Growing closer with your companions is the key to unlocking every combat style and receiving rare items in Rise of the Ronin, and there’s no better way to make someone like you than a gift.
Just like in many other RPGs, Rise of the Ronin lets you bond with each of your allies by completing quests for them, chatting with them, and giving them gifts. Each character has a different preference, however, so you’ll need to choose wisely when handing over a gift.
How to Raise Bond Levels in Rise of the Ronin
As you progress through the main storyline of Rise of the Ronin, you’ll meet historical figures like Sakamoto Ryoma and form bonds with them. You can also recruit allies like Gonzo in side quests, forming bonds with them as well. You can take these companions with you on missions, and deepening your bond with them will unlock new combat styles for each weapon in the game, net you great gear, and grant you some rare skill points on top of all that.
Choosing the right dialogue options during main and side quests is the main way to deepen your bond with your allies. After reaching certain relationship milestones, you’ll unlock bond missions which are side quests centered around specific characters. These obviously grant a huge bond bonus if completed, but they’re not enough to reach the maximum bond level. That’s where gifts come in.
Best Gifts for Every Rise of the Ronin Character
When you visit a Rise of the Ronin companion at the Longhouse or a base, you can choose to give them a gift instead of talking to them. You can only do this every so often and each character has certain items they favor, so choosing correctly is important.
The best gift to give anyone in Rise of the Ronin is a Knot of Destiny, which is an item specifically meant to raise bond levels with your allies. These are rare rewards from quests and chests, and they can also be purchased with silver coins from special vendors like the Official who deals with fugitives. We’re still learning everyone’s tastes as we make our way through Rise of the Ronin, but so far, these are the favorite gifts for every character.
| Character | Favorite Items |
|---|---|
| Aritomo Yamagata | Treasured Sake, The Four Books and Five Classics, Japanese Poetry Anthology, Knot of Destiny |
| Fumi Sugi | Milk Chocolate, Yew Kobuko, Knot of Destiny |
| Genzui Kusaka | Imported Beer, Traditional Daruma, Knot of Destiny |
| Gonzo | Western Cigar, Treasured Sake, Knot of Destiny |
| Hachiro Kiyokawa | Japanese Photo Album, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Knot of Destiny |
| Hajime Saito | Treasured Sake, Knot of Destiny |
| Hirobumi Ito | Face Powder and Brush, Metal Training Club, Treasured Sake, Knot of Destiny |
| Igashichi Iizuka | Azuki Bean Collection, Frankenstein, Natural History Illustration, Steam Engine Schematic, Telescope, Knot of Destiny |
| Ine Kusumoto | Milk Chocolate, Yew Koboku, Knot of Destiny |
| Isami Kondo | Knot of Destiny |
| Jules Brunet | European Dandy’s Kit, Knot of Destiny |
| Kaishu Katsu | Milk Chocolate, The Four Books and Five Classics, Knot of Destiny |
| Kogoro Katsura | Imported Beer, Treasured Sake, Premium Whiskey, Knot of Destiny |
| Koto Nakazawa | Milk Chocolate, Knot of Destiny |
| Marcus Samuel | European Dandy’s Kit, Milk Chocolate, Premium Whiskey, Knot of Destiny |
| Matthew Perry | Premium Whiskey, Knot of Destiny |
| Princess Atsuko | Face Powder and Brush, Yew Koboku, Knot of Destiny |
| Ryoma Sakamoto | Imported Beer, Milk Chocolate, European Dandy’s Kit, Knot of Destiny |
| Ryo Narasaki | European Dandy’s Kit, Face Powder and Brush, The Four Books and Five Classics, Knot of Destiny |
| Sana Chiba | Metal Training Club, Yew Koboku, Knot of Destiny |
| Shinsaku Takasugi | Treasured Sake, Japanese Poetry Anthology, Knot of Destiny |
| Shintaro Nakaoka | Knot of Destiny |
| Shinpachi Nagakura | Treasured Sake, Knot of Destiny |
| Shosaku Narasaki | Kaya Go Board, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Knot of Destiny |
| Shusaku Chiba | Kaya Go Board, The Four Books and Five Classics, Knot of Destiny |
| Soji Okita | Knot of Destiny |
| Taka Murayama | Face Powder and Brush, Knot of Destiny |
| Takamori Saigo | Milk Chocolate, Knot of Destiny |
| Tatsugoro Shinmon | Knot of Destiny |
| Tesshu Yamaoka | The Four Books and Five Classics, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Knot of Destiny |
| Toshimichi Okubo | European Dandy’s Kit, Kaya Go Board, Western Cigar, Knot of Destiny |
| Toshizo Hijikata | Knot of Destiny |
| Usugumo Dayu | Face Powder and Brush, Japanese Poetry Anthology, Knot of Destiny |
| Yasusuke Sawamura | Knot of Destiny |
| Yoshinobu Tokugawa | Kaya Go Board, Japanese Photo Album, Knot of Destiny |
| Yukichi Fukuzawa | Premium Whiskey, Knot of Destiny |
