In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the phrase “with great power comes great responsibility” rings true as you channel your abilities to seek revenge against a group of Ronin responsible for unspeakable evil. The game features a vast world teeming with intriguing characters, exemplified by the Guardian Spirit side quest.
In this quest, you’ll set out to find Ronin warriors scattered across the remote provinces of the AC Shadows universe. This mission is secondary and can be easily overlooked during gameplay. This guide will help you locate the Guardian Spirit side quest and complete its objectives with ease.
How to Begin the Guardian Spirit Quest
To initiate the Guardian Spirit quest, you must first finish the story mission titled “The Horseman,” along with the First Act of the game. If you’ve accomplished that, travel west to the Harima region, where you’ll find the quest starting point located inside the Itatehyzou Shrine. There, a young girl weeping in the southeast corner will offer you the quest.
Upon speaking with her, she reveals that she is an orphan whose mother fell victim to the Ronin. You make a promise to help her avenge her mother by taking down the Ronin, who have resorted to violence in the absence of Oda Obunaga.
The Guardian Spirit quest is broken into three parts, all listed under the orphan girl in the People of Harima section of your Objectives menu. Defeating five Ronin will earn you 500 EXP and 750 Mon. If you manage to take down ten Ronin, you’ll receive another 500 EXP, as well as 225 oakwood and 270 silk. The final challenge is to eliminate a total of 25 Ronin, which rewards you with 750 EXP, 300 ironsand, and 300 tamahagane.
Guide to Ronin Locations
Unlike many quests in AC Shadows, you won’t receive hints for locating the Ronin in the Harima region for this mission. However, reliable spots for Ronin appearances are shown on the map above. Keep in mind that for locations one and three, you might only find one Ronin, if any. While this makes those encounters easier, it will take longer to reach your goal of defeating 25 Ronin. By looping around all three locations, you can allow time for the Ronin to respawn after you’ve eliminated a group.
Only the Ronin you defeat in the Harima region count toward the total of 25 needed to complete this side quest.
The Harima location with the highest number of Ronin is undoubtedly Habayama Camp (location two). There, you can typically find five or six Ronin, with some wandering the paths around the camp as well. Taking them on can be challenging, but it significantly speeds up your mission completion.
Strategies for Defeating Ronin in Combat
Ronin are among the toughest foes you’ll face in AC Shadows. They have considerable health and inflict devastating damage, making a single hit lethal if your character isn’t sufficiently leveled up or doesn’t have robust armor. A misaligned block or dodge may lead to desynchronization, particularly in groups, which can be frustrating even at lower difficulties.
If you’re playing as Naoe, elimination through stealth is typically not an option, as the Ronin are often too powerful for that. Your best chance is direct combat, but you can implement a few tactics to ease the challenge.
First, consider playing as Yasuke, as he’s more likely to withstand a blow and can deal more damage than Naoe. Yasuke has a Mastery Ability which proves useful for taking down Ronin at the Habayama Camp. If you have the War Kick Samurai ability equipped, you can kick Ronin off a cliff and into the woods if they’re positioned in a gap in the walls. The fall damage typically finishes them off and will also grant you the “This is Japan, Actually” trophy/achievement if you haven’t acquired it yet.
Make sure to save frequently, as you could easily lose progress between confrontations with the Ronin if the game fails to autosave regularly.
Returning to the Orphan
Once you have defeated the final 25th Ronin, return to the orphan girl at the Itatehyzou Shrine. Speak with her, and she will express her gratitude for your efforts in defeating the Ronin, rewarding you with gold and 2,000 Mon.
