Achievements/Trophies Guide

Welcome, Master Assassin! This comprehensive guide will help you unlock every Achievement and Trophy in Assassin's Creed II, ensuring you leave no stone unturned in Ezio Auditore da Firenze's epic journey. Many of these can be earned naturally through story progression, but some require specific strategies and attention to detail. We've broken them down by category for easy navigation.

Story-Related Achievements/Trophies

These are unlocked automatically as you progress through the main narrative. You cannot miss them, so simply enjoy the story!

The Birth of an Assassin: Complete Sequence 1.
Undertaker: Complete Sequence 2.
The Showman: Complete Sequence 3.
Vengeance: Complete Sequence 4.
Bloody Sunday: Complete Sequence 5.
Spin Doctor: Complete Sequence 6.
Wetlands Assassin: Complete Sequence 7.
The Conspiracy: Complete Sequence 8.
Divinity: Complete Sequence 9.
Prophet: Complete Sequence 10.
The Vault: Complete Sequence 11.
Victory: Complete Sequence 14. (Note: Sequences 12 and 13 are DLC and not required for the base game's story completion achievements.)
An Old Friend: Escape the hideout. (Prologue)

Collectible Achievements/Trophies

These require diligent exploration and often a keen eye. Preparation is key!

Feather Collector

No More Mr. Nice Guy: Collect all 100 Feathers.

This is arguably the most time-consuming collectible achievement. There are 100 Feathers scattered across Florence (27), Venice (46), Tuscany/San Gimignano (11), Forlì (4), and the Apennine Mountains (12). We highly recommend using an online interactive map or a detailed guide with screenshots for each location. Here are some general tips:

Purchase Maps: Art Merchants in each major city (Florence, Venice, Forlì, San Gimignano) sell "Treasure Maps" that reveal the locations of Feathers on your in-game map for that specific region. While helpful, they don't always pinpoint the exact vertical location, so manual searching is still required.
Synchronize Viewpoints: Fully synchronize all Viewpoints in a region before hunting for feathers. This reveals more of the map and makes navigation easier.
Listen for the Sound: Feathers emit a distinct, high-pitched shimmering sound when you are close. Turn up your volume and listen carefully!
Climb Everything: Many feathers are on rooftops, ledges, and high structures. Practice your free-running skills.
Check Corners and Alcoves: Don't just look up; some feathers are tucked away in less obvious ground-level spots.
Track Your Progress: The Animus database tracks how many feathers you've collected in each district. This helps narrow down your search.

Glyph Solver

Myth Maker: Find all 20 Glyphs.

Glyphs are hidden symbols that appear on buildings throughout the game world. Interacting with them initiates a puzzle sequence that reveals a piece of "The Truth."

Visual Cue: Glyphs are typically red and glow subtly. They are often placed in prominent, yet slightly obscured, locations on historical buildings.
Purchase Maps: Similar to feathers, Art Merchants sell "Glyph Maps" that mark their general locations.
Puzzle Solutions: The puzzles involve identifying specific images within a series of historical artifacts or photographs. If you struggle, there are many online guides that provide the exact solutions for each Glyph puzzle. Don't be afraid to consult them if you get stuck, as the puzzles can be quite challenging.
Reward: Completing all Glyphs unlocks a secret video that provides crucial lore about the Assassin's Creed universe.

Statue Collector

Sweeper: Find all 8 Statues in the Auditore Villa.

These statues are located within the Auditore Villa grounds in Monteriggioni. They are relatively easy to find once you know where to look.

Location: The statues are placed on pedestals around the Villa's courtyard and garden areas.
Specific Locations:
1. One is near the entrance to the Villa itself, on the left side.
2. Another is directly opposite the first, on the right side of the Villa entrance.
3. Two are in the garden area to the left of the Villa, near the small pond.
4. Two more are in the garden area to the right of the Villa, near the training dummy.
5. The final two are located on the upper terrace, accessible via stairs from the main courtyard.
Reward: Collecting all 8 statues will grant you a significant amount of Florins which appear in the chest inside the Villa.

Combat & Skill Achievements/Trophies

These achievements test your combat prowess and mastery of Ezio's abilities.

Disarm & Kill

Venetian Gladiator: Discover the Assassin's Tomb in Santa Maria della Visitazione.

This achievement is tied to completing one of the six Assassin's Tombs. The Santa Maria della Visitazione Tomb is located in Venice, in the Dorsoduro district. Completing it requires navigating a platforming challenge and defeating a group of guards.

Hidden Blade Mastery

No Hiding Place: Assassinate 10 enemies from a hiding spot.

This is straightforward. Find a hiding spot (haystack, well, bench, rooftop garden) and wait for a guard to pass by. Press the attack button when prompted to perform a stealth kill. Repeat 10 times. This can be easily farmed in any city.

