Techniques

Jin Sakai can learn various Techniques throughout Ghost of Tsushima. Technique Points, obtained by increasing Jin's Legend, are used to learn new Techniques. There are three types of Techniques categorized in the game menu: Samurai, Stances, and Ghost. The weather in Tsushima slowly changes during Exploration depending on how much Jin has used Samurai or Ghost Techniques. A Samurai-based approach results in clearer weather while a Ghost-based approach results in more thunderstorms instead.

Samurai[]

The Samurai Technique is divided into four sections: Deflection, Evasion, Mythic, and Exploration. These Techniques concerns with Jin's skill as a samurai fighting head-on with his enemies, or with his interaction with the world of Tsushima through Mythic Tales and points of interest. The Deflection and Evasion lines are split into a progression tree where certain Techniques need to be taken before proceeding to the next tier of Techniques.

Deflection[]

Deflection Techniques focus on Jin's ability to block and parry incoming attacks. Upgrading this tree will help players improve their defense and perform advanced defensive maneuvers; some of these Techniques reward health or Resolve. As noted above, each Technique is part of a tier, and to access the next tier, at least one Technique from the previous tier needs to be unlocked.

Deflection Techniques
Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
Perfect Parry	0	Parry at the last possible second to perform a deadly counterattack. Earns a Moderate amount of Resolve. right before taking damage or to counterattack	1
Perfect Parry Healing	1	Perfect Parries recover a small amount of health.	1
Unyielding Sword Parry	1	Parry an unblockable attack from Mongol swords. Attacks marked by blue glinting lines can be parried Can be done in any stance	1
Deflect Arrows	2	Parry incoming projectiles while blocking.	1
Resolved Parry	3	Gain Moderate Resolve by using a Parry or Perfect Parry.	1
Unyielding Spear Parry	3	Parry an unblockable spear attack. Attacks marked by blue glinting lines can be parried Can be done in any stance	1
Terrifying Parry	4	Perfect Parry counterattacks have a 20% chance to Terrify nearby enemies. Attacks marked by blue glinting lines can be parried Can be done in any stance	2

Evasion[]

Evasion Techniques focus on Jin's ability to completely avoid attacks by either dodging or rolling. Later down the tree, Jin is also offered alternative Techniques that improves his offensive abilities in a variety of manners. As noted above, each Technique is part of a tier, and to access the next tier, at least one Technique from the previous tier needs to be unlocked.

Evasion Techniques
Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
Roll	0	Roll across the ground to avoid attacks. to roll Extinguishes burning	1
Dodging Slash	1	An evasive strike useful against slow-moving enemies. to dash and strike	1
Sprint Strike	1	Sprint toward your enemy and slash them with a quick strike. to sprint to strike	1
Shoulder Charge	2	Charge into enemies while sprinting to knock them backward. while sprinting to bash	1
Delayed Strike	3	A delayed quick attack that inflicts extra Melee damage and Stagger damage. Hold to initiate pose Release to strike	1
Mounted Strike	3	Perform a jumping strike from your horse to tackle your enemy and inflict Stagger damage. to strike from horseback	1
Perfect Dodge	4	Dodge at the last possible moment to perform a deadly counterattack. right before taking damage or to counterattack	2

Mythic[]

Mythic Techniques, as indicated by their name, are Techniques of mythical qualities. As a result, they are not attained by applying Technique Points but by completing their designated Mythic Tale. Heavenly Strike and Dance of Wrath are sword-based Techniques that are executed via a key combination, posing as unblockable attacks that deal high amounts of damage. Way of the Flame and Explosive Arrow are extra tools that Jin can access through his tools menu, applying special properties to his blade or arrow, respectively.

