Assassin apprentice

"The liberation of Roma has begun. If you choose to flee, do so now, but if you choose to fight, stand with me against the Borgia."

―Ezio Auditore to one of the rescued civilians, after saving him from corrupted Borgia guards.

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Ezio, with four apprentices.

The apprentices are Assassins who were saved by Ezio Auditore from the rough streets of Rome during the war against the Templars. They have subsequently devoted themselves to learning the ways of the Assassin Order, motivated by their lust for revenge against the Borgia for corrupting the beautiful city of Rome.

Operating out of the Tiber Island headquarters, the apprentices were sent on missions across Europe in order to improve their skills and combat experience beyond their traditional training. However, the apprentices did not always survive these missions. When not on missions assigned by Ezio outside Rome, the apprentices would support the efforts of Ezio and his allies, providing reinforcement during Ezio's own missions.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

In-game, Ezio has the ability to train up to twelve apprentices (which can be both male and female recruits) at a time, and is able to have up to six support him during his missions. After recruiting someone for his cause, Ezio sends them to Niccolò Machiavelli to become an Assassin. On the field, Ezio signals these Assassins by raising his arm and clenching his fist, indicating that they should strike. This signal, followed by an eagle's screech, is known as a "B.A.M." or a Brotherhood Assistance Maneuvers.

During the course of the game, players have the opportunity to send the apprentices to different cities across Europe to complete tasks and assassinations. If they finish the mission, the apprentices earn experience points, but if they die, they will be lost forever. The chances of the Assassins completing the mission depend on how difficult the mission is, the amount of experience the Assassins already have, and how many Assassins you send.

Players can also customize the apprentices' armor, weaponry, and the colors of their robes. Each one of the apprentices also has a different personality. Later on, players can use the experience points they've gained to upgrade their apprentices' fighting and freerunning abilities. Apprentices can ride horses like Ezio, and will engage in horse chases if Ezio instructs them to.

Trivia

• While all apprentices wear default uniforms similar to Ezio's, not all of them are ever exactly the same.

• It is implied that when one of Ezio's apprentices reaches the rank of Master Assassin, he or she can wear robes almost identical to Ezio's; as can be seen in the Brotherhood storyline trailer, in which an apprentice wearing Ezio's outfit is seen performing a Leap of Faith, under the watchful eyes of Ezio and Niccolò.
• The apprentices are equipped with only a single hidden blade; unlike Ezio, who acquires two over the course of the game.
• It has been said you can bring a "personal Assassin" with you on missions. No further information on this has been given as of yet.
• Though you can only have twelve apprentices at a time, the ability to recruit them is infinite, which means that, even if many of them die in battle, they can be replaced by finding other citizens to save around Rome. Additionally, there are an equal number of available apprentices to the number of Borgia towers in Rome at any one time.
• It seems that the apprentices are able to grab the horse of a dismounted enemy. This prevents its escape, and allows either Ezio or the Assassin himself or herself to ride it.
• Gabriel Graziani, the Community Developer for Brotherhood, has implied that there will be a special cutscene when an Assassin is promoted to the rank of Master Assassin.

• Assassins who cover their faces are denoted to a lower rank, as stated by Francesco Vecellio in Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy.

Gallery

• Ezio recruiting a citizen
  Ezio recruiting a citizen
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  Assassins descend from above
• Ezio and his Assassins
  Ezio and his Assassins
• Ezio and a group of apprentices.
  Ezio and a group of apprentices.
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  Ezio calling his apprentices.
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  Ezio and his Apprentices on horseback.
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  Ezio and Niccoló watching an apprentice about to perform a leap of faith.
• Ezio and his apprentices walking at night
  Ezio and his apprentices walking at night
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  Ezio and his guild of assassins
• Ezio Auditore recruiting a citizen as an Apprentice.
  Ezio Auditore recruiting a citizen as an Apprentice.