Many sword-fighting games use a singular move list for each weapon. Consider the hit franchise Soul Calibur. If you create a new character that wields nunchaku, their moveset and animations will look identical to Maxi's. Fortunately, Rise Of The Ronin gives each weapon several combat variations, called Combat Styles, that keep gameplay fresh.
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PostsWhile Rise Of The Ronin's Combat Styles are a welcome feature in this abundant action game, they're a lot to digest in a title with several layers of depth. Perhaps you feel like Combat Styles hinder your skills. But once you break down these Combat Style fundamentals, you'll realize how much of an asset they are.
What Are Combat Styles?
Combat Styles are fighting techniques that affect the stance, move set, counterspark compatibility, and stats of yourself and your weapon. You'll encounter new Combat Styles for the first time when you fight alongside Ryoma Sakomoto in the "Curtain Falls, Curtain Rises" mission.
Ryoma fights with the Hokushin Itto-ryu style, a departure from the Mumyo-ryu combat style you learned under the Kurosu clan's training. In the "Curtain Falls, Curtain Rises" mission, you'll need to switch between yourself and Ryoma to take on different enemy types if you haven't unlocked any combat styles on your own.
You can equip up to three combat styles for both your primary weapons via the Equipment menu. Then, to switch between these combat styles in battle, press R1 and move the Right Thumbstick toward the desired Combat Style.
Did you know you can switch Combat Styles mid-combo? This skill is Violent Gale and gets performed with the same command you use to switch Combat Styles while your attack hits the enemy. But you need to learn the technique later in the campaign to use it.
How Does Counterspark Compatibility Work?
Your Combat Style can put you at an advantage or disadvantage in battle depending on your enemy's weapon. This advantage/disadvantage stems from your Combat Style's Counterspark Compatibility, which measures your chance of counterspark success against specific weapons.
Each Style Type has a specific counterspark compatibility. The three most common Style Types are Jin, Chi, and Ten.
Style Type
Counterspark Compatibility
Jin
Advantage Against: Sabre and other lightweight weapons.
Disadvantage Against: Odachi and other heavyweight weapons.
Chi
Advantage Against: Odachi and other heavyweight weapons.
Disadvantage Against: Katanas and other middleweight weapons.
Ten
Advantage Against: Katanas and other middleweight weapons.
Disadvantage Against: Sabre and other lightweight weapons.
Special Counterspark Compatibilities
Two additional Style Types have more eccentric Counterspark Compatibilities:
Style Type
Counterspark Compatibility
None
No advantage or disadvantage against all weapons.
Shinobi
Disadvantage against all weapons.
Regardless of your Style Type's Counterspark Compatibility, a precisely timed counterspark will always stagger your opponent. Therefore, while knowing these compatibilities is helpful, you can always rely on solid combat skills to claim victory.
A visual guide indicates your counterspark compatibility against your current enemy. The symbol is on the right side of your opponent's health bar.
- Two blue arrows pointing up indicate an advantage
- Two red arrows pointing down indicate a disadvantage
- Two white arrows, one pointing up and the other down, indicate no advantage or disadvantage.
You'll see the same visual guide while switching combat styles, allowing you to choose the best combat style for your current encounter.
How To Unlock New Combat Styles
Like many unlockables in Rise Of The Ronin, you'll unlock more Combat Styles by completing missions, meeting new people, and exploring new areas. Here are some ways to learn new Combat Styles:
- Complete missions
- Build bonds with other characters
- Defeat fugitives and bosses
- Continue the main story
How To Upgrade Combat Styles
Each Combat Style has unique unlock and upgrade requirements. These requirements usually involve raising your Bond Level with another character or continuing the story campaign. You can view each upgrade requirement via the Combat Styles menu. Follow the steps below:
- Press the Options button to open the Pause Menu.
- Use L1 or R1 to shift to the Combat Style tab.
- Once inside the Combat Style tab, press R2 or L2 to find the weapon.
- Then, peruse that weapon's Combat Styles by scrolling up or down.
- Each Combat Style's details will appear on the left side of the screen.
- Combat Style details have two pages, one for the move list and another for stats. Press the Square (□) button to turn to the Stats page.
- The Upgrade Requirements are listed at the bottom of the Stats page.
