Gear & Armor
While Kiryu Kazuma is a force of nature on his own, even the Dragon of Dojima benefits from a little extra protection and utility. In Yakuza 6, "Gear & Armor" refers to the various accessories and protective items you can equip to enhance Kiryu's stats, provide special effects, and give you an edge in combat. Unlike previous Yakuza titles, there isn't traditional "armor" in the sense of full suits, but rather individual pieces that offer significant boosts.
Understanding Gear Slots
Kiryu has three primary gear slots available:
- Head: Typically offers defensive bonuses or specific resistances.
- Torso: Often provides the most substantial defensive boosts and sometimes HP regeneration.
- Legs/Feet: Can improve movement speed, evasion, or offer minor defensive buffs.
Additionally, some items function as general accessories and can be equipped in any available slot, offering a wider range of effects from attack power increases to experience gain bonuses.
Acquiring Gear
Gear in Yakuza 6 can be obtained through several methods:
- Shops: Various shops throughout Kamurocho and Onomichi sell basic to mid-tier gear. Keep an eye out for specialty stores that might stock unique items.
- Substories: Completing certain substories will reward you with powerful and often unique gear pieces. Always check substory rewards!
- Minigames: Excelling in minigames like the Clan Creator, Batting Cages, or Darts can earn you valuable exchange points or direct gear rewards.
- Locker Keys: Finding and opening lockers scattered across both cities often yields useful items, including gear.
- Battle Rewards: Defeating particularly tough enemies or bosses, especially in the later chapters or during specific events, can drop rare gear.
- Treasure Hunting (Diving): In Onomichi, participating in the diving minigame can uncover rare and valuable items, including high-tier accessories.
Recommended Early-Game Gear
Focus on these items to give Kiryu a solid foundation in the early chapters:
- Toughness Belt:
- Effect: Minor defense boost, small chance to resist stun.
- Location: Available for purchase at Don Quijote in Kamurocho (around 5,000 Yen). A good early investment.
- Rogue's Talisman:
- Effect: Increases evasion slightly. Crucial for avoiding damage in early fights.
- Location: Can be found in a locker (check the map for locker key locations) or sometimes as a reward for early substories.
- Brawler's God Amulet:
- Effect: Small increase to attack power.
- Location: Often a reward for completing early "Trouble Mission" requests from the Information Dealer or found in lockers.
Mid-Game & Advanced Gear Strategies
As you progress, prioritize gear that offers more substantial stat boosts and unique effects:
Defensive Powerhouses
- Sacred Wood Armor:
- Effect: Significant defense boost, moderate resistance to heat attacks.
- Location: Reward for completing the "A New Gauntlet" substory (Chapter 5 onwards). This is a must-have for durability.
- Dragon God Amulet:
- Effect: High defense, minor HP regeneration during combat.
- Location: Extremely rare drop from high-level enemies in the Clan Creator or as a reward for completing the "Dragon's Gauntlet" challenge.
Offensive Enhancers
- War God Talisman:
- Effect: Substantial increase to attack power, especially during Heat Mode.
- Location: Can be purchased from the Secret Shop in Kamurocho (unlocked after completing certain substories) for a hefty price, or as a reward for winning specific tournaments at the Coliseum.
- Eye of the Dragon:
- Effect: Increases critical hit rate and damage.
- Location: A rare find during the diving minigame in Onomichi, or as a reward for completing all "Trouble Missions" in a specific area.
Utility & XP Gain
- Ebisu Talisman:
- Effect: Increases money gained from battles. Essential for funding your upgrades and purchases.
- Location: Reward for completing the "The Hungry Dragon" substory (Chapter 4 onwards).
- Mentor's Bracelet:
- Effect: Increases experience points gained from battles. Equip this whenever you're grinding!
- Location: Can be purchased from the Secret Shop in Onomichi after progressing through the story, or as a reward for achieving high scores in certain minigames.
Optimizing Your Loadout
Consider your playstyle and the challenges ahead when choosing your gear:
- Boss Fights: Prioritize defensive gear like the Sacred Wood Armor and items that boost Heat Gauge gain or critical hits, such as the War God Talisman.
- Grinding/Exploration: Equip utility items like the Ebisu Talisman and Mentor's Bracelet to maximize your rewards.
- Trouble Missions: If you're struggling with specific enemy types, look for gear that offers resistance to their attacks (e.g., stun resistance, elemental resistance if applicable).
Experiment with different combinations to find what works best for Kiryu and your current objectives. Don't be afraid to swap gear frequently!