Ghost of Tsushima: Complete Walkthrough & Boss Guide
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🗺️ Main Story Walkthrough
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The game opens with Jin Sakai riding into the disastrous samurai defense of Komoda Beach against Khotun Khan s Mongol invasion. This scripted prologue ends with Jin defeated, nearly drowned, and rescued by the thief Yuna. You wake wounded, stripped of your armor, and tasked with finding a way to rescue your uncle, Lord Shimura, from Mongol captivity in Castle Kaneda. The prologue also introduces Ghost weapons — throwable kunai and smoke bombs — and sets the moral tension between honorable samurai combat and effective guerrilla tactics that defines the entire game.
Act One covers the southern island of Izuhara and culminates in rescuing Lord Shimura from Castle Kaneda. Progress by liberating Mongol-occupied settlements and gathering allies: the swordsman Ryuzo and his Straw Hats, the archer Norio, and the poison specialist Ishikawa. Each ally questline unlocks new Ghost tools — Ishikawa s arc awards the Half Bow, while the Traditions of the Crane mythic tale rewards Tadayori s Armor, one of the best sustained-combat armors in the game. Explore the golden birds (Inari Shrines) and haiku spots in Izuhara to begin maxing out your charm slots before Act Two.
Midway through Act One, Ryuzo confronts Jin and the two former friends duel in the main quest Shadow of the Samurai. This mandatory duel is the game s first true sword fight tutorial under pressure, introducing the parry timing and the importance of reading unblockable red-flash attacks. Ryuzo fights with fast overhead strikes and a mix of blockable and red-flash combos. Win by parrying his standard attacks to build stagger, then dodging his red-flash lunges. Defeat unlocks the Water Stance technique required to break spear-wielding enemies.
Toyotama is the central island, more politically complex than Izuhara, with Jin increasingly using Ghost methods that disturb Lord Shimura. Key objectives include helping Lady Masako investigate the murder of her family, dismantling the collaboration between Mongols and corrupt samurai lord Ozeki, and hunting the traitor Ryuzo. Unlock the Stone Stance (heavy-weapon counter) and Wind Stance (spear breaker) through dojo training in this act. Mythic tales in Toyotama include The Undying Flame, which rewards the Kensei Armor — the best build for maximizing Ghost weapon damage.
Ryuzo reappears as a lieutenant serving Khotun Khan and challenges Jin a second time in the quest From the Darkness. This encounter is harder than the first: Ryuzo has learned your tendencies and chains unblockable lunges into multi-hit combos at greater speed. Use Wind Stance to break his guard more efficiently when he turtles behind his weapon. After defeating him, the path forward leads directly to a confrontation aboard Khotun Khan s flagship, where you face Khan in a scripted preliminary duel that you cannot win — the narrative defeat advances the story into Act Three.
The northern island of Kamiagata is a war-torn, snow-dusted landscape where Jin is now a wanted outlaw hunted by both Mongols and Shimura s samurai. The primary objective is coordinating a final assault on Khotun Khan before he sails to the Japanese mainland. Liberate the three main northern settlements to raise troop numbers for the final assault, and complete Norio s full questline to unlock fire-arrow support during the siege. The Moon stance (shield-breaker) is unlocked in this act and is essential for the final boss encounters.
The climax involves a two-stage confrontation with Khotun Khan. First, a true duel aboard his flagship where you fight him one-on-one — use Wind Stance to exploit the spear-type reach of his halberd and watch for his three-hit combo of two wide sweeps followed by a spinning finish. After the duel, the battle opens into a skirmish with Mongols and archers; you have full access to all Ghost weapons, so lead with smoke bombs and kunai to clear clustered enemies quickly. Khan falls at the end of this sequence.
The final quest forces a duel between Jin and his uncle Lord Shimura, who has been ordered by the Shogun to execute Jin for using dishonorable Ghost tactics. Shimura fights with mastery across all stances, combining Stone Stance heavies, Water Stance counters, and Moon Stance shield parries in fluid chains. Use the Moon Stance s shield-breaking kick to interrupt his most dangerous combos. After the duel, you are given a choice that determines the game s ending: honor Shimura s wish for a warrior s death, or spare him. Both endings have unique cutscenes and trophy implications.
⚔️ Boss Guides
Khotun Khan (Flagship Duel)
Attack Patterns
Khotun Khan wields a halberd with exceptional reach. His signature three-hit combo opens with two horizontal sweeps and finishes with an inward spinning strike — all unblockable red-flash attacks. He also uses a forward lunge with a red-flash indicator, a grab attack where he seizes Jin and slams him into the deck, and periodically throws a sticky fire bomb that creates a lingering fire zone. In the post-duel battle phase, Mongol soldiers and archers join the fight while Khan acts as a standard elite enemy.
