Summary
SinceRise of the Roninis an open-world game, you can find a lot of weapons in your travels. Yet they are all divided into categories, and you can unlock different styles for each weapon type to customize your build to your heart’s content.
Since you can also upgrade the weapons you find, you might wonder what type is worth the time investment and what styles are the most powerful. You can’t be expected to master all styles, so you should only focus on the weapons that will improve your chances of beating your foes.
7Saber
Quick On Your Feet
The saber is one of the most exotic weapons you can find in the game, at least from a Japanese perspective. It is used by one of the first bosses in the game, someone youcan later befriendto gain their unique moveset.
All saber styles are quick, dealing multiple hits in a short burst, letting you make the most out of any enemy openings. They are also the weapon with the least range (not counting going unarmed), so you’ll have to get up in your opponent’s face if you wish to land every hit.
6Oxtail Sword
Dashing Through Enemy Lines
While the oxtail sword might look similar to the saber, the oxtail sword lacks the flurry of attacks in some styles, making up for it with movement. Some styles even add range to the blade, since you’re able to swing the sword from the oxtail for a surprisingly long-range blow.
One of the best styles of the oxtail sword isn’t related to a bond; instead, you’ll need to complete the Fujiokaya diary missions. They have their own set of challenges, but at least you’ll be doing something different from every other weapon.
5Polearm
Dealing With Crowds
Weapons like spears and polearms are meant for two roles: keeping your distance and fighting large numbers of enemies. While both weapons do well in the distance front, the polearm beats the spear against crowds with nearly every style.
You can even earn the Hayabusa-Ryu style from Ninja Gaiden by bonding with Yosusuke Sawamura. This is by far the best polearm style in the game, with quick attacks and devastating parries, letting you dispatch your foes before they land a single hit.
4Greatsword
Not As Slow As You Would Expect
The greatsword directly competes with the odachi as the big blade that deals big damage, and while both of them are close, the styles available to the greatsword make it the better option. Most styles revolve around heavy swings, but the greatsword can have some inventive ways to deal damage.
In the base game, one of the better greatsword styles is the Hoshin-Ryu, gained by reaching a bond of level 3 with Koro Nakazawa. This style favors aerial attacks, letting you surprise enemies from rooftops or move quickly to avoid attacks.
Yet the best style is unlocked after you beat the game. Granted, that isn’t all that useful if you haven’t beaten it yet, but the effort is well worth it: the unique style lets you swing your greatsword with your grappling hook, letting you make devastating attacks with a significant area of effect.
3Paired Sword
The Coolest Looking One
Some weapon styles use more than one blade for their combos, but the paired swords have all their styles involving a blade on each hand. This set has all the advantages of quicker blades like the oxtail sword or the saber while having the extra range of a katana.
By far the best style is the one you unlock after completing the story, since it is the one used by your Blade Twin at the end of the game. Said style lets you subdue your enemies with your grappling hook, letting you change your position to keep advantage as you prepare your next combo.
2Bayonet
Combining Close And Long Range
Rise of the Ronin is a game highly focused on parrying, but that isn’t the only option you have. You will also havepistols and bowsto deal with enemies from afar, but the limited ammo makes those weapons serve a support role rather than a main weapon choice.
The bayonet fills the missing gap those long-range weapons have, adding all sorts of melee attacks for when enemies are too close. You can combine both the bayonet and the other long-range options, becoming a deadly force that doesn’t need to get close to its enemies.
1Katana
It Has The Most Styles For A Reason
The best weapon by far is the katana,the most common weaponyou can find and the one unlocked by default. It has an overwhelming number of styles, most of them hidden behind bonds with your allies; if you see someone fighting in a way you like, be sure to bond with them to unlock that style.
The Hayabusa-Ryu style makes a return here, again unlocked by bonding with Yosusuke Sawamura. It is the ultimate shinobi style, focusing on parrying, stealth, and lethal blows, so if that is your preferred gameplay style, that’s the moveset for you.
But the best style in the entire game is the Nioh-Ryu, unlocked by beating the Blue-Eyed Samurai and praying on 80 shrines. This makes you play just like in the Nioh games, with three different stances for all sorts of combat scenarios, and you can unlock it as soon as you reach the Edo area.
