Assassin's Creed Origins weapons - how cursed and legendary weapons work and more explained

Assassin's Creed Origins weapons, as a system, differ quite significantly from previous entries. A new levelling system is the obvious change, but there are also a range of modifiers, upgrades, and weapon types to consider.

Here on this page, we'll explain things like how to get Legendary Weapons as reliably as is possible, how cursed weapons work, and much more on the system in general.

For more on Assassin's Creed Origins though, give our main Assassin's Creed Origins guide and walkthrough hub a look over, where we feature plenty more guides on all sorts of aspects of the game, and a walkthrough of the entire story.

Assassin's Creed Origins weapons explained - how cursed weapons, legendary weapons and more work

There are an enormous amount of weapons in Origins, ranging in quality, level, type, and more. We're certainly not going to be listing all of them here, but what we will do is explain how exactly that system works, from acquiring weapons to modifying them to keep up with your own level as you progress.

Weapon Types:

In terms of plain category of weapon, there are several kinds that you can encounter. Each type of weapon has a unique bonus attribute that's present for all weapons within it's type. Here's a quick list of what's what:

• Swords - Critical Hit Rate: grants a percentage chance of landing a critical hit.
• Sickle Swords - Bleeding on Hit: grants a percentage chance of inflicting Bleeding damage-over-time.
• Dual Swords - Adrenaline Regeneration: generates a small number of Adrenaline Points per second.
• Heavy Blunts - Adrenaline on Kill: gains a large number of Adrenaline Points on killing an enemy.
• Heavy Blades - Adrenaline on Hurt: gains a medium number of Adrenaline Points on taking damage.
• Scepters - Combo Multiplier: damage multiplied by a set percentage on each hit.
• Spears - Critical Hit Damage: critical hits deal a set percentage of increased damage.
• Hunter Bows - Charging Speed: charging duration for your bow reduced by a set percentage.
• Light Bows - Rate of Fire: bows rate of fire increased by a set percentage.
• Warrior Bows - Precision: spread of arrows is reduced by a set percentage.
• Predator Bows - Stealth Damage: damage from your bow is increased by a set percentage while undiscovered.

Weapon Attributes and Modifiers - cursed weapons and more:

So, each weapon type has it's own set attribute - but it doesn't just end there. Not only are there the eleven Attributes mention in that list above - there are also a series of other modifiers, from poison to cursed, which you weapons can have.

Each weapon - or shield - can have up to three attributes in total, which is dictated by the weapon's rarity. Common weapons have just the standard attribute, rare weapons have two, and legendary weapons have three.

Cursed weapons are probably the most intriguing. A cursed weapon will deal a whopping 200 per cent more damage than normal - as in, an extra 200 per cent, meaning you damage is tripled. But the cost of that is your health will be capped at just 33 per cent, meaning you're trading two thirds of your health for another two times total damage. Unequipping the weapon or of course getting rid of it entirely will make the curse effects go away, if you don't fancy it!

Other effects can range from recovering health on hit to dealing extra damage from height, so keep a close eye on the weapons you pick up as you go to see if anything comes in particularly handy.

How to get legendary weapons in Assassin's Creed Origins

Speaking of picking up weapons as you go, if you've got your teeth stuck into Origins for more than an hour or so, or just had your interest piqued from that info above, you'll likely be wondering how to get legendary weapons in particular.

Although they're not quite as unique as top-tier weaponry you'll find in other games with remarkably similar commonality ratings (cough - Shadow of War, Destiny, other games released in 2017...), legendary weapons in Assassin's Creed Origins are at least guaranteed to be useful insofar as they have three whole bonus effects on each of them.

Unfortunately, there's no surefire way of getting a consistent stream of legendary weapons in Origins, but there are at least a few things you can do to get a handful of them as you go, or speed up the process of waiting for RNJesus.

Need more help? Our Assassin's Creed Origins walkthrough and guide will take you through every step of the main story and quests, whilst we also have guides on how to grind XP and level up, plus explainers on how Assassin's Creed Origins sidequests work, alongside how to get crafting materials and animal goods, and even complete solutions and walkthroughs to all Assassin's Creed Origins Tombs, Silica, and Anchient Mechanisms. We also have a list of all Papyrus Puzzle locations, Origins' cursed and legendary weapons and how they're acquired, and finally a detailed page Phylakes, Phylakes' Prey and how to get the Black Hood outfit.

How to get legendary weapons in Assassin's Creed Origins

• Killing Phylakes - Probably the most surefire way of getting legendary gear is to kill Phylakes, to bounty hunter-style enemies that will beging to track you down after completing the main story mission Gennadios the Phylakitai. We have more info on these in our dedicated Phylakes' Prey guide, but in brief each kill will drop you a legendary, and defeating all ten will get you a special legendary outfit.
• Popping loot boxes - And you thought you could escape the loot crate craze. Think again! Track down the Nomad's Bazaar, an in-game vendor, and drop a whopping 3,000 Drachmas to get a Heka Chest (loot box) which gives you either a rare or legendary weapon each time. Enjoy!
• Papyrus Puzzles - These little treasure-map-riddles will lead you to some really great loot each time, and are as good as Phylakes for a source of legendary weapons. There are 25 in total, and we have a guide to every Papyrus Puzzle solution and location waiting for you.
• Complete Sidequests - Finally, another great source of legendaries is sidequests. Once again have a guide to Assassin's Creed Origins sidequests and how to complete them quickly, but in brief there are some set quests which grant legendaries, and some which give you a good chance of them. It's worth grinding them out!

Before you get hunting, it's worth bearing one last thing in mind when it comes to weapons in general: weapons, thankfully, can be upgraded at the Blacksmith in-game. This brings them up to your level in-game, meaning that that awesome legendary you nabbed right at the start of the game can grow with you throughout.

It also means it's probably most efficient to grab at least one decent legendary early on, so you have a great weapon on you at all times... so you best get cracking!