How to Unlock the Sometimes Trophy in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

I still remember the shiver that ran down my spine the first time Naoe leaped from the top of a pagoda in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. There was no haystack waiting below, just hard cobblestones and the certain promise of a desynchronized reload. But you know what? That heart-stopping moment became a distant memory once I mastered one little trick hidden inside her Shinobi skill tree. If you’ve been wondering how to get that elusive “Sometimes” trophy while saving your shins from total destruction, I’m here to walk you through it step by step—because, frankly, this ability changed the way I traverse feudal Japan.

Vaulting across rooftops and ancient temples feels incredible, but every climb comes with the inevitable question: how do I get down? Early on, I limped away from too many leaps with a sliver of health left, cursing myself for not planning better. Then a fellow player whispered, “Get the Igan Roll, trust me.” I listened, and suddenly the world opened up. The beauty of this ability isn’t just the damage reduction—it’s the sheer confidence it gives you. No more backtracking, no more scanning for the nearest foliage pile. Just jump, roll, and keep running like a true shadow.

The Igan Roll is a mastery skill located on the far right branch of Naoe’s Shinobi tree, and unlocking it requires Knowledge Rank 2. If you’re still in the opening hours of the game, you might be locked out of it for now, but don’t fret—the path to enlightenment is filled with small, rewarding detours. You see, Knowledge Points don’t come from main story progress alone; you have to chase down those orange hexagon-marked activities scattered across the map. Think of them as a personal training regimen. Every Hidden Trail you follow, every Shrine you honor, every Temple you meditate at rewards you with one precious Knowledge Point. The same goes for Kuji-Kiri hand seal meditations, Horse Archery challenges, Kata practice, and even exploring mysterious Kofun tombs. Accumulating enough of these points will push your Knowledge Rank higher, and before you know it, the Shinobi tree nods its head and says, “Alright, you’ve earned the good stuff.”

Once I hit Knowledge Rank 2, I sprinted to the skill screen like a kid on a festival day. Spending that one mastery point on the Igan Roll felt almost anticlimactic—until I tested it. I climbed to the highest perch I could find, a windswept temple roof overlooking misty valleys, and jumped. Mid-fall, with the ground screaming up at me, I held down the dodge button (that’s the ‘B’ button on Xbox, ‘O’ on PlayStation, or ‘ALT’ on keyboard). Time seemed to pause for a heartbeat. Naoe twisted her body gracefully, tucked, and rolled as she hit the stone. She dusted herself off like it was nothing. The health bar barely dipped. And then, like a cherry on top, a little notification bloomed in the corner of my screen: “Sometimes” trophy unlocked.

That trophy name still makes me chuckle. “Sometimes” — as in sometimes you land in a haystack, and sometimes you just roll with it. It’s one of those playful nods that reminds me why I love this series. What’s even better is that the ability isn’t just a trophy trick; it’s a permanent upgrade. From that moment forward, every descent became an opportunity, not a threat. I could leap from castle walls during frantic escapes, dive off cliffs to shake pursuers, or simply shortcut my way across the stunning landscape without a second thought.

Let me paint you a picture... I was deep in hostile territory, a scroll clutched to my chest, guards hot on my heels. Ahead, the path dropped sheer into a ravine. Old me would’ve hesitated, looked for a rope, maybe fought my way out. New me? I launched myself off the edge, tucked into a roll at the bottom, and vanished into the shadows before the guards could even peer over the cliff. That’s the power you’re unlocking. It’s not just a skill—it’s a whole new rhythm to movement.

If you’re still early in your journey, I’d highly recommend weaving those side activities into your exploration naturally. Don’t grind them mindlessly. Use each Hidden Trail visit to soak in the serene environment, use each Kuji-Kiri session as a moment of calm between intense missions. The Knowledge Rank system is designed to reward curiosity, and the Igan Roll is just the first of many gifts that curiosity delivers.

So, what are you waiting for? Go find a high place—any high place—and take the plunge. Hold that dodge button, feel the fluidity of the roll, and let that trophy pop. You’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. And when you hear the faint ding of that achievement, know that you’ve joined a club of players who understand that in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, sometimes the best way down is to trust your own reflexes.