Assassin's Creed 2

[Life]

One of the things thar I've noticed about Assassin's Creed 2 is the sheer amount of money. Sure, you'll buy lots of medicine and knives but I'm not convinced that all themoney is truly needed.

Let's find out.

Rules:

All Viewpoints are scaled. Doesn't add moneybut I consider unlocking the map vital.

Shops except for Art Dealers may be visited. No buying outfits though. Waste.

Not all weapons must be unlocked.

No sidequests.

Codex and Seals are storyline. Chests in burial chambers are OK.

Killing is very subjective. No looting though.

No chests aside for burial chambers.

No return to Monterrigiori aside from story. I believe that's during the Pazzi Conspiracy.

That's all the rules. Don't expect it to be hard,, just want to see how much I need to rely on money.

[DragonBladeSniper]

Man it's been a while since I've played AC2, but I usually like having money on me. xD Did they add the chest that you visit for money every now and then in AC2? Or is that just Brotherhood? Because I remember visiting that chest so many times.

[Life]

Dont think so. What this means is that hookers/thieves/mercs will be used a lot less frequently if I'm trying to save gold for weapons. Pouches will obviously be first priority followed by armour (won't get better quality than metal and maybe only as high as helmscild or whatever it's called).

[Life]

Here we go. End of Sequence 2 (Uberto Alberti). So first update before I'm back at base.

The early portions of this game are a breeze. No money needs to be spent and very few guards need to die, even when stalking Uberto Alberti. The only tricky part is getting into Santa Croce without using hookers but I found a nice little walkway over the guards on the right side so that worked out nicely. The name of the game is being careful because you start out notorious and if a guard detects you, desynchronization. Aside from that, everything went well.

The problem is the money. You get shit money from the first few missions. Even assassinating Uberto Alberti brings in 400f so... yeah. This'll be fun.

Cash: 1941f

[Life]

Getting the family out of Florence is easier said than done. Had to blow a bit of cash on hookers which was a mistake (should have thrown some coins instead).

However, Mario provides a sword and 3k which is always nice. I buy a Dagger (Small Weapon) and Leather Greaves (Armour) with what he's given me. Doctor hands me 5 Medicines for a grand total of 375f. These will come in handy but I need to ration them well. However, since it's a quest, I gain another 800f from it. I also climb the Villa Auditore for the Monteriggioni map.

Cash: 4946f

Weapons: Common Sword (E), Dagger (E)

Armour: Leather Greaves (E)

Supplies: Medicine (5)

[Life]

Before heading out to take out Vieri, I decide to visit the blacksmith again. My order of buying stuff is Armour > Weapon > Small Weapon but I can't afford both the Leather Chest Guard and Leather Spaulders together. I opt for the Leather Spaulders (Armour) and leave the rest. The Venetian Falchion and Mercenario War Hammer trade between +3 Speed (Venetian Falchion) and +3 Deflect (Mercenario War Hammer) but both are downgrades in the other department over the Common Sword. The Old Syrian Sword costs 2185f for a +1 upgrade to Deflect. I'll pass. The Knife, on the other hand, costs almost half as much (1235f) and upgrades both Speed and Deflect over the Dagger. I take it and hope for something with damage to pop up in the future. After that, I ride my way over to Tuscany/San Gimignano.

Vieri de'Pazzi and his forces go down with me using 3 throwing knives and a lot of sneaking around. I manage to finish him with a Hidden Blade to the face in open combat. The bounty on him is 2400f so I'm not complaining. The few quests afterwards include grabbing the Codex pages in Monteriggioni and unlocking the seals. Before I leave for Florence, I take the Leather Chest Guard (Armour) for 4370f. I would have loved to buy the Maul (Weapon) but that will have to wait.

Leonardo hands me the Double Blade and we're in business. I climb the viewpoints in the Santa Maria Novella District and then find La Volpe. This leads me to my first Assassin's Tomb inside the Santa Maria Novella along with three chests for the taking. I pick up the Maul (Weapon) right after that for 3600f but fail to upgrade the size of my Medicine pouch.

Cash: 5413f

Weapons: Maul (E), Knife (E), Double Blade (E), Common Sword, Dagger

Armour: Leather Spaulders (E), Leather Chest Guard (E) Leather Greaves (E)

Supplies: Throwing Knives (6/10), Medicine (5/5)

Others: Assassin Seal (1/6), Codex Pages (6)

[DragonBladeSniper]

Do you feel a difference yet? Though as far as I could remember, even when I kinda tried to get money, I couldn't get much gear either.

