Ghost of Yōtei — All Armor Sets & How to Get Them (Best Armor Tier List + Locations)

Every armor set in Ghost of Yōtei ranked — precise locations, quests, perks, and upgrade tips so you can find the best armor fast.

How many armor sets are there? There are 12 in‑game armor sets you can earn through main tales, side tales, mythic quests, and exploration rewards. (Edition bonuses like the Snake Armor from Digital Deluxe are not counted in the 12.)

Below you’ll find (1) a best armor tier list, (2) a short explanation of the armor/upgrade/alignment systems, and (3) step‑by‑step locations for every armor set. Where helpful, we include quick farm tips and “use‑cases” (stealth, parry builds, archery, exploration, etc.).

How armor works in Ghost of Yōtei (quick primer)

Perk-centric gear: Chest armor grants the actual gameplay perks. Helmets/masks are mostly cosmetic. Upgrades raise perk magnitudes and often add visual layers to your outfit. You can upgrade at armorers (e.g., Old Inn / Yōtei’s Shadow Inn in Yōtei Grasslands).
Weapon alignment: Several sets (notably Armor of the Undying) key off “Weapon Aligned” — a status you get by switching to the weapon type that counters your current foe (e.g., odachi vs. brutes, dual katana vs. polearms, kusarigama vs. shields). Think of it as Yōtei’s successor to Tsushima’s stance system.
Version noted: Locations and perks below reflect the launch build and day‑one patch (v1.006 on October 2, 2025).

Best Armor in Ghost of Yōtei: Tier List (S → C)

S‑Tier (build‑defining / meta picks)

Armor of the Undying — Health restoration and forgiving parry/dodge windows while weapon‑aligned make this the single best survivability set on higher difficulties. If you weapon‑swap properly, it carries late game.
Bounty Master Armor — Expands Perfect Parry/Dodge windows but disables regular parries, then supercharges counterattacks and Spirit gain. Incredible if you’re confident at timing, and it shreds duels.
Crimson Kimono — Premier stealth option thanks to massively reduced detection, kunai chain assassinations, and extended kusarigama assassination range. Night raid specialist.

A‑Tier (strong and flexible)
4) Nine Tail Armor — Hybrid stealth/assassin kit: better Quickfire damage and status uptime, occasional ammo refunds on assassinations, and reduced detection. Great for poison/bleed/fire play.
5) Onryō Armor — Starts plain but scales as you progress, culminating in powerful Terrify synergies and frequent wolf appearances; terrific vs. crowds by mid‑/late‑game.
6) Dragonfly Armor — The archery set: timed full draws produce empowered arrows (big damage & range), feed Concentration, and speed up reloads. Boss sniping and camp clears feel fantastic.
7) Ginji’s Guard Armor — Bulletproofing plus projectile mitigation and bullet deflects on block. The further north you go (more firearms), the better it gets.
8) Spider Lily Armor — Stagger‑focused kit with throwable drops and splash stagger—great for breaking lines and controlling scrums.
9) Mercenary Attire — Versatile assassin brawler: thrown melee damage + Spirit, sake on assassinations, and Spirit on drinking sake. Solid all‑rounder that pairs well with quick kills.
10) Taro’s Armor — Early defensive comfort pick: +Health, Spirit with cooking, and Fire/Cold resistance for harsh regions. Ideal while you’re still learning enemy rosters.

B‑/C‑Tier (situational / non‑combat)
11) Robes for Sitturaynu — The exploration set. Fireflies/Ghosts guide you to collectibles, birds point to secrets, and flowers autogather at high tier. Amazing for 100% completion, not for boss fights.
12) Fundoshi — Reward for all 16 Hot Springs; makes running/sprinting silent (with the trade‑off of “lost warmth”). A fun stealth novelty, but too niche for duels or large skirmishes.

Note on bonuses/easter eggs: The Snake Armor (Digital Deluxe) adds sake/poison gimmicks; it’s not part of the core 12. There are also Jin Sakai‑related cosmetics/equipment collectibles, but those aren’t full perk‑bearing chest armors.

ALL ARMOR SETS — Locations, How to Get Them, & What They Do

Below, each set has where to find it, what the perks do, and a quick “best for” so you know when to equip it.

