The grappling hook system really opens up once you unlock the right abilities in the shinobi tree, and timing those upgrades makes a huge difference in how smoothly you can navigate. When you're starting out focus on getting ascension boost first - the animation starts about 0.3 seconds faster which helps chain movements together especially during pursuits. For the actual upgrade path, dump your mastery points into the middle branch of the shinobi tree, you'll see the grappling skills clustered together right after the basic stealth perks.

The hook mechanics get way more interesting when you learn to time your momentum shifts. During a swing, wait until you hit the apex of your arc then tap dodge to instantly change direction - super useful when guards are tracking you. Once you've got the basics down, check out the hidden trails scattered around the map, they're marked with white question marks that turn orange when you're close enough. The path of valor in senri hills is probably the best starting point since it teaches swing timing without too much pressure.

Something that's actually pretty useful - you can cancel out of most grapple animations by hitting dodge right as the hook connects, which saves about half a second on each movement. The timing window is tight though, around 200ms, so you'll want to practice somewhere safe first. The old kofun's water chamber is perfect for this since the grapple points are all clearly visible and you won't take fall damage while learning the rhythm.

Watch your stamina management during extended sequences, the hook drains about 15% per use but you can reduce that by releasing early and using environmental momentum. Most players burn through stamina too fast at first but once you get the feel for chaining movements together, you'll naturally start conserving it better.