Ghost Stance returns in Ghost of Yotei as Atsu’s signature burst of terror and precision. When active, the world drops to a hush, enemies hesitate, and you carve through multiple targets with ruthless speed. Here’s when you get it, how to trigger it, and what it actually does in a fight.

What Ghost Stance does in combat

Ghost Stance puts Atsu into a short, high-impact state that prioritizes fast executions:

  • Standard enemies: instantly killed by each Ghost Stance strike.
  • Bosses and elites: take heavy damage but won’t die in a single hit.
  • Total strikes: up to three in a single activation, either on three targets or all on one.

The animation leans on Atsu’s dual katanas, emphasizing quick, decisive cuts and close-quarters pressure. The window is brief, so positioning and target selection matter.

When Ghost Stance unlocks (story requirement)

The ability is earned during Chapter II: The Onryo. You’ll head to Lord Tamura’s Estate on the Oshima Coast with Jubei and Oyuki to track The Spider, Lord Saito’s son. Meet Oyuki at the estate, slip past Saito’s guards to the guesthouses without raising alarms, and proceed to the performance hall. A cutscene confrontation with The Spider triggers the first Ghost Stance prompt.

From that moment on, Ghost Stance becomes part of your combat toolkit.

How to activate Ghost Stance

  • Trigger Ghost Stance: press L3 + R3 when prompted or when the stance is available.
  • Execute a strike: press Square while close to a target to spend one charge.
  • Total charges: three per activation, spent one strike at a time.

Stay within striking distance before you commit. If you whiff or chase a retreating target, you burn precious seconds from a short window.

How to charge Ghost Stance (kill streaks without damage)

Ghost Stance draws on the same kill streak tracker as Onryo’s Howl. Defeating enemies without taking damage fills the meter; a streak of seven kills fully charges it. If you’ve just used Onryo’s Howl, expect the same streak to govern when Ghost Stance becomes available again.

Tip: Eliminations from stealth count toward a streak as long as you avoid taking damage. If you’re building toward Ghost Stance, play clean and avoid chip hits that reset progress.

Damage and limits

  • Normal foes: each Ghost Stance strike kills outright.
  • Bosses: take significantly increased damage but require follow-up.
  • Limit: three strikes per activation—plan your targets before you commit.

If a boss remains after two strikes, consider spending the third to finish a nearby threat and re-establish control of the arena, then refocus on the boss with standard attacks.

Story mission beats to reach the unlock

  • Chapter II: The Onryo.
  • Travel to Lord Tamura’s Estate (Oshima Coast).
  • Meet Oyuki, infiltrate past Saito’s guards, and reach the guesthouses undetected.
  • Proceed to the performance arena; a cutscene with The Spider triggers the first Ghost Stance prompt.

Note: Causing an alert during infiltration risks tougher enemy groupings before the cutscene. The path is designed for stealth; quiet assassinations keep the route predictable.

Controls and effects (quick reference)

Action Input Outcome
Trigger Ghost Stance L3 + R3 Enter Ghost Stance if the meter is available
Spend a strike Square (near target) Perform one execution or heavy-damage strike
Max strikes per activation — 3 (spread across targets or focused on one)
Charge the meter — Defeat enemies without taking damage; 7 kills fills it
Shared tracker — Shares kill streak with Onryo’s Howl

Ghost Stance is most effective when you set the stage: build a clean streak, angle yourself near priority targets, and trigger it at the moment your opening appears. Use it to break an encirclement, delete a trio of threats, or put a boss into a finishable state. Once you understand the meter and the limits, it becomes a reliable, fight-defining switch you can flip on your terms.