These Are The Best Major Charms In Ghost Of Tsushima

Ghost of Tsushima is, for the most part, a stickler for realism. The game takes place during the 13th century Mongol invasion of Japan. Furthe, it doesn't feature supernatural creatures like the Nioh franchise. Aside from the video game's power fantasy activity of single-handedly waging war against an insurmountable enemy and winning, you might assume realism is Ghost of Tsushima's constant companion. And then you start collecting charms.

Since slaughtering invading Mongols as a one man army would eventually get boring, Ghost of Tsushima's developers implemented collectible charms players can earn and equip to customize their playstyle. If you like to snipe Mongols with a bow, one charm magically refills your quiver whenever you land a headshot, and if you would rather launch into battle like a madman, a different charm turns enemies' dying breaths into extra health.

There's a playstyle for every charm and a charm for every playstyle, but here are the objectively best major charms you can find in Ghost of Tsushima.

Even though Ghost of Tsushima isn't loot-based, the game still features plenty of collectible equipment and armor. Better yet, you can upgrade your bag of tools to carry more kunai and arrows, as well as improve armor to terrify enemies just by looking in their general direction. However, trying to fully upgrade one item, let alone all of them, will bankrupt you if you don't either farm materials or equip the Charm of Inari.

The Charm of Inari is indispensable because it increases the amount of materials you collect. Every time you kill a predator and skin it, the charm gives you an extra predator hide or three, and the same applies to bamboo, wood, and general supplies. Better yet, you can pick up this charm early in the game without too much exploring.

If you equip the Charm of Inari as early as possible, you will never have to worry about an item upgrading bottleneck.

Ghost of Tsushima isn't as difficult as a Soulsborne, but the game does not pull its punches. However, many major charms help take the sting out of combat, and one charm in particular synergizes with other charms, skills, and armor to the point where you're literally immortal. The Iron Will skill lets you sacrifice three Resolve to revive after a defeat, and the Charm of Izanami buffs Iron Will so you can resurrect with 50% health. Some gamers, like tutorial creator Sam Pham, have discovered how to infinitely self-revive with this charm. 

In addition to the Charm of Izanami, you need the Charm of Kagu-Tsuchi (which increases your damage output at 50% health or less), the Charm of Unyielding 1 and 2 (which reduce damage taken at 50% health or less), and the Charm of Resistance 2 (which generally reduces the damage you take). And, you will need one final ingredient: the fully-upgraded Samurai Clan Armor, to increase your health and defense, as well as gain resolve just by taking damage.

With this recipe, you can revive each time you are defeated, and you will have enough health and defense to regain the three Resolve needed to use Iron Will if you are defeated again. So long as you remember to use the Charm of Izanami with this build, you could pick a fight with an earthquake and win.

In Ghost of Tsushima, merely blocking an axe with your sword (or face) only gets you so far. To truly shine in the game, you have to channel your inner Akira Kurosawa protagonist and master the art of the parry and dodge. However, this is easier said than done, especially at higher difficulties, since the window to parry and dodge attacks is downright microscopic. Unless you use the Charm of Mizu-no-Kami.

While many gamers are bound to memorize the timing of parries and dodges, the Charm of Mizu-no-Kami provides a safety net by extending the parry and dodge window, which is a godsend when you are attacked from five different directions simultaneously. Mongols don't play fair in Ghost of Tsushima, especially on hard mode, so this charm essentially tones down the game's difficulty. Not by much, mind you, but enough so the charm can be considered the Charm of Training Wheels. 

Wear the Charm of Mizu-no-Kami to get a feel for parry and dodge timing, then replace it with something else when you can pull off perfect parries blindfolded. Or just keep the charm equipped to make sure your enemies don't stand a chance.