[Life]

Do you feel a difference yet? Though as far as I could remember, even when I kinda tried to get money, I couldn't get much gear either.

Not yet but I've really been stingy with money. That being said, the early parts of the game are quite simple. I remember blowing a lot of money on ammo in Venice so we'll see there.

So I get charged with the task of killing Francesco de' Pazzi but I figure that a quick stop at the blacksmith will do wonders. I finish off my armour set with Leather Vambraces (Armour) because for 1100f, it upgrades Health +1 and Resistance +2 while the Helmschmied Greaves (Armour) are only +1 and +1 for 5200f. I'll pass. I also restock my throwing knives because I feel I'll need more than 6 for right now. That's another 200f.

I climb the tower and burn a Medicine and a couple of Throwing Knives on the way. Francesco runs, I stop him with a Throwing Knife followed by my Hidden Blade and collect 1200f on his death.

Time for my favourite part of the game: The Pazzi Conspiracy.

Before heading out to Tuscany, I grab the last Codex page plus the Assassin's Seal hidden inside the Santa Maria del Fiore. I also buy me a bigger Medicine pouch (Pouch) on the way. Visiting Leonardo picks up the Poison Blade which is always nice not to mention automatically decrypting the other Codex pages for more HP. I stop a Borgia carrier without changing my path or climbing anything for an extra 1500f which is fantastic.

A forced return trip to Monteriggioni gives me a chance to pick up 1000f from the chest since it doesn't kill efficiency. Once in San Gimignano, I grab a Helmschmied Spaulders (Armour) for 6200f. Pretty costly but it's the best item ratiowise for defense currently. That drops me to about 1750f. I open up the viewpoints in San Gimignano and then head for the Assassin's Seal in the Torre Grossa. I started short on Throwing Knives in this dungeon so it took a lot of ingenuity and good Hidden Blade kills to make it through.

After unlocking the map, I go after Stefano da Bagnone first. That unlocks Smoke Bombs, an awesome escape tool or a good way to cut down five or so enemies in a fight. Easy kill on the man followed by a little escape. And I'm done for a bit.

Cash: 4737f

Weapons: Maul (E), Knife (E), Double Blade (E), Poison Blade (E), Common Sword, Dagger

Armour: Helmschmied Spaulders (E), Leather Chest Guard (E), Leather Vambraces (E), Leather Greaves (E), Leather Spaulders

Supplies: Throwing Knives (10/10), Medicine (10/10), Poison (5/5), Smoke Bomb (1/3)

Others: Assassin Seal (3/6), Codex Pages (8)

[Life]

Francesco Salviati is my next target. I start a couple of decoy fights, jump over the wall and open the gate. Salviati comes out and I drop my final smoke bomb and kill him while he's stunned. Hide in some hay right afterwards to go incognito and then take a horse to the city.

Once in, I drop 1050f on three more Smoke Bombs and another 10f on a nearby Codex Page. Takes a little running and a Medicine to get away but all is good. Antonio Maffet is up next but rather than pick off the archers around him, I charge his own tower. A quick blade to the stomach and a dive off of the tower and only one man remains.

Bernardo Baroncelli is in the market in the southeast part of town. You can get in by distracting the guards on the edges of the market or over the rooftops and dive into some hay. Baroncelli walks around the market a bit so it should be easy to take him by surprise. If not, chase the fat bastard down.

After dropping the last hitman, I buy a Large Medicine Pouch (Pouch) for 6000f. Very good upgrade since I now can hold 15 Medicines. Still no weapons or armour that I like. Afterwards, I follow Jacobo de' Pazzi to the Antico Teatro Romano on the west side of San Gimignano. A few cutscenes later, a Smoke Bomb to the ground and Jacobo is no more.

Sequence 6 takes place in the mountains and Forli. Before leaving Florence, I buy a Metal Cestus (Fists) for barehand fighting (will need it against Rodrigo Borgia at least). My next weapon goals are the Sultan's Knife (Small Weapon) and Scimitar (Weapon). I would be getting the Flanged Mage (Weapon) instead but the Scimitar is an 800f upgrade for a +2 Deflect lead, not to mention that Damage and Speed are tied.

Forli has almost nothing to it in terms of story. However, the city does house an Assassin's Tomb and two Codex Pages, making the place important. I pick up the Sultan's Knife for 4300f and will save the rest for the Scimitar. I grab the Codex Pages and infiltrate the Riocca di Ravaldino for my fourth Assassin's Seal. After that, I grab the ship to Venice.

