Rope dart: Difference between revisions
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[[File:AC4 Rope Dart.png|thumb|250px|A rope dart]] | [[File:AC4 Rope Dart.png|thumb|250px|A rope dart]] | ||
A '''rope dart''', or '''shéng biāo''' in {{wiki|Mandarin Chinese}},<ref name=" | A '''rope dart''', or '''shéng biāo''' in {{wiki|Mandarin Chinese}},<ref name="On Johnson's Trail">''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'' – [[On Johnson's Trail]]</ref> is a flexible weapon of [[China|Chinese]] origin that consists of a long rope with a metal dart attached at one end. | ||
This type of long-ranged weapon can be swung at enemies, and, once anchored into the target, can be used to pull them over distances. It was a signature tool and alleged invention of the [[Chinese Brotherhood of Assassins|Chinese Assassin]] [[Shao Jun]], who shared it and its associated techniques with branches of the [[Assassins|Assassin Brotherhood]] across the [[Earth|world]]. | This type of long-ranged weapon can be swung at enemies, and, once anchored into the target, can be used to pull them over distances. It was a signature tool and alleged invention of the [[Chinese Brotherhood of Assassins|Chinese Assassin]] [[Shao Jun]], who shared it and its associated techniques with branches of the [[Assassins|Assassin Brotherhood]] across the [[Earth|world]]. | ||
==Description== | ==Description== | ||
Aptly named, a rope dart is created by securing a sharp, metallic blade to a long rope approximately three to five | Aptly named, a rope dart is created by securing a sharp, metallic blade to a long rope approximately three to five meters in length.<ref name="Wikipedia">{{WP|Rope dart}}</ref> In this regard, it is akin to a whip with a sharp end, and it can be employed in a variety of ways either as a weapon or as a tool.<ref name="AC3">''Assassin's Creed III''</ref> | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
[[File:ACC China DB Shao Jun's Rope Dart.png|thumb|250px|Shao Jun's rope dart]] | [[File:ACC China DB Shao Jun's Rope Dart.png|thumb|250px|Shao Jun's rope dart]] | ||
===16th century=== | ===16th century=== | ||
The rope dart was allegedly the invention of the | The rope dart was allegedly the invention of the Chinese Assassin Shao Jun.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China]]'' – [[Database: Scroll 16 (China)|Database: Scroll 16]]</ref> She carried a variant that bore an exceptionally broad blade with her when she journeyed to [[Italy]] in 1524 to locate the legendary Italian [[Mentor]] [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] in the hopes of learning from him the means of saving the [[1402 Chinese Assassin purge|nearly-extinct]] Assassins in China.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Embers]]''</ref> | ||
When Shao Jun returned to China two years later, she utilized the rope dart prolifically in her quest to destroy the [[Eight Tigers]]—imperial eunuchs who were part of the [[Shanghai Rite of the Templar Order|Chinese Rite]] of the [[Templars|Templar Order]]—and ultimately resurrect her branch.<ref name="ACCC">''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China''</ref> It proved indispensable in many of her missions, serving as an assassination weapon but also as a [[freerunning]] tool,<ref>''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China'' – [[The Return]]</ref> by which she escaped the great fire of [[Macau]] in 1526,<ref>''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China'' – [[Consequences (China)|Consequences]]</ref> again in a similar scenario in the [[Forbidden City]],<ref>''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China'' – [[Demon Fire]]</ref> and finally pursued [[Zhang Yong]] along the [[Great Wall of China]] in 1532.<ref>''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China'' – [[Vengeance]]</ref> Through her mastery of the weapon, she popularized its usage among the Assassins and was later credited by the [[American Brotherhood of Assassins|Colonial Assassin]] Mentor [[Achilles Davenport]] with introducing it to Assassins of the Western hemisphere.<ref name="On Johnson's Trail" /> | |||
[[File:Everything is Permitted 4.png|thumb|left|250px|Edward Kenway holding a rope dart]] | [[File:Everything is Permitted 4.png|thumb|left|250px|Edward Kenway holding a rope dart]] | ||
===18th century=== | ===18th century=== | ||
In 1720, rope darts were given to the [[Piracy|pirate]] [[Edward Kenway]] by [[Ah Tabai]], Mentor of the [[Caribbean|West Indies]] [[West Indies Brotherhood of Assassins|Assassins]],<ref | In 1720, rope darts were given to the [[Piracy|pirate]] [[Edward Kenway]] by [[Ah Tabai]], Mentor of the [[Caribbean|West Indies]] [[West Indies Brotherhood of Assassins|Assassins]],<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' – [[Database: Ah Tabai (Black Flag)|Database: Ah Tabai]]</ref> after Edward proved himself worthy of having ties with the Assassins.<ref>''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'' – [[...Everything Is Permitted]]</ref> He most notably used one such dart to slay the infamous pirate [[Bartholomew Roberts]] during a naval battle off the coast of [[Africa|West Africa]].<ref name="RoyalMisfortune">''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'' – [[Royal Misfortune]]</ref> | ||
