Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima has been out for more than 5 years, but the open-world game has remained fairly popular. Although more of an action-adventure title than a full-blown RPG, GoT gives you some ways to customize Jin and adapt his moveset to fit the type of build you want to focus on. A big part of that process is charms, which provide stat bonuses, effects, and improve Jin’s abilities.
Ghost of Tsushima has a lot of these artifacts, to the point that you might start ignoring them once you find a few that do the job. However, you should pay attention to your charms as they offer a wide range of benefits and can make a notable difference. To help simplify things, let’s go through the best charms in GoT, including the “Iki Island” DLC.
Updated January 13, 2026, by Mark Sammut: While we have already discussed the best charms in Ghost of Tsushima, that leaves one question: Are charms actually important?
How Important Are Charms In Ghost of Tsushima?
When you start playing Ghost of Tsushima, you will be introduced to a few customization options that let you tweak Jin to better complement your playing style. Armor pieces/set will probably catch your eye first, and you might dedicate most of your customization/progression energy to acquiring the best gear to take on a host of situations. Unlike quite a few other open-world games, Ghost of Tsushima actively encourages you to swap armor depending on the needs of the moment. While some armor is better than others, strength comes in variety rather than singularity.
While armor is useful, charms make a bigger difference and are arguably more consequential, especially once you unlock all the minor charm slots. Once you can equip 6 charms, you will notice a significant difference in Jin’s performance, and they give you build flexibility as well. Now, Ghost of Tsushima is not extremely hard by any stretch of the imagination, so you don’t need to make sure that you have the most optimized build imaginable. Honestly, you can beat the game without really engaging with charms at all, which would make the game considerably harder if that is what you are looking for. Still, charms are important, and if you have the right loadout, you can largely ignore armor.
Charms come in 5 categories: Defense, Melee, Ranged, Stealth, and Utility. You can (and should) mix and match these to suit your requirements, and do not hesitate to frequently swap out charms. However, you should aim to pick charms that complement your armor and, naturally, playstyle.
15
Charm of Mashira’s Protection
Extends The Window For Perfect Parry And Perfect Dodge
The Iki Island expansion offered several new charms to experiment with, and one of the best is the Charm of Mashira’s Protection. It increases the window for perfect parries and dodges, making Jin feel more responsive in combat. The Mongols on Iki Island are dangerous and can overwhelm Jin with sheer numbers. So being able to parry and dodge so he can land perfect counterattacks will make them less troublesome. It is activated by pressing down on the d-pad, but the biggest caveat of the Charm of Mashira’s Protection is the extra Resolve point required to use it.
The Charm of Mashira’s Protection can be found by traveling southwest to the Monkey Sanctuary in the Smuggler’s Woods or west of the Saruiwa Overlook. Kill the Mongols at the sanctuary, free the monkeys, and complete the flute minigame. The Charm improves every time Jin liberates a Monkey Sanctuary.
14
Charm Of Concentration
Increases Jin’s Aiming By Slowing Down Time
Some items help Jin’s concentration and make time appear as if it’s slowing down. However, the Charm of Concentration is the best for aiming with the bow. It allows Jin more time to hit his targets and makes scoring silver and gold in the archery challenges more doable. The charm’s effectiveness increases every time Jin gets a higher score. There are eight challenges to complete, and if Jin scores gold with each one, his concentration will improve.
13
Charm Of Incineration
Black Bombs Damage Nearby Enemies
- One Black Bomb can damage nearby enemies of the main target.
- The Charm of Incineration is obtained by completing The Traitor, the fourth Masako Tale.
The Charm of Incineration is a good defensive item that allows Jin to damage multiple enemies with one Black Bomb. It’s not a weapon used for stealth, but it’s useful for crowd control, escaping large groups of enemies, and taking down dangerous foes.
Jin will obtain the Charm of Incineration after completing Masako’s side quest, The Traitor. It will also become available when Jin reaches the Raging Storm legend rank.
12
Charm of Canine Recruitment
Recruit Canines For Stealth Takedowns
- Jin can charm dogs in Ghost of Tsushima to make them his allies.
- The Charm of Canine Recruitment is available to purchase from the merchant Baku the Voiceless after starting a new game plus mode.
Petting cats and dogs has become a popular mechanic in open-world adventure games, and thanks to an update and the new game plus mode in Ghost of Tsushima, that’s now possible for Jin, too. With this charm equipped, Jin needs to sneak up on a dog and pet them, making them his ally and stealthily taking down enemies.
