Yakuza: Like A Dragon takes a distinctly JRPG approach to contrast the typical beat-em-up combat the series is famous for. Along with this unusual style comes a greater focus on leveling up your party by fighting enemies in the world. There are two major areas to level up: in dungeons and the Sotenbori Battle Arena.

Related

Yakuza: Like A Dragon - Best Party Composition Guide

Building the perfect party with the right jobs is key to success in Yakuza: Like A Dragon.

Posts

While the game's underground dungeons, like the introductory one in Isezaki Ijincho, present a couple of floors worth of enemies to battle, the Sotenbori Battle Arena boasts several floors of back-to-back battles. If you're looking to level up without running around to encounter new groups of enemies, then check out the Sotenbori Battle Arena.

Updated February 6th, 2024 by Andrew Scariati: If you haven't gotten your Platinum Trophy yet, now's the time to accelerate the process with your favorite grind spot: The Sotenbori Battle Arena. We've added further grinding tips in the last section to ensure you're making good use of the experience and items available in the Sotenbori Battle Arena.

What And Where Is The Sotenbori Battle Arena?

The Sotenbori Battle Arena is a training location where you can fight against various groups of enemies, progressing through 30 increasingly difficult floors to the top.

You need to reach Chapter 12: The End of The Yakuza to enter Sotenbori, thus gaining access to the Sotenbori Battle Arena.

As Ichiban prepares to track down his enemies and confront the Omi, you are presented with the Sotenbori Battle Arena as a spot where you can train against tougher foes than you've encountered up to this point.

Head to the river and follow it to the red crossed swords that indicate the Sotenbori Battle Arena's location.

Once you arrive at the entrance, you'll be greeted by Yappi, the Sotenbori Battle Arena's resident host robot.

Speak to Yappi to hear the basic rules and further details about the Sotenbori Battle Arena.

Sotenbori Battle Arena Preparation

Before you enter Like A Dragon's Sotenbori Battle Arena, make sure you stop by Tsuruha Drugs in the north to stock up on key healing items, likeStaminan Royales, which restore your HP and MP by 500.

Here are the recovery items you can find in stock at Tsuruha Drugs:

Item

Effect

Cost (in ¥)

Toughness ZZ

Recovers 800 HP

4,000

Toughness Infinity

Recovers 1,000 HP

7,000

Tauriner ++

Recovers 300 MP

10,000

Tauriner Maximum

Recovers 1,000 MP

50,000

Staminan XX

Recovers 300 HP and 300 MP

30,000

Staminan Royale

Recovers 500 HP and 500 MP

40,000

Once you've finished stocking up, prepare your strongest party and equip your best gear before heading to the Sotenbori Battle Arena.

Many enemies in the Sotenbori Battle Arena are weak to elemental skills, particularly Electric.

If you want to make things easier on yourself, change your character's jobs so that they can learn cross-class skills, thus gaining access to various elemental attacks.

For the male characters, change them to Foreman (Fire), Host (Ice), and Fortuneteller (Electric) to learn an elemental skill of each type.

For female characters, change to Hostess (Ice) and Nightqueen (Fire) to gain those two elements, though these characters likely won't be relied on to attack.

You must level up your character's jobs to the requisite level in the Skill menu to learn the elemental skills.

Gender

Job Title

Elemental Type

Skill Name

MP Cost

Rank Unlocked

Female

Hostess

Ice

Ice Spreader

60

22

Female

Night Queen

Fire

Candle Rush

63

16

Male

Foreman

Fire

Explosive Throw

35

10

Male

Fortuneteller

Electric

Fulminating Forecast

80

18

Male

Host

Ice

Ice Spreader

44

10

In addition, take some time to complete the Ichiban Confections minigame, so you can gain access to the Essence of Orbital Laser, an extremely powerful Electric skill.

Using Electric skills that paralyze opponents is an excellent strategy for skipping enemy turns – accelerating the battle and keeping your team safe.

Once you are happy with your skills, you are ready to enter the Sotenbori Battle Arena.