[[Shay Cormac]], a [[ | [[Shay Cormac]], a [[American Rite of the Templar Order|Colonial Templar]] who served under Edward's son, [[Grand Master of the Templar Order|Grand Master]] [[Haytham Kenway]], also utilized rope darts during the [[Seven Years' War]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]''</ref> Haytham's Assassin son, [[Ratonhnhaké:ton]], was trained in the use of rope darts by Achilles Davenport beginning in late 1773<ref name="On Johnson's Trail" /> and often applied it in his missions.<ref name="AC3" /> | ||
===19th century=== | ===19th century=== | ||
In 1841, rope darts were used as [[grappling hook]]s by [[Indian Assassins| | In 1841, rope darts were used as [[grappling hook]]s by the [[India]]n [[Indian Brotherhood of Assassins|Assassin]] [[Arbaaz Mir]] during his quest to recover the [[Koh-i-Noor]] from the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[British Rite of the Templar Order|Templar Rite]].<ref name="ACCI">''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India]]''</ref> | ||
===20th century=== | ===20th century=== | ||
In 1918, during and immediately following the [[ | In 1918, during and immediately following the [[Execution of the Romanov family|execution]] of the [[House of Romanov|Romanov family]] at the height of the [[Russia]]n [[Russian Revolution|Revolution]], the [[Russian Brotherhood of Assassins|Russian Assassin]] [[Nikolai Orelov]] equipped himself with a modernized rope dart in the form of a [[mechanical winch]] custom-made by [[Nikola Tesla]],<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia]]'' – [[Database: Mechanical Winch]]</ref> which functioned like a grappling hook but could also send an electric current through the cord to short-circuit fuse boxes.<ref>''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia''</ref> During the same period, [[Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia|Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova]], [[Bleeding Effect|infused]] with the [[Genetic memory|genetic memories]] of Shao Jun, used a [[Short blade|dagger]] given to her by Orelov and rope to fashion a makeshift rope dart.<ref>''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia'' – [[Power from the Past]]</ref> | ||
===21st century=== | ===21st century=== | ||
In the year 2016, [[Lin]], a descendant of Shao Jun who had | In the year 2016, [[Lin]], a descendant of Shao Jun who had absorbed her skills, escaped the [[Abstergo Foundation Rehabilitation Center]] in [[Madrid]] with her fellow abductees by using a rope dart to fight off the guards.<ref name="ACfilm">[[Assassin's Creed (film)|''Assassin's Creed'' (film)]]</ref> | ||
==Techniques== | ==Techniques== | ||
[[File:ACIII-JohnsonTrail 1.png|thumb|250px|Achilles explaining the rope dart to Ratonhnhaké:ton]] | [[File:ACIII-JohnsonTrail 1.png|thumb|250px|Achilles explaining the rope dart to Ratonhnhaké:ton]] | ||
In open combat, rope darts are generally swung at enemies from afar to impale them, following which the user can drag them in for a close-ranged attack. Techniques in conjunction with this combo include wrenching the target to the ground for a swift assassination or simply following up with a [[sword]] slash. The Colonial Assassin | In open combat, rope darts are generally swung at enemies from afar to impale them, following which the user can drag them in for a close-ranged attack. Techniques in conjunction with this combo include wrenching the target to the ground for a swift assassination or simply following up with a [[sword]] slash. The Colonial Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton was known to use this method to grapple enemies to be used as a human shield against hostile fire.<ref name="AC3" /> However, merely impaling an individual in a vital area like the chest or throat is normally fatal.<ref name="ACCC" /> | ||
As an assassination weapon, the rope dart has commonly been used to impale unwitting enemies from higher ground, like rooftops or treetops. The target could then be used as a counterbalance for the user to drop down to ground level, secure the other end of the rope to the ground, and hang the victim in the process. This harrowing technique was a signature tactic of | As an assassination weapon, the rope dart has commonly been used to impale unwitting enemies from higher ground, like rooftops or treetops. The target could then be used as a counterbalance for the user to drop down to ground level, secure the other end of the rope to the ground, and hang the victim in the process. This harrowing technique was a signature tactic of Ratonhnhaké:ton<ref name="AC3" /> and his grandfather Edward Kenway, who used this tactic to kill the pirate Bartholomew Roberts.<ref name="RoyalMisfortune"/> Apart from its lethality, it serves an additional purpose of psychological shock in the midst of ambushing a hostile group.<ref name="AC3" /> However, hanging enemies with the rope dart can be unnecessary at times; as aforementioned, a strike to the throat or chest is enough to be fatal, and this simpler tactic was more typical of Shao Jun.<ref name="ACCC" /> Alternatively, the reverse method of yanking enemies down from their higher vantage points is also possible.<ref name="AC3" /> | ||
