Rise of the Ronin Combat Styles and stances explained

The Rise of the Ronin combat styles are weapon stances that players switch between to do greater damage and drain opponent's Ki more effectively. These styles can be fairly confusing - and seemingly limited - to players who aren't used to these kinds of mechanics, but once you understand how they work, you'll want to have a good selection ready to go at a moment's notice. Not only that, but players can find more stances as they go, and use them in different ways. I'll explain the process by which combat styles and stances in Rise of the Ronin are found in this guide, as well as how to use them most effectively.

 What are Combat Styles in Rise of the Ronin? 

Combat Styles in Rise of the Ronin are stances attached to specific weapon types that are designed to counter certain kinds of enemies. Specifically, while weapons can have all sorts of styles to fight with, all styles are ultimately divided into three groups: Jin, Chi and Ten.

• Jin: Effective against Sabres/Lightweight weapons. Ineffective against Odachis and heavy weapons.
• Chi: Effective against Odachis and heavy weapons. Ineffective against Sabres/Lightweight weapons.
• Ten: Effective against katanas and medium-weight weapons. Ineffective against Sabres/Lightweight weapons.

When we say "effective or ineffective", we specifically mean that these styles are massively more or less damaging to enemy Ki, setting them up all the more easily for a critical hit. As a rule, you should try to have a Jin, Chi and Ten style ready to go at all times, even if it has to be distributed across two different Rise of the Ronin weapons. This means that there really is no "best" style - it's all about finding the right counter to the kind of enemies you're going up against.

Speaking of which, players can use the "Equipment" section of the pause menu to assign up to three Styles to a weapon that they have equipped (assuming they've found that many). Combat styles have greater nuances beyond simple stamina drain - they impact your moveset and available special attacks, as well as granting temporary stat buffs - so test them out as you find them. They can also be upgraded to higher ranks, unlocking new special moves, though the actual process for how this is done varies from style to style (check it in the Combat Style section of the pause menu to see what the requirements are).

How to change Combat Styles

Players can equip new Combat Styles in the equipment menu, as mentioned, in the boxes next to your two primary weapons. At that point you can switch between them mid-combat by holding R1 and moving the right analog stick to select them from the menu in the bottom right. 

You'll know which combat style to use because of the coloured arrows next to the enemy's health bar - if it's blue and pointing upwards, you're using a Style that'll be extra effective - which is good! If it's red and pointing downwards, you're at a disadvantage, and a white icon indicates no advantage either way. If an enemy comes at you, you'll want to immediately switch to any style that provides a blue arrow.

How to unlock more combat styles in Rise of the Ronin

Combat Styles in Rise of the Ronin are contextual rewards for either completing missions, killing fugitives, or building your bonds with certain characters who use those weapons the Styles are associated with (such as Gonzo in Rise of the Ronin). Fortunately, the game doesn't conceal that those are rewards, and if you check a still-locked stance in the Combat Styles menu, it'll tell you the requirements to unlock it.

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