Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t just hand players a hidden blade and a grudge—it hands them a Dojo full of potential allies who can turn a messy ambush into a well-choreographed takedown. Six recruitable allies are waiting across Japan, each with active and passive abilities that can be trained, swapped, and unleashed at the Dojo. The catch? Some of these characters are locked behind dialogue choices, character-specific quests, or late-game requirements. One wrong line can send a future companion walking, so players should keep their charm ready.

How Ally Recruitment Works

Allies are not just decorative houseguests. They offer active abilities during battle and passive perks that make stealth and open combat easier. After recruitment, each ally can be trained at the Dojo to grow stronger, and players can swap which ally is supporting them while exploring. However, some allies will refuse to join if players make the wrong dialogue choice, so those warning prompts before a big decision are not just flavor text.

The six possible allies are Yaya, Gennojo, Ibuki, Oni-Yuri, Katsuhime, and Yagoro. Some appear naturally through the main Shinbakufu storyline, while others hide behind side quests or require a specific protagonist.

Yaya

Yaya is one of the first allies players can recruit, and she is not shy about judging a player’s moral compass. During the Shinbakufu quest to hunt down The Wounded, players meet her in The Fatherless Monk mission. At the end, the defeated target’s fate rests in the player’s hands, and Yaya is watching closely.

Choose the dialogue option Killing isn't justice to earn her approval and unlock the mission The Stray Dogs. In that quest, players need to lean into mercy again. The three options that fully recruit Yaya to the Dojo are:

• We forgive him

• You need to forgive each other

• Let's work together

Gennojo

Gennojo starts out as an enemy, which makes his recruitment feel like a grudging friendship waiting to happen. Players first fight him during the Missing Missive quest while hunting The Fool, then choose to spare him to begin his storyline.

Only Naoe should handle Gennojo's questline, because some dialogue options require her. The quests are:

• Lost Honor

• Sake and Sword

• Honor Among Thieves

• Stolen Hearts

• The Godless Harvest

During The Godless Harvest, Gennojo gets a little too attached to explosives. Players should choose to soothe him rather than stop him. At the end, selecting We make a good team officially adds him to the Dojo.

Ibuki

Ibuki is another ally who cares about who is doing the talking, and this time it is Yasuke who must take the lead. The trail begins near Kashiwara Village in Iga with the Ambush Interrupted side quest. After the fighting ends, players should speak to Ibuki and choose I have changed to open the character's questline.

Complete the Homecoming quest and invite Ibuki to fight alongside Yasuke against the final boss. The only real requirement is to keep Ibuki alive during that fight. If Ibuki falls, the recruitment falls apart.

Oni-Yuri

Oni-Yuri is the northern mystery of the ally roster. Players need to reach Act 2 and travel to Wakasa, where she waits near Tsuruga Castle at Sotomo Gate. She is easy to miss if players do not wander that far north early.

Her recruitment is refreshingly simple. Complete two quests:

• Sweet Lies

• Sweet Revenge

At the very end of Sweet Revenge, players can pick I will show you to recruit her. There are no tricky dialogue choices before that moment.

Katsuhime

Katsuhime shows up during the hunt for The Naginata, specifically in the Showdown in Sakamoto quest. Players should avoid antagonizing her, because she is needed for the Requiem for Rokkaku mission and the ally quests that follow.

Naoe should handle Katsuhime's personal missions:

• Letter from Katsuhime

• The Diary of Lady Rokkaku

The second quest sends players to Ado River Valley to help Katsuhime retrieve her mentor's weapon. After clearing out the enemies and rescuing her, players can ask her to join the Dojo.

Yagoro

Yagoro is the final piece of the ally puzzle, and he does not even entertain the idea of joining until all Shinbakufu members are dead. That makes him a late-game reward for players who have already put in serious work.

Head to Harima and start A Blade in the Dark, a mission about a mysterious shinobi killer. Players must defeat Yagoro in battle, then assassinate a samurai target inside Mitsunodo Hall to earn his respect. According to the guide, no special dialogue choice is needed—Yagoro will join after a brief conversation once the samurai is dealt with.

Recruitment Cheat Sheet

Once recruited, these allies are not just trophies. They can be trained, swapped at the Dojo, and brought into the field for active and passive support. Some may even become romance options if players take the time to grow closer. But let’s be real—the Dojo starts feeling less like a hideout and more like a found family once a few of these faces show up. Just do not expect everyone to be on their best behavior.