Should You Kill Or Spare Gonzo In Rise Of The Ronin?

Summary Sparing Gonzo in Rise of the Ronin leads to valuable items and an ally who aids in challenging missions.

Killing Gonzo grants unique rewards like the Bandit Chief's Odachi and "Merciless" title but forgoes a potential ally.

Developing bonds and completing missions with key allies like Ryoma Sakamoto and Kogoro Katsura leads to better rewards.

The first important choice to make in Rise of the Ronin is whether to kill or spare the bandit chief, Gonzo. The game is full of consequential decisions which can radically affect the overall journey, but not as much the final outcome. Bonds are a fundamental mechanic in Rise of the Ronin, but some players meet the sharp end of a katana before ever developing a relationship with the main character.

Gonzo is a side character in Rise of the Ronin, voiced by Andrew Futaishi, who first appears in the game's sixth main mission, "Curtain Falls, Curtain Rises." In this mission, players have the choice to either kill or spare Gonzo, each choice leading to a different path for the character. If players decide to kill Gonzo, he is removed from the rest of the game entirely, but if he's spared, he changes the future of a particular side mission and can also become an ally.

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What Is The Incentive For Sparing Gonzo In Rise Of The Ronin?

Gonzo Has 82 Strength, 71 Dexterity, 71 Charm, and 53 Intelligence

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For those who are feeling generous and decide to spare Gonzo in Rise of the Ronin, the only rewards this action yields immediately are several unimportant consumables that are essentially irrelevant. He does still give up the key to his Storehouse and the Permit into Yokohama, which are both critical quest items. But, the incentive for sparing this Bandit Chief lies not in the mundane items he rewards immediately, but rather in the gift of friendship he bestows in the long run.

The choice to spare Gonzo comes after fighting him; players must still defeat him in Rise of the Ronin's first truly difficult Boss fight and then decide whether to take his life or let him go.

After sparing Gonzo, the player will run into him again in a future side mission titled "The Bad Bunch." In this quest, a stranger asks the player to go rough up a criminal who stole from them. The criminal turns out to be Gonzo, who thanks the player once again for sparing his life, and then the same choice from before — kill or spare — appears again. If the player decides to spare Gonzo a second time in Rise of the Ronin, the duo returns to the original stranger and kills him and his associates.

After completing this stranger quest, the player then forms a bond with Gonzo, and he becomes an ally that can be used in missions going forward. He quickly proves to be quite useful, as Rise of the Ronin combat can be difficult alone. Another important factor to note: upgrading Bond level with Gonzo ultimately rewards all the weapons and combat styles that the player receives by killing him initially. For those who like larger swords, Gonzo's Bandit Chief's Odachi is one of the most effective weapons in the early stage of the game.

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What Does It Mean To Kill Gonzo In Rise Of The Ronin?

Gonzo's Favorite Gifts Are Treasured Sake And A Western Cigar

There are no charades or quirky escapes at either junction where the player has the option to kill Gonzo; eliminating him effectively takes him off the board for the remainder of the game. The main incentive for killing Gonzo lies in the rewards that can be claimed from his body, which include the Bandit Chief's Odachi, the Jigen-Ryu combat style, and the "Merciless" title. Slaying Gonzo in Rise of the Ronin is the only way to attain the "Merciless" title, which increases the player's strength, increasing overall weapon damage.

Although taking Gonzo's life doesn't reward a cool set of armor in Rise of the Ronin, the weapon, combat style, and new title are still helpful, especially in the early game. However, all of these (except the title) can be earned over time by sparing his life and developing a Bond with him, which overshadows any reason to kill him. If the player decides to kill Gonzo during the "Curtain Falls, Curtain Rises" mission, the "criminal" in "The Bad Bunch" stranger mission later in the game is just a random character, which isn't nearly as fun or rewarding as a second encounter with Gonzo.

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Factoring in all the potential outcomes and rewards, it's much better to spare Gonzo both times than kill him. While it ultimately doesn't change the outcome or the ending of the game, Gonzo is better served as an ally than a notch on the sword. Allies in Rise of the Ronin are few and far between, especially in the game's early stages, and someone as powerful as Gonzo can make a difference in the more punishing missions.

Who Are Other Good Allies In Rise Of The Ronin?

The Best Way To Develop Bonds Quickly Is Completing Missions And Giving Gifts

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There are plenty of incredible characters to align with in Rise of the Ronin, but none better than Ryoma Sakamoto. Ryoma is the best because he's such an integral part of the main story, and he truly feels like the main character's best friend. Their stories are intensely intertwined from the opening act until the final mission, and he is also the only character who adjusts his loyalties to factions based on the choices the main character makes.

Several other allies that bear mentioning are Shinsaku Takasugi, Kogoro Katsura, and others involved in the anti-Shogunate faction in Rise of the Ronin. These characters feel much more authentic and genuine than those on the opposing side, many of whom are obviously in it for personal gain. Characters like Shinsaku and Kogoro are passionate about their home and want to see it returned to a time free of Western influence, unlike others such as Kaishu Katsu and the Shogun himself, Yoshinobu Tokugawa.

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There are other characters whom the player will meet on their journey that are uninterested in the war between the pro and anti-shogunate factions, but their activities are mostly inconsequential. Igashichi Iizuka is a delightful character to interact with, who also rewards the glider after completing the same mission which introduces Gonzo, "Curtain Falls, Curtain Rises." It's important to check Bond level rewards for each character when deciding the best companions on missions to ensure the best possible benefits.

Sparing or killing Gonzo is one of the many choices in Rise of the Ronin that affects the game on a small scale but doesn't change anything enough to alter the ending. Sparing Gonzo is definitely the better choice for delivering both useful weapons and a strong ally in the field of battle. There isn't enough time in Rise of the Ronin to fully develop bonds with every character, so it's critical to find friends early and stick with them.