SinceGhost of Tsushimahas so many charms and armors, it can be tough to determine which are the best ones to use for a specific playstyle. Players can attempt to focus on their ghost weapons or on stealth.
There are many different ways to play the game, which also means that there are many ways that players can build their character. With that in mind, here are some of thebest builds to help players take down the Mongolsand take back their island.
Updated on August 01, 2025, by Gerardo Molina:Ghost of Tsushima is one of the greatest games of the last 10 years, as it not only offers players very interesting combat mechanics, a great story and an outstanding location, but it also allows for the creation of various builds that Jin can use against the Mongolian invaders.While this title does not offer as many build choices as others similar to it, there’s still plenty of options for players to take advantage of and make a playthrough easier. Some rely on Stealth, whereas others take on a more direct approach and focus on taking down enemies with a few swings of Jin’s powerful katana stances.
18Stormbringer
Ronin Attire + Charm Of Takemikazuchi
TheStormbringerbuild is quite an aggressive one, as it entirely focuses on bringing Mongol invaders down as quickly as possible through a combined set of elements. The Ronin Attire is one of the best in the game, and it just keeps getting better as players upgrade it. At Level 2, it reduces enemy detection speed by 20% and once players reach Level 5, this effect is further increased to 30%.
It also moderately increases Melee damage in the first stages, and then offers a Major increment at Level 3, to reach the Massive category by Level 5. To craft the Attire, players will need:
When combined with the Charm Of Takemikazuchi, which increases Melee damage to a minor degree after killing an enemy, this build is the ultimate threat. So, if the cards are played right, no Mongolian horde will be able to overcome this powerful combination, even in the late stages of the game.
17Cunning Trickster
Ghost Armor + Charm Of Silence
There’s no denying that while it’s really fun to cut down Mongolian officers with Jin’s katana, sneaking past a huge patrol of enemies only to strike at the perfect moment is also quite entertaining. Although there are other stealth-focused builds on this list, what makes this one stand out is that it also uses various distractions. First, players will have to get their hands on the Ghost Armor, which, like other armor sets in the game, can be upgraded for a total of 5 levels. At Level 2, the armor reduces enemy detection speed by 40%, and this is increased to 50% by Level 5. At Level 3, the Ghost Armor also reduces the number of kills needed to enter the Ghost Stance by 2. Kills also have a 15% chance to Terrify nearby enemies, and this is increased to 40% upon reaching Level 5.
To upgrade the Ghost Armor through its various levels, players will need:
Combined with the whistle, Smoke Bombs, and the Charm of Silence results in a powerful build ideal for striking from the shadows. The Charm of Silence reduces enemy detection speed by 15% and increases Resolve gains by a Minor, Moderate , or Major amount as players start discovering Inari Shrines and unlocking them.
16Ghost Fear
Kensei Armor + Charm of Versatile Skills
Wearing theKensei Armorwill buff the player’s Ghost Weapon damage by 30% and inflict enemies with two debuffs when struck, causing them to deal half damage and take 50% more damage themselves. TheCharm of Versatile Skillsdoes the effects of Minor Charms, which will be paired with theCharm of Fire Doctrinewhich increases the chance to Terrify nearby enemies when an enemy is burnt.
TheCharm of Dual Destructionbuffs the chance to deal double damage by 10%, and theCharm of Fleet Foraginggrants a 15% chance of Quickfire ammo recovery whenever the player completes a melee kill. Last, the use of bothCharms of Fortuneincreases the percentage buffs from other charms. Together, the elements of this build allow the player to deal extensive damage, terrify enemies, and keep the pressure up with fast ammo recovery, allowing the player to dispense with enemies with ease andbreeze through difficult missions.
15Blood Stagger
Gosaku’s Armor + Charm of Resolve
UsingGosaku’s Armorgrants the player a massive health buff, huge increase to Stagger Damage, and restores 20% of the player’s health whenever they kill a Staggered enemy. The Charms used with this are theCharm of Terrifying Aim, Versatile Skills, Charm of Resolve II, Charm of Silence, Charm of Broken Barriers,andCharm of Inari’s Might.
This build provides huge Resolve gains, reduces enemy detection, provides further Resolve when an enemy’s defense is broken, and improves the character’s health and Melee damage. Thanks to the Charm of Terrifying Aim, the player also has a 60% total chance of Terrifying a nearby enemy whenever the player kills an enemy with a headshot. To play this build properly, the goal is to tackle enemies while in the Wind Stance, Super Kick them, Stagger them, and then finish them off before they have the chance to react. When facing multiple opponents, the player can mix in headshots for their Terrifying effect.
