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After the prologue inAssassin’s CreedShadows, Naoe can build a hideout featuring crucial buildings for your scouts and other various allies you can recruit to your noble cause.
One of these essential additions is a forge that you can craft to upgrade your weapons and armor to raise their levels. But first, we’ll need to find a blacksmith that can operate the forge itself.
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Luckily,Tomiko knows a blacksmith named Heiji from her early daysand requests that we find him and bring him in as the newest member of the hideout.
Finding Heiji in Explorer Mode can be tricky, but with my guide today, you can make short work of this side quest to freely continue your main adventure while having the new option to upgrade all of your gear.
Where To Find Heiji The Blacksmith
From the exact clues that we’re given, Heiji is in Sakai, a small port town located on the western side of the Izumi Settsu region.
Now, if you’re looking to streamline this process, go ahead and use one of your scouts here to create a radius where you can find Heiji.If not, don’t worry—I’ve already shown the location in the images above for your convenience, so save that scout point if you prefer.
At the exact spot here,you’ll hear a couple of men arguing and threatening someone in a backyard. Once in close sight, Naoe will point out that this man being threatened must be Heiji.
Take down the three enemies swiftly, and talk to Heiji. He’s pretty broken down about himself and his abilities since his parents passed away and his personal debts have grown.
But thanks to Naoe’s encouragement and vow to help him pay back his debt, we convince him to return to the Hideout, where the final step of the quest awaits.
Right when you rescue and talk to Heiji, you’re able to also pick up a couple of batches of minerals lying near him.
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How To Make The Forge & Upgrade Gear
Your last step to completing the quest will be to make a Forge at your hideout from the build menu.
Crafting a level 1 forge will require 40 crops, 30 wood, and 10 coal.Place the forge anywhere you wish in the hideout’s layout. You’ll likely be using the forge often to upgrade your gear, so consider placing it closer to the hideout’s entrance.
If you don’t have enough materials, I strongly recommend exploring the map to hunt for an enemy faction camp.They should have enough loot to give you more than enough resources, and many can be found throughout the region.
Once you’ve crafted the forge at your hideout, you can talk to Heiji at the building again to upgrade or dismantle your gear.
I wouldn’t advise upgrading so early and, instead, waiting until you get gear of higher rarity from mid-game quests. You do have the option to dismantle any upgraded gear later with a slight material penalty in return, but your upgraded early-game gear will still become obsolete quickly nonetheless.
Lastly, you’re able to upgrade the forge, increasing its viability and options. I’ve detailed each level’s exact benefits below.