Sotenbori Battle Arena: Floors 1-5

Floor

Enemy & Weakness

Special Condition

Special Reward

Tips & Notes

1

  • Pier Reviewer (two): Blade/Fire/Ice
  • Otaku-at-Arms: Fire
  • Black Blade: Fire

Win Within Ten Turns

Golden Moth

  • This should be simple; just be wary of the Pier Reviewers and their ability to tank a hit.

2

  • Cutpurse: Fire
  • Grizzled Yakuza: Fire/Ice
  • Chomp-and-Charger: Blade/Ice
  • Invulnera-Billboard: Electric

No Allies Knocked Out

Golden Butterfly

  • Will be wiped with any elemental attacks.

3

  • Battering Batter: Blade/Electric
  • Grizzled Yakuza: Fire/Ice
  • False Security: Fire
  • Yakuza (five): Blade/Fire/Ice

Win Without Tagging Out

Golden Rhinoceros Beetle

  • Has several enemies, so thin the Yakuza crowd to deny them from taking several turns in a row.

4

  • Scarredface: Blade/Ice
  • Druggler: Ice
  • Bombardier (two): Blunt/Blade/Ice

Win Without Skills Or Poundmates

Golden Mantis

  • Scarredface can be dangerous, but make quick work of him with an Ice skill.

5

  • Intelligent Yakuza: Blunt
  • Yakuza Strong-arm: Blunt
  • Yakuza Swordsman: Blunt

Win Within Ten Turns

Viking Helmet

  • Focus on the Intelligent Yakuza first, then knock out the Swordsman with Fire skills.

These first five floors of the Sotenbori Battle Arena should be straightforward, but you must be careful if you're challenging this area for the first time.

Congratulations on clearing the first batch; the challenge will begin to pick up.

If you find yourself running low on MP, turn to single-use damage items, like the Rocket Launcher, to deal massive damage while conserving MP.

Related

Yakuza: Like A Dragon Guide To Toilet Paper Requests And Where To Get Pocket Tissues

If you're looking to get some Pocket Tissues to fulfill those Part-time Hero Special Delivery requests, here's what you need to know.

Posts

Floor

Enemy & Weakness

Special Condition

Special Reward

Tips & Notes

6

  • Master Gambler: Blade
  • Druggler: Ice
  • Spearheader: Electric
  • Pier Reviewer: Blade/Fire/Ice

Win Without Using Recovery Skills

Golden Spider

  • Paralyzing and Charming your enemies will work wonders, especially the Pier Reviewer.

7

  • Trickmaster: Blade/Fire/Electric
  • Creeper Peeper: Blade/Gun
  • King Joe: Ice

No Allies Knocked Out

Golden Scorpion

  • Focus King Joe first with Ice skills to avoid his dangerous punches.

8

  • Battering Batter: Blade/Electric
  • Heavenly Host: Blunt/Electric

Win Without Tagging Out

Golden Dragonfly

  • Can be wiped easily if you've learned the Essence of Orbital Laser by completing the Ichiban Confections minigame.

9

  • The Wheelman: Electric
  • Safe Crackpot: Electric
  • The Mule: Blade/Ice
  • Tribesbrute: Blade/Fire

Win Within Seven Turns

Golden Stag Beetle

  • Poisons everyone at the start, so cure your allies of it with Saeko or ignore it if you have enough damage to end the fight quickly.

10

  • Resolute Man: Fire
  • Otaku-at-Arms(two): Fire

Damascus Ladle

  • The boss and Otakus are all weak to Fire and should go down easily using an area-of-effect (AoE) Fire skill, like Nanba's Essence of Pyro Prison.

Sotenbori Battle Arena: Floors 11-15

Floor

Enemy & Weakness

Special Condition

Special Reward

Tips & Notes

11

  • The Dark Sweeper: Electric
  • Notorious V.I.P.: Blunt/Electric
  • Master and Commando: Electric
  • Big Payback: Gun/Ice/Electric

No Allies Knocked Out

High-density Metal

  • Take advantage of Electric AoE skills, as everyone here is weak to them. Every attack will result in a critical hit.

