Should You Kill or Spare Gonzo in Rise of the Ronin

Gonzo looks like your run-of-the-mill bandit, but when he begs for mercy, we’ll face a choice. Should you kill or spare Gonzo in Rise of the Ronin?

Is it Better to Spare or Kill Gonzo in Rise of the Ronin? – Answered

You’re constantly being attacked in Rise of the Ronin. By the time you’ve reached the quest Curtain Falls, Curtain Rises, you’ll be walking on rivers of blood. But when you finally defeat Gonzo you’re given a choice: should you kill or spare him?

If you choose to kill Gonzo in Rise of the Ronin, you’ll get a slew of rewards:

• Bandit Chief’s Odachi.
• Jigen-Ryu Combat Style.
• Oban x 1.
• Power Remedy x 6.
• Red Nuts x 2.
• Storehouse Key.
• Sulfur x 3.
• The “Merciless” title.

Of the choices, the Merciless title is the most interesting, as it will permanently give you +1 Strength. You can also get the Jigen-Ryu Combat Style from Toshimichi Okubo so you won’t miss out on this.

But the best option is to spare Gonzo in Rise of the Ronin, though the initial rewards are lackluster.

If you spare Gonzo, he’ll give you the storehouse key. And naturally, he’ll be very grateful. But more importantly, you’ll be able to meet with Gonzo later in a side quest called “The Bad Bunch”. If you side with Gonzo during this side quest, he’ll join you as a permanent ally. You’ll then be able to learn his signature combat style, Nodachi Jigen-ryu.

Having Gonzo as an ally in your mission will also give you the passive perk of having enemies drop more money during missions and gain more strength points. As you reach the ‘inseparable’ friendship level with Gonzo, you’ll also be able to get the Bandi Chief’s Odachi, which you would otherwise only get for killing him. On top of that, you’ll get the Samuri Escort’s Battle Attire and the ability to use combine Assassination with an ally.

It’s a long haul, and it’ll mean spending a lot of time with a guy who just murdered someone in front of you. But in terms of sheer benefits, it’s better to keep Gonzo alive. To keep Gonzo alive, select “What’s in it for me”, then “(Listen to what he has to say)”.