Skip to main content
If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Ghost of Tsushima: How to Beat the General Temuge Boss Fight Duel

As part of the "Ghost of Yarikawa" quest, you'll battle to save the town and duel with General Temuge, who's been coordinating the siege.

Joel Franey avatar
Guide by Joel Franey Contributor
Updated on

While trying to amass help in Ghost of Tsushima, Jin Sakai must help defend the town of Yarikawa from a Mongol siege, led by the fearsome General Temuge. We'll show you how to beat the General Temuge boss fight duel and the very special reward you'll get for doing so.

On this page:

How to Beat the General Temuge Boss Fight Duel in Ghost of Tsushima

To beat General Temuge in Ghost of Tsushima, you'll need to have a strong knowledge of three things: Water Stance combat, evading unblockable attacks, and how to deal with fire weapons. Temuge fights from behind a shield and lights his sword on fire, trying to whittle down your health from a place of safety. We've laid out some basic tips and strategies on how to beat General Temuge below.

Cover image for YouTube videoGhost of Tsushima - Gameplay Walkthrough
Watch on YouTube

General Temuge Tips and Strategy

  • In this battle you should spend the whole thing in Water Stance, which is ideal for fighting shield users.
  • The Sakai Clan Armor or Samurai Clan Armor are strong options for keeping safe, both giving health boosts.
  • If you have any spare technique points, we recommend the following: Perfect Dodge (this one can make a huge difference), Roll, Perfect Parry, Resolved Parry, and any/all techniques in the Water Stance section.
  • Temuge has a lot of health, so trying to rush in isn't going to be effective. Play defensively and wait for him to give you an open. If you aren't sure about an attack, don't commit to it.
  • Don't use Resolve for anything but healing. You'll be fighting him for a while, after all.
  • Temuge will regularly set his sword on fire, making his attacks briefly unblockable. Keep dodging backwards while his sword is burning.
  • If his sword is on fire, his three-swing combo actually ends in a brief flare of flame in front of him, risking damaging you even if the sword misses. Dodge sideways to stay out of its way.
  • If set on fire, either use the Roll ability to extinguish it or burn some resolve healing it away. Do so quickly, as the longer you're on fire, the worse things get. It's pretty universal, that fact.
  • Temuge will regularly do a shield bash. Whether or not his sword is on fire, this attack is also unblockable.
  • Alternatively, a quick attack while he's doing this can interrupt and cancel out the fire.
  • Temuge's big weakness is his extreme vulnerability to stagger damage. If you have the Flowing Strikes technique from the Water Stance tree, you can crack his defence in a single combo, leaving him vulnerable to follow-up attacks.
General Temuge is a dangerous opponent with a lot of health. | Joel Franey/USG, Sucker Punch Productions/Sony

After beating General Temuge, you'll have a brief cutscene, followed by the new option to "Slaughter" when standing behind him. You've just unlocked Ghost Stance, a powerful mode we've outlined here. The rest of the quest is easy, involving you practicing your overpowered new style on terrified enemies.

There's a lot more Ghost of Tsushima content here for you to enjoy! Mike's review is waiting for you here, or why not take a look at our interview with Daisuke Tsuji, the voice of Jin Sakai himself?

Read this next