Thanks to Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima, stealth-action fans get a title with equal parts compelling narrative, stunning visuals, and engaging gameplay. Moreover, Tsushima's Feudal Japanese setting and alternate history can easily immerse fans who want to feel both like a samurai and a shinobi at the same time. Additionally, players get to test their mettle against the Mongols Jin Sakai tries to reclaim Tsushima Island. And thankfully, the game makes the journey more exciting with interesting skills as well as powerful gear.
However, players might want to maximize their journey inside Tsushima Island. After all, with the Legends co-op mode enticing players to form teams, surely there's a way to get through the main story much faster? Interestingly, using the right combination of skills, gear, and armor might just make Jin's life much easier.
10 Gear:Â Kensei Armor
A samurai obtains the title of Kensei should they demonstrate remarkable - most often, legendary - prowess in battle. In Ghost of Tsushima, Jin can only obtain the Kensei Armor after finishing (Mythic Tale) Six Blades of Kojiro. And interestingly, the Kensei's reputation reflects in both the aesthetic and benefits of the armor.
After all, Jin's new look comprises a simple kimono matched with a more regal coat. Unlike other heavy-armored sets, the Kensei gives Jin a stylish yet imposing look. However, this aura fits the armor set's benefits.
In essence, the Kensei Armor enhances Ghost Weapon damage by 30-percent. Moreover, enemies damaged by Ghost Weapons receive 50-percent more and deal 50-percent less damage. Perhaps most useful would be the benefit of gaining more Resolve for Jin's actions. If used properly, the Kensei Armor becomes the best armor set in the game. Despite its lack of defensive abilities, the extra damage and extra Resolve give way for more healing and other support-oriented abilities.
9 Skill: Perfect Healing Parry (Deflection)
Players can circumvent almost any enemy threat if they understand their attack patterns and learn how to counter them properly. In turn, it's best for them to unlock and master the right portion of Jin's Deflection skill tree. However, of all these skills, the Perfect Healing Parry gives Jin an incentive to parry in head-to-head combat.
In essence, Jin performs a Perfect Parry by parrying just as an attack reaches him. Generally speaking, Perfect Parry enables Jin to unleash an unblockable counter-attack. Thanks to Perfect Healing Parry, Jin regains a bit of health by pulling this off.
8 Gear:Â Gosaku's Armor
Fans of the indomitable samurai would love the Eastern Warlord look Gosaku's Armor provides. Aside from the imposing helmet, Gosaku's Armor gives Jin an orange-hued armor with gold details and regal markings. Unlike his other armor, Gosaku's Armor is by no means meant for hiding. In fact, like Gosaku in (Mythic Tale) Unbreakable Gosaku, his armor encourages Jin to face enemies head-on.
More aggressive players would appreciate Gosaku's Armor's massive health buff. Moreover, Jin's stagger attacks now deal more damage to enemies, coupled with a neat lifesteal of 20-percent if Jin kills staggered opponents. Thanks to these opponents, Gosaku's Armor easily becomes the best offensive-oriented armor in the game.
7 Skill: Momentum (Stone Stance)
Remember, most boss battles in Ghost of Tsushima take the form of one-on-one duels. Moreover, these boss battles are almost always against swordsmen. Interestingly, the Stone Stance - the first of the four that the player learns - allows Jin to attack with harsh pierces and heavy slashes against foes, especially against swordsmen. This factor makes Stone Stance quite the asset to master.
Of all Stone Stance Skills, players needs to focus on two: Momentum and Strength of Mountains. The latter allows Jin to deal more Stagger damage against opponents, making counters easier. Moreover, Momentum lets players deal heavy attacks with the Stone Stance much faster - further increasing Stagger.
6 Gear: Ghost Armor
Players who prefer striking from the shadows would appreciate getting the Ghost Armor directly from the main storyline. In turn, players can see Jin's transition from the honorable samurai into the more shadowy Ghost - a representative of the fabled shinobi. As a stealth-oriented armor, the Ghost Armor replaces Jin's kimono with light armor on a black shirt and pants. Instead of a hat, Jin wears his signature Ghost mask that hides his identity.
