Ghost of Yōtei Beginner's Guide | Tips & Tricks

Here's a guide on some beginner’s tips & tricks to get started in Ghost of Yōtei.

Game Guide by TauxicPandA on Oct 03, 2025

Starting strong in Ghost of Yōtei gives an early-game advantage. This guide shows how to get powerful Armor, Charms, Weapons, and an early mythical Ability that can turn the tide of combat.

Explore Homestead for Early Rewards

After the prologue and returning home, explore the area before proceeding. Investigate Atsu’s Past for hidden rewards, including Money, a cosmetic item on the rooftop, and a Bamboo Strike. Notice a memory of your parents near Mount Yōtei, hinting at a Shrine with valuable items. Remember this spot for later rewards in Ghost of Yōtei.

Ghost of Yōtei, Beginner's Guide, Tips & Tricks

Unlock the First Skill

Travel to the Altar of Reflection by the river junction to get your first Ability point. Use it immediately on Perfect Parry, which is highly effective early on, especially in one-on-one Duels, and applies to all Weapons you unlock later, making it a reliable upgrade.

Getting Free Horse

Continue to the Old Stables side tale to get your Horse. All Horses are the same except for colour, so choose your favourite; this choice is permanent. Afterwards, you can name your Horse and earn some rewards.

Get Free Early Armour and Charms

Move north to find Taro’s Camp, where NPCs bother him. Wait briefly, and he’ll give you Taro’s Armour for free. It boosts Health, Resistance, and adds Spirits with certain cooking in Ghost of Yōtei.

Ghost of Yōtei, Beginner's Guide, Tips & Tricks

Taro’s shop offers Charms: Furious Attacks increases Katana damage, Confident Strikes can whole Spirit on Stagger, and Healing improves recovery when Health is low. Buy all Charms if possible. More Charms unlock slots and promote to major Charms, allowing flexible builds and variety.

Unlock Secret Ability from Bounty

Progress in the main story to the Yōtei Shadow Inn. After the mission, interact with the Bounty Board and select the Crow Genzo bounty for a powerful early Ability. In Jade Grove, fight enemies, then Duel Crow Genzo to gain the Metsubushi Ability, also called Pocket Sand, which blinds enemies and is effective in Duels.

Before leaving Jade Grove, activate the Shrine for a second Skill point. Use it on Dodge Roll to evade red attacks, extinguish fire, and approach enemies quietly. Return to the Shadow Inn Broker to turn in the bounty and gain access to more bounties that offer additional rewards in Ghost of Yōtei.

Unlock the Dual Katanas

Proceed to Mount Yōtei to unlock your first new Weapon type: the Dual Katanas. Completing the short Quest here will reward you with the Weapons, which are especially effective against spear-wielding enemies.

Ghost of Yōtei, Beginner's Guide, Tips & Tricks

Get Charms from Mount Yōtei

Revisit Mount Yōtei, mentioned earlier, with your parents. Start from the base of the marked path, which features a platforming Puzzle that leads to a summit Shrine.

At the Shrine, you’ll gain two Charms: the Mother’s Charm increases arrow damage and ranks up with Shamisen songs, while the Father’s Charm heals you slightly with Perfect Parries, improved through more Sumi-e activities in Ghost of Yōtei.

In the area, note a Camp with Swords in the ground, necessary for a future story. Also, slide down a slope to reach an altar granting a Skill point, helpful in enhancing Katana Abilities like Iaidō Attacks for higher damage and enemy Staggering.

Takezo’s Dual Slash Mythic Tale

Once you have the necessary upgrades, start your first Myth Tale: Takezo the Unrivaled. This unlocks the Dual Slash Ability for your dual Katanas, effective against all enemies. Challenge any of the five Disciples at the Duelling Trees; the closest is west of Lake Shikotsu, near your homestead. Defeating this marks the beginning of the Tale and indicates other locations on your map.

Ghost of Yōtei, Beginner's Guide, Tips & Tricks

The first Charm, Takezo's Charm of the Unrelenting Warrior, increases damage when Health is low. The second Charm, Charm of Renewed Determination, gives you Spirit when you're hit. The third Charm, Takezo's Charm of Bracing Victory, heals you after killing stunned enemies.

The fourth Charm, Charm of the Stout Heart, improves healing techniques. And the fifth Charm, Charm of Bold Deflection, increases damage done by Staggering enemies through parrying and gets stronger with each parry in Ghost of Yōtei.

After all five Duels, Takezo appears at the Coastal Duelling Tree for a final fight. Winning unlocks the Dual Slash for your Katanas, consuming two Spirit points, and striking multiple enemies at once.

Mount Yōtei Encounters

Return to the Camp near the Swords on Mount Yōtei for an additional encounter. Equip all five Charms gained from the Duelling tree Disciples, rest at the Camp, and trigger the final confrontation with Takezo. This battle is particularly challenging, as Takezo can defeat you in a single strike. Winning this encounter rewards you with valuable additional items in Ghost of Yōtei.

Ghost of Yōtei, Beginner's Guide, Tips & Tricks

Prioritise Unlocking the Odachi

Although you will eventually gain access to all Weapon types, prioritise unlocking the Odachi before unlocking the Yari or Kusarigama. The Odachi is versatile and effective against all enemy types, including both Spear users and Brutes.

To unlock the Odachi early, focus on interrogations related to the Saito Brothers. These encounters can appear randomly but often show up near Taro’s Camp. Completing this Quest unlocks the Odachi for the rest of the mission and grants the Bulwark Stance Ability.

The Bulwark Stance lets you stay in a defensive position and then break out of it to attack an enemy. It also blocks yellow hits, takes away enemies' Weapons, and deals a significant amount of damage while staggering them, making it a crucial tool for dealing with a wide range of enemies.

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