Outside of combat, rope darts can be employed as traversal tools in the same manner as | Outside of combat, rope darts can be employed as traversal tools in the same manner as grappling hooks. The darts are usually durable and sharp enough to be embedded into structures, allowing the user to anchor themselves and swing them across gaps and chasms.<ref name="ACCC" /> | ||
==Behind the scenes== | ==Behind the scenes== | ||
| Line 43: | Line 43: | ||
The Mandarin name ''shéngbiāo'' (繩鏢) literally translates to "rope dart". | The Mandarin name ''shéngbiāo'' (繩鏢) literally translates to "rope dart". | ||
In | In Scroll 16 of ''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China]]'', the name ''shéng biāo'' is introduced with its diacritics indicating the tone of each word in {{wiki|pinyin}}. While they help readers to pronounce the words correctly, these diacritics are conventionally omitted in romanization of Chinese names, a convention abided by the game itself with the sole, inconsistent exception of ''shéng biāo''. | ||
===Historical inaccuracies=== | ===Historical inaccuracies=== | ||
In Scroll 16 of ''Chronicles: China'', it is stated that the rope dart is Shao Jun's original invention. This is historically incorrect as the first known written description of the weapon dates to the {{wiki|Tang dynasty}} (618–907).<ref>Yang, Jwing-Ming. ''Ancient Chinese Weapons: A Martial Artist's Guide''. YMAA Publication Center Inc. pg. 93.</ref> | In Scroll 16 of ''Chronicles: China'', it is stated that the rope dart is Shao Jun's original invention. This is historically incorrect, as the first known written description of the weapon dates to the {{wiki|Tang dynasty}} (618–907).<ref>Yang, Jwing-Ming. ''Ancient Chinese Weapons: A Martial Artist's Guide''. YMAA Publication Center Inc. pg. 93.</ref> | ||
===Development=== | ===Development=== | ||
The rope dart first makes an appearance in the 2011 short film ''[[Assassin's Creed: Embers]]'' in the possession of the Chinese Assassin Shao Jun. The following year, it debuted as a playable weapon in ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''. | The rope dart first makes an appearance in the 2011 short film ''[[Assassin's Creed: Embers]]'' in the possession of the Chinese Assassin Shao Jun. The following year, it debuted as a playable weapon in ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''. Concept art by [[William Wu]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Connor's Weaponry|author=Wu, William|archivedate=21 September 2015|date=14 November 2012|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921215402/https://www.wwudesign.com/2012/11/connors-weaponry.html|url=https://www.wwudesign.com/2012/11/connors-weaponry.html|accessdate=20 November 2012|publisher=''{{Wiki|Blogger}}''}}</ref> and an ''XBoxGameZone'' interview in 2012 by [[Andrien Gbinigie|Andrien "Escoblades" Gbinigie]] with [[Ubisoft]] IP Director Tommy François revealed that a long-ranged weapon of the player character Connor was originally meant to be a "chain blade" that extended from the [[Hidden Blade]] similar to the [[Hidden Gun]], but this was scrapped as it was considered too fantastical. Instead, the rope darts replaced this concept as they were deemed more realistic.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Gbinigie, Andrien "EscoBlades"|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140805103826/http://www.xboxgamezone.co.uk/2012/03/26/preview-assassins-creed-iii-the-final-frontier|archivedate=5 August 2014|title=Preview – Assassin’s Creed III – The Final Frontier?|date=26 March 2012|accessdate=26 March 2012|url=https://www.xboxgamezone.co.uk/2012/03/26/preview-assassins-creed-iii-the-final-frontier|publisher=''XboxGameZone''}}</ref> Exploring the game's assets reveals a planned icon and code for the weapon, suggesting it was scrapped late in development.{{Cite|7 March 2021. Can we extract the file/s from AC3 and upload here?}} | ||
===Gameplay=== | ===Gameplay=== | ||
