Charms are passive equipment that give Miyamoto Musashi combat bonuses without using a weapon slot. You start with a single charm slot and can expand to three by investing in skills, then stack effects such as longer Blazing State, faster gauge gain, or more healing. There are 15 charms to unlock through normal play, plus six extra Lovable charms tied to the demo and Deluxe editions.
Quick answer: Fourteen of the 15 charms come from completing specific Chance Encounters and Mysteries of Kyoto, while the Charm of the Healer is awarded automatically for finishing the main chapter “The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu.” None of the six DLC/demo charms are required for the Charmed Life Trophy or Achievement.
All 15 charm effects and how to unlock each one
Each charm is tied to a named activity, so the fastest way to track a missing one is to compare your collection against the quest list below. The percentages shown are the base (level 1) values before any enhancement.
| Charm | Base effect | How to unlock |
|---|---|---|
| Charm of the Healer | Healing Effectiveness +4% | Complete “The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu” (main chapter) |
| Charm of Zeal | Blade Gauge Increase Rate +10% | “Pale Lights in a Night Sky” (Chance Encounter) |
| Sadist’s Strength Charm | Attack Power While Suffering Status Ailments +8% | “Clear Space, Clear Mind” (Chance Encounter) |
| Charm of Dexterity | Reflex Gauge Increase Rate +10% | “Noisy Neighbours” (Chance Encounter) |
| Reaper’s Charm | Red Soul Absorption Amount +5% | “An Ugly Business” (Chance Encounter) |
| Charm of Stamina | Stamina Recovery Speed +10% | “The Growing Ghost” (Chance Encounter) |
| Charm of Enticement | Genma Encounter Rate Increase (Small) | “The Odd Couple” (Chance Encounter) |
| Charm of Awakening | Awakening Gauge Increase Rate +4% | “A Fishy Story” (Chance Encounter) |
| Charm of Oni Power | Oni Power Gauge Increase Rate +4% | “Restless Spirits” (Chance Encounter) |
| Charm of Purification | Health Loss While Affected by Malice -20% | “The Blessed Man” (Mystery of Kyoto) |
| Blazing Charm | Blazing State Duration +3.0 sec | “Worm-ly Ways” (Mystery of Kyoto) |
| Oni Strength Charm | Oni Armament Power +6% | “Some Unfinished Monkey Business” (Mystery of Kyoto) |
| Charm of Protection | Health Loss When Hit by Enemy Attack -4% | “The Night Parade” (Mystery of Kyoto) |
| Fencer’s Strength Charm | Regular Attack Power +8% | “The Faceless” (Mystery of Kyoto) |
| Inner Strength Charm | Issen Power +5% | “Something in the Water” (Mystery of Kyoto) |
Unlock the systems and clear the two quest prerequisites
Most of these encounters and mysteries do not appear at the start. You have to open the systems that host them, then meet a couple of chained requirements before certain charms become reachable.
- Chance Encounters unlock after you finish “The Curse of Kiyomizu-zaka Slope” in the main story.
- Mysteries of Kyoto unlock after you complete “What Lurks in the Shadows.”
- The Oni Strength Charm’s mystery, “Some Unfinished Monkey Business,” only opens once you finish “Worm-ly Ways,” which itself awards the Blazing Charm.
- The Inner Strength Charm’s mystery, “Something in the Water,” requires completing “A Wife’s Prayer” first. That quest gives no charm of its own, but it gates access.
If a quest is missing from your map, it has not disappeared. Some activities only surface after further story progress, so advance the campaign, return to the relevant area, and check again. Buying the Oni Vision: Treasures, Oni Vision: Treasures 2, and Oni Vision: Search Range skills at the Spirit Mirror makes quest points and hidden objects far easier to spot during a dedicated sweep.
DLC, demo, and Deluxe charms
Six additional Lovable charms come from bonus content. They are optional and are not counted toward the Charmed Life Trophy or Achievement.
| Charm | Effect | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lovable Charm: Kubi Akari | Soul Absorption Bonus Trigger Boost (Small) | Play the demo |
| Lovable Charm: Lion Dog | Follow-up Attack Power +25% | Pre-order bonus |
| Lovable Charm: White Monkey | Less stamina lost when hit by enemy attacks | Deluxe / Premium Deluxe editions |
| Lovable Charm: Oni Lady | Special skill attack power | Deluxe / Premium Deluxe editions |
| Lovable Charm: Little Dancer | Enemy status ailment duration | Deluxe / Premium Deluxe editions |
| Lovable Charm: Mentor | Blazing State power boost | Deluxe / Premium Deluxe editions |
Most pre-order and Deluxe rewards are claimed straight from the Spirit Mirror’s Additional Content (Add-on Content) tab. A gold chest icon means a charm is unclaimed; a grey icon means you already have it.
Claim the Kubi Akari demo charm
The demo-exclusive Kubi Akari charm needs a few extra steps beyond the Spirit Mirror. You must keep a demo save file on the same machine.
Upgrade charms at Enma’s Hall
Charm enhancement opens after you complete “The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu.” Head to the Rokudo-chinnoji Temple’s Enma’s Hall and use the shrine in the southeast corner. Select a charm, choose Make Offering, and pay the Red Souls and Favor. Every charm caps at level 3 and follows the same cost.
| Upgrade | Red Souls | Favor |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 → 2 (per charm) | 3,000 | 3,500 |
| Level 2 → 3 (per charm) | 6,000 | 6,500 |
| All 15 charms to max | 135,000 | 150,000 |
Red Souls come from defeating enemies. Favor is earned by offering food and other items, which you gather by breaking every vase and box, opening small treasure chests, buying from merchants, revisiting areas, and rescuing distressed citizens who reward you after you save them. Once a charm reaches level 3, the shrine no longer shows a Make Offering cost for it.
Tip: Do not spread resources evenly across the whole set. Prioritize the charms you actually equip first. The Blazing Charm reaches +6 seconds of Blazing State duration at level 3, and the Charm of Awakening speeds up your Awakening Gauge, both of which pay off in tougher fights.
Charmed Life Trophy, timing, and New Game Plus
The Charmed Life Trophy/Achievement requires collecting all 15 standard charms and fully upgrading each to level 3. The DLC and demo charms are not needed for it.
Free exploration ends when you accept the final mission, “The Clash At Rendaino,” and the game warns you before that point. Nothing in the charm collection is permanently missable. Selecting Continue after the credits returns you to just before the finale, so you can keep filling out the set. Making a manual save before accepting that mission preserves a clean pre-finale state.
Charms and their enhancements carry into New Game Plus, but the Chance Encounters and Mysteries of Kyoto that awarded them reset and must be completed again for their rewards on the new run. Because of that, finishing every upgrade before starting NG+ keeps your maxed loadout intact while you tackle the harder repeat playthrough.