Strategy
Switch to Wind Stance immediately; Khan s halberd type means Wind Stance parries are more effective at building his stagger meter. Study the rhythm of his three-hit sweep: two wide swings followed by the spinning finish, after which he pauses for nearly two full seconds — this is the safest window for two to three counterstrikes. Dodge laterally rather than backward for his lunge to avoid the fire trail it leaves. In the multi-enemy battle phase, prioritize killing archers with Ghost Stance or kunai before re-engaging Khan — archer fire will interrupt your combos at the worst moments.
Ryuzo (First Duel — Shadow of the Samurai)
Attack Patterns
Ryuzo attacks with a quick three-hit slash combo, a single red-flash overhead strike, and a dashing lunge from mid-range. All three-hit slashes can be blocked or parried; only the overhead is unblockable. He frequently feints by stepping back before dashing in, which can bait early parries.
Strategy
Parry his three-hit chain consistently — each successful parry fills a stagger bar faster than strikes alone. When he steps back, do not commit to a parry yet; wait for the actual dash attack to read whether it carries a red flash. Once staggered, he is briefly vulnerable to two full heavy-slash strikes. Avoid using Ghost weapons in this duel as it is a thematic samurai confrontation that requires no tools beyond your sword.
Ryuzo (Second Duel — From the Darkness)
Attack Patterns
Ryuzo has accelerated his combo speed significantly. He now chains the three-hit slash directly into a red-flash lunge without the previous hesitation, making reaction parry timing tighter. He also introduces a two-hit red-flash double-strike variant that catches players expecting the single overhead. His guard is tougher and he blocks counterattacks more frequently between his own combos.
Strategy
Use Wind Stance to break his guard when he enters a blocking posture — this interrupts his rhythm and creates reliable damage windows. The key change from the first duel is patience: do not chase his movement after a combo, as he frequently baits a follow-up before launching the double red-flash. Wait for him to commit to an attack, parry the first hit of the chain, and respond with two precise strikes. If overwhelmed, a single smoke bomb provides time to reset position and restore composure.
Warlord Harunobu Sakai (Kaneda Castle, Act 1)
Attack Patterns
Harunobu is a Mongol-allied samurai commander defending Castle Kaneda. He attacks with wide two-handed sword sweeps, a shoulder charge that crosses the entire arena, and a jumping overhead slam that creates a shockwave. He has high poise and resists stagger from light attacks alone.
Strategy
Stone Stance is the designated counter for heavy-weapon enemies: after a perfect parry in Stone Stance, Jin s stagger damage is doubled. Let Harunobu complete his sweep combos, parry the final hit, then land a full Stone Stance heavy strike. The shoulder charge is best avoided with a sidestep rather than a dodge roll, as the roll timing is easy to misjudge on the first encounter. Bring at least two smoke bombs for any Mongol reinforcements that arrive mid-fight.
General Temuge (Act 2 — The Ghost of Yarikawa)
Attack Patterns
General Temuge wields a Mongol spear with exceptional horizontal sweep range. He uses a four-hit spinning spear combo, a red-flash overhead slam, and periodically calls on flanking Mongol soldiers to assist him during the fight. His spear sweeps have a deceptively wide hitbox that catches dodges that do not clear his full reach.
Strategy
Switch to Wind Stance before engaging — it is specifically designed to exploit spear-class weapons and makes his four-hit combo parriable for high stagger value. When soldiers join the fight, use Ghost Stance (if available) or a smoke bomb to eliminate them before refocusing on Temuge. His overhead slam has a very long wind-up; dodge forward through him to land on his flank, then immediately strike twice before he recovers. The post-fight archery challenge in this quest rewards a charm useful for Resolve-heavy builds.
Lord Shimura (The Tale of Lord Shimura — Final Duel)
Attack Patterns
Lord Shimura is the most technically demanding boss in the game. He fluidly cycles through all four stances: quick Water Stance slashes, Stone Stance heavy overhead strikes, Wind Stance spear-like forward lunges, and Moon Stance shield blocks that render standard attacks ineffective. He also performs an unblockable spinning red-flash strike from any range, a flurry of rapid kicks that extend into a sword thrust, and in his final phase, a charged spirit-strike that deals massive damage and covers half the arena.
Strategy
There is no safe stance to keep equipped — read what Shimura does and switch accordingly. When he lifts his sword overhead with both hands (Stone Stance), dodge sideways and counter with a Wind Stance guard-break. When he raises his sword horizontally across his body (Moon shield), use Moon Stance s kick to break it instantly. His spirit-charge in the final phase must be dodged with a full-length roll backward and cannot be parried. Save Ghost Stance activation for the transition into his final phase, as the burst damage can take off a third of his remaining health before he gains the spirit-charge attack. Two smoke bombs should be held for emergencies if health drops below one-third.