Ghost of Yotei replaces the familiar XP-and-point system with a world-anchored approach to progression. You don’t spend skill points from a menu whenever you like. Instead, you learn techniques at specific spots in the world — Altars of Reflection — and build out four tracks of abilities as you explore Ezo.

What changed from Ghost of Tsushima

In Ghost of Tsushima, you earned points by raising your Legend and bought skills on demand. Ghost of Yotei moves those unlocks into the world:

  • No generic skill points to bank or spend.
  • Techniques are learned one by one at Altars of Reflection spread across Ezo’s regions.
  • The skill menu (Growth) is organized into Onryo, Melee, Revenge, and Wolf categories, with 70+ techniques in total.
  • There is no respec at this time. Your choices stick, so plan your path.

How to unlock a technique at an Altar of Reflection

Once you find an altar, the process is consistent every time:

  • Approach the altar and swipe down on the DualSense touchpad to bow.
  • The skill menu opens. Browse the Onryo, Melee, Revenge, and Wolf tabs.
  • Select a technique. A short preview appears in the top-right of the screen.
  • Hold the Cross (X) button to learn it.

Tip: You can review your progress at any time in the Growth menu to map out future picks before your next altar visit.

Where to find Altars of Reflection

Altars are placed broadly across Ezo — on plains, in the mountains, and even tucked into enemy strongholds you’ll clear while questing. If you’d rather not stumble on them by chance, there are two reliable ways to surface locations:

  • Buy Altar maps from Isaburo the Cartographer. He’s first encountered at Yotei’s Shadow Inn early in the game.
  • Follow the golden bird during free-roam. It will occasionally lead you to an altar.

Note: Altars discovered in hostile areas may require you to deal with nearby enemies before you can bow and interact safely.

What each skill category covers

Ghost of Yotei spreads techniques across four tracks. The names match how the game frames Atsu’s toolset and progression:

  • Onryo: Core combat timing and flow — parries, counters, and attack windows that define duel rhythm.
  • Melee: Weapon-specific moves and upgrades that expand what your katana, odachi, yari, dual blades, or kusarigama can do.
  • Revenge: Stealth, survival, and utility — assassinations, evasive movement, projectile defense, and quality-of-life mobility.
  • Wolf: Companion-focused techniques and related perks tied to your wolf. Exploring wolf dens and completing their quests strengthens this track.

All four appear in the Growth menu, making it easy to check what you have and what’s next.

No respec: how to plan your picks

You can’t refund or reshuffle techniques right now. Because choices are permanent, it helps to prioritize broadly useful fundamentals early, then layer in weapon- or playstyle-specific moves. A few guidelines:

  • Anchor your build with timing skills that work against every enemy type.
  • Add defensive mobility to reduce chip damage and fall risk as you explore.
  • Round out stealth and assassination tools if you prefer infiltration over open skirmishes.
  • Fold in weapon-specific counters once you’re committing to a favorite blade or stance.

Early skills worth unlocking first

These techniques offer immediate, broad benefits in the opening hours — whether you fight head-on or prefer the shadows.

Technique Category Why it matters
Perfect Parry Onryo High stagger on a single target when your timing is right, letting you turn defense into offense quickly.
Indomitable Counter (Odachi upgrade) Melee Upgrades Bulwark Stance into a perfect counter on release timing, opening up the odachi for reactive play and heavy hit trades.
Roll Revenge Gives a responsive dodge roll to evade multi-hit strings and extinguish fire — a simple tool with outsized survivability.
Safe Fall Revenge Tap Circle before landing to avoid fall damage, speeding up traversal and reducing accidental deaths.
Block Projectiles Revenge Hold L1 to block arrows and thrown weapons so archers don’t disrupt your parry timing in group fights.
Brute Assassination Revenge Lets you silently remove larger enemy types, keeping stealth viable in mixed patrols.
Chain Assassination Revenge Secure two quick stealth eliminations to thin camps without raising alarms.

From there, branch into weapon-focused techniques that match your preferred counters — for example, odachi picks if you lean on heavy stance play, or yari moves if you’re dealing with sickles and polearms.

Make faster progress toward altars

Because every technique requires a physical altar visit, your route matters almost as much as your picks. A practical loop early on:

  • Unlock key vendors at the Old Inn hub, then buy cartographer maps to surface nearby altars.
  • Icon-hunt while traveling between quests and bounties, clearing enemy camps that hide altars inside.
  • When the golden bird appears, follow it — it often ends at an altar or another progression node like a hot spring.

This keeps you learning techniques steadily without straying far from your current objectives.

Weapon skills and the rest of your build

Techniques don’t exist in a vacuum. As you expand your Melee track, you’ll also add weapons themselves by visiting weapon masters and completing their tales. Outside the skill menu, Ezo is filled with complementary power-ups — charms, armor sets, hot springs, and Bamboo Strikes for Spirit — that round out your survivability and damage. Swapping armor to fit the task and keeping an eye out for resource-boosting charms will help you maintain momentum between altar visits.

Progress in Ghost of Yotei flows through places, not meters. If you’re ever feeling underpowered, you’re not “underleveled” — you’re likely one altar away from the technique that unlocks your next breakthrough. Map a few altars onto your path, lock in foundational picks first, and your build will click into place without ever needing a respec.