We’re in the final weekend of Destiny 2‘s Season of the Splicer, and that makes this the final visit of Xur before Season 15 kicks off. With a whole bunch of weapon changes coming next week, this is a great chance to visit Xur for new Exotic weapons and armor.
Xur shows up at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET on Fridays. We’ll update this post as soon as Xur arrives with all the info you need about where to find him and what he’s offering.
Xur returns to the solar system every weekend in Destiny 2, starting with the daily reset at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET each Friday. The thing is, where he’ll land isn’t known until he actually arrives. Xur can hang out at one of several locations, including in the Tower Hangar area, on Nessus in Watcher’s Grave, and in the Winding Cove area of the EDZ. Xur’s inventory also changes each week, so it’s worth revisiting him on the weekends for new weapons and rolls on Exotic armor. You can visit him any time between his arrival Friday and the weekly reset at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET the following Tuesday when Xur departs the solar system.
Each week, Xur offers one Exotic weapon and three pieces of Exotic armor: one for each character class. The inventory is random, as are the stat rolls you can expect on each of his armor offerings, so if you’re looking to fill out your collection or if you’re hoping for better versions of Exotics you already have, it’s worth visiting him. Xur also brings an Exotic Engram, which is guaranteed to drop something you don’t already have, if there are Exotics missing from your collection on that particular character–but that doesn’t include Exotics you have to earn through activities, including the new Exotic armors added each season, which can only be claimed from Legendary or Master Lost Sectors.
One of the newest activities in Ghost of Tsushima‘s Iki Island expansion is Archery Challenges. These time trials challenge you to race against the clock shoot a set number of targets. Below, we detail the locations of every Archery Challenge on Iki Island.
Before you start seeking them out, it’s worth explaining the benefit of doing Archery Challenges. The prize you receive from completing your first one is the Charm of Concentration, which increases the amount of time Jin can remain in concentration mode while shooting arrows.
As mentioned, Archery Challenges are essentially time trials, and there are three times you need to beat: 22 seconds (Bronze), 15 seconds (Silver), and 7 seconds (Gold). Upon successfully beating a time, the Charm of Concentration will earn a increase to the total time it extends Jin’s Concentration. Getting Bronze and Silver is easy enough, but if you hope to achieve Gold at each Archery Challenge, you’ll need to first boost the Charm of Concentration’s effectiveness by getting Bronze and Silver awards across all the challenges, and then doubling back to get the Golds.
East Of Lone Spirit Falls
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This one is likely to be the first Archery Challenge you’ll find. It’s located shortly east of Lone Spirit Falls on the map, not far off from where you emerge upon first setting foot onto the island. When you approach, the raider archer and his friends will verse you on the challenge’s rules.
Raider’s Promontory
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The next Archery Challenge is located right at the center of Raider’s Promontory at the northernmost point of Iki Island. When you reach the area, you’ll notice the way to the raider archers is blocked off. Look left to see some grappling hook points that’ll take you to the challenge.
South Of Yahata Forest
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This Archery Challenge is directly south of Yahata Forest on the east side of Iki Island. You’ll find the raider archers shooting targets in a field of pink flowers.
South Of Kidafure Battlefield
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You can find this Archery Challenge south of Kidafure Battleground. You’ll see the raider archers shooting arrows at lanterns set up on the abandoned houses overgrown with leaves.
East Of Zasho River
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The next Archery Challenge is located east of Zasho River. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see archers shooting targets on a waterfall by a field of pampas grass.
Northwest Of Saruiwa
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You can find this Archery Challenge if you head down the path to Saruiwa on the southwestmost point of Iki Island. You literally can’t miss it; the raider archers are shooting arrows on the beach.
South of Weeping Mother’s Meadow
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While this Archery Challenge is directly southwest of Weeping Mother’s Meadow, it’s technically classified as being on the outskirts of Senjo Gorge. Regardless, head to this area filled with purple-leaf trees, and you’ll encounter a group of raider archers who’ve set up shop to shoot some targets.
Raider Memorial
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This Archery Challenge is located at the Raider Memorial in the southern part of Iki Island. It may seem like a bit of a secret–especially if you weren’t paying attention when you first arrived to talk to the people here.
