The Quest for the Perfect Gift is a pivotal main quest in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Early in the narrative, the protagonist, Naoe, must master the art of tea etiquette from a local vendor in order to successfully infiltrate a critical ceremony. As a young Shinobi, Naoe lacks prior exposure to such social events, necessitating a quick adaptation to achieve her objective. Notably, this quest is relatively short and emphasizes strategy over combat.
In this guide, we will explore essential information regarding this quest, including the merchant you should converse with and the decisions that will need to be made.
Disclaimer: This article contains significant spoilers for the storyline of Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Initiating The Perfect Gift Quest in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Embarking on The Perfect Gift is essential before pursuing the Golden Teppo. Naoe will utilize her assassin skills to enter restricted areas, and this quest serves as one of two vital missions leading to her target. Your initial task is to locate and engage a tea merchant. You will find three potential locations:
- Western Settsu
- Northern Sakai
- Outdoor stalls
Your optimal choice is the vendor in Northern Sakai, where a conversation will introduce you to Sen No Rikyu, the renowned master of tea ceremonies. While Rikyu may initially hesitate to instruct Naoe, he eventually agrees, setting the stage for her training.
Following him to his residence initiates a brief yet impactful tea etiquette training session, wherein the lessons learned will be crucial for future missions.
Mastering Tea Etiquette from a Skilled Teacher
In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, acquiring proper tea etiquette is straightforward, and your selections during this segment do not significantly alter subsequent events. You will encounter several choices that involve this practice, with Sen No Rikyu offering commentary on your actions.
Rikyu begins your training by inquiring how you would bow to him, presenting you with three options:
- Bow head
- Bow halfway
- Bow deeply
Choosing to bow too deeply may prompt Rikyu to express that it is excessive, which could lead guests to perceive hosts as subservient. The ideal response is to bow halfway, as this demonstrates balanced respect for both your guests and yourself.
After the bowing lesson, Rikyu will guide you on the correct method to turn a tea bowl, although this part does not require player involvement. He highlights that the bowl should face your guests as a sign of respect. Lastly, Rikyu notes that it is customary to offer a gift at the conclusion of each ceremony.
To conclude the main quest, Sen No Rikyu presents you with three gift options:
- Gold-trimmed teapot
- Tea-leaf jar
- Bamboo ladle
Although no option is inherently wrong, it is important to consider future implications. While certain choices may not impact story outcomes, they carry specific meanings for subsequent missions. If you aim for canon adherence, gifting the bamboo ladle to Imai Sokyu during the Tea Ceremony main quest is advised.
Choosing either the tea-leaf jar or the gold-trimmed teapot will elicit remarks from other attendees in later quests. Nonetheless, all items will be graciously accepted. Upon selecting the perfect gift, you will earn 1000 XP points as a reward, and Sen No Rikyu will extend his best wishes, effectively concluding this main quest.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is currently available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, as well as PC.