Decision-making is an integral part of most role-playing games. Often the story of the games takes players to a juncture where they need to choose between options to determine their way to progress. Expectedly, Rise of the Ronin follows the same path and allows players to make some vital decisions as they progress through the main story. The choice to kill or spare Gonzo is one of the earliest decisions to make and honestly, it is a vital one.

Gonzo is one of the earliest bosses to be found in the game and being a Bandit leader he will give players a hard time fighting him. Well, the fight won’t end like others where you can empty the health bar to defeat him and recruit him to your party. Instead, players are given two options at the end of the fight. Choosing one will determine Gonzo’s fate.

Of course, we will talk about the best choice if you are confused, before that, let’s check where you can find Gonzo in Rise of the Ronin.

Gonzo Location in Rise of the Ronin- Where to Find?

Since you start your Rise of the Ronin journey, you must have noticed that all the story missions of the game lead you to a boss fight before you end them. Similarly, the Curtain Falls, Curtain Rises story mission will take you to Gonzo, the bandit leader. This mission takes players to the Magistrate’s Estate to stop bandits. However, this can’t be done without fighting their leader.

Once in the Magistrate’s Estate, start exploring the main estate, and eventually, players will reach a staircase that will take them to a viewpoint. Climb the stairs and you will see Gonzo. The fight with the boss is going to be tough.

Beginning of the fight, when you attack Gonzo suddenly, this will be the best chance to deal maximum damage to him. Later, breaking his guard will be something challenging. Fortunately, this fight introduces the feature to adjust your combat style based on the boss’. A little blue arrow next to the boss’ health bar will tell you whether your combat style is effective against him or not.  If you are not sure of the way to defeat him, go through the given guide for the required help: How to Defeat Gonzo in Rise of the Ronin.

Once the fight is over and the boss is helplessly lying on the ground, players will receive two options: sparing Gonzo or killing him.

Should You Kill or Spare Gonzo in Rise of the Ronin?

That’s indeed a confusing question and it is not at all surprising if you are looking for the answer. Unless you are aware of the consequences of your choice, it is fair that you will be confused to choose one. So, first, we will discuss the effect of both choices and then talk about which one should one choose.

Sparing Gonzo

If you are tired of killing enemies and want to be a bit generous, you can spare Gonzo. Upon sparing the boss, players will receive several rewards but none of them probably seems to be enough convincing for sparing an enemy like Gonzo. That’s not the reason for you to have mercy on him anyway. The reason is different. 

The only reason you can consider sparing Gonzo is The Bad Bunch side quest. If you spare the bandit leader, he will later appear during a side quest named The Bad Bunch. During that quest, players will meet Gonzo for the second time, and once again they have the chance to kill him. We recommend, instead, team up with him and kill the suspicious men with him. Once this quest is done, Gonzo will join your team. 

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Eventually, players will have a good bond with him which will allow them to have everything they could have achieved by killing the bandit leader.

Killing Gonzo

Killing the bandit leader seems to be a more convenient option for players as slaying the boss will allow them to have several exciting rewards like Bandit Chief’s Odachi, “Merciless” Title, Jigen-Ryu Combat Style, Storehouse Key, and various resources. Remember, the Merciless title can’t be obtained in any other way. Also, killing the enemy, ends your interaction with him forever and you can’t find the boss again. Most importantly, you will lose the chance to recruit him to your party. 

This choice is indeed a bit problematic and depends completely on how you feel about the character. If you find the boss annoying or his role insignificant, you can choose to slay him without any hesitation. However, we took a different stand here and would recommend you not to kill him. Sparing Gonzo will be a lot more beneficial decision. 

Why to Spare Gonzo in Rise of the Ronin?

If you have come to this section, you must have read about the side quest that will involve Gonzo for the second time. That’s for sure a reason we are asking you to spare him, but not the only reason. Even if you kill Gonzo, you can still access The Bad Bunch side quest and complete it without the bandit leader. 

The main reason for sparing Gonzo is that, if you recruit him to the team, and increase your bond with the boss, he will unlock Bond missions for you which will feature Gonzo exclusively. Killing the bandit leader will put a stop to these potential missions. Additionally, killing him won’t really have any benefits for you.

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This choice is indeed a bit significant, but not a vital one. Killing or sparing Gonzo will have a short-term effect on the story, but won’t impact the progression of the main story to a great extent. If you are not satisfied with the choice during your initial playthrough, progress through the game until you unlock the Testament of the Soul option. This option allows you to revisit the finished areas and revise your decisions.

That’s everything players need to know if they are confused between killing Gonzo or sparing him in Rise of the Ronin. The choice is yours and you can go with anything you find suitable for your playthrough.