Essentially, the raiders have created a memorial for warriors who died at the hands of the legendary archer, Tadayori Nagao. Does that name ring any bells? Well, it should, because that’s the name of the person whose armor you earned after completing the Mythic Tale, The Legend of Tadayori. If you’ve not yet completed this Mythic Tale and are still stuck on Iki Island, finish the Tale called Jin From Yarikawa, and then travel back to the Izuhara region and find the storyteller located south of the river at the Rustling Bend.
Regardless, once you have everything you need, put on the complete Tadayori armor set, and then talk to the man hunched over at the top of the staircase to the right to unlock this Archery Challenge.
In Ghost of Tsushima‘s Iki Island expansion, you’ll once again have a laundry list of collectibles and activities to chase. There’s a slew of new things to do, but there’s also some returning stuff, such as hot springs, where you can rest and increase Jin’s maximum health. Hot springs, in particular, will be paramount for the journey ahead as the expansion is more difficult than the base game, so it helps to have a little extra health. Below, we detail the locations of every hot spring on Iki Island.
For more about Ghost of Tsushima’s Iki Island expansion, be sure to read our full review. Otherwise, be sure to check out our other Iki Island guides and our guides for the first game.
Gonura Cape Hot Spring
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As its name implies, you’ll find this hot spring around Gonura Cape. It’s slightly south of where the location is marked on the map. If you’re heading toward it, you’ll easily intuit where it is from the steam emanating out into the sky. Regardless, you’ll know you’re in the right place when you see a large Buddha statue and some monkeys hanging out by the steamy water.
Senjo Gorge Hot Spring
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The Senjo Gorge Hot Spring is a bit radius to reach, as the terrain is pretty unfriendly–it is a gorge, after all. Regardless, when you arrive at the area, try sticking to the leftmost side of the gorge and go up and around until you reach a pool connecting two waterfalls. Cross that and go up the hill until you reach the Senjo Gorge Hot Spring.
With the release of Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut also comes a new expansion set on Tsushima’s neighboring Iki Island. Like the base game, this new portion has plenty of collectibles to find, including the ever-useful Bamboo Strikes, which expand Jin’s maximum Resolve–a meter that allows you to heal in battle and execute powerful special abilities.
Since the Iki Island expansion is technically post-release content, it’s a fair bit more difficult than the base game. This is mainly due to Mongol enemies who constantly switch their weaponry on the fly, requiring you to switch your katana stances more frequently to attack and defend yourself properly. Thanks to the increased challenge, you may often find yourself at death’s door, so it helps to ensure you get more Resolve to help you better tackle the challenges ahead. There are a total of two Bamboo Strikes to discover on Iki Island; below, we detail how to find them.
Buddha’s Footprints Bamboo Strike
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As its name implies, you’ll find this Bamboo Strike near Buddha’s Footprints. It’s located at the southernmost tip of Iki Island, near the Shrine in Shadow and the Raider Memorial.
Shipwreck Bamboo Strike
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The Shipwreck Bamboo Strike is located at a point between Barrier Cove and Zasho Bay on the eastern side of the island. It’s on a cliffside overlooking a burning ship. When you arrive at the point on the map, you’ll see a wall you can pull down with your grappling hook. Once the path is clear, squeeze through the opening and you’ll find the last Bamboo Strike on Iki Island.
For more about Ghost of Tsushima’s Iki Island expansion, be sure to read our full review. Otherwise, be sure to check out our other Iki Island guides and our guides for the first game.
One of the most intriguing new activities in Ghost of Tsushima‘s Iki Island expansion is the series of “Memory” flashbacks. Each is titled with a different theme and covers specific instances in Jin’s past that help inform us of his relationship with his father. They’re marked in the world by the presence of a cherry blossom tree, a fraying clan Sakai banner, and a white deer. Below, we detail how to find every single Memory on Iki Island.
For more about Ghost of Tsushima’s Iki Island expansion, be sure to read our full review. Otherwise, be sure to check out our other Iki Island guides and our guides for the first game.
Memory Of Anguish
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Memory of Anguish is located at a point between Kemono Trail and Kidafure Battleground.
Memory Of Sorrow
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Memory of Sorrow is located north of Thunderhead Cliffs at the northeast corner of the map.