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The Charm of Canine recruitment is only available to buy from Baku the Voiceless once a new game plus mode has begun. Baku the Voiceless is a merchant who only appears in the new game+. The merchant Baku is waiting in the middle of the lake in the Izuhara region.
11
Heavenly Rebuke
Strike Down Multiple Enemies With Lightning Attacks
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- When hitting enemies with the Heavenly Rebuke strike, there’s a chance that lightning will strike and instantly kill a nearby enemy.
- The Charm of Heavenly Rebuke is available to purchase from the merchant Baku the Voiceless in the new game plus mode.
The Charm of Heavenly Rebuke is an effective heavy strike in battle. However, there’s a chance that it will instantly kill a nearby enemy with a lightning strike. The odds are that it only happens once per battle, but the strike is capable of slicing through all enemies.
As with the Charm of Canine Recruitment, the Charm of Heavenly Rebuke is only available in the new game+. Jin needs to purchase it from the merchant Baku after the New Game + has started. Baku is waiting on a small island in the middle of Izuhara Lake.
10
Charm Of Amaterasu
Restore Health With Every Kill
- Killing enemies restores a moderate amount of health.
- The Charm Amaterasu is obtained by completing the Golden Summit Shrine.
The Charm of Amaterasu can be found early in the game during Act One at the Golden Summit Shrine. It is arguably one of the best charms in Ghost of Tsushima. It restores Jin’s health to a moderate level each time he defeats an enemy.
Jin must go up against large groups of enemies throughout Ghost of Tsushima, whether out on the plains or inside a Mongol war camp. This charm is the biggest lifesaver and helps conserve that resolve when attacked by multiple enemies.
9
Charm Of Izanami
Resolve Recovers 50 Percent Of Jin’s Health
- Iron Will revives Jin with 50 percent health.
- The Charm of Izanami is obtained by completing Marsh Rock Shrine.
The Charm of Izanami is another amazing charm that helps with those larger battles that may end up knocking Jin down. This charm can be found during Act Two by praying at the Marsh Rock Shrine to boost Jin’s Iron Will ability.
Normally, Iron Will allows Jin to revive himself by spending resolve to recover from a mortal wound. With this charm equipped, one can spend that resolve to get revived at fifty percent health. If Jin is hurt in large fights and duels, this will help him recover and take down swarms of enemies.
8
Charm Of Mizu-No-Kami
Increases The Window For Parrying
- Increases parry and perfect parry window.
- The Charm of Mizu-No-Kami is obtained by completing the Spring Falls Shrine.
This charm is one of the best for its ability to help with parry timing. Parries, perfect parries, and perfect dodges are already hard to get down for new players to the game. It takes time to learn the counters for each enemy, but Ghost of Tsushima is empowering when mastered.
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Luckily, this charm makes it easier to perform these maneuvers, allowing Jin to get the timing down much faster. This charm can be retrieved from praying at the Spring Falls Shrine in Act One and is highly recommended.
7
Charm Of Hoori-No-Mikoto
A Stealth Charm That Maintain Jin’s Cover In Tall Grass
- Remain hidden when assassinating a target in tall grass.
- The Charm of Hoori-No-Mikoto is obtained by completing the Turtle Rock Shrine.
The Charm of Hoori-No-Mikoto is an amazing charm for anyone who loves the stealth aspect of the game. It has happened to many players – Jin will be hiding in tall grass, enemies will come by, and he will assassinate one of them just to be spotted by all of his friends.
With this charm, that is no longer a worry because it makes all of Jin’s assassinations in tall grass completely silent. This is one of the most useful charms for Ghost of Tsushima when stealth-focused. It can be found during Act Two by praying at the Turtle Rock Shrine.
6
Charm Of Toxic Demise
Turns Wind Chimes Into A Poisonous Trap
- Releases a poison cloud when an enemy picks up a wind chime.
- The Charm of Toxic Demise is obtained by reaching the Phantom Samurai legend ranking.
This charm is especially useful for stealthy players. It takes normal wind chimes and turns them into a deadly tool for anyone foolish enough to pick them up. Typically, players use wind chimes to lure enemies away by throwing them.
This chime adds a special little surprise for those enemies: poison. That’s right, now, whenever an enemy walks over and picks up the wind chime, they will be met with an untimely fate courtesy of the Charm of Toxic Demise. This charm can be found by reaching the ‘Phantom Samurai’ legend ranking.