Mythic Techniques
Technique	Description	Requirement
Heavenly Strike	A quick unblockable attack that inflicts extra damage against Staggered enemies. Kills may Terrify nearby enemies. + to strike Uses 1 Resolve	Complete "The Heavenly Strike"
Dance of Wrath	Unleash three consecutive unblockable attacks that inflict high damage. Kills may Terrify nearby enemies. + to initiate to choose each target Uses 3 Resolve	Complete "The Spirit of Yarikawa's Vengeance"
Way of the Flame	Use Incendiary Oil to ignite your katana and burn your foes. Kills may Terrify nearby enemies. + to equip to ignite katana	Complete "The Undying Flame"
Explosive Arrow	Heavy arrow fitted with volatile powder that explodes on impact. Kills may Terrify nearby enemies. + to select Longbow + to equip Explosive Arrows + to fire	Complete "The Curse of Uchitsune"

Exploration[]

Exploration Techniques are non-combat aides for Jin, as they allow the player to enable the Guiding Wind in the map menu to direct them to points of interests instead of relying on waiting for the Golden Songbird to come to the player's aid.

Exploration Techniques
Technique	Description	Technique Points
Wind of Health	Follow the Guiding Wind to Hot Springs. Soak in their restorative waters to increase your maximum health. Set the Guiding Wind target in the map	1
Wind of Resolve	Follow the Guiding Wind to Bamboo Strikes. Complete Bamboo Strikes to increase your maximum Resolve. Set the Guiding Wind target in the map	1
Wind of Charms	Follow the Guiding Wind to Shinto Shrines where you can find new Charms. Set the Guiding Wind target in the map	1
Wind of Inari	Follow the Guiding Wind to Fox Dens. Foxes will lead you to Inari Shrines where you can earn additional Charm slots and upgradeable Charms. Set the Guiding Wind target in the map	1
Wind of Vanity	Follow the Guiding Wind to discover items that allow you to personalize your appearance. Set the Guiding Wind target in the map	1
Wind of Harmony	Follow the Guiding Wind to discover Animal Sanctuaries on Iki Island. Set the Guiding Wind target in the map	1
Wind of Concentration	Follow the Guiding Wind to discover Archery Challenges on Iki Island. Set the Guiding Wind target in the map	1

Stances[]

The Stances Techniques are a set of Technique trees aimed to improve each of the stances Jin attains throughout the game. Each stance is good against specific types of enemies, with each tree only modifying one specific stance. Stone Stance is available by default, while the Water, Wind, and Moon Stances are unlocked by observing or killing a certain number of Mongol Leaders.

Stances Techniques
Stance	Description	Requirement
Stone Stance	Effective against Swordsmen. Heavy Attacks deal extra Stagger damage. Swordbreaker Hold Piercing Strike Hold to change stances	–
Water Stance	Effective against Shieldmen. Heavy Attacks deal extra Stagger damage. Shieldbreaker Hold , then tap Flurry Strike Hold to change stances	Kill or observe 3 Mongol Leaders
Wind Stance	Effective against Spearmen. Heavy Attacks deal extra Stagger damage. Spearbreaker Hold Typhoon Kick Hold to change stances	Kill or observe 8 Mongol Leaders
Moon Stance	Effective against Brutes. Heavy Attacks deal extra Stagger damage. Heavy Strike Hold Spinning Strike Hold to change stances	Kill or observe 12 Mongol Leaders

Stone Stance[]

Stone Stance Techniques
Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
Puncture	1	Batter your foe with two piercing strikes. Hold , then tap	1
Strength of Mountains	2	Increase Stagger damage against Swordsmen from all Stone Stance attacks.	1
Full Puncture	3	Deliver three piercing strikes. Hold , then tap	1
Momentum	4	Perform Stone Stance heavy attacks with ferocious speed.	2

Water Stance[]

Water Stance Techniques
Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
Flowing Strikes	1	Unleash a torrent of four rapid strikes. Hold , then tap	1
Strength of Tides	2	Increase Stagger damage against Shieldmen from all Water Stance attacks.	1
Surging Strikes	3	Drown your foe with a flood of five rapid strikes. Hold , then tap	1
Downpour	4	Inflict increasing damage with each attack in Flurry Strike.	2

