Concept art of the hookblade.
- "The hookblade helps you get around fast, surprise guards, and is not too bad in a fight."
- ―Yusuf Tazim.[src]
The Hookblade is a modification to the hidden blade, and was first adopted by the Assassins of Constantinople. It consists of both a curved hook, as well as a regular blade, allowing it to be used for freerunning and in combat.
When he arrived in the city, Mentor Ezio Auditore was introduced to this advancement by Yusuf Tazim, who instructed the former in its use in both travel and battle.
Usage
Used from as early as the 1480s, the hookblade was designed to make travel quick and easy, specifically by making use of ziplines planted throughout the city. It could be used in several acrobatic movements as well, such as for quickly climbing up walls, extending one's reach, or flipping over enemies to avoid a fight.
Ezio using the hookblade on a zipline.
The hookblade allowed an Assassin to spring quickly onto a rooftop after grabbing the ledge, rather than spending extra time gaining a foothold and pulling themselves up. Additionally, it could be used with corner chase-breakers, where the swinging support could be used as a trapeze to reach the next rooftop, instead of going around the corner.
In terms of combat, the hookblade could also be used to pull targets in for a close-range attack, throw an enemy onto the ground, or in order to counter a weapon. Because of its extended reach, Assassins could also perform a ledge assassination without a foothold. In addition, it could also be used to destroy scaffolds to slow down or eliminate pursuers. An Assassin could perform a counter steal, tearing off an enemy's purse and provoking them further.
Trivia
An early image of Ezio in Revelations.
- Early images of Assassin's Creed: Revelations show Ezio with a hookblade on his left arm, rather than his right.
- According to the June 2011 edition of GameInformer, Revelations will feature a new control system. Pressing the "Empty Hand" button (O on the PS3, Shift on the PC, and B on the Xbox 360) will now trigger the hookblade. Holding the button enables hook and runs, which is preferrable to hook and throws because the hookblade will merely get tangled in the Janissaries's armor.
- Developer Ubisoft Montreal has stated that the hookblade should increase navigation speed by 30%.
- The actual hook of the hookblade resembles the head of an eagle, a bird frequently associated with the Assassin Order.
- Unlike the hidden gun and poison blade, the hookblade is an upgrade for Ezio's secondary hidden blade, rather than his primary one.
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