Best Early‑Game Weapons & Where to Get Them in Ghost of Yōtei

Cut deep, early: a proven route to katana upgrades plus fast access to yari, kusarigama, ōdachi, dual katanas, bows, and the tanegashima—without wasting coin or materials.

How the early game works (and what “best” really means)

Ghost of Yōtei replaces Tsushima’s stance wheel with a weapon‑counter system: each weapon excels against a particular enemy archetype. That’s why “best” is really “best for the job.” Your path should prioritize unlocking a small, complementary set quickly, then upgrading the katana you always have equipped. The baseline matchups:

Katana (Wolf Blade): best versus swords
Dual katanas: best versus polearms
Ōdachi: best versus heavies
Kusarigama: best versus shields
Yari: best versus sickles/kusarigama
Bows / Tanegashima: flexible ranged control and armor‑piercing burst, respectively

These roles are confirmed in early guides and the game’s own systems overview. Unlocking more weapons expands your counter options and makes mixed mobs far easier to manage.

First priority: Upgrade your starting katana (Wolf Blade)

Your katana is always with you, and early upgrades multiply every fight’s safety margin. Once your father’s forge is operational at home, you can move through these stages (costs shown are for melee weapons like the Wolf Blade):

Altered — 20 Metals
Reinforced — 20 Metals + 20 Oni Raider Mask Pieces
Enhanced — 30 Metals + 20 Shinobi Steel
Perfected — 60 Metals + 15 Gun Parts + 15 Rare Metals

Two practical goals for the early game: hit Reinforced quickly, then push to Enhanced if you can farm Shinobi Steel efficiently. (Perfected can wait; gun parts are deliberately gated until later—more on that below.)

Where to get the materials early

Metals: frequent drops from enemies and Yōtei Six camps—you’ll pick these up naturally while clearing outposts.
Oni Raider Mask Pieces: farm Ishikari Plain enemies (unlocked as you progress The Oni quest line); chests in Oni camps also contain them.
Shinobi Steel: drops from shinobi enemies and can be looted in Teshio Ridge buildings—perfect to chase once you head north for The Kitsune.
Rare Metal (for late upgrades): shows up on high‑ranking Saitō foes and in Yōtei Six camps as you reach later regions.
Gun Parts (late‑game upgrade ingredient): story‑gated until Oshima Coast opens; after that, loot gunners and coastal caches. Don’t stress about these in the first few hours.

Upgrade target for Act 1: Wolf Blade to Reinforced (noticeable damage bump and posture break speed), then Enhanced if Shinobi Steel farming is on your route.

The fastest early weapon route (2 smart sequences)

Because Yōtei lets you tackle major “Revenge” quest lines in flexible order, you’ve got options. Here are two efficient sequences that unlock every early counter tool without over‑leveling side content.

Route A — Bow → Dual Katanas → Kusarigama → Yari → Ōdachi → Tanegashima

Bows (Hankyū & Yumi)
- How: Finish the “Old Inn” starter quest to meet Ran the Bowyer, then buy the Hankyū. The Yumi (longbow) unlocks from the same vendor but costs about 2,000 mon, so purchase when your wallet allows.
- Why now: A bow gives immediate crowd control and safe pickoffs before camps.
- Where: Early hub inn (sometimes referred to as Old Inn/Shadow Inn) where Ran operates.
Dual Katanas — “The Way of Dual Katana”
- How: Start the Way of Dual Katana quest (west of the inn, up Mount Yōtei), train with Master Hanbei, complete the path.
- Why now: Counters naginatas and other polearms—common in early bandit squads.
- Where: Western foothills of Mount Yōtei; early quest steps often begin near the inn hub.
Kusarigama — “The Kitsune” → Owl Mountain (Teshio Ridge)
- How: Progress the Kitsune main quest to Teshio Ridge and tackle The Way of the Kusarigama at Owl Mountain.
- Why now: Hard‑counters shield units and doubles as a stealth pull—great for fortress approaches.
- Where: Owl Mountain, north Teshio Ridge; starts when you cross the bridge and meet Master Enomoto.
Yari — “The Oni” → Way of the Yari (Ishikari Plain)
- How: Begin The Oni quest line, then complete Way of the Yari under Sensei Takahashi.
- Why now: The spear gives you safe spacing vs. sickles/kusarigama; pairs well with kusarigama unlock.
- Where: Ishikari Plain, reached as you progress The Oni from Golden Foothills.
Ōdachi — “The Saitō Brothers” → Way of the Ōdachi
- How: Start The Saitō Brothers revenge line; train with Master Yoshida to unlock the Ōdachi.
- Why now: Smashes heavy brutes and lets you bully colored heavies with interruptions once skilled.
- Where: Early in the Saitō Brothers chain—unlocked permanently after Yoshida’s sequences.
Guns — Tanzutsu & Tanegashima
- How: Continue Saitō Brothers until “Guns and Consequences” (unlocks the tanzutsu pistol) and “The Storm Breaks” (unlocks the tanegashima rifle).
- Why now: Armor‑piercing, line‑through burst; situational but decisive. Ammo is costly and loud—plan the fight you want.
- Where: Along the Saitō Brothers main path; The Storm Breaks awards the tanegashima.