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PostsEvery Combat Style In Rise Of The Ronin
Rise Of The Ronin boasts several Primary Weapons, each with multiple Combat Styles. That means you'll have dozens of combat variations to experiment with. Here is a list of all the Combat Styles available in Rise Of The Ronin, including the Stat Bonus they provide and their Style Type.
With so much to uncover in Rise Of The Ronin, we anticipate encountering even more primary weapons and combat styles as we continue the campaign. Check back regularly to see what new Combat Styles we discover next!
Unarmed
Combat Style
Stat Bonus
Style Type
Mumyo-ryu
Total: 36
- Strength: +19
- Charisma: +17
None
Katana
Combat Style
Stat Bonus
Style Type
Mumyo-ryu
Total: 38
- Strength: +19
- Dexterity: +19
Jin
Hokushin Itto-ryu
Total: 36
- Strength: +19
- Charisma: +17
Chi
Tatsumi-ryu
Total: 38
- Strength: +19
- Dexterity: +19
Chi
Shinto Munen-ryu
Total: 36
- Strength: +19
- Charisma: +17
Ten
Yagyu Shinkage-ryu
Total: 38
- Strength: +19
- Intellect: +19
Chi
Hayabusa-ryu
Total: 38
- Strength: +19
- Dexterity: +19
Shinobi
Gikei-ryu
Total: 38
- Strength: +19
- Dexterity: +19
Shinobi
Aisu Kage-ryu
Total: 38
- Strength: +19
- Intellect: +19
Ten
Spear
Combat Style
Stat Bonus
Style Type
Mumyo-ryu
Total: 36
- Charisma: +17
- Intellect: +19
Jin
Taneda-ryu
Total: 38
- Strength: +19
- Dexterity: +19
Ten
Paired Swords
Combat Style
Stat Bonus
Style Type
Mumyo-ryu
Total: 36
- Charisma: +17
- Intellect: +19
Jin
Niten Ichi-ryu
Total: 38
- Strength: +19
- Dexterity: +19
Ten
Kyoshin Meichi-ryu
Total: 38
- Strength: +19
- Dexterity: +19
Chi
Odachi
Combat Style
Stat Bonus
Style Type
Mumyo-ryu
Total: 36
- Strength: +19
- Charisma: +17
Jin
Nodachi Jigen-ryu
Total: 36
- Strength: +19
- Charisma: +17
Chi
Jigen-ryu
Total: 38
- Strength: +19
- Intellect: +19
Ten
Shinto Munen-ryu
Total: 38
- Strength: +19
- Dexterity: +19
Ten
Sabre
Combat Style
Stat Bonus
Style Type
Mumyo-ryu
Total: 38
- Strength: +19
- Intellect: +19
Jin
US Training
Total: 36
- Charisma: +17
- Intellect: +19
Ten
British Training
Total: 36
- Charisma: +17
- Intellect: +19
Chi
Polearm
Combat Style
Stat Bonus
Style Type
Mumyo-ryu
Total: 36
- Strength: +19
- Charisma: +17
Jin
Shinto Munen-ryu
Total: 36
- Charisma: +17
- Intellect: +19
Ten
Hokushin Itto-ryu
Total: 36
- Charisma: +17
- Dexterity: +19
Chi
Hayabusa-ryu
Total: 36
- Charisma: +17
- Dexterity: +19
Shinobi
Bayonet
Combat Style
Stat Bonus
Style Type
Mumyo-ryu
Total: 38
- Dexterity: +19
- Intellect: +19
Jin
Kiheitai Style
Total: 36
- Charisma: +17
- Dexterity: +19
Ten
French Training
Total: 36
- Charisma: +17
- Dexterity: +19
Chi
Greatsword
Combat Style
Stat Bonus
Style Type
Mumyo-ryu
Total: 36
- Strength: +19
- Charisma: +17
Jin
Hoshin-ryu
Total: 36
- Strength: +19
- Charisma: +17
Chi
Tennen Rishin-ryu
Total: 36
- Strength: +19
- Charisma: +17
Ten
Oxtail Blade
Combat Style
Stat Bonus
Style Type
Mumyo-ryu
Total: 36
- Charisma: +17
- Dexterity: +19
Jin
Qing Style
Total: 36
- Charisma: +17
- Intellect: +19
Chi
Kiheitai Style
Total: 36
- Charisma: +17
- Intellect: +19
Ten
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