Stealth-oriented players would want to wear the Ghost Armor extensively throughout their playthrough. Thanks to the Ghost Armor, Jin only needs two kills to be able to enter Ghost Stance. Moreover, the armor reduces enemy detection speed by a whopping 40-percent while 30-percent of witnessed kills can Terrify nearby enemies. Stealth-focused builds shouldn't hesitate to rely on the Ghost Armor despite being one of Jin's defaults.
5 Skill: Chain Assassination (Ghost)
Thanks to his Ghost persona, Jin can tap into tactics that rely heavily on stealth to accomplish his missions. Assassination, in particular, enables Jin to kill enemies in silent yet brutal ways. Of all Assassination techniques, players need to take note of Chain Assassination. This skill allows players to eliminate two to three enemies at once, provided they're close to each other.
Generally-speaking, the proximity of guards during their rounds make them extremely susceptible to Chain Assassination. Moreover, players can instnatly turn invisible by launching Smoke Bombs mid-battle, enabling them them to Chain Assassinate enemies.
4 Gear:Â Samurai Clan Armor
Samurai in Feudal Japan get identified not just by their weapons, but also the armor they wear. More often than not, samurai proudly wear the insignia of their clan somewhere on their person further solidifying their status. In Ghosts of Tsushima, Jin's Samurai Clan Armor doesn't seem as imposing as his other armor. After all, Jin can get this for free during Lady Masako's first Tale. However, this armor - especially upgraded - easily becomes the best defensive armor in the game.
Stats-wise, the Samurai Clan Armor bolsters Jin's overall defense by reducing damage. Moreover, the armor actually grants him moderate to massive health increase, enabling him to last in the battle for longer. However, perhaps most important is its Resolve regeneration, as taking damage gives back Jin's Resolve. In turn, the Samurai Clan Armor can become a go-to choice for long battles or even boss fights.
3 Skill: Dance Of Wrath (Mythic)
Thanks to Mythic Tales, players of Ghost of Tsushima can tap into Mythic skills that enable Jin to launch ferocious attacks that seem impossible to opponents. One particular attack is Dance of Wrath, enabling Jin to zig-zag around the battlefield and launch three unblockable attacks. Aside from high damage, Dance of Wrath can Terrify nearby foes - making this a perfect companion against multiple enemies.
Players can obtain Dance of Wrath after completing (Mythic Tale) The Spirit of Yarikawa's Vengeance. This attack easily becomes a go-to ability if Jin gets spotted as a Ghost, or in standoffs.
2 Gear: Tadayori's Armor
In Feudal Japan, the archer can be one of the most valuable units on a battlefield. Sharpshooters, especially, can eliminate squads of samurai before they even deal significant damage to their allies. In Ghost of Tsushima, players can maximize their potential as archers with Tadayori's Armor, obtainable after finishing (Mythic Tale) The Legend of Tadayori.
However, what it lacks in terms of appearance, the armor does make up for its stats. For instance, Jin can get up to a huge 30-percent boost in knocking and reload speed when using this armor. Moreover, Tadayori's Armor allows Jin to Concentrate for up to two seconds, enabling him to time his headshots better. In fact, headshots themselves can boost up to half the concentration meter.
1 Skill: Mental Fortitude (Ghost)
Players who tap into Archery get access to Concentration, an Evolving Tactic that gives players a breathing room to aim their shots using bows. This Skill easily becomes a valuable asset for ranged combatants, as Concentration gives players the timing needed to hit those headshots. However, players can greatly improve Concentration with Mental Fortitude and Improved Mental Fortitude.
Mental Fortitude reduces Concentration's cooldown by 15-percent, while its Improved variant reduces this cooldown up to 30-percent. Even without hitting enemies, players can use Concentration to get a brief glance on the battlefield situation, especially if they're facing many enemies at once.