Unveiling the Ancients: Your Complete Guide to Isu Armor in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
In the sprawling, sun-drenched world of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the pursuit of power often leads us to the most legendary of artifacts. Among the most coveted treasures are the gleaming, golden pieces of Isu Armor. These sets are not just fashion statements; they are game-changing tools that can define your playstyle and elevate your misthios to near-godlike status. If you've ever wondered how to find these legendary sets and, more importantly, which one is worth the epic hunt, you've come to the right place.
This guide is your one-stop resource for everything Isu. We will delve deep into each legendary Isu armor set, breaking down their powerful set bonuses, detailing their exact locations, and offering strategic advice on how to make them work for your warrior, hunter, or assassin build. Let's unlock the secrets of the Ones Who Came Before.
The All-Powerful Isu Armor Sets: An Overview
Before we embark on our treasure hunt, it's crucial to understand what makes Isu armor so special. Unlike other legendary sets, Isu armor pieces are often scattered across Greece, requiring you to explore specific regions, defeat formidable foes, and solve ancient puzzles. When you collect and equip all five pieces of any legendary set, you unlock a unique and incredibly powerful set bonus. For the Isu sets, these bonuses are directly tied to the game's most potent mechanics: critical hits and elemental damage.
There are three primary Isu-themed legendary sets in the base game of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey:
- The Athena Set (Also known as the Demigod Set)
- The Achilles Set
- The First Civilization Set (Also known as the Isu Commander Set)
Let's break down each one, piece by piece.
The Athena (Demigod) Set: The Critical Hit Assassin
This is very likely the first legendary set you will acquire, and it’s a fantastic one. Often referred to as the Demigod Set, it’s the armor you see in much of the game's promotional material. It’s a versatile set that heavily favors a critical hit-focused build.
Full Set Bonus: +10% Critical Chance and +25% Critical Damage
This bonus is deceptively simple and overwhelmingly powerful. In a game where critical hits can multiply your damage several times over, increasing both your chance to land them and their potency is a massive boost to your overall damage output.
Individual Piece Locations:
- Athena's Helmet: This is a story-related reward. You will receive it automatically upon completing the main questline "The Last Fight of Aristaios" as part of the "The Hunt" questline in Chapter 7.
- Athena's Gauntlets: Found in a legendary chest within the Palace of Amphitrite on the island of Thera. This is part of the "A Family's Legacy" quest, which is the culmination of the "Ancient Revelations" questline that starts in the Myson Cave in Malis. You can't miss it.
- Athena's Breastplate: Awarded for defeating the mercenary known as "The Bright One." You can find her by climbing the mercenary tiers. She is typically located in the region of Achaia.
- Athena's Waistband: Located in a legendary chest within the Temple of the Golden-Bowed Goddess on the island of Lesbos. This is tied to the "Myths and Minotaurs" quest.
- Athena's Greaves: You will receive these for defeating the mercenary "The Resplendent." Similar to The Bright One, you need to track him down via the mercenary list. He often roams around the region of Lokris.
Best For: Players who love a high-risk, high-reward assassin playstyle. This set is the cornerstone of many powerful critical hit assassin builds. When combined with engravings that further boost critical chance (especially at full health) and critical damage, you can achieve assassination damage numbers in the millions.
The Achilles Set: The Unstoppable Warrior
Where the Athena set leans into stealth, the Achilles set is a warrior's dream. This golden armor makes you a formidable force on the battlefield, turning you into a nearly unkillable juggernaut when your health gets low.
Full Set Bonus: +2% Damage Dealt on all attacks restored as Health
This is the famous "Life Steal" bonus. While 2% might not sound like much, in the heat of a massive conquest battle or against a mythical creature, this constant health regeneration is a game-changer. Every hit you land, whether with your sword, bow, or spear, heals you, dramatically increasing your survivability.
