Assassin’s Creed Animus – Character Tactics Part 2

Missed Part 1? Find it HERE.

Today, we're going to continue our look into the cast of Assassin's Creed: Animus - The Board Game. This time our journey starts in Renaissance Italy and then moves forward to the American Revolution. Let's see just who you'll be playing as, depending on the edition you choose - plus tips and tricks to get the best out of them.

Ezio (Assassin's Creed II) - All Editions

Ezio Auditore da Firenze is an Italian Assassin who operated during the Renaissance, a time of cultural and intellectual rebirth spanning the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Born in 1459 in Florence, Ezio initially lived a carefree life as a nobleman’s son. However, tragedy thrust him into the world of the Assassins, where he sought justice and purpose. Ezio’s charisma, resourcefulness, and adaptability made him a beloved leader and a symbol of the Brotherhood’s ideals. His journeys took him across Italy, including Venice, Florence, and Rome, where he faced powerful adversaries and uncovered ancient secrets.

Renaissance Italy: long-time Assassin's Creed fans will know these locations like the back of their hand. Florence. Venice. Rome. You'll navigate bureaus,streets and canals, not forgetting to stop by the villa, all to help prepare you for your next dramatic clash with the Templar order.

Da Vinci's Inventions: Ezio can place powerful memory blocks onto their player board called Inventions. If a target looks difficult, consider visiting Da Vinci to make the assassination easier.

Distractions & Carnival Mask: Two cards in Ezio's draw deck have a hidden use: the distraction card and the carnival mask. Consider holding onto these as they can be used to bypass the challenges on Uberto Alberti and Marco Barbarigo.

Naoe & Yasuke (Assassin's Creed Shadows) - Collector's Edition Only

Naoe is a skilled shinobi from Iga Province who lived during Japan’s late Sengoku period. The daughter of legendary shinobi master Fujibayashi Nagato, she was raised in the traditions of ninjutsu and trained in stealth, agility, and assassination from a young age. Yasuke was a legendary African samurai who served under Oda Nobunaga during Japan’s turbulent late Sengoku period. Brought to Japan in the 16th century, his strength, loyalty, and presence earned him a place within Nobunaga’s inner circle

Feudal Japan: On this board you'll travel between the major locations of Yamashiro, Wakasa and Tamba while also making use of Temples and other familiar locations to prepare for your assassination attempt.

Double Assassins: During set up, place both Naoe and Yasuke onto your Player Board, and control both throughout the game. When moving an Assassin, you may choose which one to move. Your Assassins may not share the same space.

Seasons: Your Season cards can be used to give your Assassins more combo turns throughout the game. Note that the deck is always in the same order, so you can predict what the next season will be. Use this to your advantage to ensure you are always moving the right Assassin.

Edward (Assassin's Creed Black Flag) - Collector's Edition Only

Edward Kenway was a fearless pirate and skilled Assassin who lived during the Golden Age of Piracy in the early 18th century. His adventurous spirit and exceptional skills in navigation and combat earned him a reputation among legendary pirates. Overtime, his encounters with the Assassin Brotherhood reshaped his priorities, leading him to a deeper understanding of freedom and responsibility.

The Golden Age of Piracy: avast, ye scurvy dogs! Welcome to the Caribbean, where you'll be hunting Templars in Nassau, Havana and Kingston. From the open sea to docks, and a range of useful locations on the outskirts of each city, you'll need to become a master of getting around both on land and water to truly master the Golden Age of Piracy.

Weather: Keep one eye on your Weather deck, as it confers powerful bonuses:

• Fog - gives you a reward for completing stealth challenges
• Dark of Night - remove desync tokens more easily
• Clear Skies - helps you find targets
• Thunder - boosts your fight value

The Jackdaw: Paths that travel between locations (left and right) have a ship symbol. These paths can be travelled in either direction, but only if you have your ship equipped.

Adéwalé: You may also choose to play as Adéwalé (from both Black Flag and its Freedom Cry DLC) on this board, who brings the Port-au-Prince location, the Experto Crede ship, and three alternate reaction cards into play.

Connor (Assassin's Creed III) - All Editions

Ratonhnhaké:ton, also known as Connor, is an Assassin of Mohawk and British descent who lived during the American Revolution in the 18th century. Born in1756 in a Kanien’kehà:ka village, Connor grew up amidst conflict and tension between colonial powers and Indigenous communities. He joined the Brotherhood to fight for freedom and justice, both for his people and for the broader colonies. Connor’s strength, perseverance, and unwavering sense of morality made him a vital figure in the struggle for liberation. His story reflects the complex dynamics of revolution and identity during a pivotal era in history.

The American Revolution: Connor's tale takes place over a span of time, leading to its dramatic conclusion in 1783. You'll venture between major cities like Boston and New York while also making clever use of the resources and advantages of the wild frontier.

Homesteading: Connor has a unique location called the Homestead. This location will never have targets in it, but can be upgraded by taking the Homesteading action. If built up, the Homestead can be a useful location to visit between assassinations.

Desync Tokens: More so than other Assassins, Connor can handle a few desync tokens. If you end up with a high value desync token, consider moving to the On the Hunt space to give it to another player.

Aveline (Collector's Edition Only): You may also choose to play as Aveline from Assassin's Creed Liberation on this board, who brings the Bayou and New Orleans locations into play, plus four alternate reaction cards.

Join us in Part 3 to conclude our look at the eras and characters of 'Animus', ranging from the Assassins of the French Revolution to Victorian London.

Your Special Launch Offer

Now that you're ready to begin your own journey through the Animus, there's never been a better time to join the Brotherhood - because we're running a special launch offer until the end of November 2026.

Use code HIDDENONE at checkout and you'll save £8/€10/$13 on the or save £35/€39/$45 on the !

Need a reminder of what's in each box? Click below and we'll walk you through what comes in the two versions of the game so you can pick the right one for you:

Whichever edition you choose, orders are open and shipping now. (If you're after that Collector's Edition, don't wait around - it's a special limited print run, so when it's gone it's gone!)

Work in the dark to serve the light. The World of Assassin's Creed awaits.