Ghost of Yotei: 10 Early Unlocks You'll Need

Ghost of Yotei just launched on October 2, 2025, and the whole internet immediately turned into amateur ronin. If you just rolled credits on the prologue and you want to actually survive the early game, here are the first 10 things I would grab, unlock, or upgrade. No fluff, just the stuff that pays off fast.

1. Get the Odachi
   The Odachi is your early game delete button. It is slower than your standard blade, but the damage is brutal, and the Unstoppable Strikes technique lets you carve through just about anything. To earn it, start The Saito Brothers questline and complete The Way of the Odachi at Master Yoshida's dojo. If you have been looting like a raccoon, you can usually upgrade it right away.
2. Knock out the Yotei's Shadow Inn main mission
   Right after the prologue, two missions pop up. Do the one that takes you to the Old Inn. Ride northwest, walk up to the door, and step inside. That kicks off a cutscene and a short quest that ends with Onryo's Howl and, more importantly, opens up the Shadow Inn's merchants you will use constantly.
3. Buy a bow immediately (Hankyu or Yumi)
   Once the Inn is online, you get access to a Bowyer, Cartographer, and Bounty Broker. Talk to Ran the Bowyer and grab the Hankyu for 300 coins. It is a medium bow with balanced draw speed and damage. If you prefer long-range power, the Yumi hits harder at distance but draws slower. Ran also stocks useful materials like Black Powder and Silk Fibers for your bow setup.
4. Prioritize these early skills
   Early skill gains come from Altars of Reflection scattered around the map. Hit them and unlock: - Perfect Parry (Attacks tab) so your timing rewards you no matter what weapon you are holding.
   - Roll, which saves your life against those big, unblockable swings and when mobs dogpile you.
   - Onryo's Will, a safety net that spends three spirits to pick you up when you get dropped.
5. Snag Taro's Armor for free
   Keep an eye out for Taro, a roaming NPC who appears randomly in the open world. Help him by scaring off two hostile NPCs and he will gift you Taro's Armor, one of the best early sets. He also becomes your personal merchant, selling dyes, weapon kits, and charms. If you die a lot (no judgment), the Charm of Last Chance he sells is clutch.
6. Charm of True Aim (the 'are you using aimbot?' charm)
   This charm gives your longbow an autolock shot that hits like a truck. Upgrading it lets you chain up to three targets, which is... yeah, strong. Go to Husko Kotan village and talk to the Yukar Storyteller to get the Legend of Opusnupuri. Finish that quest and the charm is yours.
7. Farm bounties for cash (start with Crow Genzo)
   The bounty board at the Shadow Inn is the easiest early money. Pick up jobs at your pace, but start with Crow Genzo. He is one of the simpler targets, and beating him unlocks the Shinobi tool Metsubushi. Think pocket sand: it blinds and stuns so you can bully enemies with your Odachi.
8. Unlock Disarm Counter
   Another must-have in the Attacks tab. When an enemy flashes a yellow glint (they are charging up), hold Triangle to rip the weapon right out of their hands. Then press R2 to pick it up and Square to send it back at them. It works across the board and turns some scary enemies into bystanders.
9. Secure the Kunai and light them up
   Kunai are quickfire lifesavers that interrupt and stagger instantly. Start The Burning of Castle Ishikari questline, then progress to and complete The Winter Farms to unlock them. Clear all the Winter Farms and stack Kunai-related charms to make them ridiculous. You also earn the Charm of Burning Blades at the end, which lets your Kunai ignite enemies and anything flammable.
10. Track Wolf Dens to level up your furry backup
    You get a wolf companion who shows up to help in fights, but there is no fixed schedule for when it appears. If you want it around more, improve your bond by finding Wolf Dens across Ezo. Look for trees that are bent and a little horror-movie creepy. Entering a den triggers a short sequence and rewards a Wolf skill point.

There is a lot to do early in Ghost of Yotei, but if you hit these beats first, you will have the damage, mobility, and utility to breeze through the opening stretch. Developer is Sucker Punch Productions, by the way, in case that explains why half the internet is suddenly very into parries again.