Individual Piece Locations:
The Achilles set is unique because all its pieces are acquired by defeating a specific, powerful group of enemies: The Achilles Followers. These are elite mercenaries that guard the regions where the pieces are located.
- Achilles's Helmet: Defeat the "Follower of Ares" guarding the chest in the Ares Cave in the region of Messenia.
- Achilles's Gauntlets: Defeat the "Follower of Ares" guarding the chest in the Temple of Zeus in the region of Arkadia.
- Achilles's Breastplate: Defeat the "Follower of Ares" guarding the chest in the Palace of Oinomaus in the region of Elis.
- Achilles's Waistband: Defeat the "Follower of Ares" guarding the chest in the Ruins of the First Civilization in the region of Boeotia.
- Achilles's Greaves: Defeat the "Follower of Ares" guarding the chest in the Tomb of the First Champion on the island of Chios.
Pro Tip: Before charging in, use Ikaros to scout the area. The Followers of Ares are tough, often on par with high-tier mercenaries. Plan your attack, use the environment, and be prepared for a hard fight.
Best For: Pure warrior builds and players who love to be in the thick of the action. This set is phenomenal for conquest battles and taking on bosses like the Cyclops or the Minotaur, as it allows you to trade blows and sustain yourself through sheer damage output.
The First Civilization (Isu Commander) Set: The Hybrid Powerhouse
This is the rarest and most visually striking of the Isu sets, making you look like you stepped right out of the Isu council. Acquiring it is a true end-game challenge, but the reward is a bonus that opens up incredibly powerful and unique build possibilities.
Full Set Bonus: +10% All Damage when using an Ability
This bonus is incredibly versatile. It applies to all damage you deal for a short duration after you activate any ability. This means whether you use the Bull Rush warrior ability, the Ghost Arrow of Artemis hunter ability, or the Shadow of Nyx assassin ability, your next few seconds of attacks will be significantly amplified.
Individual Piece Locations:
This set is not found in the open world like the others. To get the First Civilization Set, you must defeat all four Mythical Creatures as part of the "Between Two Worlds" questline, given to you by your real father, Pythagoras.
- The Kalydonian Boar (Location: Forest of Artemis in Phokis)
- The Nemean Lion (Location: Valley of the Nemean Lion in Argolis)
- The Erymanthian Boar (Location: Bloody Shore in Erymanthia Peaks, Elis)
- The Krokottas Hyena (Location: Hyrda's Feeding Grounds in Lakonia)
After defeating each beast, you will receive an artifact. Place all four artifacts on the pedestals in the Atlantis Forge (where you meet Pythagoras), and the chamber will open, revealing the entire First Civilization armor set waiting for you.
Best For: Hybrid builds and ability-spam playstyles. This set shines for players who actively use their adrenaline for abilities. It’s the perfect choice for a warrior-assassin hybrid build or a hunter-warrior hybrid build, as it boosts your damage regardless of the ability type you use. It's the ultimate tool for creating a versatile, all-powerful misthios.
Which Isu Armor Set is Right For You?
Choosing the best Isu armor set ultimately depends on how you like to play.
- For the Silent Killer: If your goal is to eliminate a fort without being seen and one-shot every enemy with a single critical assassination, the Athena Set is your undisputed champion.
- For the Battlefield Titan: If you want to wade into a hundred soldiers and emerge victorious without a scratch, the life-steal effect of the Achilles Set will make you an immortal warrior.
- For the Versatile Master: If you enjoy using a mix of abilities and want a damage boost that applies to every aspect of combat, the grind for the First Civilization Set is absolutely worth it.
Remember, you can also mix and match! While you lose the powerful full set bonus, you can equip one piece from each set for their individual stat boosts and then use the "Visual Customization" feature to maintain the golden Isu look you prefer.
No matter which path you choose, the journey to collect these legendary armors is one of the most rewarding experiences in Ancient Greece. So set your sights on these legendary Isu armor locations, prepare for some epic battles, and claim the power of the gods for yourself. Happy hunting, misthios