1) Onryō Armor (Starter; scales with story)

How to get: Starting armor — equipped when you first control Atsu. Upgrades unlock as you progress (up to Onryō V).
Perks (highlights): Kill with a Spirit Attack or thrown melee can Terrify nearby enemies; wolf companion chance increases; Terrified enemies take increased damage (massive at V).
Best for: Crowd‑control exploration and late‑game camp clears once fully upgraded.

2) Mercenary Attire (Main Tale: “The Oni”)

How to get: Automatic while pursuing the Revenge Quest for the Oni; occurs during the main Ishikari Plain arc.
Perks: Thrown melee hits deal more damage & grant Spirit; assassinations can drop sake; drinking sake grants extra Spirit.
Best for: Hybrid assassin builds, Spirit economy, and quick tool‑kill chains.

3) Nine Tail Armor (Main Tale: “The Kitsune”)

How to get: Earned through the Kitsune Revenge Quest (Teshio Ridge arc).
Perks: Quickfire weapon damage & status durations up; assassinations can refund Quickfire ammo; reduced detection.
Best for: Poison/bleed/fire gadget users and pure stealth infiltration.

4) Bounty Master Armor (Bounty chain)

How to get: Complete all bounties at the Old Inn to unlock the hunt for Soma the Condemned near Lake Jozan; defeat Soma in a duel.
Perks: Perfect Parry/Dodge window up (major) but regular parries disabled; Perfect Parry adds extra counterattacks; Spirit gains up.
Best for: Duelists and Lethal players who rely on timing instead of holding block.

5) Taro’s Armor (Roaming event / SW Lake Shikotsu)

How to get: Find Taro, a young survivor, and help him. A reliable spawn is southwest of Lake Shikotsu in Yōtei Grasslands (look for a small camp with two men harassing him). Speak to Taro after intervening.
Perks: Spirit gains (with a cooking bonus), +Max Health, and reduced Fire & Cold damage.
Best for: Early/midgame survivability and harsh‑weather treks.

6) Spider Lily Armor (Mythic Tale: “The Spider Lily General”)

How to get: In southern Tokachi Range, find the Mysterious Gate and enter the Abandoned Tominaga Estate. Solve four locks (Pagoda, Maze, Graveyard, Cave), then defeat the Spider Lily General.
Perks: Enemies have a chance to drop throwables; stagger damage increased; staggering one enemy can splash stagger nearby foes.
Best for: Crowd control and stagger‑centric weapon play (e.g., odachi).

7) Dragonfly Armor (Side Tale: “The Dragonfly Armor”)

How to get: In Tokachi Range, speak with the blacksmith at Hiranui’s Rest Inn, then track Daijiro to Cairn Forks, beat him at Zeni Hajiki, rescue him from bounty hunters, and return to the inn for the reward.
Perks: Timed full draw produces a glint — shoot within it for big damage & range; empowered shots grant Concentration; faster arrow reload.
Best for: Dedicated archers and camp snipers.

8) Armor of the Undying (Mythic Tale: “The Undying Samurai”)

How to get: Complete the Myths Quest in Ishikari Plain. (Community guides also note wind‑chime steps along the route.)
Perks: While weapon‑aligned: staggering restores Health (major), Perfect Parry/Dodge windows widen, and Focus attacks can increase stagger damage.
Best for: High‑difficulty combat where sustain and counterplay matter.

What is “weapon‑aligned,” exactly? Swap to the weapon that counters your target (e.g., dual katana vs. spears, odachi vs. brutes, kusarigama vs. shields). Doing so “aligns” you and activates the Undying perks; it’s Yōtei’s version of stance counters.

9) Robes for Sitturaynu (Side Tale: “The Heart of an Ainu”)

How to get: Finish The Heart of an Ainu in Nayoro Wilds.
Perks: Fireflies/controller vibrations guide you to Altars of Reflection and Ainu Items; Golden Birds can lead to additional secrets; at top tier, flowers autogather while riding/stealthing.
Best for: 100% map cleanup and fashion/dye hunting.

10) Crimson Kimono (Mythic Tale: “The Crimson Kimono”)

How to get: Complete the Crimson Kimono Myths Quest in Teshio Ridge.
Perks: Kunai chain assassinations, massively reduced detection, and extended kusarigama assassination range.
Best for: Peak stealth with tool chaining — terrifying at night in snowstorms.

