ConsideringLike a Dragon: Ishinis all about samurai, one would think the Swordsman style would be one of the strongest on offer. However, while the remake has improved it from the Japan-only PS4 original, it’s still rather slow compared to the other styles, and works better at one-on-one encounters than crowd control.
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However, it can still deal with anyone picking a fight. Then it can only get better as the player levels it up. So long as they focus on the right skills, that is. For anyone wanting to get the best out of the samurai, these are the best Swordsman skills to unlock as soon as possible inLike a Dragon: Ishin!
8Mugenbo Knowledge
This ability may sound familiar toYakuzaveterans, asRyōma’s future lookalikeused a similar skill called Re-Guard when bare-handed. When foes are on the offensive, there’s a chance they can break Ryōma’s guard and knock him down while he’s defenseless, even with the sword’s extra protection.
The player can stop this from happening by unlocking Mugenbo Knowledge, which will allow Ryōma toguard again as soon as his defenses are broken. It can come in handy when the player is trying to find their bearings while being attacked, and could be a lifesaver if they find themselves in a dire situation.
7Enhance Swordsman Speed
The Swordsman Style’s speed is notably lackingcompared to Brawleror Gunman. So, making it faster is a necessity. It’ll close any openings Ryōma’s sword combos may leave, and make its move set all the more deadly.
Just drop an orb on this upgrade, and Ryōma willget more pep in his stepwhen he brings out his katana. It might be enough to make those initially put off by the style begin to see its potential. But this is only the beginning.
6Enhance Great Swordsman Strike
Quicker combos can help rack up the damage, but it really helps to boost Ryōma’s attack stats as well. In the long run, players canmake stronger, sturdier swordsat the blacksmiths. In the short run, they can use this upgrade to give themselves a little more oomph.
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Enhancing the Great Swordsman Strike will increase Ryōma’s default damage with a single swordby extending his combos. He’ll fit in more attacks, and do more damage with each strike. As such, it’s a good option to go for. If anything, it’s harder to avoid getting it.
5Beauty Kazamidori
‘Kazamidori’ was originally the Japanese term for a weather vane, but it can also refer to an opportunist, because it goes wherever the wind blows. It’s a fitting name for this move, as it’s a counter-attack that lulls Ryōma’s opponents into a false sense of security.
The Beauty Kazamidori will slip past their attacks,then stun them in place, leaving them open for more punishment. While it’s handy against goons, it’s best used against bosses. That way Ryōma cancut them down to sizeeach time…provided the player unlocks the skill and learns to pull it off consistently.
4Knowledge of the Odachi
Also called a ‘nodachi’, the odachi actually predates the katana despite essentially being a larger version of the iconic blade. Ryōma will obtain one after completing Chapter 1, but before he can use it he’ll need to learn just how to hold it steady.
Knowledge of the Odachi will give Ryōma new moves that he canuse with the titular giant blade. While it’s slower than his normal sword, the odachi packs a heavy punch when it connects. If it’s used well, it might be enough to take out any roaming gang of fools.
3Essence of Single Cuts
Heat Actions are some of the most fun partsof theYakuzagames, and Swordsman style has some particularly grisly ones. Once unlocked, the player just needs to dodge towards an enemy and hit the strong Attack button when prompted.
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Ryōma will catch his foe while they’re off-balance,then slice them up a few timesfor some heavy damage before letting them fall. Though he only does that because the player can then unlock some painful-looking follow-ups for it, like…
2Essence of the Skewering Cuts
If the Single Cuts didn’t make the squeamish cringe enough, the Skewering Cuts will. If the player unlocks it, they’ll get an extra prompt during the Single Cuts Heat move. Once followed, Ryōma will follow his cuts upwith a gruesome impalement.
Then he’ll swing his foe around for more damage, before chucking them off into another goon. Usually, these extra prompts require more Heat to pull off, but the Single and Skewering Cuts are surprisingly cost-effective compared to the damage they deal. If the player has an orb to spare, they should make a beeline for this move.
1Essence of Finishing Stab
Otherwise, if the player’s still in the early goings of the game, they’ll need a ground move to polish off any downed foes. The Essence of Finishing Stab is available near the start of the Swordsman Skill Tree, and it does exactly what it says in the name.
Ryōma will pin the poor goon down with his heel, thendrive the business end of his blade through them. It’s good for cleaning up the field when there are only a few stragglers left. Mainly because only the sturdiest foes will be getting up after this brutal stabbing.
Like a Dragon: Ishin!is available now for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
