5 Early-Game Ghost of Yotei Armors That Turn You Into a Juggernaut

Ghost of Yotei throws a ton of armor at you right away, and if you want Atsu to feel like, well, a Ghost from the jump, there are a handful worth chasing early. Here are five sets you can unlock fast, what they actually do, and why they matter. Some of this is a little inside baseball (looking at you, weapon alignment), so I’ll translate where it gets weird.

Taro's Armor

This one’s a sleeper early-game MVP. You can get it from a boy named Taro, who pops up randomly at your camp or at other camps as you wander. There’s also a quest route: finish The Loss We Carry and then buy Toku’s Charm back from Taro. Either way, the armor is the prize here, not something you’re paying for.

Why it’s good: add a cooking bonus and your Spirit gains jump to a solid mid-tier rate, plus you get extra health and resistance to both Fire and Cold damage. It’s clean, effective, and basically free. Hard to argue.

Spider Lily Armor

Gorgeous set, mean streak. Grab it by completing the Mythic Tale: The Spider Lily General in the Tokachi Range.

Why it’s good: this armor loves crowds. It boosts Stagger damage from melee hits, can ripple-stagger nearby enemies when you stagger someone, and it makes foes more likely to drop throwable weapons. If you like turning brawls into bowling pins, this is your uniform.

Bounty Master Armor

Style and muscle. It unlocks after the Special Bounty: Soma the Condemned, which only appears once you’ve cleared the earlier bounties. Heads up: because it’s a Special Bounty, it won’t show on the board until you’ve done your homework.

Why it’s good: it disables basic parries, so you can’t button-mash block-and-hope. Instead, it widens the timing windows for both parry and perfect dodge, then rewards a perfect parry with three automatic counterattacks. On top of that, Spirit gains spike hard. If you played Ghost of Tsushima, it’s basically a Sarugami riff: risky until it clicks, then it’s devastating.

Crimson Kimono

Stealth monsters, assemble. Start the Mythic Tale: The Crimson Kimono in Teshio Ridge by talking to Ugetsu; finish it and the armor is waiting in a box.

Why it’s good: it enables chain assassinations off a Kunai, dramatically cuts enemy detection, and lets you land Kusarigama assassinations from farther out than you’d expect. If you prefer deleting an entire camp without anyone knowing you were there, this is the play.

Armor of the Undying

You can snag this surprisingly early if you follow the Main Tale: The Oni from the start. Talk to Ugetsu in Ishikari Plain to begin the Mythic Tale: The Undying Samurai, finish it, and the armor’s yours.

Why it’s good: it heals you when you stagger enemies, expands the Perfect Parry and Perfect Dodge windows, and adds a chance to juice your Stagger damage during Focus Attacks. One catch: the perks require correct weapon alignment. Translation: the game is picky about your weapon mode being set just right, or the bonuses won’t trigger. When it’s aligned, it’s a powerhouse for counter-heavy play.

At a glance: how to unlock each set

• Taro's Armor: Find Taro at your camp or any camp, or finish The Loss We Carry and buy Toku’s Charm back from him.
• Spider Lily Armor: Complete Mythic Tale: The Spider Lily General in Tokachi Range.
• Bounty Master Armor: Complete the Special Bounty: Soma the Condemned (unlocks after prior bounties; not posted on the board until then).
• Crimson Kimono: Start by speaking with Ugetsu in Teshio Ridge, complete Mythic Tale: The Crimson Kimono, then grab it from the box.
• Armor of the Undying: Talk to Ugetsu in Ishikari Plain to start Mythic Tale: The Undying Samurai; finish it for the reward. Following the Main Tale: The Oni early helps you get here fast.

Short version: if you want early dominance, Taro’s Armor is the easy win, Spider Lily shreds crowds, Bounty Master rewards precision, Crimson Kimono makes you a whisper, and Armor of the Undying keeps you alive while you punish mistakes. Pick your poison and go be spooky.