Game Tips - Ghost of Tsushima

Game Tips for Ghost of Tsushima

Beginner Tips

1. Master the Parry Timing Early – The "Parry" (L1) and "Perfect Parry" (tap L1 just before an enemy hits) are essential. Practice in the opening duels. A Perfect Parry stuns enemies and lets you counterattack instantly. Don't just block; learn to parry.

2. Use the Sword Stances Correctly – Each stance is strong against specific enemy types:
- Stone Stance (default) – vs. Swordsmen
- Water Stance – vs. Shieldmen (break guard quickly)
- Wind Stance – vs. Spearmen (knocks them off balance)
- Moon Stance – vs. Brutes (heavy attacks breaking posture)
Unlock stances by completing side tales. Switch stances mid-combat by holding R2 and pressing a face button (PS4/PS5).

3. Always Have Resolve Ready – Resolve (the yellow gauge below health) allows you to heal with L2+R2 or use special techniques. Keep at least one resolve point for emergencies. Don't heal when you're nearly dead; heal as soon as you’ve taken significant damage to avoid one-shots.

4. Learn to Dodge and Roll – The dodge (Circle) has invincibility frames, especially the roll (double-tap Circle while moving). Use it to avoid unblockable attacks (enemies glow red). Practice against the Khan’s guards.

5. Upgrade Your Sword First – Spend iron at the swordsmith to increase your katana's damage and unlock new techniques. The better your sword, the fewer hits you need to kill basic enemies.

6. Use the Wind of Swords – When you unlock the "Guiding Wind" ability, you can set a location (e.g., a tale marker) and follow the wind. This eliminates the need to check the map constantly.

Intermediate Strategies

7. Exploit Enemy Weaknesses with Ghost Weapons – Weapons like Kunai, Smoke Bombs, and Sticky Bombs are best used to create openings. Throw a Kunai to stagger an enemy (locks them in place for a second), then follow with a heavy attack. Combine smoke bombs with chain assassinations (hold Triangle near a group).

8. Master the Heavenly Strike – This special attack (learned from a bamboo strike) deals massive damage and can break guards. Use it when surrounded, or to finish a tough enemy quickly. Costs one resolve point.

9. Utilize the Grappling Hook for Stealth – The grappling hook (Tengu’s tool) allows you to climb to rooftops, cross gaps, and reach high vantage points. Use it to bypass patrols and set up assassinations from above. In combat, you can also use it to pull enemies off ledges (Hold R1 + X).

10. Change Armor Based on Encounter – Different armor sets provide unique bonuses:
- Sakai Clan Armor – Best for tanking damage in open combat.
- Ghost Armor – Reduces detection speed and increases stealth damage.
- Traveler’s Attire – Increases movement speed and reveals nearby artifacts.
- Ronin Attire – Boosts assassinations and chain assassinations.
- Kensei Armor – Increases resolve gains and ultimate damage.
- Monkey Armor – Great for duels (perfect parry window extended).
Swap armor often depending on the situation.

11. Use the Wind Charm for Exploration – Equip the "Wind of Resolve" charm (found in the Kamiagata region) to make the guiding wind always point toward the nearest undiscovered location. This helps you find hidden secrets without manual searching.

12. Craft Ammo at Shrines – When you visit a Shinto shrine, you can pray to restore all arrows and throwables. Always do this before a major battle to avoid running out.

Advanced Optimizations

13. Perfect Dodge Timing for Unblockables – Unblockable attacks (red glow) cannot be parried, but you can perform a Perfect Dodge (tap Circle just as the attack connects) to trigger a slow-motion window. During slow-mo, you can land several heavy hits or a special move. Practice against the straw hat duels.

14. Chain Assassinations with Resolve – The "Chain Assassination" technique (upgrade in Ghost skills) lets you kill up to three enemies in a row if they are close together. Use it after a smoke bomb or when you have Ghost Stance activated.

15. Ghost Stance – Ultimate Crowd Control – After killing multiple enemies with stealth or quick kills, you unlock Ghost Stance. Enter it with R3 (click right stick). During Ghost Stance, you can instantly kill any normal enemy by pressing square. Use it to break a large formation or finish a boss wave. Pair with the charm that extends Ghost Stance duration.

16. Optimize Charm Loadouts – Charms can drastically change your playstyle. For a damage build, stack:
- Charm of Destruction (+20% melee damage)
- Charm of Fortune (+15% critical hit chance)
- Charm of the Unyielding (increase stagger damage)
For a tank build, use:
- Charm of the Iron Mountain (+25% health)
- Charm of the Spinning Death (+10% damage reduction)
- Charm of the Mountain God (auto-heal out of combat)
Experiment with combos and charms found in exclamation-mark sections.

17. Resource Farming Routes – Early in the game, the region of Izuhara has abundant:
- Bamboo (for ammo upgrades) near the Bamboo Strike locations.
- Iron (for sword upgrades) from Mongol camps and supply packs.
- Linen (armor upgrades) from bandit camps and chests.
- Yew wood (arrow upgrades) from trees along rivers.
Use the wind of fortune (animal guidance) to track specific resources.

18. Economy: Save Flowers – Flowers are used to purchase cosmetic items (dyes, sword kits, hats). They are limited per area (each flower type regenerates after you collect all of one color). Use flowers only for items you truly want; you don’t need to buy everything to get the Platinum trophy.

19. Duels: Use the Right Stance – In duel encounters (one-on-one with a ronin or leader), watch the enemy’s weapon type. If they wield a sword, use Stone Stance. If they have a spear, switch to Wind Stance. This makes breaking their guard much easier.