Memory Of Kinship
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You’ll find the Memory of Kinship at Senjo Gorge, located on the island’s southern side.
Memory Of Foreboding
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Memory of Foreboding is located southwest of Barrier Cove at the northeast section of the island.
Memory Of An Unfinished Song
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You’ll find the Memory of an Unfinished Song northwest of Sly Hunter’s Forest on a small ridge overlooking Raider’s Promontory. However, it’s important to note that this memory doesn’t unlock until after you’ve completed all the previous ones, as it’s the final one that bookends Jin’s remembrance of his father.
Reward: Tempest’s End
After completing that emotional journey, you’ll receive a new Sword Kit called Tempest’s End. A worthy prize for Jin after taking a trip down memory lane. You also unlock the Elegy for Kazumasa trophy.
Ghost of Tsushima‘s Iki Island expansion offers a new side-activity centered around freeing captured monkeys from the Mongols and then playing a flute mini-game. Below, we’ve compiled a guide on how to find them all.
Completing one Monkey Sanctuary earns you the Charm of Mashira’s Protection. This defense charm extends the window of your Perfect Parry and Perfect Dodge maneuvers upon healing yourself with Resolve, and completing subsequent Monkey Sanctuaries increases that window even more. However, when the charm is equipped, it’s worth noting that all healing costs one additional Resolve point.
For more about Ghost of Tsushima’s Iki Island expansion, be sure to read our full review. Otherwise, be sure to check out our other Iki Island guides and our guides for the first game.
East Of Raider’s Promontory Monkey Sanctuary
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The first Monkey Sanctuary you’re likely to encounter is east of Raider’s Promontory, located on the northeast side of Iki Island. You’ll see a group of Mongols guarding some cages; take them out and liberate your monkey friends!
Saruiwa Overlook Monkey Sanctuary
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This next Monkey Sanctuary is linked to the Saruiwa Overlook Mongol camp. You can find it southwest of Smuggler’s Wood atop a mountain beside a small house. However, you cannot interact with it until you liberate the nearby Saruiwa Overlook Mongol camp and free the monkeys trapped in cages scattered around the premises.
Saruiwa Mountain Monkey Sanctuary
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The last Monkey Sanctuary is located at the top of a mountain at Saruiwa, located at the southwestmost point of Iki Island. When you arrive at the foot of the mountain, look for a path leading up to an area with two monkey statues. Proceed up that way to enter a platforming route leading to the top of the mountain. Since you’re here, be sure to nab the hidden trophy “Monkey See”–we have a Monkey See Hidden Trophy guide that can help.
Ghost of Tsushima‘s Iki Island expansion introduces more of the base game’s established activities for you to seek out. The platforming-focused Shinto Shrines return, but this time around, you’ll only have one new one to complete. Below, we detail the location of the Nakajima Shrine.
For more about Ghost of Tsushima’s Iki Island expansion, be sure to read our full review. Otherwise, be sure to check out our other Iki Island guides and our guides for the first game.
How To Find Nakajima Shrine
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You can find the Nakajima Shrine at the farthest southeastern point of Iki Island, on Nakajima Island. The shrine itself is relatively straightforward, consisting of climbing and platforming sections with a few grappling hook obstacles thrown in between.
When you take down that first branch with your grappling hook, be mindful of the small pit ahead that has a frog statue made of stone. Beside it is a Sakai Banner to collect, so jump down and grab it. Once you knock down a tree trunk to cross, make sure to check where it has landed between some rocks and vines; on the far side of the greenery is a chest that contains the Nature’s Rhythm bandana.
Also worth noting: after you cross the first hole that you need to get low to step through, you’ll see a stairway leading up to what looks like a Pillar of Honor. Leaning up against it is the Masahira’s Bite Sword Kit. Be sure to collect it before continuing forward.
Otherwise, keep moving through the various obstacles, and you’ll be finished with Nakajima Shrine in no time.
Reward: Charm of Reflexive Sight
As you might recall, reaching the end of a Shinto Shrine rewards you with a powerful charm accessory. When you finish up your business at the Nakajima Shrine, you’ll be rewarded with the Charm of Reflexive Sight. With it equipped, you can automatically aim your bow at an enemy who is about to see you instead of needing to aim manually at them in the heat of the moment. It’s a handy charm that can help more clumsy stealth players remain undetected.