In ''Assassin's Creed III'' and its sequels ''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]'', the rope dart is a supplementary combat tool. At its most basic, the rope dart can be used to grapple an enemy and pull them towards the player, following which the player may attack with their primary weapon or perform a Hidden Blade assassination. Either triggers a unique kill animation. With the | In ''Assassin's Creed III'' and its sequels ''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]'', the rope dart is a supplementary combat tool. At its most basic, the rope dart can be used to grapple an enemy and pull them towards the player, following which the player may attack with their primary weapon or perform a Hidden Blade assassination. Either triggers a unique kill animation. With the human shield mechanic in ''Assassin's Creed III'', the player also has the option to turn a pulled enemy in reaching distance into a shield against enemy fire. | ||
In all three games, the player can perform a unique assassination with the rope dart from tree branches, ship spars, or beams. Perched on the vantage point, the player throws the weapon at an enemy and in one motion, drags them into the air, using them as a counterbalance to drop down onto the ground and plant the other end of the rope, thereby hanging the target. Doing this expends the rope dart, and attempting to hang too many bodies from the same tree branch causes all of them to fall to the ground. | In all three games, the player can perform a unique assassination with the rope dart from tree branches, [[ship]] spars, or beams. Perched on the vantage point, the player throws the weapon at an enemy and in one motion, drags them into the air, using them as a counterbalance to drop down onto the ground and plant the other end of the rope, thereby hanging the target. Doing this expends the rope dart, and attempting to hang too many bodies from the same tree branch causes all of them to fall to the ground. | ||
True to lore, the rope dart | True to lore, the rope dart returned in ''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China'' as a fundamental element of Shao Jun's moveset. It functioned differently in the 2.5D side-scroller, with Shao Jun using it automatically to extend her reach in air or ledge assassinations. Apart from this, it was also manually used by the player in freerunning; places where the rope dart could be used as a makeshift grappling hook were color-coded in red. In certain areas, the rope dart is required to advance further as it is needed to swing across gaps, while in others, it is an option for stealth, allowing the player to rappel upward to the ceiling. This gameplay of rope dart was carried over in ''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia]]''. | ||
===Lore–gameplay inconsistencies=== | ===Lore–gameplay inconsistencies=== | ||
In ''Assassin's Creed III'' rope darts can be looted from enemies, including [[ | In ''Assassin's Creed III'', rope darts can be looted from enemies, including [[soldier]]s in both the [[British Army]] and [[Continental Army]],{{Cite|7 March 2021. Pretty sure US troops carry them, but could be mistaken.}} despite the fact that it is meant to be unique to the Assassins. Notwithstanding this, they can be looted even prior to the memory "[[On Johnson's Trail]]", where they are first introduced to the protagonist, Connor. | ||
==Gallery== | ==Gallery== | ||
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180"> | <gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180"> | ||
Chain Blade by WilliamWu.jpg|Concept art of the rope dart attached to the Hidden Blade | |||
Chain Blade by WilliamWu.jpg|Concept art of the rope dart attached to the Hidden Blade | |||
Connor-Using-The-Rope-Dart-the-assassins-32843621-755-960.jpg|Concept art of the Chain Blade | Connor-Using-The-Rope-Dart-the-assassins-32843621-755-960.jpg|Concept art of the Chain Blade | ||
ACIII-Washingline.png|A group of British soldiers hanged by rope darts | ACIII-Washingline.png|A group of British soldiers hanged by rope darts | ||
AC3 Rope Dart.png|A rope dart used by Ratonhnhaké:ton | AC3 Rope Dart.png|A rope dart used by Ratonhnhaké:ton | ||
Rope Dart.jpg|Ratonhnhaké:ton using a rope dart to suspend a soldier | Rope Dart.jpg|Ratonhnhaké:ton using a rope dart to suspend a soldier | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
| Line 78: | Line 80: | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India]]'' | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia]]'' | ||
* | *[[Assassin's Creed (film)|''Assassin's Creed'' (film)]] | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Blade of Shao Jun]]'' | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 06:20, 8 March 2021
A rope dart, or shéng biāo in Mandarin Chinese,[1] is a flexible weapon of Chinese origin that consists of a long rope with a metal dart attached at one end.
This type of long-ranged weapon can be swung at enemies, and, once anchored into the target, can be used to pull them over distances. It was a signature tool and alleged invention of the Chinese Assassin Shao Jun, who shared it and its associated techniques with branches of the Assassin Brotherhood across the world.