20. Exploration: Follow Birds and Fox Dens – The golden birds lead you to hot springs (increase health) and bamboo strikes (increase resolve). Fox dens lead to Inari shrines (+1 charm slot). Always follow these when you see them; they offer permanent upgrades.

Combat Tips

Stance Dancing – Change stances frequently even during a single enemy encounter. When facing mixed groups, open with a stance that counters the most dangerous enemy, then switch to match the next threat.

Use Heavy Attacks to Break Guards – Enemies guarding can be staggered by heavy attacks (hold square or triangle after a light combo). The Water Stance’s flurry is especially good against shields.

Leg Sweep (L1 + Circle) – Knocks down enemies, leaving them vulnerable to a ground stab. Great for ending fights quickly.

Mongol Officer Duels – Save your resolve for the "Dance of Wrath" (unlocked via mythic tale) which does massive damage when timed right.

Exploration Tips

Use the Tsuchinoku's Inari Shrine – The second Inari shrine you find gives the "Charm of the Fortune Cat" (increases luck for item drops). Always equip this when exploring.

Climb Every Pagoda – Pagoda rooftops often have crickets (pets), flowers, or resources. Additionally, you can survey the area from high points.

Weather and Wind – The wind direction is always toward your objective. If you’re lost, look at where the wind is blowing leaves or grass.

Undiscovered Locations – Use the "Wind of Swords" ability (from the technique menu) to see a hint of nearby secrets on the map.

Resources & Crafting

Upgrade the Bow First – The half-bow (Yumi) is critical for taking out archers and destroying explosive barrels. Upgrade its draw speed and damage early.

Collect All Flowers: Certain dyes require specific flower types. Turn them into the merchant in Kamiagata to unlock special armor dyes.

Use the Supply Packs – Found in Mongol camps, they contain iron, linen, and yew wood. Open every one you see. They respawn after you fast travel away and back.

Legendary Artifacts – Complete mythic tales for unique weapons and armor (e.g., the "Heavenly Strike" and "Ghost Armor"). These are often overpowered.

Economy Tips

Sell Extra Resources – The trappers and one merchant buy surplus materials. Linen and iron are common; you’ll have more than needed for upgrades. Sell excess for coin to buy better charms.

Purchase Charms from Merchants – Each region has a merchant who sells unique charms. Check every one, especially after completing major tales. Some charms are very powerful.

Don’t Waste Money on Dyes – Dyes are cosmetic only. Focus on practical upgrades first. If you want the best look, wait until endgame when you have spare coins.

Builds

Armor: Sakai Clan Armor (fully upgraded)

Weapon: Katanas with "Stone" or "Wind" damage charms

Charms:

Playstyle: Charge into battle, parry, and use heavy attacks. Use resolve for healing. Very forgiving.

Armor: Ghost Armor (upgraded for faster stealth kills)

Weapon: Katanas with "Water" or "Wind" for quick guards

Charms:

Playstyle: Use smoke bombs, chain assassinations, then disappear. Never get into prolonged fights.

Armor: Ronin Attire (upgraded for chain assassinations)

Weapon: Any katana with resolve gain charms

Charms:

Playstyle: Mix stealth and combat. Use sticky bombs to initiate, then chain assassinations. Resolve for Heavenly Strike.

General Progression Tips

Do the Mythic Tales ASAP – They give you powerful techniques and gear that make the rest of the game easier.

Prioritize Hot Springs and Bamboo Strikes – Each hot spring increases your health by 1, bamboo strike increases resolve by 1 (maximum 10). These are permanent upgrades.

Complete All Shinto Shrines – Each one gives a charm. Some are essential for builds.

Fast Travel Is Unlocked Early – Use it often to save time. The only cost is the travel itself.

Use Photo Mode for Field of View – You can toggle photo mode (touchpad) in combat to pause the action and plan your next move (expert tip).

Advanced Combat Mechanics

Flowing” Cancels – After landing a Heavy Strike (square after a light combo), you can cancel into a dodge or block quickly to avoid punishment. This is called "Flowing" and is key for experienced players.

Perfect Parry into Heavenly Strike – Time a perfect parry, then immediately press L1+R1 (Heavenly Strike) for a guaranteed hit that deals double damage. Use this against bosses.

Stagger Lock – Use the Water Stance’s flurry attack (hold triangle) to keep enemies stunlocked. Combine with a Kunai to reset the stagger meter.

Exploit Enemies' Fear – After killing several enemies with ghost weapons, they become terrified and flee. Use this to break their morale, then hunt them down one by one.

Miscellaneous Tips

Collect All Cursed Charms – There are 10 cursed charms hidden in the world. Collecting them gives unique titles and a trophy.

Use the Guidance of Wind for Items – When searching for a specific resource, press up on the d-pad to cycle the wind to point toward the nearest cluster of that resource.

Beat the Game Without Upgrades for Extra Difficulty – If you want a challenge, do a "fresh" run where you never upgrade health or resolve. This forces perfect combat.

Use the Grapple Hook to Escape – If overwhelmed, grapple to a nearby hook point to break combat and reset.

Respect the Duels – Duel opponents can one-shot you on harder difficulties. Memorize their attack patterns and parry/dodge accordingly.

Conclusion

These tips cover the full spectrum from beginner to advanced. The key to mastering Ghost of Tsushima is adaptability: switch stances, armor, and tactics fluidly based on the threat. Remember to explore thoroughly—the world is full of powerful upgrades waiting to be found. Good luck, Ghost!