With the content equivalent of its own game, and coming with the tiny price tag of "free," players were rightfully excited about Ghost of Tsushima's newest expansion patch. The reward for buying the game doubled in investment, as single-player enthusiasts got the opportunity to play the game over again with some new upgrades.
The multi-player was the other half of this coin and what a grand co-operative experience it has become. Beforehand, one of the few reservations came with the speculation of a healing class, the Ronin. Fans of MMORPGs and tabletop gaming know how hard it is to find a competent healer. Validating these concerns, after only a few days of gaming, pro players recognize that gold medals are impossible to achieve without at least one, who has the right build and player strategy.
10 Healing Incense
There is a lively debate to be had about the best class abilities and perks between the four classes. There is simply no disagreement at all among high-level players about the best class ability for the Ronin to select.
With apologies to the animal-loving gamer community (there are other games for them), the Spirit Animal is a bad choice, with a long cooldown and a dog that sometimes staggers enemies but mostly just gets knocked around. Healing Incense, conversely, heals teammates with a low cooldown, freeing the team of dependency on drums.
9 Ronin Unleashed
Among the many details hidden in Ghost of Tsushima are the mathematics. This is a prime example; Ronin get familiar with their loadouts, but after using something that reduces cooldowns by 15%, the game does not do the new math for the player.
The answer is that Healing Incense, with this perk chosen, is astonishingly down to under 36 seconds of cooldown. An extra 50% to Ghost Weapons is not all that useful and the other choice, weakening enemies by 25%, is alright for longer boss fights, but nothing compares to extra healing output.
8 Quick Regen
The process of ranking up in Legends mode will entail engaging in some epic duels, which are every bit as tough as the campaign. The Ronin is not a stand back and watch kind of healer, meaning knicks and bruises are part of the game.
The Resolve Increase is an OK choice in players that insist on using Weakening Burst, but that's a build specialized for having other Ronin do the healing. The extra 15% stagger damage is nowhere near good enough (especially on bosses that don't stagger). So the clear winner is the extra 50% healing and regeneration.
7 Soothing Breath
The other three classes all have a legitimate reason to experiment with their perk 3 slots. The Ronin class does not, but this is not unfortunate news. Adding healing onto the ultimate is such a core mechanic that gold level groups expect their Ronin to heal this way regularly.
The other options, an extra legendary item or fire breath, are really good for damage, but that is not the Ronin's job. The ultimate is great for resurrection, but without this perk, it leaves the team just a hit or two away from death afterward. This perk also allows for some ultimate versatility (more on this later).
6 Physical Revival
This is a critical mistake made by amateur Ronin players. They see one player go down and crank their ultimate. Nothing is harder than one of Ghost of Tsushima's infamous boss fights when the party's Ronin used his ultimate in the prior battle against trash mobs.
Don't be afraid to resurrect someone the good old fashioned away of holding R2 by their body. This has no cooldown and so long as the Samurai has the attention of the group, it's safe. Plus, if following along with the pro advice, the Ronin can heal these fallen comrades as soon as they are helped to their feet.
5 Breath Of Izanami Usage
It's always a good idea to brush up on some expert tips for the game in general before getting into the nitty-gritty of Ghost of Tsushima's Legends mode. One specific takeaway is that players use their skills in a variety of ways.
So it is with the Breath of Izanami ultimate ability. The class ability boasts of resurrecting all three teammates when they are downed. If the battle has gotten so bad that all three partners have died, though, the fight is probably already lost. Remember that there is healing tied to this ability and it's perfectly fine to use it when the party is in a tight spot before they go down.
4 Fight!
The trick with the ultimate is that it requires resolve. A Ronin that strictly heals and avoids combat can forgetfully arrive at the final boss fight and realize that they still don't have the juice it takes to cast their moves.
There is another important angle to this as well; the majority of healing from the Ronin originates from the Ronin himself. So in order to heal the Samurai or Assassin, the Ronin must be in combat alongside them. Throw in a few blows against some of the weaker enemies while they work to take down the tougher ones.
3 Legendary Ghost Weapons
The Ronin is in a unique position in that his blows are helpful but not necessary to win fights. Any damage the Ronin adds is a bonus to what the Hunter and Assassin are already dishing out, so Ronin players should not feel the need to equip legendary bows or katanas.
This is a creative license to explore some of those amazing charms and ghost weapons in Ghost of Tsushima's Legends mode. There are a few that apply healing to self and allies. Pro players in gold medal runs have shown that previously mentioned healing bonuses stack with these legendary items!
2 Tactical Retreats
Standing supreme in the land of newbie errors is getting killed as the Ronin. Players cannot heal or use ultimates when downed. At high-tier difficulties, when the Ronin player dies, the rest, no matter how skilled, drop within the next few seconds.
The flow of battle should be to engage in melee combat, cast some healing abilities, and then get out of there when the tough enemies close in. After the cooldowns are back and available, get back in there, heal up, and try to avoid damage. Simply, just don't die, it's the quickest way for a Ronin to go from hero to zero in the eyes of his teammates.
1 Support Besides Healing
With a primary job of healing and a secondary job of damage, new Ronin players might forget about any other aspects of the game while trying to balance these two. The Ronin is a dynamic role that must be filled exclusively by equally dynamic players.
While escaping from the heat of combat, cut down any enemies that have engaged the Hunter or Assassin, since they must be unnoticed to be doing their best work. Call out additional combatants as they enter the field. If the Samurai gets overwhelmed, take over tanking responsibilities for a bit with the assistance of some self-healing.