Essential Steps to Get Ahead in Ghost of Yotei

Welcome to Ezo, a mystical land filled with threats, hidden secrets, and abundant treasures! Whether seeking vengeance, honor, or to showcase mastery, gaining an early strategic advantage is crucial. This guide outlines essential steps to make sure Atsu’s journey is off to a strong start, from gaining rare armor to unlocking critical abilities.

Start with the Old Inn

Head first to Yotei’s Shadow Inn to tackle the Old Inn quest. Completing this mission is foundational, unlocking the bow merchant, armorer, cartographer, and bounty board, while also granting you Onryo’s Howl – an ability that strikes fear into enemies. Be sure to undertake this before fully diving into Atsu’s pursuit of revenge.

Explore the Crow’s Nest Watchtower

In the Yotei Grasslands, make a stop at the Crow’s Nest Watchtower near the Nupur River. Use the spyglass here to spot crucial points of interest like pillars, duel trees, enemy camps, and Hot Springs that boost maximum health. This method efficiently reveals the map and helps prioritize exploration.

Rescue Taro the Scavenger

Just north of the Old Inn lies Taro, a young boy threatened by Ronin. Rescue him to have him join as a personal merchant, offering weapon kits, dyes, charms, and armor. Early in the game, purchasing the Charm of Last Chance is advisable, as it automatically activates healing when sustaining lethal damage. Taro will also appear in your Wolf Pack tab, bringing treasures from defeated foes.

Locate Altars of Reflection with Maps

Combat and stealth skills are unlocked at Altars of Reflection, though they are widely dispersed and hard to pinpoint. The quickest method to find them is by purchasing Traveler’s Maps from Isaburo, the cartographer, initially found at Yotei’s Shadow Inn. Save money by saving a map’s solution with a screenshot and reloading a previous save to retain the knowledge without needing the purchased map.

Earn Coins with Bounties

Completing the Old Inn quest unlocks the bounty board. Accepting bounties provides a fast way to gather coins, crucial for material and armor upgrades, and sometimes even rewards with your target’s mask as proof of elimination. Additionally, selecting your own bounty reduces notoriety and replenishes Spirit.

Try Your Luck for Charms

Once at Huranui’s Rest Inn, gambling becomes available, offering a potentially lucrative method to earn coin. Winning at games provides the chance to gamble for a charm, which greatly enhances combat and exploration. A few victories can grant a significant advantage early on.

Locate the Charm of Kanayago

Seek out the Charm of Kanayago if rapid weapon and armor upgrades are your goal. This charm enhances the collection of metals and black powder, essential for gear enhancements. Located at the Fall’s Rest Shrine, southeast of the Yotei Grasslands, it’s well worth the effort required to reach it.

Discover the Armor of the Undying

Arguably one of the finest armor sets for combat, the Armor of the Undying can be attained early. Begin this quest by conversing with Ugetsu the Storyteller near the Old Inn. He will narrate the tale of the Undying Samurai and guide you to collect four chimes. Defeat the samurai in a duel at his lair to earn this coveted armor, enhancing Perfect Parry/Dodge windows and boosting health recovery and damage during focus attacks.

Embrace the Way of the Yari

Although Atsu can handle an array of weapons, mastering the Yari spear is recommended. Valuable against sickles and other spears, pairing the yari with the Armor of the Undying significantly improves combat effectiveness. Undertake “The Way of the Yari” quest to obtain the yari from the Yari Master on a small island off the Ishikari Plain coast, solidifying it into your arsenal.

Name Your Horse

To select and name your horse, complete the “Old Trails” quest at the Old Stables, situated northwest of Windy Meadow. Choose a fresh steed or stick with the startup horse to give it a fitting name.

Unlock Resource-Enhancing Charms

The Charm of Kanayago is an impressive early-game asset, doubling the acquisition of metals for armor and weapon upgrades. To further boost resources, consider locating the Charm of Bountiful Harvest, which increases the yield of wood, flowers, and plants, valuable for bow enhancements and buying armor dyes.

Prioritize Important Skills

In the early stages, unlocking Perfect Parry in Onryo > Attacks is beneficial. This skill enables quick counterattacks, allowing targets to stagger and facilitating combat dominance. Fans of the Odachi weapon can also benefit from mastering the Indomitable Counter, transforming the Bulwark Stance into a Perfect Counter move, making it possible to negate any attack.

Visit Weapons Merchants Early

Upon entering new territories like the Okachi Range or Ishikari Plain, make visiting local weapon Senseis a priority. This expands Atsu’s combat potential, especially vital in the Shikari Plain, where Sickle enemies present considerable challenges without a Yari. Avoid this region prematurely to ensure Atsu’s skills and gear are sufficiently developed to face its formidable enemies.

This comprehensive walkthrough sets the stage for a successful journey in Ghost of Yotei, equipping players with the knowledge to thrive in this thrilling world.