The Cowl Does Not Make The Monk

Guide Ezio through the Abbey to take down Stefano in Assassin's Creed II. Learn how to use Smoke Bombs and Eagle Vision to your advantage.

Alright, it's time to deal with Stefano. This guy's a mercenary, and he'll give Ezio some handy Smoke Bombs once you're done with him. These are super useful for making quick getaways or just feeling like a total ninja.

Your first objective is to get inside the abbey. Be careful in here, though – there are armed monks patrolling, and they're all wearing robes, which makes it tough to tell friend from foe. This is where your Eagle Vision comes in handy; use it to spot who's hostile and, more importantly, to locate Stefano, who'll appear in gold.

To get close without causing a fuss, use the Blend ability. Stick with the non-violent monks, and you'll be able to move around more freely. Now, if you *do* end up in a fight by accident, it's kind of funny – the monks won't actually attack you, they'll just surround you. Stefano, however, will try to bolt, so if that happens, you'll need to chase him down.

You could try using the Poison Blade on Stefano's bodyguard, but honestly, it's probably not worth the risk. It likely won't work, and it'll just give away your position. Instead, find the group of monks standing still in the middle of the abbey. Blend in with them and wait for Stefano. He'll eventually walk right up to you and stop. When he does, deploy a Smoke Bomb. This will catch everyone off guard.

Now's your chance! Leave the blend with your Hidden Blade drawn and pounce on him! Go get him!

Once Stefano is dealt with, the monks will actually attack you this time. You can either fight them off or just make another quick escape using another Smoke Bomb. Flee and disappear into the crowd, or stick around and deal with enough enemies until you're safe.

• Smoke Bombs acquired
• Smoke Bomb pouch

After that, just head to the next mission marker to continue your adventure.