Best Samurai Techniques To Get First in Ghost of Tsushima

Summary

Master the Perfect Parry for lethal counterattacks against enemies in Ghost of Tsushima.
Unlock Unyielding Sword Parry to defend against unblockable attacks and maximize warfare potential.
Utilize the Roll technique early on to evade attacks, extinguish burns, and gain freedom of movement.

In Ghost of Tsushima, players must embrace honorable fighting tactics that Jin Sakai was taught as a samurai warrior. For this, players will be tasked with unlocking new techniques that will aid them in battle. These techniques will certainly provide them with the slicing-edge speed and precision that will have the Mongol invaders fearing Jin and his defense of the island of Tsushima, but with so many to unlock, it’s important to know the best samurai techniques early in Ghost of Tsushima.

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Players will want to strive towards unlocking these techniques first if they are to not only survive the invasion of Tsushima but thrive, showing the invading forces that although Jin Sakai may be the last samurai to defend his home, he will be the last thing they see before facing death by his blade.

6 Perfect Parry

Perform Deadly Counterattacks By Parrying At The Last Second

Cost: 1 Technique Point

Parrying is key to any game with melee combat, and the art of parrying has never been so useful as it is in Ghost of Tsushima. Whilst some attacks can be blocked or avoided with an evade and dodge, there are players out there that do not seek this level of security, and instead understand that the best defense is a swift and decisive offense. To do that, players are going to need to master the parry so that they can use Perfect Parry to the best of their ability.

It’s a high-risk and high-reward technique in which players will hit L1 right before taking damage, and then hit Square or Triangle to counterattack. This counterattack is almost always lethal, and it’s a strike that deals devastating damage, but, that’s only if players manage to parry at the very last second of an enemy’s attack, so the timing can be a tad tricky to learn, but it’s always best to start early, so that by mid to late game, players have mastered the blade.

5 Unyielding Sword Parry

Parry Unblockable Attacks From Mongol Swords

Cost: 1 Technique Point

With so many defensive systems and attacks to master, it’s inevitable that some players are going to get cut more than a few times. It’s a natural mistake as Jin battles his way across Tsushima to liberate his home, but this can be aided with Unyielding Sword Parry, a Deflection Technique that will see Jin grant himself the ability to parry attacks that were seen as unblockable and impenetrable until now.

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These attacks are highlighted with a blue glint, rather than a red glint, and now, players can parry these attacks in any stance, allowing them to maximize their potential for warfare by countering every attack that enemy swordsmen throw at them.

4 Roll

Double Tap Circle To Roll, Avoiding Attacks & Extinguishing Burning

Cost: 1 Technique Point

Whilst a roll doesn’t seem like the best use of a technique point, it will surprise many players when they use it. For those familiar with melee combat like Dark Souls, the use of a roll is going to feel like home to them, and the ability to evade arrows, heavy strikes that cannot be blocked, and a swarm of Mongols, is definitely going to come in handy, especially early in the game when players are still learning the basics.

Rolling is also great, as it can quickly negate burning damage that players can acquire through being struck with a flaming arrow. Players should definitely aim to pick this technique up fast, as not only will it unlock other Evasion techniques, but it will allow them better freedom of movement during tense combat.

3 Dodging Slash

Use An Evasive Strike With Circle, Square

Cost: 1 Technique Point

The Dodging Slash technique is perfect for players who want to experiment more with their playstyles. Whilst there are different stances that players can learn throughout the game, the use of a Dodging Slash is so versatile, that it needs to be purchased with a Technique Point, specifically because it means players can go straight into an offensive strike after an evasive dash.

This technique works great against a lot of enemies, but specifically the slow-moving larger targets. Players can quickly evade their attacks and counter with a flurry of strikes from their swords, and repeat the process until their enemy has fallen in battle.

2 Wind Of Health

Follow Guiding Wind To Hot Springs

Cost: 1 Technique Point

Whilst exploring Tsushima is its own journey to be taken, there’s no harm in seeking guidance. Players can follow the Guiding Wind to hot springs yet to be discovered, which will permanently increase player health upon visiting. For only 1 Technique Point, it’s a pretty good trade, as when players freely explore the island, they will now be able to take a more direct route to seek out health upgrades.

Health is vitally important in Ghost of Tsushima, as a rogue arrow or strike from an enemy blade will definitely deter the player’s progress, so to have the option to permanently increase it with a multitude of hot springs is going to be a great way to spend exploration.

1 Wind Of Resolve

Follow Guiding Wind To Bamboo Strikes

Cost: 1 Technique Point

Bamboo Strikes are also a useful thing to find out in the wild open world if players manage to complete this fun minigame, they will be rewarded with an increase to their maximum Resolve, which can be used for mythic combat arts or to regain health.

Players only start out with 3 resolves, so it’s always best to find a way to increase this, and luckily for them, there are plenty of Bamboo Strikes found across Tsushima, allowing players to explore the island for great reward, without the reliance on following Yellow Songbirds that they see from the sky.

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