In the game Rise of the Ronin, every weapon starts with a basic way to fight called a Combat Style. But don’t think that’s the only way to use them. As you go through the story, you can learn different Combat Styles to change how you fight. This Rise of the Ronin Combat Styles Guide will show you how you can get the combat styles, and who can teach you each one.
Combat Styles Guide – Rise Of The Ronin
In Rise of the Ronin, you have two main ways to unlock Combat Styles. The first and usual way is by making friends with companions through completing main story missions, optional side quests, and Bond Missions. The other way is by beating Fugitives.
You can get some Combat Styles either by defeating a Fugitive or by making a bond with a companion. This is because the game considers the different choices you might make in the story, like if you decide not to make friends with optional allies.
Combat Styles Gained From Allies
| Katana Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Companion Required to Unlock It |
| Hokushin Itto-ryu | Ryoma Sakamoto |
| Tatsumi-ryu | Yukichi Fukuzawa |
| Shinto Munen-ryu | Kogoto Katsura |
| Yagyu Shingake-ryu | Taught by Shinsaku Takasugi |
| Tennen Rishin-ryu | Soji Okita |
| Mugai-ryu | Hajime Saito |
| Hayabusa-ryu | Yasusuke Sawamura |
| Spear Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Companion Required to Unlock It |
| Hozoin-ryu | Taught by Aritomo Yamagata |
| Paired Swords Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Companion Required to Unlock It |
| Ninten Ichi-ryu | Taught by Genzui Kusaka |
| Tennen Rishin-ryu | Taught by Toshizo HIjikata |
| Odachi Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Companion Required to Unlock It |
| Nodachi Jigen-ryu | Taught by Gonzo if spared, and sided with him in “The Bad Bunch” Side Mission |
| Jigen-ryu | Taught by Toshimichi Okubo |
| Yagyu Shingake-ryu | Taught by Yoshinobu Tokugawa |
| Tennen Rishin-ryu | Taught by Isami Kondo |
| Shinto Munen-ryu | Taught by Shinpachi Nagakura |
| Saber Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Companion Required to Unlock It |
| US Training | Taught by Matthew Perry |
| Polearm Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Companion Required to Unlock It |
| Shinto Munen-ryu | Taught by Shinsaku Takasugi |
| Hokushin Itto-ryu | Taught by Sana Chiba |
| Hayabusa-ryu | Taught by Yasusuke Sawamura |
| Greatsword Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Companion Required to Unlock It |
| Hoshin-ryu | Taught by Koto Nakazawa |
| Tennen Rishin-ryu | Taught by Isami Kondo |
| Oxtail Blade Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Companion Required to Unlock It |
| Kiheitai Style | Taught by Shinsaku Takasugi |
| Bayonet Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Companion Required to Unlock It |
| Kiheitai Style | Taught by Hirobumi Ito |
Combat Styles Gained From Fugitives
You can locate fugitives on the map by searching for a special symbol, like a shape with two lines, as seen in the picture. Once you find a fugitive but haven’t caught them yet, you can usually tell which ones will give you a new fighting skill. When you move your cursor over them, you’ll see a message saying that defeating them will earn you a new fighting skill.
| Paired Swords Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Fugitive Required to Unlock It |
| Kyoshin Meichi-ryu | Defeat the Fugitive, Juzo Inayama (Takanawa) |
| Odachi Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Fugitive Required to Unlock It |
| Shinto Munen-ryu | Defeat the Fugitive, Punch-Drunk Kanta (Yoshida-Shinden Region) |
| Saber Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Fugitive Required to Unlock It |
| US Training | Defeat the Fugitive, Grigori the Immortal (Senzoku Region) |
| Polearm Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Fugitive Required to Unlock It |
| Hokushin Itto-ryu | Defeat the Fugitive, Wild Tiger Mio (Kariba Region) |
| Greatsword Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Fugitive Required to Unlock It |
| Hoshin-ryu | Defeat the Fugitive Temple-Crasher Yosuke (Ishikawa Region) |
| Tennen Rishin-ryu | Defeat the Fugitive Gennai Inoko (Honsho Region) |
| Oxtail Blade Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Fugitive Required to Unlock It |
| Kiheitai Style | Defeat the Fugitive, Green-Eyed Sanzaemon (Hodogaya Region) |
| Bayonet Combat Styles | |
| Combat Style | Fugitive Required to Unlock It |
| Kiheitai Style | Defeat the Fugitive, Shirodayu Shirame (Hodogaya Region) |
For additional guides, check out the links below:
This concludes our Rise of the Ronin guide on how you can gain new Combat Styles. If you want to add anything to this guide, feel free to use the comments section below.
