Summary
Rise of the Roninis not lacking in combat opportunities. From swords to polearms, there is an astounding amount of variety, on top of each weapon having various stances unlocked through leveling up and quests. Players can also fight barehanded and go full-blown pacifist monk on everyone.
It’s not advertised well, butRise of the Roninsupports a mostly pacifist run like one of the all-time greats,Metal Gear Solid. It’s a fighting style worth looking into, along with these otherweapons players can find in the early hours of the game. There’s a lot of RNG to weapon stats and placement, but these weapon types should be prioritized for players who are just starting their journey.
8Admiral’s Saber (Saber)
Get Fancy With It
Sabers like theAdmiral’s Saberare good weapons to have because they keep players light on their toes. They’re good for stabbing forward instead of slashing at enemies, and there are a lot of acrobatics involved with the weapon skills.
All of the Special Attacks attached to this weapon will increase attack power in various ways, like when HP is full. Blood will accumulate on weapons the more players fight, and if they remove blood with the right analog stick, it will improve Ki, which is the stamina equivalent inRise of the Ronin. So, Blood Gauge Up will increase the rate of blood accumulation, which will then further increase Ki, and so on.
7American Revolver Mk. 2 (Handgun)
Most handguns in the game are revolvers like theAmerican Revolver Mk. 2. This is the samurai era, so, of course, more modern handguns like Glocks or 9MMs didn’t exist yet. Besides it being nice to pop off a few rounds without aiming while players slash at foes with their main weapon, this handgun is useful for its Special Effects.
EXP Acquisition Up will boost how fast players willlevel up inRise of the Ronin. Martial Skill Ki Consumption Down will reduce Ki cost for weapon specials. Stealth Up is good for players that want to go into missions in the dark, while Ally Attack Up boosts the power of any teammates who tag along on missions.
6Battle-Proven Paired Swords (Paired Swords)
Two Swords Are Better Than One
It was traditional for samurai to carry two, sometimes three swords, depending on various factors like their class. However, most still only used one sword at a time, making it a bit unrealisticwhen samurai-based gamesor anime show characters using two at once.
Players can use two swords inRise of the Roninthough with the Paired Sword archetype. TheBattle-Proven Paired Swordsare a good example of this, as they help boost Attack Power and provide a way to use less Ki while dodging.
5Black-Tasseled Longbow (Bow)
Archers, Take Aim
Bows are technically sub-weapons that players can ready with the L2 Trigger on the PS5 controller. TheBlack-Tasseled Longbowarchetype is one of the better Bows in the game. Players can’t counter with Bows, but the Ki Consumption Down (Counterspark) Special Effect will carry over to main weapons like swords and spears. Ki Attack Up will help thoseCountersparks hit back more often inRise of the Ronintoo.
Bows are great because there are several types of arrows players can switch to, like Poison, and Negative Status Build-Up will increase the potency of said Poison. Panic is also a status effect that will put enemies on edge, leaving them vulnerable.
4Craftman’s Odachi (Odachi)
A Longer Version Of The Classic
The Odachi is another classic samurai sword, but it’s much bigger, almost likeSephiroth’s fromFinal Fantasy 7. TheCraftman’s Odachiis a good example, and one that favors increasing Attack Power over other stats.
It’s a big weapon that covers a large area if wielded properly. It uses a lot of Ki during normal swings and weapon skills, so it’s handy to have something like Ki Consumption Down (Dodging) equipped to prevent Ki from dropping to critical levels on the defensive.
3Fire Pipe
Burning Down The House
TheFire Pipeis not a type of weapon that players can find in the game. Instead, it can be crafted via a recruitable teammate, Igashichi Iizuka. Igashichi is an inventor, and players can invest money in him for gadgets and weapons like the Fire Pipe.
It’s a feudal Japan version of a flamethrower, one of the most classic video game weapons of all time, from old-school franchises likeContrato modern ones likeCall of Duty. Like Bows, players can switch out ammo types to produce different flames with the Fire Pipe.
2Old-Fashioned Bayonet (Bayonet)
The Best Of Both Worlds
It may take a while to get a Bayonet, but once players do, they may fall in love. All bayonets in the game can slash and stab at enemies along with shoot projectiles, and one of the better early versions is theOld-Fashioned Bayonetarchetype. It’s the best of both worlds, likeSquall’s Gunblade inFinal Fantasy 8.
The Old-Fashioned Bayonet doesn’t have radically different Special Effects from other weapons on the list. However, its functionality alone is what makes this type of weapon great, thanks to its broad versatility.
1Uchigatana (Katana)
For True Samurai
There’s no denying the power of wielding a katana in a samurai game like this. TheUchigatanais a fairly common type, and it has a familiar Special Effect, Blood Gauge Up, along with an attack boost via Attack Up (Unruly Area). The one new addition to the list is Solo Attempt Attack Up. It’s a significant increase in attack power in exchange for tackling a mission alone.
For stealthy players, it’s a lot easier to go on missions solo anyway, and for Soulslike challenge seekers out there may want to go this route as well. That’s why Solo Attempt Attack Up is such a good Special Effect to find on weapons like the Uchigatana.
