Improvised weapon

What if this was all a construction? A masterfully crafted simulation? This article references the Assassin's Creed series in a real-world context, is written in the present tense, or is partly written in terms of gameplay. To maintain clear perspectives, revise the relevant section(s) so that out-of-universe content is in a "Behind the scenes" and the body adopts an in-universe past tense.

Ezio fighting with a rake

Improvised weapons are devices that are originally not designed for use in combat but can still be put to good use as weapons.

During the Viking expansion into England, the shieldmaiden Eivor Varinsdottir of the Raven Clan could use a sharp stick as an impromptu battleaxe.

During the Renaissance, such weapons could be wielded by the Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze and made additional options for armed combat alongside the more conventional weapons including swords, blunt weapons, long weapons, or heavy weapons.

All of the improvised weapons could be picked up in a similar fashion to other one-handed weapons. They were often carried and used by civilians, who would drop them once Ezio gently pushed or ran into them, when a fight commenced or if money was thrown near them.

These weapons could not normally be kept and were usually discarded as soon as a fight was finished or if Ezio began freerunning or if he entered a hiding spot.

Possible improvised weapons

9th century England

• Sharp Stick

15th century Italy

• Hoes
• Rakes
• Brooms
• Pitchforks
• Fishing poles
• Violins (used by certain minstrels, only available during Carnevale)
• The halves of a broken spear

16th century Italy and Constantinople

• Rakes
• Brooms
• Mallets
• Shovels
• Pickaxes
• Pitchforks
• Meat cleavers
• Fishing poles
• The halves of a broken spear
• Lutes (used by minstrels in Constantinople)

Trivia

Assassin's Creed II

• All improvised weapons acted and sounded as maces, aside from the upper, bladed end of a broken spear. Their attacks were usually nonsensical. For example, Ezio could slice an enemy's throat with a broom after a grab, exactly the way he would with a sword or with a sharp end of a mace.
• The violin had the sound effect of a sword, but acted like a mace.
• Some improvised weapons could be kept with a glitch, but were lost when traveling to another city or randomly during excessive combat. To keep an improvised weapon, the sword sheath must have been empty at the time, which could be achieved by letting Brutes use their disarm smash ability.
  • An alternate way to empty the sword sheath was to go to the Monteriggioni Training Ring and practice "Picking Up Weapons". Ezio's sword would drop out of his scabbard automatically.
• Guards could also use improvised weapons, as long as they were disarmed and there was no other weapon available.
• Bartolomeo d'Alviano used a broom to fight during the memory "Caged Fighter", until picking up a proper weapon.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

• Although shovels could be used as weaponry in-game, their coding was unfinished. In-game, Ezio wielded a shovel like a knife, with the blade pointing behind him instead of forward. Also, when the shovel was swung, the blade and staff clipped through Ezio's body, and it used the combat animations of a mace.
• The "Spring Cleaning" achievement could be earned by killing a guard with a broom. This achievement was also awarded when a guard was killed while using a pistol on one hand, and holding a broom on the other hand.
• Nearly all improvised weapons were found in use by civilians in the Delizia di Belriguardo, during the memory "The One Who Got Away".

Assassin's Creed: Revelations

• The minstrel's lute, which could be picked up and used at any time in Constantinople, was used as Ezio's weapon during a short cutscene when he saved Prince Suleiman from one of the Byzantine guards.
• The coding on most improvised weapons was improved enough to prevent issues like glitching through Ezio's body.

Assassin's Creed III

• While there were no improvised weapons available, Haytham Kenway and Ratonhnhaké:ton could use nearby environmental objects during counterattacks, such as tables, barrels, chairs, and bottles.

Assassin's Creed III: Liberation

• Due to a bug, Aveline de Grandpré could procure small hammers from workers, which acted like heavy weapons in combat. However, they lacked sound effects to signify impact.

Assassin's Creed: Rogue

• Similar to Assassin's Creed III, Shay Cormac could use improvised objects such as tables, barrels and chairs. He used them most notably in his fight against Le Chasseur, as well as in tavern brawls.

Assassin's Creed: Freedom Cry

• A unique improvised weapon is available to Adéwalé, namely the branding iron which he uses to kill the Governor de Fayette.

Gallery

• 
  A broom