Description
Aptly named, a rope dart is created by securing a sharp, metallic blade to a long rope approximately three to five meters in length.[2] In this regard, it is akin to a whip with a sharp end, and it can be employed in a variety of ways either as a weapon or as a tool.[3]
History
16th century
The rope dart was allegedly the invention of the Chinese Assassin Shao Jun.[4] She carried a variant that bore an exceptionally broad blade with her when she journeyed to Italy in 1524 to locate the legendary Italian Mentor Ezio Auditore da Firenze in the hopes of learning from him the means of saving the nearly-extinct Assassins in China.[5]
When Shao Jun returned to China two years later, she utilized the rope dart prolifically in her quest to destroy the Eight Tigers—imperial eunuchs who were part of the Chinese Rite of the Templar Order—and ultimately resurrect her branch.[6] It proved indispensable in many of her missions, serving as an assassination weapon but also as a freerunning tool,[7] by which she escaped the great fire of Macau in 1526,[8] again in a similar scenario in the Forbidden City,[9] and finally pursued Zhang Yong along the Great Wall of China in 1532.[10] Through her mastery of the weapon, she popularized its usage among the Assassins and was later credited by the Colonial Assassin Mentor Achilles Davenport with introducing it to Assassins of the Western hemisphere.[1]
18th century
In 1720, rope darts were given to the pirate Edward Kenway by Ah Tabai, Mentor of the West Indies Assassins,[11] after Edward proved himself worthy of having ties with the Assassins.[12] He most notably used one such dart to slay the infamous pirate Bartholomew Roberts during a naval battle off the coast of West Africa.[13]
Shay Cormac, a Colonial Templar who served under Edward's son, Grand Master Haytham Kenway, also utilized rope darts during the Seven Years' War.[14] Haytham's Assassin son, Ratonhnhaké:ton, was trained in the use of rope darts by Achilles Davenport beginning in late 1773[1] and often applied it in his missions.[3]
19th century
In 1841, rope darts were used as grappling hooks by the Indian Assassin Arbaaz Mir during his quest to recover the Koh-i-Noor from the British Templar Rite.[15]
20th century
In 1918, during and immediately following the execution of the Romanov family at the height of the Russian Revolution, the Russian Assassin Nikolai Orelov equipped himself with a modernized rope dart in the form of a mechanical winch custom-made by Nikola Tesla,[16] which functioned like a grappling hook but could also send an electric current through the cord to short-circuit fuse boxes.[17] During the same period, Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova, infused with the genetic memories of Shao Jun, used a dagger given to her by Orelov and rope to fashion a makeshift rope dart.[18]
21st century
In the year 2016, Lin, a descendant of Shao Jun who had absorbed her skills, escaped the Abstergo Foundation Rehabilitation Center in Madrid with her fellow abductees by using a rope dart to fight off the guards.[19]
Techniques
In open combat, rope darts are generally swung at enemies from afar to impale them, following which the user can drag them in for a close-ranged attack. Techniques in conjunction with this combo include wrenching the target to the ground for a swift assassination or simply following up with a sword slash. The Colonial Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton was known to use this method to grapple enemies to be used as a human shield against hostile fire.[3] However, merely impaling an individual in a vital area like the chest or throat is normally fatal.[6]
As an assassination weapon, the rope dart has commonly been used to impale unwitting enemies from higher ground, like rooftops or treetops. The target could then be used as a counterbalance for the user to drop down to ground level, secure the other end of the rope to the ground, and hang the victim in the process. This harrowing technique was a signature tactic of Ratonhnhaké:ton[3] and his grandfather Edward Kenway, who used this tactic to kill the pirate Bartholomew Roberts.[13] Apart from its lethality, it serves an additional purpose of psychological shock in the midst of ambushing a hostile group.[3] However, hanging enemies with the rope dart can be unnecessary at times; as aforementioned, a strike to the throat or chest is enough to be fatal, and this simpler tactic was more typical of Shao Jun.[6] Alternatively, the reverse method of yanking enemies down from their higher vantage points is also possible.[3]
Outside of combat, rope darts can be employed as traversal tools in the same manner as grappling hooks. The darts are usually durable and sharp enough to be embedded into structures, allowing the user to anchor themselves and swing them across gaps and chasms.[6]
Behind the scenes
Name
The Mandarin name shéngbiāo (繩鏢) literally translates to "rope dart".