Route B — Ōdachi first (if you love big blades)

Prefer heavy pressure early? Swap steps 2–5: push Saitō Brothers first to get the Ōdachi, then branch to Kusarigama (Kitsune) and Yari (Oni). You’ll feel sturdier in named fights, but camps are trickier until you add a shield counter (kusarigama).

Tip: Match the weapon to the enemy. The game gladly lets you stick with one tool, but swapping on the fly keeps you alive and settlements quiet.

Early weapons, one by one (what to do, when, and why)

Katana (Wolf Blade) — your foundation

Where/When: You start with it. Upgrade at father’s forge as soon as you have 20 Metals (Altered) and then +20 Oni Raider Mask Pieces (Reinforced). Aim for Enhanced after a shinobi steel run.
Why: Every duel, standoff, and panic moment defaults to the katana. Raising its damage curve early pays off everywhere.
Material hunting plan: Clear a couple of Yōtei Six camps for Metals, then hop into The Oni to reach Ishikari Plain for Oni mask pieces. If you pivot to Teshio Ridge for The Kitsune, raid shinobi‑dense routes to scoop Shinobi Steel.

Bows (Hankyū, Yumi)

Where/When: Meet Ran the Bowyer at the early inn hub (often labeled Old Inn; some guides call it Shadow Inn). Buy the Hankyū immediately; pick up Yumi once you’ve banked ~2,000 mon.
Why: Softens camps, picks commanders, and sets up stealth routes without burning gun ammo. The Yumi is your “sniper” tool; the Hankyū is for quick picks.
Notes: If money’s tight, delay the Yumi—Dual Katanas or Kusarigama will add more survivability per coin in the first hours.

Dual Katanas — polearm problem‑solver

Where/When: Start “The Way of Dual Katana”, follow the Mount Yōtei path, and train with Master Hanbei.
Why: The dual blades chew through spears and long polearms, especially common around roadside checkpoints.
Play tip: Don’t use them against single‑blade samurai—you’ll lose the matchup. Swap back to Wolf Blade or Ōdachi.

Kusarigama — shield shredder & stealth pull

Where/When: Proceed through “The Kitsune” to Teshio Ridge; at Owl Mountain, complete The Way of the Kusarigama with Master Enomoto.
Why: This is your answer to shield turtles and clustered mobs. Its chain gives reach; the hook can yank stragglers into bushes.
Route synergy: Grab a side sweep of shinobi‑patrolled paths for Shinobi Steel (if you’re pushing Enhanced katana).

Yari — space maker vs. sickles

Where/When: Begin “The Oni”, then complete Way of the Yari under Sensei Takahashi in Ishikari Plain.
Why: The spear’s pokes keep sickle/kusarigama users off you. It’s also excellent for creating space when camps get noisy.
Material synergy: This leg doubles as your Oni Raider mask piece farm—perfect for the Reinforced katana step.

Ōdachi — big blade, big answers

Where/When: Push “The Saitō Brothers” line until you train with Master Yoshida in Way of the Ōdachi; you’ll unlock the Ōdachi permanently during that arc.
Why: It staggers heavies and lets you bully brutes mid‑swing once you unlock its interrupt and shove upgrades.
When to slot it: Great before early boss‑adjacent bounties; switch off for shielded camps.

Guns — Tanzutsu (pistol) & Tanegashima (matchlock rifle)

Where/When: Continue Saitō Brothers until “Guns and Consequences” (pistol) and “The Storm Breaks” (rifle).
Why: Both pierce any defense. The tanzutsu is your emergency delete button; the tanegashima deletes armor across a lane.
Play cautions: Loud (expect reinforcements) and ammo is expensive; reserve for priority targets and duels where you need an opener.
Early techniques to grab: Concentration (slow time while aiming) and its upgrades massively improve long‑range headshots—get these as soon as you pick up the rifle.