11) Ginji’s Guard Armor (Sensei Tale: “Pride Before Tea”)

How to get: Finish Pride Before Tea on the Ōshima Coast.
Perks: Faster tanegashima reload, bullet deflects while blocking (and minor Spirit), and heavy projectile damage reduction.
Best for: Firearm‑heavy encounters and mixed ranged skirmishes.

12) Fundoshi (Hot Springs reward)

How to get: Complete all 16 Hot Springs.
Perk: “At the cost of warmth,” running and sprinting make no noise — a novelty stealth option.
Best for: Meme stealth runs, goofy challenge builds, and photo‑mode fashion.

Bonus & Edition Gear (not part of the core 12)

Snake Armor (Digital Deluxe) — Automatically available with the Digital Deluxe Edition. Empty sake jars may be full; thrown sake explodes into a poison cloud. A fun throwables/poison gimmick if you have the edition, but not mandatory.
Jin Sakai collectibles — Several guides highlight Jin’s Ghost mask / “Storm Blade” as collectible nods; treat them as cosmetics/equipment finds rather than full perk armors.

Fastest route to the best armor

Yōtei Grasslands: Clear bounties until Soma the Condemned unlocks → win the duel → Bounty Master Armor (S‑tier for parry players).
Ishikari Plain: Push the main Oni arc to unlock Mercenary Attire, then complete The Undying Samurai for Armor of the Undying.
Teshio Ridge: During the Kitsune arc, grab Nine Tail Armor; then do the Crimson Kimono myth for your stealth endgame set.
Tokachi Range: Knock out The Spider Lily General and The Dragonfly Armor quests when you arrive for crowd control and archery builds.
Ōshima Coast: Do Pride Before Tea for Ginji’s Guard before firearm‑heavy missions.
Across Ezo: Soak all 16 Hot Springs if you want Fundoshi for silent sprinting.

Frequently asked “best armor” questions

Best armor overall? Armor of the Undying for most players; Bounty Master if you’re a Perfect Parry fiend; Crimson Kimono if you main stealth.
Best early armor? Taro’s Armor (easy, defensive) and Mercenary Attire (Spirit economy) until you secure Undying.
Best stealth armor? Crimson Kimono (top), with Nine Tail as a flexible runner‑up (more tool synergy).
Best for archers? Dragonfly Armor (timed empowered shots + Concentration).
Do I have to align weapons? No, you can finish the game with one weapon, but alignment makes fights much easier — and it directly powers the Undying set.

Upgrade & armorer notes

Upgrades increase perk magnitude (e.g., Onryō’s fear/wolf rates, Dragonfly’s reload, Bounty Master counter chains). Visit any armorer (Old Inn is an early one) and bring materials; nothing is missable and you can clean up post‑credits.

Quick list: All armor at a glance

Onryō (starter) — terror/wolf scaling.
Mercenary Attire (main Oni) — thrown melee & sake Spirit loops.
Nine Tail (main Kitsune) — stealth/Quickfire.
Bounty Master (Soma bounty) — perfect parry/dodge specialist.
Taro’s Armor (SW Lake Shikotsu event) — health/weather resist.
Spider Lily (mythic in Tokachi) — stagger & throwable chains.
Dragonfly (side in Tokachi) — archery empowerment.
Armor of the Undying (mythic in Ishikari) — alignment‑based sustain.
Robes for Sitturaynu (Ainu side in Nayoro) — exploration guidance.
Crimson Kimono (mythic in Teshio) — peak stealth.
Ginji’s Guard (Sensei in Ōshima) — projectile mitigation.
Fundoshi (all Hot Springs) — silent sprinting.

SEO tip for players: “All armor” vs. “Best armor”

If you’re searching all armor: use each region/tale name above to pin the quest on your map as soon as you unlock that province. If you’re searching best armor: beeline to Bounty Master (duel Soma), Armor of the Undying (Ishikari myth), and Crimson Kimono (Teshio myth) depending on whether you prioritize parry, survival, or stealth respectively.

3 pro build pairings (quick ideas)

Parry Demon: Bounty Master + katana/ōdachi focus; slot Spirit‑gain charms to feed Focus and quick finishers.
Shadow Fox: Crimson Kimono + Nine Tail for stealth zones and tool kills; carry kunai/poison darts and a kusarigama.
Undying Ronin: Armor of the Undying + rapid weapon swapping for alignment; pick targets (shield → kusarigama, brute → ōdachi).

This guide reflects the launch patch and is accurate for the 12 core armor sets; edition bonuses and cosmetics are noted separately.