Ghost of Yotei: Weapon Aligned Explained

Weapon Alignment is a core combat mechanic in Ghost of Yotei that is essential to master in order to become an effective fighter in the lands of Ezo. At higher difficulties like Hard and Lethal, every advantage matters.

However, since the term isn’t really explained all that well by the game’s systems, some may find themselves confused when they’re told to “weapon align.” Luckily, it is a fairly simple mechanic once you know how it works. Here’s the breakdown.

What Does “Weapon Aligned” Mean in Ghost of Yotei?

How Does Weapon Alignment Work in Ghost of Yotei?

Weapon Aligned is a passive buff that increases the overall effectiveness of a weapon when in effect. A weapon is considered “aligned” when it is being wielded against an enemy who is weak or vulnerable to that weapon type. If a weapon is aligned:

• Heavy Attacks inflict much more stagger damage.
• Heavy Attacks interrupt enemy attack sequences.

For instance, the Dual Katana is especially effective against Spear and Polearm-wielding enemies. If Atsu equips the Dual Katana to fight against a spear-wielding enemy, her weapon is aligned. However, if she uses the standard Katana against the same enemy, her weapon is misaligned. Misalignment does not prevent you from dealing damage, but it makes your attacks noticeably less effective.

Other than using the correct weapon type, you do not need to do anything else to make your weapons aligned.

How to Weapon Align in Ghost of Yotei

All Weapon Alignments in Ghost of Yotei

Switch weapons by holding R2 and pressing the appropriate button visible in the pop-up weapon wheel at the bottom right corner of the screen. In addition to the Katana available right from the start of the game, there are four more melee weapon you can unlock in Ghost of Yotei.

The table below shows which weapons are the most effective to use against which enemies.