12

  • Subjugation-kun (two): Electric

Win Without Using Recovery Skills

Silver Ingot

  • Plays out the same as the prior floor, with both Subjugation-kun enemies weak to Electric.

13

  • Bedeviler (two): Blade/Ice
  • Flash Mobber: Fire/Ice
  • Mister Six: Blunt
  • False Security (two): Fire
  • Voyeurchin: Blade/Gun
  • Fishy Founder: Blunt/Fire

Win Without Reviving Allies

Gold Ingot

  • Make sure you thin the crowd to deny them extra turns.
  • You can't tag out here.

14

  • Ultimate Champion: Blade/Ice
  • Qigong Master: Ice
  • Prizedfighter: Blade/Fire/Ice
  • Dragon King: Ice

No Allies Knocked Out

Pearl

  • Focus the Ultimate Champion first and then move on to the Prizedfighter.
  • You'll be enduring Cold damage each turn, but every enemy is weaker against Ice.

15

  • Beast King of the Arena a.k.a. Tiger: Fire/Gun

Win Within Seven Turns

The Prestige

  • The Tiger can be a major pain but hit it with Gun skills that hit multiple times for big damage.
  • No revives are allowed.

Sotenbori Battle Arena: Floors 16-20

Floor

Enemy & Weakness

Special Condition

Special Reward

Tips & Notes

16

  • Mohawk Emperor: Blunt/Fire/Ice
  • Biker Boss: Blade/Ice/Electric
  • Heavenly Host: Blunt/Electric
  • Emperor of Funk: Blade/Fire/Ice
  • Johnny Gale: Electric

Win Within Seven Turns

Raw Platinum Ore

  • Another perfect place for Electric AoE skills.

17

  • Juggle-O: Fire
  • Batterer Out of Hell: Blunt/Electric
  • Dr. Black: Blunt/Electric

Win Without Using Recovery Skills

Raw Ruby Ore

  • Flex those Electric skills yet again – do they feel worth it yet?

18

  • Twisted Mind: Electric
  • Ghillie Man: Fire/Electric
  • Tribeschief: Blade/Fire
  • Chinese Mafia Boss: Electric
  • Death Merchant: Electric
  • Boss Gangsman: Ice

Win Within Seven Turns

Raw Sapphire Ore

  • Has a crowd, so use Electric AoE skills to thin it out.
  • Use Lovedrunk Typhoon with your Idol (Saeko or Eri) to Charm the enemies and lower defense.

19

  • Metal Headsman: Ice
  • Bohemiarch: Blunt/Blade/Fire
  • The Twister: Electric

Win Without Reviving Allies

Raw Diamond Ore

  • The active character is hit by lightning each turn.
  • Every three turns, Electric vulnerability increases.

20

  • Veteran: Blade/Ice/Electric

Win Within Five Turns

Violence Guitar

  • Just hit The Veteran with an element he's weak to (Ice or Electric), and he'll crumble.

Sotenbori Battle Arena: Floors 21-25

Floor

Enemy & Weakness

Special Condition

Special Reward

Tips & Notes

21

  • Massacre Mascot: Ice
  • Ironclad Chef: Blunt/Ice
  • Noblesse Obesity: Blade/Ice
  • Eccentrickster: Blade/Electric
  • Mystery Meatsmith: Ice

No Allies Knocked Out

Empty Cough Drop Tin

  • Ice is king, especially against the enemies here.
  • They go down quickly.

22

  • Tinkersman (two): Blade/Electric
  • Iceonist: Electric

Win Within Five Turns

Beat Anklet

  • Use more Electric AoE skills, the Tinkersman is very vulnerable to Ichiban's Orbital Laser.
  • You cannot tag out.

23

  • Scarredface: Blade/Ice
  • The Mule: Blade/Ice
  • Paralysticist: Blade/Fire

Empty Cough Drop Tin

  • All about Ice once again, or Blade if you prefer.
  • Joon-gi Han works wonders here.