Cash: 9624f

Weapons: Maul (E), Sultan's Knife (E), Double Blade (E), Poison Blade (E), Metal Cestus (E), Common Sword, Dagger, Knife

Armour: Helmschmied Spaulders (E), Leather Chest Guard (E), Leather Vambraces (E), Leather Greaves (E), Leather Spaulders

Supplies: Throwing Knives (1/10), Medicine (9/15), Poison (4/5), Smoke Bomb (1/3)

Others: Assassin Seal (4/6), Codex Pages (11)

[Life]

Once in Venice, the shops start getting a lot better and a lot more expensive. I decide to ditch the Scimitar (Weapon) in return for the Cavalieri Mace (Weapon) because it has +4 Attack, the strongest weapon available. All the Metal options for Armour also exist but they cost a fortune. I spend 3000f on a Knife Belt Upgrade (Pouch) in order to carry 15 Knives since my Throwing Knives are now 2HKOs but very effective against armoured enemies.

I manage to snag another Codex Page along with the Cavalieri Mace for 20800f. Prices have really gone up but I'm now getting good money from quests. Since my Weapon and Small Weapons have been upgraded, I'll start my Metal Armour collection next.

Cash: 1594f

Weapons: Cavalieri Mace (E), Sultan's Knife (E), Double Blade (E), Poison Blade (E), Metal Cestus (E), Common Sword, Maul, Dagger, Knife

Armour: Helmschmied Spaulders (E), Leather Chest Guard (E), Leather Vambraces (E), Leather Greaves (E), Leather Spaulders

Supplies: Throwing Knives (1/15), Medicine (8/15), Poison (4/5), Smoke Bomb (3/3)

Others: Assassin Seal (4/6), Codex Pages (12)

[Life]

The rest of Antonio's quests are pretty easy and Emelio Barbarigo goes down hard. I still don't have enough for new armour but I'm getting there. Weapons are all taken care of, though.

My next target is Carlo Grimaldi but before I continue on, I clear out the viewpoints and Assassin's Tomb located in San Marco. The Basilica di San Marco hosts the most fun Assassin's Tomb so I don't mind doing that.

After climbing the outside of the Basilica di San Marco, I buy myself some Missaglias Greaves (Armour). These things have retarded resistance and considering that I'm upgrading from Leather, major upgrade has happened. My next target are the Metal Vambraces (Armour). A Borgia carrier in the way provides the rest of the money for the new bracers.

Killing Carlo Grimaldi is probably the laziest assassination ever. He runs around the courtyard with like 50 guys around you and there's no real escape without dying. The jumping spot is near impossible to find (southeast corner) so it's basically dive into the water on the east side. Basically, smoke bombs are your friends here. Drop one and climb the east side of the Palazzo. From there, it's water or hiding spot. Killing Grimaldi nets 6000f.

Leonardo provides me with the Pistol for killing Marco Barbarigo and I buy a Missaglias Vambraces (Armour) to continue my armour collection. I restock everything in preparation for Carnevale and then head southeast to start collecting Codex Pages, the last Assassin's Seal and Viewpoints.

The last Assassin's Tomb in the game is located in the Santa Maria della Visitazione. It has a time based climbing puzzle, a chase and other stuff. Pretty annoying too. Once taken, the more efficient choice is to stay in Venice and finish out the game instead of returning for Altair's Armour (Armour). It also gives you a good reason to start saving up for the Sword of Altair (Weapon) since that thing is costly. I buy a Notched Cinquedea (Small Weapon) for for 9300f while clearing out Carnivale. That should be my final Small Weapon.

Beating the games at Carnivale is easy. Crashing the party a little harder. Once Marco shows, a bullet to the face downs him and I book it out of Carnivale.

Cash: 1594f

Weapons: Cavalieri Mace (E), Notched Cinquedea (E), Double Blade (E), Poison Blade (E), Metal Cestus (E), Pistol, Common Sword, Maul, Dagger, Knife, Sultan's Knife

Armour: Helmschmied Spaulders (E), Leather Chest Guard (E), Missaglias Vambraces (E), Missaglias Greaves (E), Leather Spaulders, Leather Vambraces, Leather Greaves

Supplies: Throwing Knives (11/15), Medicine (14/15), Poison (2/5), Smoke Bombs (3/3), Bullets (3/6)

Others: Assassin Seal (6/6), Codex Pages (16)