Mafia III: Definitive Edition

This comes naturally in the normal progression of the game because it is often advantageous to perform stealth or other kinds of takedowns. However, you may want to grind it whether for instant gratification, to practice the technique, or to mitigate against a glitch. The achievement is unlocked when 300 takedowns of any type are performed. This achievement has a history of serious glitches.

Edit 6 November 2020: Many people are unlocking this achievement while, for others, it remains glitched. For people for whom this is glitched, I'd like to highlight the following and acknowledge the insight of the players mentioned:

Note the comment below by @Kheops Fenix on 31 Oct - the YouTube video referred to is by DK Soul:
Here is the quote of the 2 Sep 2020 comment by @oO NiGhTbAsE Oo in Cheevos not unlocking that @Kheops Fenix refers to:
Edit 31 March 2017: This achievement had been glitched but players are now unlocking it. Since no official announcement has been made, I am leaving my earlier cautionary comment below. If you have met the conditions for the achievement and it has not unlocked, it is likely it will unlock in a new game. The below guide describes how to get the achievement early in the game even with the high count of takedowns required.

Edit 31 March continued: It appears that the counters in your game hub cannot be used to reliably inform you if you have met the conditions to unlock the achievement. The best advice I can give, at this time, is to take note in your game hub of what the counter is when you start a new game and assume that you have to perform 300 takedowns in addition to what that counter is.

Edit 7 April 2017: If you are having trouble with the achievement glitch, you might find this insight to be of value. Thanks to Aliosghof for bringing it to my attention and giving his permission to include it in this guide. Aliosghof said:

got the 300 TD achievement so the offline method worked like a charm. this is what you need to do:
1) go offline and delete your save and uninstall the game
2) re install the game and play (start a new game/save)
3) count and write down your take downs. there is no other way
4) After you reached the numbers (30,100 or etc) wait for game to save automatically for the last time and then quit
5) go online and the achievement(s) will pop
Note all of these need to be done in one session so don't quit or get online during the session.

Caution (may have been superseded by the 31 Mar edit above but am leaving this as a precaution): There have been reports that this achievement is glitched as noted in the comments. Check the recent winners of this achievement to see if players are unlocking this achievement at a normal rate.

Edit 6 May 2017: This achievement has been glitched in the past. Players, now, though, are routinely unlocking it as can be seen in the recent winners panel. However, some players still have issues as can be seen in the comments so I am leaving the above edits related to the glitch(es) intact but with a strike-thru.

Takedowns: Takedowns can be lethal or nonlethal. The game tab of the options menu allows you to set the type of takedown. If lethal is selected, Lincoln uses his combat knife. Not only are the takedowns lethal but his melee fighting in general is more damaging to opponents. There are three kinds of takedowns—normal, stealth, and brutal.

Normal Takedown: A normal takedown is melee combat that neutralizes the opponent other than the brutal or stealth takedowns described below. It is performed by pressing one or more times. If is held for more than a tap, a heavier melee attack is performed. Heavy attacks cannot be performed against capable and alert opponents unless they are first softened up with one or more light attacks executed by tapping the button. Sometimes, during melee combat, the prompt will appear. If executed when prompted, a counter will be performed to effect the takedown.

Brutal Takedown: When a heavy melee attack is performed by holding , a white sector in the circle surrounding the prompt may appear. If the button is released while the indicator is at that white sector, a brutal takedown will be performed. Controller vibration (if enabled) and a ‘ping’ sound effect may help the player with the timing on when to release the button. If the B button is not released when the indicator is in the white sector then the ensuing takedown is a normal rather than a brutal takedown. Note, also, as mentioned above, that a heavy attack by holding may not be able to be performed against alert, capable enemies unless they are first softened up with one or more light attacks performed by tapping the B button.

