How to start and win standoffs in Ghost of Yotei 

The standoffs in Ghost of Yotei provide some of the cleanest way to initiate fighting beforehand. They encourage players to drop foes with style, but carry extra risk as a result of being poorly timed. Initiating them involves knowing the correct button press, observing enemy awareness, and timing your next action correctly once the duel begins.

That said, here is how you can start and win standoffs in Ghost of Yotei.

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How to start standoffs in Ghost of Yotei

To begin a standoff, press L1. The prompt appears in the center of the screen, signaling you can challenge your opponent directly. Once you lock into the standoff, the whole camp is alerted. From this point on, stealth is off the table, and you’re announcing your presence and testing your reflexes in the open.

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How to win standoffs in Ghost of Yotei

When the duel begins, hold down Triangle. The enemy will face you in a tense pose, waiting for the right moment to strike. A message on screen reads “Wait until the Enemy Attacks”.

Moments before the standoff (Image via Sucker Punch)

The trick is patience. Only when the actual Triangle release prompt flashes should you let go. If your timing is perfect, your blade lands first, killing the enemy instantly. You’ll also see the option to End Suffering by pressing Square, finishing off the opponent.

Landing a clean standoff kill also refills one Spirit point, which is crucial for sustaining abilities in longer fights.

Winning the first exchange doesn’t end the fight. Remaining enemies will charge in immediately. A key detail: some attacks that flash with a red glint cannot be blocked. Dodging these with quick sidesteps is the safest answer.

Archers often fire from a distance during these moments, so be ready to dash with L + Circle to avoid being pinned down by arrows while dueling ground troops.

A unique twist comes when you hear a wolf’s howl before engaging. If this happens, a small wolf icon appears next to the standoff prompt. Triggering it in this state brings the wolf into the fight, and timing your move correctly means the animal leaps in and takes down an additional enemy alongside your strike.

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Upgrading standoff techniques

Charms in Ghost of Yotei (Image via Sucker Punch)

As you progress, standoffs in Ghost of Yotei grow stronger through unlockable techniques in the Revenge > Attacks tree. These skills allow you to extend the number of enemies you can chain in a single standoff, making it possible to cut through multiple foes before the brawl even starts.

Certain charms also boost your performance:

• Charm of Resolute Victory – increases Spirit gained per standoff kill.
• Charm of Drunken Adversary – gives a small chance to loot Sake from enemies killed this way.

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That concludes our guide on starting and winning standoffs in Ghost of Yotei. For more game-related content, follow Sportskeeda.

Meanwhile, you can check these:

• Playing Zeni Hajiki (mini-game) in Ghost of Yotei, explained
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• Ghost of Yotei Legends DLC: Everything we know
• Has Ghost of Yotei been confirmed for PC launch?
• Ghost of Yotei Kusarigama gameplay explored: Features and details you might have missed