Ghost of Tsushima Iki Island: Shamans - how to eliminate? Ghost of Tsushima guide, walkthrough
This page of our Ghost of Tsushima guide explains how to identify and eliminate the Mongolian shamans in the Iki Island DLC.
Last update: 24 September 2021
On this page of our Ghost of Tsushima's Iki Island DLC guide you'll find important info regarding the Mongolian shamans, a new enemy type introduced in the expansion. You'll learn how to easily identify shamans, what are their unique abilities and how to reliably dispatch them.
Who are the shamans?
Shamans are a new enemy type you'll encounter often while playing through the Iki Island expansion. Shamans are first encountered on Tsushima, and then in nearly every single large battle.
By default, the shamans buff nearby enemies, making them more formidable in combat and more difficult to eliminate. You should therefore always prioritise killing shamans to prevent them from supporting other Mongols. This applies both to battles that allow you to prepare, and those that immediately throw you into combat.
Eliminating hostile shamans
If the game allows you to do so, try to identified the shaman(s) before combat, so you know who to attack first. Shamans have unique headwear and wield spears.
If the game doesn't allow you to prepare to combat, listen to the unique sounds shamans make to find them.At first, they usually stand on top of hills or stay outside of combat. It's also possible that you'll have to defeat more than a single shaman in an encounter.
If you haven't been noticed yet, your best call is eliminating the shaman via a stealth attack. You can do so by sneaking behind their backs or killing them at range with your longbow or a poison dart.
If a fight breaks out, shooting the shaman with your bow is an option worth considering, especially if you have access to concentration - that is, slowing down time while aiming. By using concentration you can easily aim at the enemy's head.
Shamans can also be defeated in direct combat. If you can use a horse during the encounter, let the shamans be the targets of your charges.
In melee combat use the Wind Stance, the one effective against polearm-wielding enemies. We recommend waiting for a shaman's blue attack, then parrying and countering it.