Note: This article contains spoilers for the Blood-Stained Shrine on Iki Island. If you’d rather solve its puzzles yourself, read no further.
Hidden on Iki Island in the Ghost of Tsushima expansion content are three strange shrines adorned by huge statues. On your “Collections” menu, these are referred to as Wind Shrines, and each contains a riddle you’ll need to solve. If you’re a fan of other PlayStation exclusives, you should recognize what they’re referencing–three era-defining PlayStation 4 games. Those games are Bloodborne, God of War, and Shadow of the Colossus, and unlocking their riddles earns you cosmetic armors that were previously only available in Ghost of Tsushima’s Legends mode.
Look for the Blood-Stained Shrine near the west coast of Iki Island, on Gonoura Cape.
Head to the west side of Iki island, to Gonoura Cape. You’ll find the shrine near the coast, before you hit the Viper’s Den. Look for it on top of a rolling green hill.
How To Solve The Blood-Stained Shrine Riddle
When you enter the shrine, you’ll notice a lot of elements recalling Bloodborne and its setting of Yarnham. Specifically, the shrine is a reference to Eileen the Crow, one of the NPC Hunters you can find in the game, and you’ll find black feathers and loud crows all over the area.
The Blood-Stained Shrine contains a mural of the moon and is littered with crow feathers.
Venture to the base of the statue and you’ll find a scroll with a poem giving you a hint about what you need to do in the shrine:
The first green of spring sickens to black, decaying, plagued by blood and beast. Hunter, reject death’s allure. Prepare to duel man’s frailty.
The poem is full of references to what happens in Bloodborne–it’s about a town plagued by blood and beasts, after all. But it also tells you what you need to do in the shrine. Specifically, it refers to the reader as Hunter, and tells you to “reject death’s allure.”
First, to embody the Hunter, you’ll need to wear the Kensei armor, which you can earn from the Mythic Tale The Six Blades of Kojiro. Next, you’ll need to “reject death’s allure.” Put another way, you need to stop yourself from dying–otherwise known as healing yourself. Make sure you have some Resolve banked and inflict some injury on Jin by jumping off one of the high rocks that wall the shrine. Land in front of the statue and then heal yourself by pressing down on the D-Pad.
Deck yourself out like you’re headed to the Hunt with the Yarnham Vestments cosmetic for the Kensei Armor.
That’ll trigger a cutscene, and when you finish, you’ll earn two Bloodborne-themed items: the Yarnham Helm and the Yarnham Vestments, which is a cosmetic for the Kensei Armor made to look like Eileen the Crow.
Note: This article contains spoilers for the Shrine in Shadow on Iki Island. If you’d rather solve its puzzles yourself, read no further.
Ghost of Tsushima‘s new Iki Island expansion includes three major Easter eggs referencing other major PlayStation-exclusive games: Shadow of the Colossus, Bloodborne, and God of War. To locate these Easter eggs and unlock some of the coolest rewards in the game, you need to locate Iki Island’s three Wind Shrines and solve their riddles. Each packs a cosmetic armor set previously only available in the Legends mode. To unlock the Shadow of the Colossus armor hidden on Iki, you’ll need to track down the Shrine in Shadow.
Note that to complete this shrine, you’ll need theGhost Armor.
Where To Find The Shrine In Shadow
Look for the Shrine in Shadow near the southern coast of Iki Island.
Head to the southern coast of Iki Island, almost dead center in the middle of the map, to find the Shrine In Shadow. It’s situated up in the cliffs of Buddha’s Footprints and can be tough to reach. Approach it from the east side and try to find a spot marked with a mat and a candle where you can jump across to reach the shrine’s entrance. Be careful, though–one of the handholds will break free, and you’ll need to catch the one below it to keep yourself from a painful fall to the rocks below.
How To Solve The Shrine In Shadow Riddle
Once you enter the shrine, you’ll quickly see its references to Shadow of the Colossus. The mark painted on the base of the statue at the shrine’s center is also the mark that adorns that games’ colossi, marking where you can stab them and inflict damage. The base of the statue is also covered in fur pelts, mimicking the fur of the colossi that protagonist Wander uses to climb the huge beasts in order to destroy them.
