Assassin's Creed Brotherhood: How to be a master assassin

Another underused device, the poison blades can be purchased from that man Leonardo Da Vinci. Sidle up to your victim, give them a bit of the old stabby stabby and watch the ensuing fireworks as they make a big song and dance before collapsing dead on the floor. During this bit of pantomime, you can generally slip away unnoticed. The same goes for the David Copperfield-cool smoke bomb %26ndash; cracking one of these bad boys against the cobbles engulfs the vicinity in a thick haze, letting our man disappear into the mist.

Above: Combine this with the coin trick to create a scene similar to the circle pit at a heavy metal gig

Find Your Range

Lots of Ezio%26rsquo;s business involves getting up close and deadly personal. The problem is sometimes it%26rsquo;s simply not possible to sidle right up to targets and ram your hidden blade into their corpulent bellies %26ndash; especially when they%26rsquo;re located up on high and have a great vantage point over the surrounding locale. That%26rsquo;s where gear like stilettos, firearms and crossbows come in. Stilettos have short range and gunpowder is hella loud so we reckon the latter is the best all-rounder. Totally silent and boasting impressive range, it%26rsquo;ll cost a fair chunk of florins early doors but is absolutely worth the investment. Just wait %26lsquo;til you%26rsquo;ll infiltrating a Borgia Tower and need to kill a captain before they leap on their horsie and flee... then you%26rsquo;ll thank us.

Above: As close as you'll get to the sniper experience in Assassin's Creed. They won't know what hit 'em

Under the Radar

Although Ezio%26rsquo;s weapon skillz cut through swathes of guards like a hot stiletto through butter, his particular line of dirty work obviously revolves around keeping a low profile. Factors like being caught murdering somebody, leaping around off-limits rooftops like a Renaissance rhesus or swiping somebody%26rsquo;s purse all ramp up Ezio%26rsquo;s notoriety. Max it out and guards will actively search you out, which makes performing even the smallest task a major ball ache. Although the best advice is simply: don%26rsquo;t get caught, dolt %26ndash; obviously that%26rsquo;s not always possible. Instead, take time to crumple up any wanted posters you happen across, bribe heralds to sing your praises (expensive though it is at 500 florins a pop) and, weirdly, murder any diplomats on your radar... they%26rsquo;ll all make Ezio a nobody again in double-quick time. Sorted.

Above: Is this supposed to be me? My nose isn't that big. Best take it down before the laydeez see it...

Armour King

Beefing up your armour (and the health benefits that brings) at a local blacksmiths doesn%26rsquo;t just come in handy when you%26rsquo;re getting bashed about by posses of guards; it%26rsquo;s also crucial if you%26rsquo;re going to survive long falls. Sometimes, often after an assassination, you%26rsquo;re required to hare it away from the scene %26ndash; and pressure often leads to mistakes. Having the quality gear to endure a bad fall often makes the crucial difference between flight or fight.

Above: Breaking your legs while trying to run away isn't recommended. Better attire will help with that

Out of Sight

Assassin takedownsare both silent and brutally effective, but pull one off in plain sight and Ezio%26rsquo;s instantly a marked man. Instead, learn to use your environment to f**k guards up. Our faves are the ledge takedown %26ndash; when Ezio%26rsquo;s clinging to a ledge and yanks some unsuspecting schmoe off the rooftop to his doom %26ndash; and popping out of a nearby haystack to butcher a victim. Corpses can also be stowed and secreted away; it%26rsquo;s often a clever idea to spend a few moments mopping up after yourself to ensure guards patrolling the area don%26rsquo;t get suspicious, innit.

Above: Hey, if it's good enough for Nathan Drake, it's good enough for us. Pull his leg and watch him fall

16 Nov, 2010