The Iron Hand Guild is one of many different target boards in Assassin's Creed Shadows, and includes five different that you'll need to track down in Tamba. This target board is unique in that you won't necessarily want or need to kill all the targets to collect the rewards, and the quest giver wants you to keep most of them alive. However, you can still assassinate them and end up with the same rewards, so your choice is ultimately up to you.

The Iron Hand Guild target board is acquired from Imai Sokun after assassinating the Golden Teppo Onryo target in AC Shadows. You can return to Imai Sokun after defeating the Golden Teppo, and he will ask you to track down the merchants in the Iron Hand Guild. However, he will explain that he doesn't want you to kill them because they can be used to help him garner political sympathy. You will get different dialogue with Imai Sokun depending on how many merchants you spare or kill, but ultimately, the rewards for this quest are the same.

All Iron Hand Guild Locations In AC Shadows

Iron Hand Guild Merchant Locations

There are four Iron Hand merchants to kill or spare for this board, the first being Merchant Tamao. He is found in Yamashiro, at a brewery in Kyoto west of the Honpoji Temple. To get to him, you'll have to coax him out of his locked warehouse with an "unusual disturbance", meaning you need to break up or explode his valuables to get him outside. Once you've done so, grab him and knock him out to spare him, or you can kill him if you can't manage to knock him out.

Your next target is Merchant Kin-no-suke, whom you can find intel for in Wakasa at a camp northeast of Onyu . Complete the Dirty Dealing quest, track down the merchant in Obama, and spare him by giving him the letter. Merchant Kanta can be found by completing a series of quests that involve investigating a missing ship on the shores of Omi. Still, you will ultimately find him near the Mouth of Seta in the Otsu Upper District.

Merchant Ginroku is the last target you can either kill or spare, and he's found in the farthest west region of Tamba, where you can possibly go, in Miyazu Bay. To gather intel from Ginroku without killing him, you'll need to get him alone and knock him out. Doing so will give you a letter revealing the final location of the Iron Hand himself, allowing you to complete the Iron Hand Guild target board and collect the final rewards.

Iron Hand Leader Location & Rewards

Once you've spared or killed the other targets on the board, you'll know it's time to head to Fukuchiyama Castle to take out the head of the Iron Hand Guild. This is the only assassination that is mandatory in this quest. While you can spare the others, the Iron Hand is doomed. The castle is swarming with guards, so be diligent if you're using stealth, and be prepared for a fight if you're going in hot with a heavy Yasuke build in AC Shadows. Iron Hand himself will be sitting in the open during the day in the southeastern corner of the castle area.

"Completing the quest rewards the Fujin's Tempest legendary trinket in AC Shadows, which gives Naoe +10% damage per alerted province."

Killing him awards the Bloody Business long katana, an legendary trinket in AC Shadows, which gives Naoe +10% damage per alerted province. You'll also be rewarded 5000 XP and a piece of Gold for crafting/upgrading at the Forge.

Should You Kill Or Spare The Iron Hand Merchants?

You Receive The Same Rewards Either Way

Ultimately, you'll have the choice to kill or spare each merchant in the Iron Hand Guild, which doesn't necessarily reward anything extra. There is no real benefit or downside to killing all of the merchants, aside from upsetting Imai Sokun. The rewards are identical in of gameplay, so you don't need to worry if you accidentally killed one of the Iron Hand merchants or couldn't prevent killing them. ittedly, it is much easier to kill them all, as sparing them sometimes takes a little extra effort to get them on their own.

Ultimately, the choice about killing or sparing the merchants doesn't significantly impact how things pan out in the story or for future quests. Aside from Imai Sokun being a little grumpy, there are no real consequences, and you won't miss out on any gear or rewards. You will also earn the same 5000 XP either way, so the decision really comes down to how much effort you want to put into sparing the Iron Hand merchants in Assassin's Creed Shadows, or if you'd rather just take them out and get it over with.