Summary
Every weapon type inRise of the Ronincomes with its advantages and disadvantages. The new title from Team Ninja makes full use of its Japanese setting during the Edo period, offering players weapons that befit the warfare of the time. The developer is an old hand at adding fluid, traditional combat to its games, and the weapons and combat styles inRise of the Roninshowcase quite well. And if players are just starting and don’t have a lot of time to play, they must avoidsome of the biggest early-game mistakes.
Rise of the Ronin’sweapons come in nine types, along with a tenth if ranged weapons are considered. Since the experience weaves in stat scaling, different combat styles, and the pros and cons of each choice made, picking the best weapons for a certain playstyle can be difficult. Hence, here’s every weapon type inRise of the Ronin, explained.
1Katana
Traditional Sword That Supports Versatile Combat Styles
The Katana is one of the most common andbest early-game weapon types inRise of the Ronin. It supports a great number of combat styles and hence offers players the flexibility to tailor their playstyle and stats on the go. These are fairly short-range weapons, but they offer Strength, Dexterity, and Charm scaling. It thus becomes important that players go for these if they prefer an up-in-your-face sort of close-quarters combat, a choice that involves them being familiar with game mechanics and having fast reflexes.
Katana is a fast-paced weapon type inRise of the Ronin, but the class does lack the strength the Greatsword has. This can be compensated for by keeping the best variants for later use and seeing if any learned combat styles later on suit them well. The Hayabusa-ryu, for one, is quite versatile and deadly once players get used to the combat’s pace.
2Odachi
Powerful, Long-Range Melee Blade That Needs Practice
The Odachi is a great pick amongRise of the Roninweapons that scale primarily with Strength, especially given that it’s long-range and hard-hitting. The secondary are Intellect, Dexterity, or Charm, so this gives a pretty wide berth to players. However, given that it’s a large and powerful weapon inRise of the Ronin, players will need to make their hits count as a misstep will leave them open to counterattacks.
There are also a bunch of combat styles to choose from. Take the Tennen Rishin-ryu, which deals Ki damage, or the Nodachi Jigen-ryu, which allows for Katana-like powerful attacks. This flexibility is merely one reason why the Odachi is such a great weapon type inRise of the Ronin.
3Greatsword
A Western Sword With a Long Reach & High Damage, But Slow
SomeRise of the Roninweapons showWestern influence in Japan during the upheaval of the Edo period, and the Greatsword class serves as an example. It’s a long-range, hard-hitting blade, but speed is an aspect where it falls short. The time taken to wield it is notoriously high, so it’s not recommended in battles where speed and reflexes are of the essence. This weapon class would be apt against big, slower bosses, and understanding their attack pattern would be of a big help.
The Greatsword weapon type inRise of the Roninscales primarily with Strength, with the secondary options being Charm, Dexterity, and Intellect. There are only three combat styles available, but these should be enough considering what they offer. For example, the Hoshin-ryu can help build combos and deal a good chunk of damage.
4Paired Swords
Dexterity-Scaling Weapon Type Helps in Swift Attack Combos
This weapon type inRise of the Roninis apt for someone who prefers a gung-ho, flashy, and quick way to dispatch enemies. The primary stat to scale here is Dexterity, and this is naturally its strongest point. Players have to be quick on their feet here and go for abilities that reduce Ki consumption. Since this weapon type is based on movement and parrying for counterattacks, managing Ki is extremely essential to survive fights.
Since Ki management here is important, it is advised that players don’t take on multiple strong enemies at once — at least until they have a variant that offers multiple useful stat boosts. The secondary scaling stats here are Strength and Charm. This leaves players some playing field for focusing on those combat styles inRise of the Roninthat resonate with them.
5Bayonet
Western Rifle-Blade Hybrid That Needs Practice
The Bayonet brings yet another Western influence to the weapon types inRise of the Ronin. This is a mix of melee and ranged weaponry, and while versatile, is a difficult option to recommend. The melee part offers decent range and stabbing/thrusting strikes, but the lack of power and reliance on a chain of combos leaves it lacking. The pistol part is okay too, with either longer-range weak shots or shorter-range strong shots.
