Ghost of Yotei: Best skills
Unlocking Atsu's most important skills is a very important part of character development in Ghost of Yotei. Our guide lists the best skills along with a discussion of how they work.
Which Atsu skills in Ghost of Yotei are the most important? In this guide, we've created a list of recommended skills that you can unlock during the game. These can help the main character, among other things, to win fights, perform powerful attacks, or stealth takedowns. They're worth acquiring early in the game.
The list below doesn't include basic skills, meaning those available from the very beginning of the game. We recommend reviewing the list to learn the most important moves or refresh your memory of those returning from Ghost of Tsushima. Our list focuses on skills that can be purchased or obtained during the campaign.
- Perfect parrying
- Disarm Counter
- Onryo's Strike
- Brute Assassination and Slaughter Leader
- Chain Assassination
- Roll
- Safe Fall
- Perfect Dodge
- Onryo's Will
- Focus
- Iaido
- Heavenly Slash and other special attacks
- Unstoppable Strikes
- Typhoon Kick
- Lethal Talons
- Standoff Streak
- Onryo's Howl and Ghost Stance
- Wolf's Vengeance
- Wolf Rescue
Perfect parrying
Category: Onryo / Attacks
This is one of the most important combat skills. Atsu can parry an attack at the last moment (L1) and, after a triggering a slowdown, immediately perform a strong counterattack (Square or Triangle).
This move works well with the Bounty Master Armor, as a perfect parry allows you to land 3 counterattacks in a row. Remember, however, that you need to have perfect timing for enemy attacks, as the armor blocks the use of "normal" parries. We recommend practicing on various standard enemies to improve your skills for boss fights.
Disarm Counter
Category: Onryo / Attacks
This is a great ability for enemies using yellow attacks, i.e. those that attempt to disarm the heroine. A successful enemy attack can knock your weapon out of your hands, requiring you to manually retrieve it.
The skill works by preparing for a counterattack (holding Triangle) and executing it when the enemy's yellow attack occurs (releasing Triangle). The opponent is disarmed and becomes an easy target for a short time.
Onryo's Strike
Category: Onryo / Attacks
This is a very powerful attack that consumes 3 Spirit points – it's best saved for elite enemies who pose more problems with regular attacks.
Activated Onryo Strike (L1 and R1) can disarm and weaken an enemy, even if they haven't used a yellow attack. Additionally, it can also frighten other nearby enemies – it's always worth using this for quick follow-up attacks.
Brute Assassination and Slaughter Leader
Category: Onryo / Assassination
These two skills are closely intertwined and are worth acquiring one after the other. They allow you to stealth kill brutes and leaders, and this is very helpful, especially in enemy camps. By default, a stealth attack on an elite enemy will only severely damage them, giving them chance to alert the surrounding area and engage you in combat.
An additional advantage is that a brutal execution of a leader can frighten nearby enemies and make them easy targets after leaving cover.
Chain Assassination
Category: Onryo / Assassination
There are 2 skills available, and Atsu can ultimately perform up to three stealth attacks in a row. After each execution (Triangle), you can use the right analog stick to face the next target.
This is very helpful in enemy locations – Atsu can kill enemies standing close together without alerting the rest of the camp.
Roll
Category: Onryo / Survival
With this skill, double-tapping Circle activates a roll. Its primary use is to avoid more dangerous attacks (e.g. Brutes' red attacks), because a regular dodge does not fully guarantee safety.
Additionally, the roll can extinguish flames if Atsu has been set on fire by an enemy's fire attack.
Safe Fall
Category: Onryo / Survival
This ability is primarily useful during exploration. You can avoid damage after landing from a high place - press Circle just before hitting the ground to make Atsu perform a roll.
However, be aware that jumping from a high place can still mean instant death, and the Safe Fall may not activate. Use this ability when jumping from low to medium heights (e.g. observation towers, rooftops).
Perfect Dodge
Category: Onryo / Survival
This skill is similar to Perfect Parry and is activated by pressing Circle just before an enemy attack. If you're having trouble with timing, we recommend practicing on regular enemies and also looking for charms that can increase the perfect dodge/parry windows.