Wind Stance[]

Wind Stance Techniques
Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
Strengthened Typhoon Kick	1	Typhoon Kicks launch your enemy farther back and deal extra Stagger damage.	1
Strength of Gales	2	Increase Stagger damage against Spearmen from all Wind Stance attacks.	1
Spear Defense	3	Automatically Parry spear attacks during any Wind Stance attack.	1
Typhoon Kick Finisher	4	Enemies thrown by a Typhoon Kick are knocked down.	2

Moon Stance[]

Moon Stance Techniques
Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
Whirlwind	1	Assail your foes with two fast spinning strikes. Hold , then tap	1
Strength of the Heavens	2	Increase Stagger damage against Brutes from all Moon Stance attacks.	1
Finishing Strike	3	The third Moon Stance heavy attack deals extra Melee damage and Stagger damage.	1
Tornado	4	Three fast spinning strikes. Hold , then tap	2

Ghost[]

Ghost Techniques are centralized on Jin's developing affinity for stealth and misdirection as the Ghost, in contrast to the straightforward combat of the samurai. While this set of Techniques reflects Jin's willingness to take on dishonorable tactics, it also includes the evolution of Techniques that would normally be seen as Samurai Techniques, such as the Standoff or health recovery through Resolve, into inhuman Techniques that lets Jin fight against multiple enemies and survive impossible odds.

Ghost Weapons[]

Ghost Weapons consists of the tools Jin slowly attains during his journey through Tsushima, taking up the shroud of stealth and misdirection as the Ghost. Starting out with the Kunai early on, Jin gains access to a new tool the first five times his Legend grows. Below is a list of Ghost tools Jin can gain access to:

Ghost Weapons Techniques
Icon	Weapons	Description
	Kunai	A small blade that can be quickly thrown at nearby enemies, Staggering them. + to equip Kunai + to throw
	Black Powder Bomb	Thrown explosive that damages and Staggers enemies caught in the blast. + to select Throw + to equip Black Powder Bombs + to throw
	Smoke Bomb	Unleash a dense cloud of smoke at your feet, causing enemies to lose sight of you. + to equip Smoke Bombs to throw
	Sticky Bomb	Throw a pitch-covered bomb that will stick to your enemy. + to equip Sticky Bombs + to throw
	Wind Chime	Throw a small bell to draw an enemy's attention. + to select Throw + to equip Wind Chime + to throw

Kunai[]

Kunai Techniques
Icon	Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
	Hidden Blade	1	Throw 1 additional Kunai.	1
	Serrated Blades	2	Kunai inflict twice as much damage.	2

Black Powder Bomb[]

Black Powder Bomb Techniques
Icon	Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
	Concussive Blast	1	Knocks down enemies struck by the shockwave of a Black Powder Bomb.	1
	Explosive Shrapnel	2	Adds shrapnel to the Black Powder Bomb, increasing its damage and blast radius.	2

Smoke Bomb[]

Smoke Bomb Techniques
Icon	Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
	Blinding Dust	1	Smoke Bombs temporarily blind enemies caught in their blast. Smoke also lasts longer before disappearing.	1
	Healing Incense	2	Smoke Bomb fumes restore some of your health.	2

Sticky Bomb[]

Sticky Bomb Techniques
Icon	Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
	Guarded Throw	1	You're no longer adversely affected by a bomb's blast.	1
	Explosive Powder	2	A direct hit with the Sticky Bomb kills the target, causes a bigger blast radius, and inflicts more damage on enemies caught in the blast.	2

Wind Chime[]

Wind Chime Techniques
Icon	Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
	Firecracker	1	Throw a Firecracker to draw multiple enemies to a location. + to select Throw + to equip Firecrackers + to throw	1

Evolving Tactics[]

Evolving Tactics is the collection of Techniques Jin improves upon to combat the Mongols. Some of these Techniques were originally "Samurai" Techniques which have been developed to make Jin inhuman, while other define his image as the Ghost. All of these "tactics" will be naturally attained over the course of the game.

