In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to conquer one of the toughest challenges in Ghost of Yotei — the final showdown against Takezo. We’ll introduce recommended equipment and specific combat strategies, along with supporting gameplay footage!
How to Accept Missions
1. Defeat all of Takezo’s disciples at the “DUELING TREE”
Defeat all of Takezo’s disciples at the Five “DUELING TREE” located in Yotei Grasslands and Tokachigamine. There is no required order, so we recommend starting with the closest location.
| Location | Map |
|---|---|
| Yotei Grasslands West side of the Lake Shikotsu |  |
| Yotei Grasslands West side of the Yubari Lake |  |
| Yotei Grasslands West side of the Yotei River |  |
| Tokachi Range West side of the Niikappu Falls |  |
| Tokachi Range South side of Moiwa Grotto |  |
2. Defeat Takezo at Coastal Dueling Tree
After clearing all five “DUELING TREE” face Takezo at the Coastal Dueling Tree in Yotei Grasslands. Winning this battle will automatically unlock Takezo’s Last Fight at Mount Yotei. Note that you must have obtained the Dual Katana weapon; if you haven’t progressed far enough in the story, make sure to acquire the Dual Katana first.
3. Go to Mount Yotei
The final showdown with Takezo takes place at the summit of Mount Yotei.
If you haven’t been there yet, start from the Mount Yotei entrance on the western side of Yotei Grasslands and make your way to the summit.
At the summit, you’ll find a bonfire set among countless stuck swords. Lighting the bonfire will summon Takezo for the final showdown. Be sure to fully restore your spirit before lighting the bonfire.
Recommended Equipment
Weapons
Since Takezo wields Dual Katana, you’ll need to fight him with Katana.
However, fighting with just Katana can be quite challenging, so having ranged weapons like Kunai or Tanzutsu available during battle can make the fight a bit easier.
Kunai: Progress through the “The Tale of the Kitsune” to unlock the Teshio Coast, and it can be obtained after completing the The Winter Farms mission.
Tanzutsu: Progress through the “Saito Brothers” story to unlock the Oshima Coast, and it can be obtained after completing the Guns and Consequences mission.
Armor
The recommended armor is the Undying, obtainable in Ishikari Plain.
You can acquire it by completing the mission “The Undying Samurai“, which becomes available as you progress through the “Oni” story.
- If weapon aligned, Staggering enemies restores a major amount of Health.
- If weapon aligned, the window to perform Perfect Parry and Perfect Dodge is increase by moderate amount.
- If weapon aligned, Focus Attacks have a moderate chance to increase Stagger damage.
The battle against Takezo hinges on how successfully you can parry, so this armor is essential. Make sure to upgrade it to its maximum level before facing the final showdown.
Charms
| Charm | How to Get | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Charm of Futsunushi | The Faithful Leap Shrine in Tokachi Range. | Parries, Perfect Parries, and Perfect Dodges are easier to perform. |
| Father’s Charm | The Mount Yotei Shrine in the Yotei Grasslands. | Perfect Parries regain Health. |
| Charm of Inner Fire | Buy from Taro | Blizzard damage is reduced by half. |
| Charm of Confident Strikes | Buy from Taro | Chance to gain 1 Spirit when Staggering an enemy with the Katana. |
| Charm of Mount Yotei | Solve your first Mountain Reliquary puzzle. | Reduce all damage taken. Regain Health after a Perfect Parry. |
| Takezo’s Charm of Bold Deflection | Defeat Takezo’s Disciple in the Duel Beneath Red Leaves. | Parrying inflicts additional Stagger damage. |
Takezo’s attacks hit extremely hard, so parrying is essential. Therefore, equip Charms that maximize your chances of successfully parrying.
Additionally, Charms that restore spirit are essential for recovering your energy. Some might think, “Why not just drink sake to restore spirit?” but Takezo won’t even give you the chance. Make sure to recover spirit primarily through successful parries.
In the final phase of the battle, a blizzard rages, drastically reducing your health. Without proper precautions, a single hit can be fatal. To counter this, it is recommended to equip Charm of Inner Fire
Other Preparations
Increase your maximum Health by visiting Hot Springs
Takezo’s attacks are extremely powerful, and if your health is low, you could die from just two hits.
Be sure to visit Hot Springs beforehand to increase your maximum health.
Increase your maximum Spirit by visiting Bamboo Strikes
Since you will inevitably take hits, recovering spirit is essential. Therefore, make sure to visit Bamboo Strikes as much as possible to increase your maximum spirit.
Camp to restore your Spirit
Recovering spirit is crucial for this life-or-death battle. Be sure to eat and restore your spirit by camping before the final showdown.
Strategy for the Battle Against Takezo
Repeat “Parry → Light Attack”
Basically, any attack you initiate will always be blocked.
Wait for Takezo’s attack, parry it, and then perform a Light Attack (□ on the PS controller). However, if you try to strike more than once, you will always be countered, so limit yourself to a single attack.
If you can’t Parry, use Quickfire Weapons or Spirit Attack
When a Red Attack that cannot be parried comes, you generally want to dodge it, but you’ll often still take damage. Yellow attacks are usually countered with a standard counter attack, but against Takezo, there isn’t even a moment to prepare a counter (△ hold on the PS controller).
When a Red or Yellow attack comes, or parrying is difficult, use ranged weapons like Kunai or Tanzutsu to respond.
Alternatively, in the final phase of the battle, you won’t have time to recover, leaving excess spirit. In such cases, take advantage of the invincibility frames of Spirit Attack, such as Heavenly Slash (◯ + △ on the PS controller).
Clear Rewards
By successfully defeating Takezo, you can obtain the headgear “Straw Hat of the Unrivaled” and the weapon accessories “Gilded Night” and “Gilded Dawn”.
Afterword
This battle against Takezo is a trial-and-error challenge, so once you memorize the timing of his attacks and can parry them consistently, you’ll be able to overcome him. Be patient and keep facing Takezo until you master it.
It took me a whole hour to clear the battle against Takezo😩 I hope you can defeat him faster than I did…