14Smoke And Fire
Ghost Armor + Charm of Versatile Skills
For this build, the player will need to donGhost Armor, reducing enemy detection speed, reducing the Ghost Stance kill prerequisite, and improving the odds of Terrifying.The charms usedare the Charms ofVersatile Skills, Fire Doctrine, Inari’s Might, Fleet Foraging, and bothFortuneCharms.
Using this build the player can spam Smoke Bombs and then assassinate enemies, since assignation counts as a melee kill and will therefore refill the player’s Smoke Bomb supply, allowing them to chain the process together repeatedly. When the player gets bored of killing in the smoke they can simply attack the enemy directly, since their fire attacks also have a use chance of Terrifying enemies with this build.
13Offensive Mastery
Gosaku’s Armor + Charm of Dual Destruction
One of the biggest aspects ofGhost of Tsushimais the combat. While some players may be tempted to beef up their defense, others have taken theoffensive route. The offensive power of this build comes from the combination of theCharms of Dual DestructionandCharms of Fortune.
These charms work perfectly together to give the player a huge chance to deal double damage.The buildis tied together usingGosaku’s Armor. This gives the player health back for killing a staggered enemy, and also increases stagger damage. In the right hands, this build can even one-shot enemies at times.
12Great Defense
Samurai Clan Armor + Charm of Resistance
Nothing is better than marching into a Mongol camp and having them need to use their full force just to take the player down. Builds around defense typically use theSamurai Clan Armor,which is unlocked from Lady Masako’s questline, and charms that benefit defense while offeringsome attack bonuses.
The armor reduces all damage by a major amount. Additionally, charms like theresistance charmsgive major and moderate reductions to damage. Mix these with some health charms like thecharm of vitality,and players can be a walking fortress.
11Tireless Artillery
Tadayori + Charm of Izanagi
One of the most overpowered builds inGhost of Tsushimais combining theTadayori Armor with the fully upgraded Charm of Concentrationfrom theIki Island DLC Archery challenges. In combat, this means that as long as players manage to consistently land headshots within 2 seconds while in Concentration, their Concentration timer will never run out.
In practice, this means that an entire mob of enemies can be dispatched by a skilled archer without them having to move an inch from their position. It is possible to sneak into a Mongol Camp, start shooting while standing amongst literally dozens of enemies, and come out on top. TheCharm of Izanagimakes it so that any headshot has a 40% chance to return the arrow, which, in conjunction withtwo Charms of Fortune, means that players are practically guaranteed infinite arrows. Even armored foes are not safe from the Tireless Artillery because all of these buffsapply to the Longbow as well, which can punch through helmets with ease.
10Terror Build
Ghost Armor + Charm of Ikazuchi-No-Kami
Terror builds are great for when players want to instill fear in the Mongol hordes and have them running away like they just saw a ghost. For a build like this, players will need theGhost Armor.
This armor is great because it gives a thirty percent chance to terrify enemies that witness the player kill someone. Stack the charm ofIkazuchi-No-Kamion this, and players will get a fifty-five percent chance of enemies running away from them. Use moves likeHeavenly Striketo help further increase the fear factor. Terror builds are simple, yet fun to try out and can lead to some hilarious moments.
9Last Man Stand
Mongol Commander’s Armor + Charm of Kagu-Tsuchi
The Last Man Stand build inGhost of Tsushimarevolves around using charms and abilities that only activate when Jin is at low health, forcing players to always be at low health for maximum damage. The goal of this build is to always be living on the knife’s edge, refusing to make mistakes and striking enemies down with one swing of the blade instead of in a protracted battle; the core ideals of a samurai.
Kagu-Tsuchi Major Charmmakes it so Jin deals a lot more damage when at 50% or less health. It’s best paired with theCharm of Izanami, which allows Jin to recover to 50% health whenever he dies and isrevived via Iron Will. TheCharm of Fortitudegives a 20% chance to survive lethal damage and comes in handy in many situations. TheCharms of Unyieldingreduce the amount of damage Jin takes while at 50% or less health. They can be substituted with Resistance Charms, which also reduce incoming damage. TheMongol Commander’s Armorworks best with this build thanks to its high health and excellent defenses.