The shrine is marked with the symbol you’d find on a colossus, the sword protagonist Wander uses to slay them, and the inky darkness that bleeds from their wounds.
In the center of the shrine is a scroll containing a poem that recalls Shadow of the Colossus’s story, while also giving you hints about how to solve the shrine:
Stone knows no season, Nor the colossus that was felled to save one soul. Wanderer, come like through mist, a ghost casting no shadow.
The last two lines of the poem contain the clues, addressing you as Wanderer and telling you to “come like through mist, a ghost casting no shadow.”
Since the poem tells you to act like a ghost, you might have already guessed that you’ll need to wear the Ghost Armor to complete the puzzle. The second part is a little more confusing, where you’re told to “come like through mist.” While there’s a song for your flute that will change the weather to create mist, that’s not what the riddle is looking for.
The Armor of the Colossus is a cosmetic applied to the Ghost armor.
Instead, stand in the middle of the shrine wearing the Ghost Armor and throw a smoke bomb to fulfill the requirements of the poem. That’ll trigger a cutscene, and you’ll receive your Shadow of the Colossus-themed rewards: the Mask of the Colossus and the Armor of the Colossus, a cosmetic for the Ghost Armor.
Note: This article contains spoilers for the Shrine of Ash on Iki Island. If you’d rather solve its puzzles yourself, read no further.
Scattered across Iki Island in Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut are three Wind Shrines that contain some of the coolest cosmetic rewards in the game. Each reward is themed on a major PlayStation exclusive game, and each lets you do a little cosplay in Tsushima as you fight the Mongols. However, to unlock the three armor sets, you’ll have to find the three shrines–and solve some confusing riddles along the way.
Note that to complete this shrine, you’ll need theSakai Clan Armor.
How To Find The Shrine Of Ash
Head to the eastern coast of Iki, east of Tatsu’s Ladder and north of Yahata Forest, to find the shrine.
You’ll find the Shrine of Ash near the eastern coast of Iki Island, just south of the river delta near Tatsu’s Ladder. Look for the shrine set into a hill, which you can approach from the west to find stairs leading down. It’s marked by white birch trees, which make it stand out from the surrounding forest.
How To Solve The Shrine Of Ash Riddle
Fans of God of War will immediately pick up on why the aforementioned birch trees are important to this shrine. To the left of the statue, you’ll see one of the birch trees marked with a handprint. In God of War, that handprint belonged to Freya, Kratos’s wife and the mother of Atreus, Kratos’s son. Also buried in the birch tree is an axe, recalling both Kratos’s actions at the start of the game to chop down those special trees, and the Leviathan axe that is his central weapon in the game. This one’s quite a bit simpler, however.
That’s not the Leviathan axe in the Shrine of Ash, unfortunately.
In the center of the shrine is a scroll with a poem that recalls the story of God of War and gives you the clues you need to unlock the shrine:
In fall, a tree fruits which grows from seed to sapling, a stranger and son. Boy, honor your father’s fight. Show him the strength of your blade.”
The meaningful parts of the poem for our purposes are the last two lines. They tell you to “honor your father’s fight” and “show him the strength of your blade.” Those are the clues we need to solve the Shrine of Ash.
Each shrine is solved by wearing a specific set of armor and performing a specific action. For this one, you’ll need the Sakai Clan Armor found during Act 2 of Ghost of Tsushima. That armor belonged to Jin’s father, Kasumasa Sakai, and he was wearing it when he died fighting raiders on Iki–so to “honor your father’s fight,” you’ll need to wear his armor.
Next, the poem says to “show him the strength of your blade.” This one is pretty simple, actually–just swipe to the right on your controller’s touchpad to draw your sword while standing in the shrine.
The God of War armor is a cosmetic you can unlock for the Sakai Clan armor, complete with Kratos-themed helmet and face mask.
If you’ve got the Sakai armor on, you’ll trigger a cutscene and earn your rewards: the Helm of War, Spartan face mask, and Ghost of Sparta cosmetic for the Sakai Clan Armor.
