Combat is an integral part of action RPGs, and players need to master the art to survive in these games. Giving the fighting mechanism a little incline, Rise of the Ronin introduces multiple combat styles to master for different weapons, and the weapon range is also surprisingly impressive. Among these combat styles, Shinobi differs from others in many ways, and this guide will help players learn all the required information about obtaining it.

In most cases, combat styles in Rise of the Ronin are restricted to Chi, Ten, and Jin. Most weapons in the game require players to master the combat styles of these three types, but the Shinobi combat style exists outside of these three with its own advantages and disadvantages. Don’t worry, we will give you a detailed walkthrough of the Shinobi combat style.

Rise of the Ronin: Basic Information About Shinobi Combat Style

Shinobi’s combat style is different from most other styles in the game, and that’s mostly because of its fast and unpredictable attack patterns. So, it can be great for offensive playstyles, but when it comes to defense, Shinobi style lacks it. More specifically, this combat style is not resistant to any weapon. So, no matter what your opponent has, with the Shinobi combat style, you are sure to take damage.

However, if you can master the counterspark ability, Shinobi is great for you to deal with the most challenging enemies in the game. At this point, players must have understood the concept of a counterspark, where they can block and perform a Perfect Parry to stagger enemies for a few seconds. 

Shinobi combat style has a short but unique counterspark window, which works faster and fits in the window perfectly. If you can perform a perfect counterspark in Shinobi style, the enemy gets staggered for more time and receives immense Ki damage. This perfectly timed counterspark will work on every enemy, regardless of their armor, shields, or weapon type. That’s a great advantage of this style. 

SUGGESTED: How to Recruit Gonzo in Rise of the Ronin

This perfect counterspark can instantly help players regain their dominance over their enemies and take control of the fight. Therefore, the effort you need to put into the combat style is worth it. The game has three Shinobi combat styles to unlock:

• The Hayabusa-ryu Katana Combat Style
• The Gikei-ryu Katana Combat Style
• The Hayabusa-ryu Polearm Combat Style

Below, we will discuss all the unlocking processes in detail to help players acquire them faster in the game without missing.

How to Obtain Shinobi Combat Styles in Rise of the Ronin

If you have been playing Rise of Ronin for quite a few days already, you must have a sound knowledge of the general combat style unlocking process in the game. Well, for the newcomers, let me remind you that Bond missions are the primary way to unlock new combat styles. These Bond missions are character-specific activities in the game, and players need to complete them to increase their bond with their allies and get attractive rewards.

About the three Shinobi combat styles, players will unlock two of them through Shinobi Ninja, and the third one will be unlocked as they progress through the main story and reach the end of Act 1, where they need to make a decision. The two combat styles that Shinobi Ninja will reward players with are Hayabusa-ryu Katana Combat Style and Hayabusa-ryu Polearm Combat Style. 

Let’s begin the journey with the two Hayabusa-ryu combat styles. As you progress through the game, you will meet different NPCs throughout your journey, and Yasusuke Sawamura will be among them. However, he is not part of your main journey, so players need to find and befriend this Iga Ninja. 

The process of meeting and befriending Yasusuke Sawamura is a bit lengthy. He is a friend of Yukichi Fukuzawa, another NPC and one of your allies, who will accompany you on several missions. The first time, the NPC will help you in the main story mission named Cultural Exchange. Later, he will again accompany you on the Tracking Down Harris and Take Back Hongakuji Temple missions. 

After he has helped you in all three missions, players will unlock his Bond mission, named In Search of New Knowledge. To accept this quest, they have to travel to Yokohama Grand Villa and locate Fukuzawa. During this mission, if you agree to sneak back aboard the Black Ships to gain Western secrets, you will meet Yasusuke Sawamura and unlock his bond missions. 

SUGGESTED: How to Complete Old Friends (Bond Mission) in Rise of the Ronin

The next process is not tough. Once the Iga Ninja becomes your ally, start increasing your bond with him, and he will help you learn about the Hayabusa-ryu combat style. Eventually, as your bond gets deeper with the NPC, you will unlock the combat styles for katana and polearm.

Coming to the final Shinobi combat style, named the Gikei-ryu Katana Combat Style, players need to progress further and reach the end of Act 1, where they fight Naosuke Li. This fight is part of the final mission of Act 1: Those Who Gather at Edo, and it comes when players start the objective, The Sakurada Gate Incident. 

During this fight, the most famous enemy of the game, Blue Demon, will appear as the savior of the boss, and unfortunately, the Gikei-ryu Katana Combat Style is what Blue Demon uses in battles. This fight takes players to a decision-making point, where they need to decide whether to kill or spare Naosuke Li. 

Whether you get the combat style or not is dependent on what you choose. Remember, if you kill Naosuke Li, only then will you get the combat style you are looking for. Sparing him won’t reward the combat style. 

That’s everything players need to know about how to get Shinobi Combat Style in Rise of the Ronin. The Blue Demon definitely becomes a headache for you. So, we recommend you go through our guide to get a detailed walkthrough of dealing with the enemy. Additionally, no matter what kind of queries you have or wherever you get stuck, don’t forget to scroll through our Rise of the Ronin guides to make your journey smoother.