Across many open-world RPGs, gear and armor are staple elements that determine your build crafting potential and indicate how far your character has progressed. In Sucker Punch’s *Ghost of* series, the style is fairly linear since both games don’t lean too heavily on RPG elements, which also reflects in the armor and gear choices available.
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### 8. Nine Tail Armor — Maximum Style Points
Starting off with the Nine Tail Armor, which you can acquire midway through your hunt for the Kitsune in the Teshio Ridge region. This set grants a hefty amount of style points, but I’m not a huge fan of the perks it offers. The latter two perks are great for a stealth build, but I personally found the Crimson Kimono to be better in that regard—plus, it’s my preferred fashion choice.
However, if you enjoy spamming quickfire items like Kunai or Smoke Bombs, the Nine Tail Armor is worth considering, as it caters well to that niche playstyle.
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### 7. Taro’s Armor — Playing It Safe
If you’re looking for an armor set focused mainly on defense, look no further than Taro’s armor, given to you by our mischievous little grave robber. To make the most of this set, be sure to actively refresh your cooking bonuses by resting at camp and eating meals. Aside from that, the other two perks—increased max HP and reduced fire/cold damage—don’t feel as potent as you might expect.
Given the limited variety of armor sets available in the game, I’d say Taro’s armor is a solid choice for getting through the early-to-midgame sections of *Ghost of Yotei*.
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### 6. Bounty Master — The Perfect Parry Crutch
This armor set is arguably great for players who struggle with combat or duel boss fights. The Bounty Hunter set increases your perfect parry and dodge windows, but removes regular parries in exchange. Performing a perfect parry allows you to unleash three counterattacks, which are especially helpful in duels or when facing elite enemies.
The downside? I personally prefer having regular parries available. Also, the fashion choice of this set, even when fully upgraded, is questionable at best. But if you love its look and playstyle, that’s what matters—this ranking is purely subjective.
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### 5. Mercenary Attire — Doesn’t Overstay Its Welcome
This armor set seems to have developer favoritism—or at least it feels that way given the wide range of dyes available for it. The Mercenary outfit looks cool but has some niche perks that may not suit everyone.
Despite the “Mercenary” title, this armor encourages you to drink Sake bottles during combat to maximize its potential. Every assassination—whether through stealth or smoke bombs—replenishes your Sake supply. You can then have Atsu drink her worries away, though beware of the dizziness and screen wobble effect from drunkenness.
If you don’t mind the side effects and enjoy drinking Sake mid-fight, go for this set. It’s not game-changing but has definite style points.
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### 4. Onryo Armor — The Canon Outfit
The Onryo Armor is your starting attire and is beautifully highlighted by its default yellow dye, which perfectly replicates the iconic yellow jumpsuit from *Kill Bill Vol. 1*. It’s one of the coolest sets in the game, both in terms of fashion and perks.
The Terrify effect makes for an interesting crowd control alternative to the Spider Lily Armor. The main downside is that to upgrade it, you’ll need to progress in the main storyline by hunting down the Yotei Six. Also, equipping a decent set of Terrify-based charms is recommended to maximize its effectiveness.
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### 3. Spider Lily Armor — Stagger the World
I’ll be honest—this is the only set I usually keep in its default appearance because the upgraded versions tend to overdo the style. The Spider Lily Armor is one of the best crowd control sets in the game.
Its first perk increases the chance of receiving throwable weapons for easy kills or staggers on elite enemies. If you properly align your weapon against the enemy, triggering their stagger break becomes a breeze. The cherry on top is the final perk, which deals extra stagger damage to nearby enemies when you execute a stagger break.
While not game-breaking, stagger breaking is crucial on higher difficulties, making this set valuable for both stats and fashion.
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### 2. Crimson Kimono — Hidden in Plain Sight
One of my most used armor sets throughout the entire game, the Crimson Kimono stands out thanks to its excellent perks.
The first two perks are fantastic for stealth, allowing you to use Kunai during Chain Assassination animations to eliminate targets from a distance. But the third perk is the real highlight: the Kusarigama assassination technique is one of the best moves available for that weapon, making this armor a top choice.
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### 1. Armor of the Undying — Everything You Need
For me, the best armor set in *Ghost of Yotei* is the Armor of the Undying. Its perk combination encourages proper weapon alignment during combat—you know, matching Atsu’s weapon against the enemy’s (e.g., Yari beats Kusarigama, Dual Katana beats polearm). This strategy is essential for optimally staggering foes.
From a fashion standpoint, this set is among the coolest, especially when paired with Eijiro, the Ruthless’s mask. It’s versatile for both crowd control and duels, as boss fights often switch weapons mid-fight, requiring quick weapons changes to trigger stagger breaks.
One of the best perks is the increased Perfect Parry and Dodge windows—offered as a free bonus without sacrificing regular parries. That’s a package I’m happy to take any day.
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In conclusion, while *Ghost of Yotei* doesn’t emphasize RPG armor variety heavily, each set offers unique perks and style for different playstyles. Whether you prefer stealth, defense, crowd control, or aggressive combat, there’s an armor set to suit your needs and aesthetic preferences. Happy hunting!
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