“Where exactly do I go?”—Key early locations and quest names (condensed)

Ran the Bowyer (bows) — Finish Old Inn onboarding and speak to Ran at the inn hub; buy Hankyū and later Yumi. (Some guides say Shadow Inn; both refer to your early vendor hub.)
Dual Katanas — The Way of Dual Katana near Mount Yōtei; Master Hanbei trains you.
Kusarigama — The Kitsune → Owl Mountain (Teshio Ridge) → The Way of the Kusarigama with Master Enomoto.
Yari — The Oni → Way of the Yari → defeat Sensei Takahashi.
Ōdachi — The Saitō Brothers → The Way of the Ōdachi with Master Yoshida.
Tanegashima — The Saitō Brothers → The Storm Breaks. (Tanzutsu pistol: Guns and Consequences.)

Resource & money pacing (so you don’t hit walls)

Don’t hoard Metals. Spend to reach Reinforced katana; you’ll replenish Metals naturally from camps.
Farm where your quests already send you.
- Pushing The Oni? You’re in Ishikari Plain, perfect for Oni Raider mask pieces.
- Driving The Kitsune? Teshio Ridge routes are rich in Shinobi Steel.
Delay Perfected upgrades.** Gun parts only appear once Oshima Coast opens on the main path; put those late‑tier ambitions on ice until then.
Buy the Yumi when it won’t slow weapon unlocks. 2,000 mon early is meaningful—Dual Katanas or Kusarigama often change more fights per coin than a longbow in the first hours.

Recommended “first 6–10 hours” plan

Run Old/Shadow Inn errands, meet Ran, buy Hankyū; clear 2–3 nearby camps for Metals. Upgrade Wolf Blade → Altered.
Grab Dual Katanas via Way of Dual Katana (west of the inn). You now counter spears/polearms.
Push The Kitsune to Teshio Ridge; complete Way of the Kusarigama (Owl Mountain). Farm Shinobi Steel along the way; upgrade Wolf Blade → Enhanced if possible.
Start The Oni to unlock Ishikari Plain; complete Way of the Yari and farm Oni Raider mask pieces for Reinforced (if you didn’t do it earlier).
Begin The Saitō Brothers for Ōdachi (early) and continue later for Tanzutsu and Tanegashima as your coin and supplies stabilize.

This plan lands you all early counters and a +2 katana, while naturally stockpiling Metals and masks—no grinding detours required.

Tactics that make these weapons sing

Swap on contact. If a patrol has a shield, a naginata, and a brute, open with a bow pick, swap to Kusarigama to break the shield, then Dual Katana to shred the polearm, and finish with Ōdachi for the heavy. The system rewards this rhythm.
Use guns deliberately. A tanegashima shot turns an elite into mist, but expect company. Fire to start a fight on your terms or to end one immediately; otherwise stay silent and save coin.
Invest in Concentration once the rifle is yours. Slow‑time headshots win fort rooftops and bounty ambushes.
Remember matchups. The game doesn’t force swapping, but it balances encounters around weapon strengths. If you’re struggling, you’re probably using the wrong tool.

FAQ: Do I really need the tanegashima early?

No—but it’s nice. You’ll unlock it naturally while advancing The Saitō Brothers arc (“The Storm Breaks”). Ammo cost and noise mean it’s a situational delete key, not a crutch. If your aim is fast clears and clean stealth, prioritize Kusarigama + Dual Katanas first, then add Ōdachi. The rifle is your “problem solved” button for armored captains and duels you want to tilt from the first second.

What to upgrade next (after the katana)

Your favorite counter tool (Kusarigama or Dual Katanas) to Reinforced—they’ll be in your rotation every camp.
Ōdachi if you’re taking on bounties or early bosses—heavies die faster and safer.
Bows once coin flows; the Yumi shines in story camps with tall watchtowers.
Guns later—ammunition and gun parts pressure your wallet; save Perfected tiers for mid‑game.

Quick reference: early unlocks & counters

Dual Katanas — Way of Dual Katana → Master Hanbei → best vs polearms.
Kusarigama — The Kitsune → Owl Mountain → best vs shields.
Yari — The Oni → Way of the Yari → best vs sickles/kusarigama.
Ōdachi — The Saitō Brothers → Master Yoshida → best vs heavies.
Bows — Ran the Bowyer at inn hub (Hankyū cheap; Yumi ~2,000 mon).
Tanegashima — The Saitō Brothers → The Storm Breaks → armor‑piercing burst.

Final thoughts

If you do nothing else, upgrade the katana, buy a bow, and add one counter for shields and one for polearms. That trio turns early‑game chaos into choreography. Then branch into Ōdachi for boss control and tanegashima for surgical chaos when you can afford the noise.