All Combat Stances in Rise of the Ronin, Explained

Updated: March 25, 2024
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Combat in video games involves more than just swinging weapons; it also includes a hefty dose of tactics. This guide will explain all combat stances in Rise of the Ronin and how to use them effectively.

Rise of the Ronin Combat Stances Guide

There are three main combat stances in Rise of the Ronin: Ten (Sky), Chi (Earth), and Jin (Human). Each stance has its own characteristics, and players have to choose carefully between them since different enemies require different stances to beat them. Stances can be used with different weapons, allowing you to create your own combat style.

Rise of the Ronin Ten (Sky) Stance Explained

The Sky stance is the high stance, and you can recognize it by the weapon being held high above the head. This is a slow stance with a big windup, but it delivers crushing power to enemies. You can use it against slower enemies with great armor or damage resistance or to clear the area with wide-swinging attacks. The Sky stance is also very effective against Katanas and medium-weight weapons that employ Earth stance. However, it's weak against Sabres and light weapons.

Related: Valheim weapon tier list

Rise of the Ronin Chi (Earth) Stance Explained

The Earth stance is quite the opposite of the Sky Stance. The weapon is held low, near the ground, and the movements are quick. This is a fast stance that delivers many snappy but weak strikes to the enemies. The Earth stance is good for many weaker opponents or a single elusive enemy. It does well against heavy weapons, such as Odachi, but it's weak against light and quick weapons, such as Sabers.

Rise of the Ronin Jin (Human) Stance Explained

The Human stance is halfway between the Sky and the Earth's stance. The weapon is held in front of the wielder, and the attacks are balanced between being strong and fast. Although this stance looks like the best to use out of the three, it still falls short when it comes to dealing with very strong or very fast enemies. The Human stance is good against lightweight and one-handed weapons but does poorly against heavy weapons.

How to use Stances in Rise of the Ronin

You can equip the stances in the Equipment menu by checking the boxes next to your selected weapons. After equipping the stances, you can change them in real time by hovering over them. There is an indicator of what kind of style you are using against the enemy in the form of a colored arrow next to the enemy's health bar. If the arrow is blue and pointing upward, that means you have a stance that has an advantage over your enemy. The red arrow pointing downward means your stance is weak against the enemy. The white icon means the stance is neutral. Your goal is to select a stance that will give you the blue Arrow.

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