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 Roningives each weapon several combat variations, called Combat Styles, that keep gameplay fresh.

While 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.

The Select Combat Style Menu from Rise Of The Ronin.

What Are Combat Styles?

Combat Styles arefighting techniques that affect the stance, move set, counterspark compatibility, and statsof 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 theHokushin Itto-ryustyle, a departure from theMumyo-ryucombat style you learned under the Kurosu clan’s training. In the"Curtain Falls, Curtain Rises"mission, you’ll need toswitch between yourself and Ryoma to take on different enemy typesif you haven’t unlocked any combat styles on your own.

The protagonist countersparks Gonzo’s attack during a battle atop a Japanese castle in Rise Of The Ronin.

You canequip up to three combat stylesfor both your primary weapons via theEquipmentmenu. Then, to switch between these combat styles in battle, pressR1 and move the Right Thumbsticktoward the desired Combat Style.

Did you know you can switch Combat Styles mid-combo? This skill isViolent Galeand gets performed with the same command you use to switch Combat Styleswhile your attack hits the enemy. But you need to learn the technique later in the campaign to use it.

A tutorial explaining the Combat Style Effectiveness system in Rise Of The Ronin.

How Does Counterspark Compatibility Work?

Your Combat Style can put you at an advantage or disadvantage in battle depending on your enemy’s weapon. Thisadvantage/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 areJin,Chi, andTen.

“The Men From Tosa” Bond Mission rewards a new Combat Style upon completion, as displayed in this menu from Rise Of The Ronin.

Advantage Against:Sabre and other lightweight weapons.

Disadvantage Against:Odachi and other heavyweight weapons.

We placed an orange box around the Mumyo-ryu Combat Style Upgrade Requirements in Rise Of The Ronin.

Advantage Against:Odachi and other heavyweight weapons.

Disadvantage Against:Katanas and other middleweight weapons.

A custom image featuring the various Combat Style icons from Rise Of The Ronin.

Advantage Against:Katanas and other middleweight weapons.

Disadvantage Against:Sabre and other lightweight weapons.

The protagonist takes on an unarmed combat stance in Rise Of The Ronin’s Combat Style menu.

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’re able to always rely on solid combat skills to claim victory.

A visual guide indicates your counterspark compatibility against your current enemy. The symbol is on theright side of your opponent’s health bar.

The protagonist wields a Katana in Rise Of The Ronin’s Combat Style menu.

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:

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 theCombat Stylesmenu. Follow the steps below:

Every 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 ofall 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!

The protagonist wields a Spear in Rise Of The Ronin’s Combat Style menu.

The protagonist wields a set of Paired Swords in Rise Of The Ronin’s Combat Style menu.