Interestingly, this isn't just a defensive action. After a perfect dodge, you can immediately perform a counterattack by pressing Square or Triangle. This activates a brief time slowdown.
Onryo's Will
Category: Onryo / Survival
This skill grants a second chance after losing all health. Atsu can spend 1 or 2 Spirit points (you can buy the second skill) to come back to life and resume fighting without having to restart the fight.
We recommend always having some Spirit, and also working on permanently extending the bar. This will reduce the risk of not having the necessary supplies to "resurrect."
Focus
Category: Onryo / Ranged
This is the most important skill when using bows. It allows you to activate time slowdown (by pressing the right analog stick). This can greatly facilitate aiming at enemy heads and hitting moving targets.
It's also worth unlocking additional skills from the same skill tree. These can, for example, extend the duration of the time slowdown or speed up the Concentration recharge time.
Iaido
Category: Melee weapon / Katana
This is a very interesting single katana attack. You can sheathe the blade (hold Triangle) and then quickly draw it (release Triangle). This is a lightning-fast attack that can deal serious damage. You just need to make sure the opponent is close enough to Atsu.
Heavenly Slash and other special attacks
Category: Melee weapon / Katana
Each type of melee weapon in the game has its own unique attack, which is activated by pressing the Circle and Triangle simultaneously. In some cases, the game may require you to learn the skill from a Weapon Master by completing an optional quest. Additionally, the special attack requires Spirit to activate.
In the case of the katana, the Heavenly Strike can interrupt an enemy's attack and is also unblockable. It's useful for weakening elite enemies (including bosses).
Unstoppable Strikes
Category: Melee weapon / Odachi
As the skill's name suggests, attacks with the odachi can become uninterruptible, significantly increasing the weapon's usefulness. Remember, however, that the odachi is a slow weapon and is best used against larger opponents. Smaller and agile enemies can easily evade your attacks and quickly counterattack. An additional bonus of this skill is that you take less damage while using the odachi.
Typhoon Kick
Category: Melee weapon / Yari
You activate this skill by holding and releasing Triangle. An attack with the yari can interrupt an opponent's attack and knock them back. This makes it an excellent way to throw enemies from great heights with a high chance of killing them instantly. Use this move against enemies standing on towers or near the edge of a high cliff.
Lethal Talons
Category: Melee weapon / Kusarigama
This is a great ability for assassination. Similar to special attacks, it is activated by pressing the Circle and Triangle simultaneously, and it consumes 1 Spirit point. Atsu can perform stealth attacks from a distance, grabbing opponents with the kusarigama and pulling them towards herself for a finishing move.
This is very helpful in locations where sneaking up behind an enemy can be risky. You can activate the pull, for example, while hiding in bushes a few meters away from the target.
Standoff Streak
Category: Revenge / Attacks
This is an enhanced version of the "standard" standoff, which is a special action that you can initiate before starting the actual fight. After a successful first execution, Atsu can face another opponent, getting a chance for another lethal strike. This will allow you to easily eliminate more enemies in a given group.
You can also unlock the skill to use the Tanzutsu pistol in standoffs. Press R1 to fire Atsu's pistol instead of using her blade. Doing this for the first time will reward you with a trophy.
Onryo's Howl and Ghost Stance
Category: Revenge / Attacks
Both of these are special attacks activated after a kill streak – you must eliminate consecutive enemies without taking damage (it's worth dodging more often than usual), or your kill streak will be reset.
After getting 4 kills (Onryo Howl) or 6 kills (Ghost Stance), you can press L3 and R3. We recommend waiting longer to activate the second of these skills. The Ghost Stance will allow you to kill several nearby enemies with lethal attacks. They cannot defend themselves against them.
Wolf's Vengeance
Category: Wolf / Combat
After calling the wolf, this ability allows the animal to remain with Atsu until the fight is over. This is very useful, as the friendly predator can eliminate individual enemies or at least distract them, making them easy targets for you.
Wolf Rescue
Category: Wolf / Survival
Unlocking this skill grants you a chance to be saved from death by the wolf – she can attack the enemy who is about to deliver a killing blow. You could first experience this in the prologue during the fight with the Snake. Any method of preventing defeat and restarting the game is very useful.
See also:
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