Stealth Takedown: A stealth takedown is a lethal or non-lethal takedown performed when the target has not been alerted to Lincoln's presence. This can be the case where Lincoln sneaks up behind an enemy while crouching. It is, perhaps, most easily performed when Lincoln is in cover and whistles. A nearby enemy will come to investigate and can be caught unawares with the stealth takedown. The takedown is performed by holding . Often, but not always, the symbol will appear on the enemy signifying the takedown can be performed. However, this indicator is not perfectly reliable and so practicing in a controlled environment may be of benefit to perfect the timing.

Grinding the Achievement:

The achievement can be grinded in many places should players want to unlock the achievement without waiting for it to pop in normal game play. The below video shows a controlled, set-piece type environment where stealth takedowns can be practiced. It is early in the game. Cassandra has become Lincoln's ally and the Way of Flesh mission is underway. It is during the Prostitution Racket sub-mission. At that point in the game, members of the Dixie Mafia have started loitering in pairs at certain locations.

Note: If you were affected by the achievement glitch and did not unlock the achievement even though you satisfied the conditions, you might want to start a new game and grind the takedowns quickly. In this event, take note of the game hub takedown counter before you start the new game. Assume that you will have to add 300 takedowns in the new game for the achievement to unlock.

The grinding location has Lincoln do takedowns at a corner on two of the loitering Dixie Mafia members. Then he goes into the First Baptist Church complex and performs two to three more takedowns. When Lincoln returns to the street corner where he started, the loitering Dixie Mafia duo will have respawned. So, Lincoln can go back and forth doing five or more takedowns between the street corner and the house or garage in the First Baptist Church complex.


The First Baptist Church complex plays a part in the Smack sub-mission. So, the location becomes unavailable partway through the Smack sub-mission. Even though it becomes unavailable early on, it is still a good location. There is a Tac vest and a First Aid box in the house or garage near the Church. So, Lincoln can take care of his health. Even though the takedowns are stealth takedowns other enemies are alerted and will attack Lincoln. So, should Lincoln take damage, he can reconstitute his health and protection. The Tac Vest, if used, respawns when Lincoln goes as far as the street corner with the Dixie Mafia pair.

Brutal and Stealth takedowns may be practiced while grinding for this achievement. Fifty brutal takedowns and 100 stealth takedowns will result in these respective achievements:





If three brutal takedowns are executed in quick succession, the following achievement will be unlocked:

This achievement is quite easy but takes a while.

There are two types of takedowns Stealth and Brutal. You don't need to get 300 stealth takedowns for example. Any combination of both takedowns will suffice. Below is an explanation of how to do these different types of takedowns.

Stealth Takedowns
A good way of getting kills is to stay in cover and use your whistle ability by holding Once you've whistled an enemy will go to investigate the noise. When the enemy is close enough a icon will appear on the enemy. This indicates that you're close enough to get a stealth takedown.

A god tip to add will be to use the button when entering areas with enemies. This will tell you where the enemies are, this is useful for when inside buildings.

Brutal Takedowns
You are required to be detected by the enemy. To perform a Brutal Takedown you have to hold the button. When you're holding the button a circle will appear around it. This circle is a timer which will let you do a Brutal Takedown.

You have to keep holding and you'll want to wait for an audio queue of a coin being flipped. When you hear that noise, let go of and watch the Brutal Takedown animation.

Here is an example of a Brutal Takedown.

After 1650 kills over several playthroughs I still could not get this to pop, using this method it finally popped today.

Here is what i did.

I deleted the game and the 2 save files.
I went offline with the xb1 and re-installed Mafia III
I started a new game cancelling any sync beforehand.
I played the game as normal till after i spoke with "Voice"
Instead of going to the club I went to the infinite re-spawn of enemies beside the abandoned church, there are 2 guys on a corner and 8/9 guys in the church area. ( see the grind point in the above solutions )
I kept a note of my kills and once i got above 300 I went back online.
The game went back to the loading screen but the achievement popped.

Hopefully this solution will help people with the takedown achievements not popping when they should.