Overview
A Tale of Tsushima in Toyotama, kenji tale 3 of 3 — part of the sake merchant whose schemes Jin keeps having to finish.
The Delicate Art of Negotiation belongs to Kenji’s questline: the sake merchant whose schemes Jin keeps having to finish. It is kenji tale 3 of 3, set in Toyotama.
The ally questlines are the game’s best writing and they run in order, so this tale assumes the ones before it. Kenji’s arc rewards being followed as a sequence rather than picked at.
In the game’s own framing: The last of Kenji’s tales: a meeting that turns into a defence, because the other party came to kill him.
This is tale 3 of 3 in Kenji’s arc. The ally questlines run in order and assume the ones before them, so they reward being followed as a sequence rather than picked at.
What to bring
The stances are a counter-table, not a preference: each one is the answer to a specific enemy, and this tale fields the ones below.
- RecommendedStone StanceStone breaks swordsmen, who make up most of every Mongol group.
Objectives
- Find Kenji
- Ride to the meeting
- Continue on foot
- Defend Kenji
- Speak with Kenji
Full walkthroughSpoilers
- 01Find Kenji
At Umugi Cove.
- 02Ride to the meeting
North a long way with him, dismounting at a bridge.
- 03Continue on foot
To the bridge, and find somewhere to wait.
- 04Defend Kenji
Ten to twelve bandits, archers and swordsmen. Stay near him — anything with a red skull is going for Kenji, and losing him fails the tale. Clear the melee first, then answer the archers at range. Deal with the archers first. Everything else in the fight is harder while arrows are landing, and archers fold quickly once you are on them — or take them at range before you commit. Stone Stance handles the swordsmen; its heavy attacks do extra stagger damage and break their guard.
TipStone breaks swordsmen, who make up most of every Mongol group.
Watch outFailure condition — this step can end the tale, not just the fight.
- 05Speak with Kenji
He is in the swamp afterwards.
Enemies in this tale, and how to fight them
Strengths
- Archers — Deal with them before you commit to the melee, because everything else in the fight becomes harder while arrows are landing. Take them with your own bow, drop them from stealth before the fight opens, or close the distance immediately — archers are poor at close range and fold quickly once you are on them. Where the tale gives you high ground, use it: an elevated position means only one side of the field can answer you.
- Swordsmen — Stone Stance, whose heavy attacks do extra stagger damage to sword-wielders and break their guard. Swordsmen are the backbone of nearly every Mongol group, so Stone is the stance you will spend the most time in. Parry timing matters more here than anywhere else: blue attacks can be parried, red ones cannot and have to be dodged.
- Straw Hats / ronin — Japanese swordsmen rather than Mongols, and they fight like it — faster and more technical than the invaders, with less armour. Stone Stance still applies. Standoffs work well against them, and against unarmoured ronin a won standoff often kills outright.
Rewards
- Minor Legend IncreaseA smaller step toward the next Legend rank — the size a side tale, a liberated settlement or a cleared encounter gives.
- Minor Melee CharmA silver charm. Minor charms are weaker than major ones and go in the minor slots — you start with two major slots and unlock up to four minor ones by honouring Inari Shrines, for six equipped at once.
- +6 LeatherUpgrade material. Silk, linen and leather are what armourers and swordsmiths charge to improve your gear.
What this unlocks
Kenji’s tales
Characters in this tale
Sources
- Ghost of Tsushima Walkthrough — PowerPyx
- Ghost of Tsushima Walkthrough — All Tales — PowerPyx