Arbaaz was first reluctant to accept Hamid's mentorship, believing that Hamid wanted to impose a new dogma unto him, before understanding the true values of the Assassins, until he finally gave in and pursued his training willingly. His natural talents made him a valuable asset for Hamid, a few years later, when Arbaaz became both his best spy and thief.
Arbaaz proved himself a talented fighter also, but he clearly preferred stealth and ruse to brute force. His recklessness was never completely gone, and more than once, he endangered his missions by taking unnecessary risks.