Like a Dragon: Ishin! — best weapons and armor, and how to craft it

Find the finest armor and weapons Ishin: Like a DragonThis is no simple task. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s latest story is a riveting adventure full of smackdowns. Between the main chapters, substories, and several different optional modes (including one that’s like a dungeon crawling-lite), you’ll end up tangled in combat quite often.

Regardless of which difficulty you choose to play on, making sure you’re always carrying Ishin’s best weapons and armor is vital. This guide shares several different equipment options that are worth pursuing, as well as their locations or the items you’ll need to craft them.

Ishin!

Fairly early in the main story, you’ll gain access to a blacksmith vendor, which basically unlocks crafting in Ishin: Like a Dragon. It is possible to create weapons or equipment entirely from scratch using crafting tools and money. Crafting is a great way to learn new skills. Ishin is similar to crafting in Monster Hunter, in the way that you’ll need the previous weapon in the tree in order to make the new one. (This is all displayed in the crafting screen of the blacksmith, including the exact items list and such you’ll need, so no need to worry about keeping a notebook handy.)

You can also use different types of hammers to improve equipment. This will increase their rarity, and their defense or base damage. The blacksmith can accept donations of gear for shop upgrades, which brings about some advantages. It is best to part with low-stat equipment or buy the lowest priced ones at the Arms Dealer. It will take more time, but at least you won’t mistakenly donate a weapon that you could have used to craft a new katana or gun later on.

Image: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/Sega via Polygon

For those who are looking for crafting materials, here’s a list of places to look. Ishin: Like a Dragon, simple: They’re all over the place! These items can be obtained as loot, inside or outside of battles. They are also available as reward for fulfilling Battle Dungeons substories and bonds.

Battle Dungeons can be more beneficial than all the rest. You can see the complete list of items you could drop once you have completed them. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get just the one you need, but at least you know that there is a guaranteed chance you’ll stumble upon it in that specific dungeon at some point.

Image: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/Sega via Polygon

Ishin, the greatest weapon in Like a Dragon

Deciding which weapons are the most effective Ishin: Like a DragonIt will all depend on how you play. This can make it difficult. You can get elemental attacks from equipment or by using Trooper Card skills. Others are more focused on certain elements like the Heat Gauge.

My recommendation, especially during the first few chapters of the main story, is to focus on whatever deals more damage than what you’re currently using. Once you start cutting deeper into the combat of the game, especially if you’re planning to tackle the Battle Dungeon, that’s when you’re going to want to focus on elemental attacks, or some options such as the Skink Lizard, which recovers health by a percentage of damage dealt to enemies.

Below are the most popular weapon options. Ishin: Like a DragonYou will be able to continue to play until the end:

Eternal Gold (Katana)

• Perk: It charges the Heat Gauge up 7% quicker, as well as charging it 15% more when drunk.
• How to Get Eternal Gold It can be obtained after the boss fight in Chapter 6. However, it is also possible to craft one. The Radiant Drunkard, 5 Precious Steel, 1 Gold Dust are required to do this.
• Why it’s great:You can perform Heat actions or special attacks more frequently if your Heat Gauge is charged regularly. These will do more damage and cancel any future attacks by enemies.

Juzu-maru (Katana)

• Perk: This adds the poison.
• How do you get Juzumaru? Either you’ll be able to obtain the sword in the end of the main story, but it is possible to make the sword earlier. You’ll need 1 Ominous Prayer Beads, 10 Precious Steel, 5 Silver Scrap, and the Yaksha Blade.
• Why it’s great:Poison, which is usually one of the most common status ailments that can be applied against any enemy and deals passive damage over time to them, is often what you have.

Skink Lizard (Katana)

• Perk: Health is increased by 8% depending on how much damage has been done to enemy.
• How to Get Skink Lizard To craft it, you’ll need 1 Obsidian Chunk, 10 Precious Steel, 5 Silver Scrap, and the Yaksha Blade.
• Why it’s great:A perk that allows you to restore health from damage is a great one. You’ll have to act more aggressively than usual to make the most out of it, and I also recommend enhancing the weapon and making sure you have the abilities of the related fighting style in check, making sure you’re dealing the highest damage possible, which in turn will increase the amount healed per hit.

Masamune (Katana)

• Perk: Faster charging of the Heat Gauge
• Masamune: You’ll need 1 Jet Black Belt, 10 Gold Chunks, 5 Platinum Filings, and the Eternal Gold.
• Why it’s great:Eternal Gold reminds us that keeping our Heat Gauge fully charged allows for more Heat actions, special attacks, and damage. It can cancel future attacks by enemies, as well.

Lightning Needle (Special)

• Perk: Adds the thunder element.
• How to make a Lightning Needle This version can be obtained during the boss fight at chapter 12 in the main story. But to craft it beforehand, you’ll need 1 Jet Black Belt, 10 Sturdy Lumbers, 5 Driftwood, and the Cross Spear. You will also need the Knowledge of the Spear Ability from the Wild Dancer Tree to make this happen.
• Why it’s great:Thunder element is an excellent elemental attack. However, the spear also deals great damage and can be used to attack enemies with a Heat action attack. If you keep your Heat Gauge charged, you’ll be able to stop multiple attacks by doing this. Sure, it’s repetitive, but effective.