The Bayonet class offers flexibility when chosen from otherRise of the Roninweapons, but this comes at a price. The primary stat is Dexterity, with a secondary of Strength or Intellect, but still doesn’t improve its use by much. It doesn’t use up ammo, so that’s good, but it still needs a lot of practice before it can be used effectively.
6Sabres
Western Sword That Offers Versatile Techniques
Sabres are yet another weapon type inRise of the Roninthat showcases Western influence in Japan’s Edo period. Players can pair it with pistols for a West-meets-East fusion sort of playstyle. When talking about the mechanics, it offers a decent amount of flexibility. It is flexible in both long- and short-range combat, going more easily with lunge attacks when taking on multiple enemies.
The Sabre’s primary scaling stat is Intellect, with Strength, Dexterity, and Charm coming in as secondary. There are only threecombat styles for thisRise of the Roninweapon type, but Mumyo-ryo will be apt if players want to stay open to different techniques. It isn’t as effective against multiple enemies simultaneously as some other classes, so gamers will need to figure out their use case to suit the situation they find themselves in.
7Spear
Great Reach To Take Down Multiple Enemies
The Spear is a great weapon type inRise of the Ronin, especially when players want to keep a long-range backup. A disadvantage here is that the number of combat styles is found wanting. Even then, the available choices cover a fair ground that can make a decent impact in battles. The Hozoin-ryu, for one, is apt for sweeping enemies off and then making short work of them from a distance, or closing in with a powerful Katana combo.
The Spear weapon type inRise of the Roninscales primarily on Intellect, with the secondary being Strength or Dexterity. Considering this, it’s advisable to keep a Strength-based weapon available in case fights get too close for comfort.
8Polearm
Good Class For Quick Combos, Needs Apt Ki Management
The Polearm weapon type inRise of the Roninoffers combat styles that will resonate with players who prefer fast moves and burying their enemies under attacks. A traditional melee weapon with a long reach, it offers a variety of movesets that make it a good pick. The class scales primarily with Charm; Strength, Dexterity, or Intellect serve as the secondary.
Since this isn’t among thoseRise of the Roninweapons that hit hard, players will have to get a better understanding of the combat mechanics and rely on dodging and parrying as well. This can make it difficult to manage Ki in larger battles, especially if playerslevel up fast inRise of the Roninbut still aren’t well-versed with the combat mechanics.
9Oxtail Blade
Great Weapon To Create Aerial Attacks & Refresh Combat
The Oxtail Blade weapon offers refreshing combat inRise of the Ronin. The blade here is short, but the attached cord significantly adds to its range and use case. This is perhaps one of the best “ranged” weapons in the game, as it allows players to launch aerial attacks and channel them into something more. There are a variety of moves that can be delivered, such as regular, charged, etc., and all of them make quite an impact on the field.
Players can launch not only themselves into the air, but enemies as well. This opens up aerial attacks to a great extent, allowing for a swift barrage of attacks or heavy follow-up blows from an Odachi, etc. The Oxtail Blade class scales with Charm as the primary, and Dexterity or Intellect as the secondary.
Shuriken
When talking aboutRise of the Ronin’sweapons, the ranged class is an important part of almost any kit. This particular type is more play-it-safe. There are multiple choices available, like handguns, rifles, shuriken, bows, and even a classic flamethrower, the Fire Pipe.
These come with their advantages and disadvantages, like the scarcity of ammo for pistols and rifles (the bayonet uses no ammo, surprisingly), longer draw time for bows, etc. Overall, these can be incredibly helpful if players can accommodate this weapon type inRise of the Ronininto their preferred playstyle. It is also recommended that theyimprove their weapon proficiency to ensure maximum impact in combat.