Evolving Tactics Techniques
Technique	Description	Acquisition
Recover Health	Regain a Moderate amount of health at the cost of Resolve. to initiate Costs 1 Resolve	"Prologue"
Standoff	Challenge enemies to a one-on-one showdown. to challenge unaware enemies Hold , then release when the enemy attacks Grants 3 Resolve on success	"Prologue"
Archery	Harness the Way of the Bow. Hold to aim to fire	"The Tale of Sensei Ishikawa"
Assassination	Kill unaware enemies with a quiet and brutal stealth attack. near or above unaware enemy	"The Warrior's Code"
Focused Hearing	Detect nearby enemies by sound. Press to focus	"The Warrior's Code"
Shoji Assassination	Assassinate an enemy behind a shoji door. near an unaware enemy	"Shadow of the Samurai"
Ghost Stance	Approach enemy leaders while in stealth to Slaughter them and enter the Ghost Stance. Once in the Ghost Stance, you can kill up to 3 enemies with deadly strikes. + to activate Ghost Stance	"The Ghost of Yarikawa"
Horse Charge	Ride forward in an all-out charge that can throw and damage even large groups of enemies. Hold while mounted to charge. Requires 1 Resolve to activate. Drains Resolve while active.	"A Lost Friend"

Recover Health[]

Recover Health Techniques
Icon	Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
	Iron Will	1	Save yourself from defeat when wounded. to initiate Costs 1 Resolve	1

Standoff[]

Standoff Techniques
Icon	Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
	Standoff Streak	1	After a successful Standoff, one enemy will rush in and open themselves to a killing blow. Wait until the enemy attacks Press or as they are swinging Grants extra Resolve on success	1
	Improved Standoff Streak	2	After a successful Standoff, two enemies will rush in and open themselves to a killing blow. Wait until the enemy attacks Press or as they are swinging Grants extra Resolve on success	2

Archery[]

Archery Techniques
Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
Concentration	1	Briefly slow time while aiming to improve accuracy. while aiming	1
Mental Fortitude	2	Reduce Concentration cooldown by 15%.	1
Improved Mental Fortitude	3	Reduce Concentration cooldown by 30%.	2

Assassination[]

Assassination Techniques
Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
Safe Landing	1	Roll just before landing to avoid damage from all but the highest of falls. right before landing	1
Chain Assassination	2	Assassinate two nearby targets in quick succession. to initiate	1
Chain Assassination Master	3	Assassinate up to three nearby enemies in quick succession. to initiate	2

Focused Hearing[]

Focused Hearing Techniques
Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
Far Hearing	1	Detect more distant enemies by listening with a deeper focus.	1
Stealth Hearing	2	Move faster while using Focused Hearing.	1
Killer's Instinct	3	Notice a flashing aura around Assassination targets when their allies will be alerted by their death.	2

Ghost Stance[]

Ghost Stance Techniques
Icon	Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
	Ghost Kill Streak	1	Strike fear into your enemies so they believe you're more than human.... Kill 7 enemies without taking damage to enter the Ghost Stance. + to activate Ghost Stance	–

Horse Charge[]

Horse Charge Techniques
Technique	Tier	Description	Technique Points
Horse Charge Efficiency	1	Reduces the Resolve burn rate of Horse Charge by 30%.	1
Horse Charge Recovery	2	Adds a 10% chance for Horse Charge impacts to recover 3 Resolve.	1
Terrifying Horse Charge	3	When striking an enemy with Horse Charge, the impact has a 25% chance to terrify nearby enemies.	2

Trivia[]

Despite Ghost Kill Streak of the Ghost Stance Technique tree being listed as an "upgrade," it is automatically obtained when unlocking the Ghost Stance. Thus, Ghost Stance does not have any upgrades.