability to train Naoe and Yasuke’s allies that can be recruited and called in combat.” If allies seem unavailable no matter how many quests you finish, a missing Dojo is almost always why.
Building it costs Hideout resources and mon like every other structure, so it competes with the Stable, Forge and Study for the same wood, minerals and crops. Our resources guide covers where those come from.
Recruiting Allies
Allies join through their own questlines, which open as you explore and advance the story. Two things to watch, both reported widely by players:
- Some recruitments hinge on choices. Dialogue options during an ally’s quest can decide whether they join, so read rather than skip.
- Recruitment is an explicit decision. At the end of the quest you are typically asked whether to bring them into the league, assuming the quest ended with them alive.
Post-launch content added allies too. Title Update 1.0.6 brought the free quest “A Critical Encounter”, which rewards a new ally, Rufino. It unlocks after you complete “Way of the Blacksmith” and unlock Yasuke, and it starts in the Hideout.
Assigning Allies
Recruiting an ally does not put them in your party. Per Ubisoft’s help page, you assign them from the Dojo by selecting Manage Allies. The Hideout deep dive adds that Kakurega safehouses let you manage the allies you bring on your next mission too, so you do not have to ride home to swap.
Your ally roster is shared between both characters: per Ubisoft, Naoe and Yasuke draw on the same team. Community guides say the Dojo starts you with one active ally slot and that upgrading it to level 2 opens a second, which lines up with the two Ally Ability slots in combat.
Calling Allies in Combat
The default input, per Ubisoft, is to hold Aim/Ranged Abilities and then choose Ally Ability 1 or Ally Ability 2. By platform:
- PS5: hold L2, then press the prompt shown for the ally. Community control guides list Triangle and Cross.
- Xbox: hold LT, then press the on-screen prompt for the ally.
- PC: hold right mouse button (Aim), then press the prompt shown. Control guides list 5 and 6 by default.
- Switch 2: the controller layout applies, and mouse and keyboard support was added in Title Update 1.1.10.
Allies also carry passive abilities that run permanently or trigger under set conditions, so an assigned ally is doing something even if you never call them in. Two patch fixes matter here: Title Update 1.1.6 stopped sliding doors from blocking ally summons and stopped summoned allies from fleeing after only a few hits. If allies felt flaky in 2025, that was a big part of why.
Training Allies and the Rank System
This is the menu most players never open. In Manage Allies, you spend mon to train allies by holding Train Ally, which improves their abilities. The same menu has Change Outfit for cosmetics.
Ranks are gated by the Dojo’s level. Title Update 1.0.6 fixed a bug that let allies reach Veteran rank without upgrading the Dojo to level 3, which confirms level 3 is the requirement. Several updates have strengthened allies since:
- Title Update 1.0.7 made allies gain more health and damage as you level up.
- Title Update 1.1.1 added two extra upgrade levels to every unique Hideout building, with bonuses that directly enhance Naoe, Yasuke and their allies.
- New Game+ keeps your allies along with skills, gear and Hideout progress.
Tips Most Players Miss
- Prioritize the second ally slot. Doubling your callable allies is the biggest single jump the system offers.
- Train before you blame the ally. An untrained ally is a fraction of the same character at Veteran.
- Swap allies at a Kakurega, not only at the Hideout.
Several ally characters also appear in the romance arcs, and the extra Hideout upgrade levels mean scouts and resources matter even after the story ends. Our full Assassin’s Creed Shadows guides cover the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you unlock allies in AC Shadows? Progress the main story and build the Dojo in your Hideout, then recruit allies by completing their questlines.
How do you call an ally in combat? Hold Aim/Ranged Abilities (L2, LT or right mouse by default) and choose Ally Ability 1 or Ally Ability 2.
How many allies can you bring? Community guides say one at first and two once the Dojo reaches level 2, matching the two Ally Ability slots.
How do you make allies stronger? Spend mon in Manage Allies by holding Train Ally. Veteran rank requires a level 3 Dojo, and allies also scale with your level since Title Update 1.0.7.
Are allies shared between Naoe and Yasuke? Yes. Per Ubisoft, your team of allies is shared between both characters.