Double Flash (Gun).

• Perk: Chance to fire 2 shots simultaneously at 40%
• Double Flash: How do you get it? 1 Charming Doll with 10 small wind-up devices, 10 mechanical parts, and the Double Strike
• Why it’s great: Rate of fire isn’t the strength of many guns, but having the chance to actually fire twice once in a while can counter that flaw.

Cherry Blossom (Gun)

• Perk: Enhances elemental attack’s effects by 15%
• Cherry Blossoms: You’ll need 1 Elegant Hair Ornament, 10 Worn Out Cogwheels, 5 Exquisite Cogwheels, and the Winter Winds.
• Why it’s great:A great method to defeat tough enemies is to use elemental ammunition in your gun. It is possible to boost the damage up by 150% excellentIt is possible to do so in a number of ways.

Image: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/Sega via Polygon

Ishin, the Best Armor for Like a Dragon

Different from weapons, armor is not all the same. Ishin: Like a DragonThere are many options. Most of the gear I’ve been using was dropped during a substories or during the main story chapters.

Similarly, I recommend equipping whatever you can find, at least at first, just to start building up Ryoma’s defense stats. You can then choose to focus your attention on gear that increases the defense or other character aspects, like the Heat Gauge.

These are some of the top armor choices in Ishin: Like a DragonTo get you to the end of the game:

Loincloth (Breastplate).

• Perk: Increases Brawler’s power by up to 90%
• Loincloth: You will obtain a “Best” grading version of this one as you progress through the main story missions in chapter four.
• Why it’s great: The Brawler fighting style can be a tough sell when dealing with swords, spears, and guns from enemies, but it’s hard to ignore the sheer speed of its attacks. Making sure you’re hitting harder is crucial, and as a plus side, this fighting style is the one that allows the use of special weapons. A perk like the Lighting Needle spear can help to increase your fighting power.

Brawler’s Binding (Breastplate)

• Perk: Enhances defense by 8 percent on top of base defense.
• How to get Brawler’s Binding: You’ll need 1 Crimson Bead, 10 Vermilion Fabric, 5 Fine Silk Fabric, and 1 Fireman’s Breastplate.
• Why it’s great: Brawler’s Binding might not have the bells and whistles of other armor in Ishin: Like a Dragon, but if you’re in need of some defense, especially in higher difficulties, crafting and enhancing this piece of gear will give you that much-needed boost in protection.

Celestial Garb (Breastplate).

• Perk: Reflects 5% damage and raises resistance to elements attacks by 5%
• How to obtain Celestial Garb You’ll need 1 Ancient Amulet, 10 Vermilion Fabric, 5 Fine Silk Fabric, and 1 Herbalist’s Binding.
• Why it’s great: As skillful as you might be, you’re bound to get hit sometimes, so being able to reflect that damage is key, even if the percentage might seem low. You’ll be doing damage even when you’re not attacking. And if the enemy comes at you with elemental attacks, you’ll have an extra protection for those, too.

Hidden Blade Gauntlets (Gauntlet).

• Perk: Reflects 5% of damage taken, and serves as a good Assassin’s Creed reference, too.
• Hidden Blade Gauntlets – How do you get them? You’ll need 1 Broken Awl, 10 Beast’s Tail, 5 Fine Horse’s Mane, and the Sacred Wood Gauntlets.
• Why they’re great:This companion makes a fantastic Celestial Garb.

Iron Gauntlets (Gauntlet).

• Perk: Can guard against blades.
• How to Get Iron Gauntlets A pair can be obtained by either completing Substory 18 The Reclusive Son or crafting. To do the later, you’ll need 1 Iron Scrap, 10 Beautiful Pelt, 5 Wild Silk, and the Wooden Gauntlets.
• Why they’re great: If you’re used to actually putting your guard up to defend yourself from sword attacks, this perk will ensure you’ll block them. If they’re a strong hit, you might have your defense broken, but you will still protect yourself from it. Of course, if you’re being attacked by the sides or your back, don’t expect to be so lucky.

Divine Dragon Enblem (Headband).

• Perk: Use special moves to reduce heat gauge consumption by 7 percent The Heat Gauge can also be charged at a low rate of health by charging 15 cents per second
• How to Get Divine Dragon Enblem One Eye of the Dragon is required (see Substory 20: How can I quote you on that?). You will need 15 Vermilion Fabrics, 10 Fine Silk Fabrics, and an Iron Hachigane.
• Why it’s great: Reducing the Heat Gauge consumption is a great way of ensuring that you won’t have to wait that long to perform another special move. It also increases Heat Gauge by charging faster when you are low in health. It’s a high-risk, high-reward scenario, as you don’t want to be in low health all the time, but the benefit is worth it — special moves hit hard and can interrupt enemies often.