In Scroll 16 of Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China, the name shéng biāo is introduced with its diacritics indicating the tone of each word in pinyin. While they help readers to pronounce the words correctly, these diacritics are conventionally omitted in romanization of Chinese names, a convention abided by the game itself with the sole, inconsistent exception of shéng biāo.
Historical inaccuracies
In Scroll 16 of Chronicles: China, it is stated that the rope dart is Shao Jun's original invention. This is historically incorrect, as the first known written description of the weapon dates to the Tang dynasty (618–907).[20]
Development
The rope dart first makes an appearance in the 2011 short film Assassin's Creed: Embers in the possession of the Chinese Assassin Shao Jun. The following year, it debuted as a playable weapon in Assassin's Creed III. Concept art by William Wu[21] and an XBoxGameZone interview in 2012 by Andrien "Escoblades" Gbinigie with Ubisoft IP Director Tommy François revealed that a long-ranged weapon of the player character Connor was originally meant to be a "chain blade" that extended from the Hidden Blade similar to the Hidden Gun, but this was scrapped as it was considered too fantastical. Instead, the rope darts replaced this concept as they were deemed more realistic.[22] Exploring the game's assets reveals a planned icon and code for the weapon, suggesting it was scrapped late in development. [citation needed]
Gameplay
In Assassin's Creed III and its sequels Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Assassin's Creed: Rogue, the rope dart is a supplementary combat tool. At its most basic, the rope dart can be used to grapple an enemy and pull them towards the player, following which the player may attack with their primary weapon or perform a Hidden Blade assassination. Either triggers a unique kill animation. With the human shield mechanic in Assassin's Creed III, the player also has the option to turn a pulled enemy in reaching distance into a shield against enemy fire.
In all three games, the player can perform a unique assassination with the rope dart from tree branches, ship spars, or beams. Perched on the vantage point, the player throws the weapon at an enemy and in one motion, drags them into the air, using them as a counterbalance to drop down onto the ground and plant the other end of the rope, thereby hanging the target. Doing this expends the rope dart, and attempting to hang too many bodies from the same tree branch causes all of them to fall to the ground.
True to lore, the rope dart returned in Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China as a fundamental element of Shao Jun's moveset. It functioned differently in the 2.5D side-scroller, with Shao Jun using it automatically to extend her reach in air or ledge assassinations. Apart from this, it was also manually used by the player in freerunning; places where the rope dart could be used as a makeshift grappling hook were color-coded in red. In certain areas, the rope dart is required to advance further as it is needed to swing across gaps, while in others, it is an option for stealth, allowing the player to rappel upward to the ceiling. This gameplay of rope dart was carried over in Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India and Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia.
Lore–gameplay inconsistencies
In Assassin's Creed III, rope darts can be looted from enemies, including soldiers in both the British Army and Continental Army, [citation needed] despite the fact that it is meant to be unique to the Assassins. Notwithstanding this, they can be looted even prior to the memory "On Johnson's Trail", where they are first introduced to the protagonist, Connor.
Gallery
-
Concept art of the rope dart attached to the Hidden Blade -
Concept art of the Chain Blade
-
A group of British soldiers hanged by rope darts -
A rope dart used by Ratonhnhaké:ton
-
Ratonhnhaké:ton using a rope dart to suspend a soldier
Appearances
- Assassin's Creed: Embers (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed III
- Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
- Assassin's Creed: Rogue
- Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China
- Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India
- Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia
- Assassin's Creed (film)
- Assassin's Creed: Blade of Shao Jun
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Assassin's Creed III – On Johnson's Trail
- ↑
Rope dart on Wikipedia
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Assassin's Creed III
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China – Database: Scroll 16
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Embers
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China – The Return
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China – Consequences
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China – Demon Fire
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China – Vengeance
- ↑ Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag – Database: Ah Tabai
- ↑ Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag – ...Everything Is Permitted
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag – Royal Misfortune
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Rogue
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia – Database: Mechanical Winch
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia – Power from the Past
- ↑ Assassin's Creed (film)
- ↑ Yang, Jwing-Ming. Ancient Chinese Weapons: A Martial Artist's Guide. YMAA Publication Center Inc. pg. 93.
- ↑ Wu, William (14 November 2012). Connor's Weaponry. Blogger. Archived from the original on 21 September 2015. Retrieved on 20 November 2012.
- ↑ Gbinigie, Andrien "EscoBlades" (26 March 2012). Preview – Assassin’s Creed III – The Final Frontier?. XboxGameZone. Archived from the original on 5 August 2014. Retrieved on 26 March 2012.
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