24

  • Jack The Ripper: Electric
  • Scarred Yakuza: Blade/Ice
  • Death Merchant: Electric

Win Without Tagging Out

Revival Microphone

  • Starts with everyone inflicted with Bleed.
  • Take down Jack The Ripper immediately with Electric, then focus on the Scarred Yakuza with Ice.

25

  • Excavator: Electric

Win Within Five Turns

Empty Cough Drop Tin

  • The Excavator isn't as intimidating as you'd think, especially against an Electric onslaught.

Sotenbori Battle Arena: Floors 25-30

Floor

Enemy & Weakness

Special Condition

Special Reward

Tips & Notes

26

  • Pornogra-Pharaoh: Electric
  • Crotchety Geezer (two): Fire/Ice
  • The Shadow Diver (two): Electric

Win Without Reviving Allies

Electric Whip

  • This is all about thinning the crowd with some Electric AoE skills yet again; they're so essential to this area.

27

  • Forsaken Samurai: Electric
  • Captain Cruncher: Blade/Ice
  • Weltraiser: Blunt/Electric

Win Without Using Recovery Skills

Empty Cough Drop Tin

  • You'll want to take out the Samurai and Weltraiser first before focusing all attention on the Captain Cruncher.
  • No tagging out allowed.

28

  • Munanugget Messiah: None
  • Fishy Founder: Blunt/Fire
  • Shady Minister (two): Blunt/Fire
  • Hollow Follower (four): Blunt/Fire

No Allies Knocked Out

Dragon Boots

  • A cult party.
  • Unfortunately, the Munanugget Messiah is not weak to anything, but its followers are very susceptible to Fire.

29

  • High Necromancer: Blade/Ice
  • The Death Knuckle: Ice/Electric
  • Arminator: Electric
  • Undertaker: Electric

Win Within Five Turns

Dragon Kinagashi

  • Increases everyone's vulnerability to Fire and burns all characters.
  • Focus on their usual weaknesses, but every three turns, your foes will be weaker to Fire.

30

  • Slaughter King: Blade/Electric
  • Inventor King: Electric
  • Engineer King: Ice

Win Within Seven Turns

Dragonhelm

  • The final challenge pits you against three kings.
  • Luckily, two of them are weak to Electric. Defeat them, then focus the Engineer King with Ice to claim victory over the Sotenbori Battle Arena.

How To Farm The Sotenbori Battle Arena

Once you've completed all 30 floors in the Sotenbori Battle Arena, you'll be crowned the champion.

Return to Yappi at the front of the Sotenbori Battle Arena to choose from a list of checkpoints if you want to go back to a certain floor to claim the bonus reward or simply farm materials.

Here are some general tips on where to farm Job Ranks in the Sotenbori Battle Arena based on what level your job is.

If you are leveling up party members from Job Rank One:

  • Bring one damage-focused (DPS) character (Joon-gi Han, Zhao, Eri, or Kasuga) at their highest job rank.
  • Bring three characters equipped with the appropriate experience-increasing item for their job.
  • Start at Floor 15, then complete as many stages as possible without risking defeat. Floor 20 is a good goal.
  • Rotate your DPS character once the other three have reached their desired level, then focus on the DPS character's lower Job Ranks.

If you are leveling up all party members' Jobs in preparation for harderchallenges, like the True Final Millennium Tower:

  • Bring one DPS character with a level 99 Job Rank and follow the previous method or use all four party members with the jobs you want to level up if every Job Rank is 30 or above.
  • Start at Floor 25, and repeatedly finish through Floor 30.
  • The best 'rush' party composition for clearing stages quickly is Zhao, Joon-gi Han, Eri, and Kasuga, as all have access to dangerous skills that can target all foes.

In addition to farming levels and job ranks, identify the material(s) you need, then locate the floor(s) where it can be found to narrow down where to begin your farming.

With a powered-up party, you should now be able to clear Yakuza: Like A Dragon's Sotenbori Battle Arena without issue; happy farming.

Next

You Should Definitely Play Yakuza: Like A Dragon Before Infinite Wealth

I’m still having fun, but I’m very confused

Posts