Fist
Fists are the weakest form of fighting, though are useful when no weapons are available, or when an Assassin does not wish to draw the attention of a guard.
Third Crusade
Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad could use his fists to fight or stun enemies at any time, though they were quite ineffective against alerted or armed opponents.[1]
Novice Assassin were not yet allowed to carry weapons, and thus needed to avoid fights, or resort to their fists. Higher-ranked Assassins also used unarmed fighting to interrogate a target, or after being caught by thugs while attempting to pickpocket throwing knives.[1]
Using fists in a fight against civilians did not raise suspicion with the guards, who would only intervene if they themselves were attacked.[1]
Renaissance
Ezio Auditore da Firenze was more skilled in fistfighting than his ancestor Altaïr, and was likely taught by his brother, Federico. The two were once embroiled in a brawl against Vieri de' Pazzi and his men, where all present used only their fists.[2]
When unarmed, Ezio could perform many different combination strikes, counter other fist fighters, and throw sand in their faces. Eventually, he also learned to disarm foes and use their weapons against them.[2]
Fists also became a more viable option for combat when the Metal Cestus, a hard steel hand-guard, was purchased from a blacksmiths.[2]
Later on, Ezio grew more skilled in disarming his opponents, and was able to kill them in one swift move after doing so.[3]
Guards eventually learned to throw sand in Ezio's face, exactly as he could, though they could do so while still holding onto their weapons. Ezio could only perform the same move with his weapon equipped, as long as he had no bullets or throwing knives left.[3]
Additionally, the Caserma di Alviano also played host to a Fight Club, where mercenaries competed in unarmed fighting. Ezio was able to participate in the fights, by Bartolomeo d'Alviano's suggestion, in order to improve his skills with his fists.[3]
Modern Times
Upon escaping Abstergo Industries with Lucy Stillman, Desmond Miles did not yet have a weapon, and was thus forced to fistfight the Abstergo security officers attempting to detain him.[2]
Though his abilities were initially rather limited, over time, he was able to gain Ezio's fistfighting skills through the Bleeding effect. After this, he became able to perform counters and disarm his enemies.[2]
Trivia
- Without the Metal Cestus upgrade, Ezio's fists will only have 1 damage, 5 speed, and 1 counter. The Metal Cestus boosts the damage stat to three.
- You can earn the "Messer Sandman" achievement by throwing sand at four guards at once.
- When Ezio picks up a body, the fists will automatically become selected.
- When Ezio successfully disarms a guard and continues to use his weapon, the icon at the bottom left hand of the screen will remain as the fist icon.
- Despite seemingly lethal actions, targets defeated with fists will merely appear to be in a subdued state, and will not be counted as dead.
References
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