Quick Answer
For a first playthrough, start with Charm of the Healer from The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu. Fencer’s Strength rewards The Faceless after Okuni’s Kabuki Dance. Protection and Awakening become options after The Demon on the Mount; Oni Power comes later, after In the Light of an Icy Moon. Choose the pair that fixes your next fight, enhance it, and keep any outfit you like.
- First charm to use
- Healer
- Regular sword attacks
- Fencer’s Strength
- Oni gauges
- Awakening / Oni Power
- Costumes
- Appearance only
Best charms for a first playthrough
These are practical priorities, not a damage-score ranking. Healer helps as soon as you obtain it; several strong alternatives arrive much later. Complete the quest in the same row before planning a build around its reward.
- Find all 15 quest rewards and their story requirements
- Find the notebook or butterfly marker for your quest
| Your priority | Charm and effect | Quest reward | Available after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recover from mistakes | Charm of the Healer — improves healing effectiveness | The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu — main story | Complete that mission; it also opens charm enhancement |
| Make regular sword openings count | Fencer’s Strength Charm — boosts regular attack power | The Faceless — Mystery of Kyoto, Eastern Kyoto | Okuni’s Kabuki Dance |
| Lose less health when hit | Charm of Protection — reduces damage taken | The Night Parade — Mystery of Kyoto, Eastern Kyoto | The Demon on the Mount |
| Transform more often | Charm of Awakening — increases Awakening gauge fill rate | A Fishy Story — Chance Encounter | The Demon on the Mount |
| Use your Oni Armament more often | Charm of Oni Power — increases Oni Power gauge fill rate | Restless Spirits — Chance Encounter | In the Light of an Icy Moon |
Three charm combinations to work toward
You begin with one charm slot. Use the first available choice while progressing, then add the second once you have unlocked the capacity and earned the reward. These two-charm cores use base-game quests; no purchase bonus is required.
- Unlock more charm capacity and equip the pair
- Build Guide by Stage — add skills and Armaments
- Adapt the core for later boss fights
| Build | Start with | Two-charm core and acquisition | Why use it / when to change |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-clear survival | Healer — The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu | Healer + Protection. Earn Protection from The Night Parade after The Demon on the Mount. | Better healing plus less damage when hit. Keep Healer while learning; once you survive comfortably, trade the defensive slot for Fencer’s Strength. |
| Steady sword damage | Healer until The Faceless opens after Okuni’s Kabuki Dance | Fencer’s Strength + Healer. Complete The Faceless for Fencer’s Strength; Healer comes from The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu. | Regular sword damage with a recovery option. If healing is no longer the problem, replace Healer with Awakening from A Fishy Story after The Demon on the Mount. |
| Oni Armaments and transformation | Use an earned survival or sword charm while the later quests are locked | Awakening + Oni Power. Finish A Fishy Story after The Demon on the Mount, then Restless Spirits after In the Light of an Icy Moon. | Supports the two different gauges. If you keep dying before you use them, replace one gauge charm with Healer or Protection. |
Keep a farming swap separate from your boss setup
Reaper’s Charm increases Red Soul rewards and comes from An Ugly Business, a Chance Encounter available after To Live is to Suffer. Equip it when you are revisiting enemies you already handle comfortably. Before a boss attempt, consider returning that slot to healing, protection or damage.
A farming bonus does not award Favor directly. Gather offering items as you explore, then use them at the charm shrine. If you still need repeated attempts to survive an encounter, improving your working combat pair is the more useful next purchase.