Poisoner

Poison Master: Assassinate 10 enemies with the Hidden Blade while poisoned.

First, you need to unlock the Poison Blade ability from Leonardo da Vinci during Sequence 4. Once unlocked, equip your Hidden Blade and select the Poison Vial from your weapon wheel. Target a guard and use the Poison Vial. Once they are poisoned and begin to writhe, quickly switch back to your Hidden Blade and assassinate them before they die from the poison. Repeat 10 times. This is easiest on isolated guards.

Sand Disarm

Messer Sandman: Stun 4 guards at once by throwing sand in their face.

You unlock the Sand ability from the training grounds in Monteriggioni after completing a specific combat tutorial. To achieve this, you need to be surrounded by at least four guards. Hold the "Disarm" button (Square on PlayStation, X on Xbox) and then press the "Attack" button (Circle on PlayStation, B on Xbox) to throw sand. Practice in open areas with multiple guards, like the Piazza della Signoria in Florence.

Flying Kick

Fly Swatter: Kick a guard while using the Flying Kick ability.

The Flying Kick is unlocked through combat training at the Villa. To perform it, sprint towards an enemy and press the "Jump" button (X on PlayStation, A on Xbox) followed by the "Attack" button (Square on PlayStation, X on Xbox) mid-air. This is easiest to do against a single, isolated guard. You don't need to kill them, just land the kick.

Miscellaneous Achievements/Trophies

These cover a range of activities, from economic endeavors to unique interactions.

Economic Growth

Handy Man: Upgrade a building in the Villa.

After reaching Monteriggioni, you can invest Florins into renovating various buildings in the Villa. Simply interact with the Architect's table inside the Villa and purchase any available upgrade (e.g., the Blacksmith, the Bank, the Doctor). The cheapest upgrade will suffice.

Full Renovation

Vitruvian Man: Unlock all upgrades for the Villa.

This requires significant investment. You'll need to earn a lot of Florins by completing missions, looting bodies, opening treasure chests, and collecting the Statues. Prioritize upgrading the Bank first, as it increases your passive income. Keep renovating all available buildings until the Villa's value reaches 100% and all upgrades are purchased.

Florin Hoarder

Show a Little Skin: Get Ezio to wear the Auditore Cape in every city.

To unlock the Auditore Cape, you must collect all 100 Feathers. Once you have it, equip it from your inventory. Then, simply fast travel or walk into each major city/region: Florence, Venice, Forlì, San Gimignano, and the Apennine Mountains. The achievement will pop once you've entered the final required region with the cape equipped.

Thief's Best Friend

Street Cleaner: Hide 5 dead bodies in a haystack.

Kill a guard near a haystack. Pick up their body (hold the "Interact" button - Circle on PlayStation, B on Xbox) and then approach the haystack. Press the "Interact" button again to hide the body. Repeat 5 times. This is easily done in any city with haystacks.

Art Collector

Art Forger: Buy a painting in Florence and Venice.

Locate the Art Merchants in Florence and Venice. Enter their shops and purchase any painting. You only need to buy one from each city to unlock this achievement.

Courier Service

Mailman: Intercept a courier.

Couriers are fast-moving, unarmored NPCs who run through the streets. They are often marked on your mini-map as a small red icon. Sprint after one and tackle them (hold "Sprint" and press "Interact" - Circle on PlayStation, B on Xbox). They will drop Florins and sometimes a letter. This is a common random event and should unlock naturally.

Leap of Faith Enthusiast

High Dive: Perform a Leap of Faith from the top of Florence's Duomo.

Climb to the very top of the Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore) in Florence. Once at the highest point, look for the haystack below and perform a Leap of Faith. This is a visually impressive achievement!

Swimmer

Sweat the Details: Complete 10 Assassin Contracts.

Assassin Contracts are side missions available from pigeon coops marked on your map. These typically involve assassinating a target or group of targets. Complete any 10 of these contracts across the various cities. They are a good source of Florins and experience.

Beat Up a Bully

Doctor, Doctor: Assassinate a target using the Doctor's disguise.

This achievement is tied to a specific Assassin Contract in Venice. Look for the contract that involves assassinating a target while disguised as a Doctor. Follow the mission objectives to acquire the disguise and then perform the assassination. The disguise is temporary and usually found near the mission area.

Thief's Best Friend

Steal the Show: Pickpocket 1000 Florins.

To pickpocket, walk up behind an NPC and hold the "Interact" button (Circle on PlayStation, B on Xbox). You don't need to get all 1000 Florins from a single pickpocket; it's cumulative. Simply pickpocket every NPC you pass until the achievement unlocks. Guards and wealthier-looking citizens tend to carry more.

The Ultimate Assassin

Master Assassin: Unlock all other Trophies (PlayStation) / Earn all other Achievements (Xbox).

This is the ultimate reward for completing everything else in the game. Congratulations, you are a true Master Assassin!