Complete Guide to All Ghost of Yotei Weapons and Their Locations

Ghost of Yotei offers players an extensive arsenal of weapons, essential for mastering combat and overcoming the diverse challenges within its rich open world. While progressing through the main storyline will eventually unlock every weapon, a focused approach targeting specific missions and objectives can accelerate your collection and enhance your gameplay.

Understanding Ghost of Yotei’s Weapon System

The core weapons in Ghost of Yotei — including the katana, dual katana, odachi, kusarigama, and yari — interact in a strategic rock-paper-scissors mechanic. Each weapon excels against certain enemy types while being vulnerable to others, making choosing the right weapon crucial for survival and combat efficiency.

Additionally, ranged weapons like bows and guns provide crucial tactical options for distance engagement. Quickfire throwable items such as knives and smoke bombs offer fast versatility in tight situations.

How to Upgrade Your Weapons

Upgrading weapons is vital to keep pace with increasingly difficult foes. Your core weapons can be enhanced at your father’s forge once it becomes operational. Each upgrade stage boosts damage and unlocks new benefits:

• Altered: Costs 20 Metals
• Reinforced: Requires 20 Metals and 20 Oni Raider Mask Pieces
• Enhanced: Demands 30 Metals and 20 Shinobi Steel
• Perfected: Needs 60 Metals, 15 Gun Parts, and 15 Rare Metals

Special materials like Oni Raider Mask Pieces, Shinobi Steel, Gun Parts, and Rare Metals are typically earned through side missions, boss battles, and exploration rewards. Notably, the Odachi upgrades skip the Altered stage but use Shinobi Steel for its Enhanced upgrade.

Comprehensive List of Ghost of Yotei Weapons and Their Acquisition

1. Wolf Blade

• Availability: Unlocked at the game’s start
• Effective Against: Other swords

The Wolf Blade is the foundational sword provided from the beginning of your journey. It offers balanced performance for early encounters but will eventually be outclassed as more specialized weapons are obtained. Its strength lies particularly against similar single-blade opponents.

2. Bow

• Unlocked When: Meeting Ran the Bowyer at the Shadow Inn
• Effective Against: Ranged enemies

The bow category includes variations like the Hankyu medium bow and the high-powered Yumi longbow. The Yumi, akin to a sniper rifle, costs 2000 mon and is ideal for precision attacks from afar. The bow’s versatility makes it critical for stealth and long-range engagements.

3. Dual Katana

• Unlocked By: Completing the ‘The Way of Dual Katana’ quest
• Effective Against: Polearms

Dual katanas are faster but deal slightly less damage than singular blades, presenting a high-speed option against heavier spear-type weapons. Caution is advised when facing single swords, as dual katanas can be at a disadvantage.

4. Odachi

• Unlocked By: Finishing ‘The Way of the Odachi’ during the ‘The Saito Brothers’ mission
• Effective Against: Heavy enemies

The odachi is a large, slow weapon designed to deliver powerful blows, making it effective against formidable brute-type enemies. Defensive and offensive skills synergize well with the odachi, mitigating damage from heavy strikes and enabling effective crowd control through stuns and counters.

5. Kusarigama

• Unlocked By: Completing ‘The Kitsune’ mission
• Effective Against: Shielded enemies

The kusarigama combines a sickle with a weighted chain, designed to break enemy shields and maintain control of crowd encounters. The ranged chain component also facilitates stealth tactics by drawing distant enemies closer for surprise attacks.

6. Yari

• Unlocked By: Completing ‘Way of the Yari’ within ‘The Oni’ mission
• Effective Against: Sickles and kusarigama users

The yari, a spear-like weapon, excels in maintaining distance and controlling enemy movement. It effectively counters weapon types that rely on shorter reach, making it a valuable tool for keeping foes at bay.

7. Guns

• Unlocked By: Completing the Saito Brothers questline (‘Guns and Consequences’ for the pistol and ‘The Storm Breaks’ for the rifle)
• Effective Against: All enemies

Ghost of Yotei features two firearms: the Tanzutsu matchlock pistol and the Tanegashima matchlock rifle. These weapons bypass most defenses, delivering substantial damage. The pistol delivers quick, high-impact shots suitable for sudden attacks, while the rifle offers powerful, precise range attacks. Both weapons consume rare ammunition and reload slowly, plus their loud noise draws enemy attention, imposing strategic considerations.

8. Quickfire Weapons

Quickfire weapons provide rapid-use options to turn fights in your favor or escape dangerous situations. These include:

• Kunai Throwing Knife: Unlocked during the Winter Farm mission in Teshio Ridge
• Metsubushi (Blinding Powder): Reward from the Crow Genzo bounty
• Oni’s Flame: Obtained from Mad Goro during the Oni questline
• Smoke Bomb: Received from Oyuki after completing ‘The Tale of the Kitsune’
• Blind Bomb: From the ‘Fight Fire With Fire’ objective in the Bomb Maker mission
• Scorch Bomb: Acquired by unlocking the merchant in the Bomb Maker mission
• Tanzutsu: Available after ‘Guns and Consequences’ objective in the Saito Brothers mission

Strategic Weapon Usage and Tips

• Match weapons to enemy types: Use the rock-paper-scissors combat mechanic to your advantage by selecting weapons based on tactical strengths.
• Upgrade regularly: Investing in weapon upgrades enhances damage output and survivability. Collect materials from diverse sources including combat and exploration.
• Balance ranged and melee: Combining close-quarters weapons with ranged and quickfire options ensures you are adaptable in combat.
• Manage ammunition carefully: Guns consume expensive ammo and attract enemy attention. Use judiciously to maximize effectiveness without triggering overwhelming fights.

Conclusion

Mastering the weapons in Ghost of Yotei unlocks a deeper layer of tactical gameplay, allowing you to confront challenges with precision and style. Understanding each weapon’s strengths, acquisition methods, and upgrade paths ensures you remain prepared for all combat scenarios this dynamic world offers.

For dedicated players, exploring side missions and hunting for unique upgrade materials can optimize your weaponry and elevate your combat approach. The diversity of options available reflects the game’s commitment to player choice and strategic depth.

Image credits: PlayStation