What actually changes your stats?
| Choice | What it changes | Where to manage it | When to prioritize it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clothing enhancement | Health and stamina progression | Spirit Mirror → Enhance Equipment/Abilities | You run out of room for mistakes |
| Sword enhancement | Sword combat attributes | Spirit Mirror → Enhance Equipment/Abilities | You survive, but sword openings do too little |
| Oni Gauntlet enhancement | Its equipment and ability attributes | Spirit Mirror → Enhance Equipment/Abilities | Check the next enhancement against your Oni strategy |
| Equipped omamori / charms | The passive effect on the equipped charm | Main Menu → Equipment → Charms | You want to support a specific attack or gauge |
| Outfits, haori, sword and gauntlet appearances | Visual design | Spirit Mirror → Change Appearance | Choose the look you enjoy |
What to improve before buying another charm level
Clothing, sword and gauntlet enhancements use their own materials. Charm upgrades use Red Souls and Favor. Spending on a costume does not advance either track.
| What went wrong | Next improvement | Where / requirement |
|---|---|---|
| One missed defense costs too much health | Inspect clothing enhancement and a defensive charm | Equipment Enhancement at a Spirit Mirror; opens during The Oni’s Apprentice |
| You survive but regular sword openings feel weak | Sword enhancement, then Fencer’s Strength if earned | Enhance Equipment/Abilities; Fencer’s Strength rewards The Faceless after Okuni’s Kabuki Dance |
| Your chosen charm works but needs a stronger effect | Enhance the charm you actually equip | Shrine in Enma’s Hall after The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu; costs Red Souls and Favor |
| You own a useful second charm but cannot equip it | Charm Capacity 1 | After the first Oni Portal; costs 2 Power Stones |
| You want a later capacity upgrade | Charm Capacity 2 | After the third Oni Portal; costs 3 Power Stones |
Red Armor and the three haori: choose them for the look
Red Armor and the three Premium haori are appearance choices. Improve the underlying clothing for combat stats, then choose the design you enjoy. The base game also has earned appearances, including sword skins awarded for rescuing Lion Dogs.
| Appearance | Item type | Included with | Combat-stat role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Armor | Musashi outfit | Deluxe Kit | Appearance only |
| Hellfire Haori | Musashi haori | Premium Deluxe content | Appearance only |
| Moonlight Haori | Musashi haori | Premium Deluxe content | Appearance only |
| Cloudbiter Haori | Musashi haori | Premium Deluxe content | Appearance only |
| Base outfit | Default appearance | Base game | Keep using it with your enhanced clothing |
Use owned bonus charms as alternatives
A bonus charm is optional equipment, not a reason to abandon a working quest setup. Lion Dog belongs to eligible purchase offers; White Monkey belongs to eligible Deluxe or Premium purchase offers. Oni Lady, Little Dancer and Mentor are Deluxe Kit charms. Compare the effect shown on the item you own with the job of the slot it would replace.
Kubi Akari is a separate reward for having demo save data. That reward does not mean the demo’s story progress carries into the full game. It is not one of the 15 quest rewards listed in Charm Locations.
Before starting New Game Plus
Charms and their enhancements carry over. Clothing, sword and gauntlet enhancement levels reset, so the familiar outfit on screen does not mean your previous equipment stats are still active. Keep a separate save before the finale, then check the enhancement menu again on the next run.
Direct answers
Frequently asked questions
Which charm should I use first?
Charm of the Healer is the straightforward first choice: it improves healing and is awarded by The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu. You do not need to wait for a late side quest or own Deluxe content.
What is a useful charm combination for regular sword attacks?
Use Fencer’s Strength with Healer for regular attack power and recovery. Fencer’s Strength comes from The Faceless after Okuni’s Kabuki Dance. Once healing is less important, Awakening is an alternative from A Fishy Story after The Demon on the Mount.
What is the difference between Awakening and Oni Power charms?
Awakening improves the transformation gauge’s fill rate. Oni Power improves the gauge used for Oni Armaments. Their quest rewards unlock at different story stages, so the pair is a later setup.
What is the best armor for defense?
Improve clothing through Equipment Enhancement and use an appropriate charm. Red Armor, haori and sword appearances change the look of the equipment; they do not replace its combat upgrades.
Do I need Deluxe or a demo bonus for these builds?
No. The survival, sword and Oni combinations on this page use base-game quest rewards. Bonus charms can be compared separately if you already own them.