Route: From Gate Path idol, leap through the broken window of the gatehouse straight ahead. Grapple along the high rooftops to your left, drop down directly behind Kawarada, and execute an instant stealth deathblow to eliminate his first health node.
Combat Strategy: Jump over his sweeping perilous attacks and hit jump again (head-stomp) to build huge posture. Deflect his standard three-slash combo.
Route: Rest at Stairway idol, kill the two spear soldiers on the steps, then sneak up the wooden fence. Once the Ogre breaks his bonds, run back down the stairs and hide until he loses aggro. Sneak back up behind him for a free stealth deathblow.
Weakness: Flame Vent prosthetic. Dousing him with oil and blasting fire will stagger him completely for 4-5 free sword swings. Jump backwards away from his perilous diving grab.
Route: Grapple through the broken gatehouse hole where Chained Ogre was tied. Stealth-kill the alarm sentry on the high ledge and the riflemen along the perimeter, de-aggro, then sneak behind Yamauchi for a stealth bar.
Combat Strategy: Watch for his thrust attack (Mikiri Counter) and sweep attack (Jump Counter). Deflecting his heavy vertical slash leaves him open.
Route: Turn 180 degrees from Stairway idol and face the tall cliff with crows perched on rocks. Grapple up the series of cliff trees to the highest peak. The merchant tent sits inside a stone alcove. Purchase for 500 Sen.
Route: After defeating Gyoubu, walk across the battlefield toward the stone stairs leading into the large pagoda building where Tengu stands. Look up at the wooden ceiling beams. Grapple up, jump across the rafters to the high loft, and open the treasure chest.
Route: Pass through the gatehouse corridor past Tengu onto the road to Ashina Castle. Two guards open the gate and the Blazing Bull charges out.
Strategy: Deflect its head-dip charge right as its horns flick upward to stun it for 3 slashes, or sprint behind its flanks and blast Shinobi Firecrackers.
Route: From Estate Path, cross the torchlit bridge guarded by shield bandits. Crouch in the tall grass to assassinate the archer and torch bandit, de-aggro, then backstab Enshin from the bushes.
Strategy: Learn the Mikiri Counter skill from the Shinobi skill tree. When his spear flashes red, dodge forward into the thrust to crush his posture.
Route: Clear the hallway left of the pond first. Pick off all small bandit adds around the courtyard, then de-aggro. Sneak behind Juzou for a free stealth deathblow, then run to Nogami Gensai (friendly blue samurai standing in the reeds) to fight 2v1.
Strategy: Oil + Flame Vent sets him ablaze. Dodge to his side when he vomits poison or chugs his sake gourd.
Route: From Audience Chamber idol, step forward into the hallway. Defeat the two patrol bandits. Look at the wall hanging scroll with painting of a samurai on the left. Hug the wall (revolving door action) to flip into a hidden armory chest.
Route: Head straight up the main castle stairway. Grapple onto the rooftops above to assassinate the 4 riflemen firing at you, drop down behind Matsumoto for a stealth deathblow.
Route: From Reservoir idol, grapple across the tree branches on the left to the cliff ledge. Walk toward the hole in the ground leading down to the well where Wolf woke up in the prologue. Plunge directly onto the purple ninja for a free stealth deathblow.
Strategy: Mikiri counter the 5th kick in his kick-flurry combo. Watch the camera in the cramped sewer!
Route: From Reservoir idol, jump left across the wall, shimmy under the floor of the watchtower, and follow the cliff path around to the back of the Moon-view Tower. Sneak through the hole in the wall and backstab him from behind.
Counter: Mikiri Counter his thrust, then immediately DEFLECT his heavy counter-attack follow-up to stagger him completely.
Route: From Dojo idol, turn around and walk down the stairs into the side room with two blue-robed samurai. Hug the back wall between two decorative suits of armor to flip into the secret room chest.
Route: Directly inside the Dojo room in front of the Ashina Dojo idol behind the paper screen door.
Deflect Master: Watch for the white gleam on his sword sheath. Double-tap Deflect (L1/LB) instantly. Two perfect double-deflects will completely break his posture bar in under 10 seconds! Loaded Umbrella also trivializes this.
Route: From Under-Shrine idol, turn around, jump across the snowy gap, grapple across the canyon, and follow the cliff path around to the cavern with praying mini-tent monuments. Loot the glowing bead sitting behind the stone pyramid.
Route: From Sunken Valley idol, slide down the cliffs, grapple across trees while dodging gunners, and reach the suspended statue platform. De-aggro around the left ledge to perform a stealth deathblow.
Gun Grab: When she hooks her shotgun barrel behind you, tap deflect right as she pulls backwards, or deflect with Loaded Umbrella. Sabimaru deals heavy poison damage to her.
Route: Directly inside the Gun Fort temple room adjacent to the Gun Fort idol. Rhythm-deflect the 10-hit claw flurry and jump stomp his sweep.
Route: After killing Centipede Giraffe, drop through the hole in the floor into the dark crawling cave. Take the right tunnel, grapple across two chasms to the upper ledge, and open the chest guarded by poison geckos.
Route: From Poison Pool idol, grapple to the high wooden Buddha scaffolding on the left. Sneak behind Shirahagi standing on the rock outcrop for an instant stealth bar.
Route: From Poison Pool, grapple up the cliff tunnel leading toward the Guardian Ape rematch cavern. Crouch-walk through the upper crevice above the giant Buddha head statue to reach the bead on top of the head.
Route: In Hidden Forest, grapple across the high tree branch onto the rocky clearing where monkeys surround Tokujiro. Clear the monkeys with Shurikens, de-aggro, and stealth deathblow him.
Route: Walk along the dirt path past the Water Mill idol toward the bridge. Engage the weeping shamisen ghost.
Strategy: Use Divine Confetti and Sabimaru. Deflect her 5-hit dance flurry and jump her perilous sweep.
Route: Past O'Rin, cross the bridge to the large priest house. Crouch under the house floorboards, look up at the shinobi revolving floor door, flip inside, and grapple into the attic rafters to open the chest.
Route: Backtrack to the main Mibu Village lake, dive to the lakebed, and open the glowing chest.
Route: Enter the cavern between Poison Pool and Hidden Forest after killing Guardian Ape in Sunken Valley. Defeat Headless Ape in Phase 1; in Phase 2, use Shinobi Firecrackers to rapidly melt the brown ape mate, then finish Headless Ape with the Loaded Spear.