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The anti-shogunate and pro-shogunate factions aren’t the only parties at odds inRise Of The Ronin. You’ll find yourself on the opposing edge of your Blade Twin’s sword in the bombastic finale of “The Plot To Assassinate Harris.” In a bizarre twist, you’ll discover that your Blade Twin now works for the United States government!
It’s a shame that your family reunion is marred by violence and international tensions. But you have no choice but to cross blades with your twin. Take caution; this battle is a fierce one. Not only is your Blade Twin in top fighting condition, they now have an advanced mechanical arm and the strength of the US military backing them up. You’ll need a strong command of your training to come out victorious.
Check out ourBlade Twin Boss Guide videofor a closer look at our battle tips!
Watch Out For Your Blade Twin’s Demon Claw Attacks
“The Plot To Assassinate Harris” mission reveals that your hunch was correct; your Blade Twin is alive. However, they did not leave the fight on the Black Ship unscathed. Your twin now wields amechanical prosthetic arm. And this new arm is extremely dangerous!
Compared to other boss battles you’ve encountered so far, your Blade Twin has an abundance of Martial Skills. Your Blade Twin will wield thesame primary weapons you equipped during “Infiltrating The Black Ship,“the mission when you were both separated. Therefore, some of the Martial Skills you’ll encounter will vary.
In addition to these weapon-based Martial Skills, your Blade Twin will haveanother set of Martial Skills that utilize their Demon Claw. These attacks are alarmingly lethal. Here is what you need to look out for and how you should respond:
Spinning Demon Claw
Your Blade Twin willglow redandwhip their Demon Claw behind them.
This attack is almost impossible to counterspark.Dodgeout of the way, if possible.Guardif you cannot get out of the claw’s range.
Demon Claw Grapple Hook
Your Blade Twin willglow redandpull their Demon Claw inwardbefore shooting it toward you.
Dodgeaway from the claw. If the claw grabs you, attempt acounterspark.
Demon Claw Bomb
Your Blade Twin willglow redandpull back their sword. This is a fake-out to approach you with the bomb inside their Demon Claw.
Eitherdodgeout of your Blade Twin’s way orcountersparkif you feel your skills are sharp enough. An effective counterspark will give your sword theFire Affinity.
Demon Claw Projectile Bomb
Your Blade Twin willglow redandaim their Demon Claw at you. (PictureMega Man’s Mega Busterfor reference.)
This attack poses anotherdodge or countersparkscenario. A counterspark will give your sword theFire Affinityif you’re able to afford to risk it.
Impart Extra Damage With Status Ailments
As we saw in the battle againstMatthew Perry aboard the Black Ship, incremental damage is a game-changer in any boss battle. Now, you can accessmore toolsto inflict status ailments on your enemies.
Tools And Weapons That Grant Affinities
Remember that you still have options if you run out of ailment-inflicting weapons and items.Countersparking one of your Blade Twin’s bomb attackswill grant your weapon a Fire Affinity for a short period!
Fight Near Walls And Pillars To Avoid Gatling Gun Shots
You’ll hear the Ballroom’s stained glass window crash open abouthalfway through the battle against your Blade Twin. This crash is caused by the impact of aGatling gun aimed at you and your allies. This surprise assault can hand your Blade Twin the battle if you don’t have a plan to avoid the bullets.
The Gatling gun has limited range. It can move aboutforty-five degrees left and right and struggles with targets directly beneath it. Therefore, your goal is to move the battle beyond this range.
Usually, we wouldn’t recommend cornering yourself in an enclosed arena. However, this tactic is precisely what you need to avoid getting pelted by the Gatling gun. Stay close to theBallroom’s left, right, and back walls to hide from the gunfire. Avoid the Ballroom’s entrance wall since it directly faces the window, putting you in the line of fire.
There are severalstructural pillarsin the Ballroom. Use them to quickly take cover when you can’t get out of the Gatling gun’s range.
Adjust Your Combat Style To Your Blade Twin’s Weapon
Your Blade Twin is your first enemy withmultiple primary weapons. This means they can switch out weapons to gain a Counterspark Compatibility advantage against you. But what does that mean?
We talked at length aboutCounterspark Compatibilityin ourCombat Styles guide. In short, this means thata combat style’s type can give you an advantage or disadvantage against different weapons. This compatibility is indicated by a small arrow next to your opponent’s health bar.
Without getting into particulars,you want to see blue up-arrowsnext to your Blade Twin’s health bar. If you don’t see blue up-arrows, you need to change your combat style, switch your weapon, or switch control to a character with an advantageous combat style.
Adjustyour combat style whenever your Blade Twin swaps weapons. Doing so will lead to more successful countersparks, depleting your Blade Twin’s Ki and breaking their stance. Then, you may land critical hits that will lead you closer to victory.
