How to use, spend or invest Virtue in Like a Dragon: Ishin?

In Like a Dragon: Ishin, Virtue is an essential yet often overlooked resource that plays a key role in your progression through the game. Along with the more common in-game currencies like Mon and Ryo, Virtue holds a special place in your journey, offering unique rewards and opportunities for advancement.

Here’s a breakdown of how to effectively use, spend, and invest your Virtue in Like a Dragon: Ishin to get the most out of this valuable resource.

How to Earn Virtue

Virtue can be earned in various ways as you explore and engage with the world of Like a Dragon: Ishin. Some of the primary methods to collect Virtue include:

• Defeating opponents: Whether it’s in combat or during specific side activities, taking down enemies will often reward you with Virtue.
• Eating at restaurants: Feeding Ryoma at certain spots around the map will also provide Virtue.
• Praying at shrines: Engaging in religious or spiritual activities, like praying at designated shrines, can yield Virtue points as well.

These methods may seem small on their own, but they add up quickly, especially as you complete more activities and take on new challenges.

Exchanging Virtue at the Shrine

One of the first places you can exchange your Virtue is with the Shinto Priest you encounter early in Chapter 2. This NPC will be located near a small shrine where you can trade your earned Virtue for rewards.

As you progress through the game, the Shinto Priest moves to a larger shrine in the Rakunai area, located in the top-left corner of the map. You can return to this shrine at any time to exchange more Virtue for various benefits.

What to Buy with Virtue

There are a variety of items and upgrades you can purchase with your Virtue, but it’s important to know what’s worth investing in. Here are some of the best ways to spend your Virtue:

1. Virtue Cultivation (Highly Recommended)

The most valuable investment you can make with Virtue is purchasing Virtue Cultivation. This upgrade has multiple levels, and each level increases the amount of Virtue you earn by 50%. This investment is crucial for maximizing the efficiency of Virtue farming.

By purchasing all levels of Virtue Cultivation, you’ll consistently earn more Virtue points, making it easier to farm for other rewards later on. This is especially helpful for performance register tasks (like "Talk to a person or animal 300 times"), which provide a substantial number of Virtue points.

• Tip: Normally, you would earn around 4,000 Virtue points for these tasks, but with the Virtue Cultivation upgrade, that number jumps to 6,000. This makes completing tasks much more rewarding and helps you progress faster.

2. Country Life Upgrades

Virtue is also essential for upgrading your home and improving your life in the country. As you advance in the game, you’ll be able to purchase upgrades for your house, new recipes, and even new types of seeds for farming. These upgrades are vital for improving your country life and will help you become more self-sufficient as you move through the story.

• Note: You don’t need to spend your Virtue on Ryoma’s Reputation. Completing sub-stories and other side activities will naturally provide you with enough Reputation points to level up without requiring any additional investment of Virtue.

What to Avoid Buying

While there are many tempting rewards available for Virtue, it’s important to avoid spending it on things that don’t give you as much long-term benefit. For instance:

• Ryoma’s Reputation upgrades are unnecessary for the most part, as you’ll gain plenty of Reputation through sub-stories and other activities.
• Random items at the shrine may seem like quick solutions, but you’ll get much better returns on your Virtue by focusing on the upgrades that offer long-term rewards, like the Virtue Cultivation and Country Life upgrades.

Conclusion

Virtue in Like a Dragon: Ishin is an incredibly valuable resource that, when used wisely, can greatly enhance your gameplay experience. By focusing on the Virtue Cultivation upgrade and investing in Country Life upgrades, you’ll be setting yourself up for long-term success. While it may be tempting to spend Virtue on other items, it’s best to hold off and save your points for these essential upgrades.

So, remember to keep an eye on your Virtue, and make strategic choices to ensure you’re getting the most out of this special currency. With careful management, Virtue will be a powerful tool in Ryoma’s journey toward victory.