Rise of the Ronin - Skills
Progression in Rise of the Ronin is split between the Veiled Edge's own skill trees and the fighting styles taught by Bond masters. The universal trees cover the mechanics every build needs: Counterspark, Ki breaking, weapon swapping, stealth kills, traversal tools and crafting. The weapon-style ent...
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of 14 entries
· updated 2026-11-13
| Name | Type | Description | Tree | Cost | Prerequisite | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counterspark | Core Skill | The defining mechanic of the combat system: a precisely timed parry that sparks on contact, heavily damages the attacker's Ki and staggers them for a critical hit. | Core Combat | 0 | Available from the start of the game | Timed parry that breaks enemy Ki Opens a critical-hit window on success Upgrade nodes widen the timing window and add counters |
| Ki Break | Core Skill | The offensive counterpart to Counterspark. | Core Combat | 1 | Counterspark unlocked | Heavy attacks and Countersparks drain enemy Ki Broken enemies take a critical strike Upgrades extend the broken window |
| Switch Attack | Core Skill | A weapon swap performed mid-combo that carries the momentum of the previous attack into a unique transition strike. | Core Combat | 2 | Two weapons equipped | Mid-combo weapon swap with a transition strike Bypasses single-weapon range and resistance limits Upgrades reduce swap recovery and add follow-ups |
| Heavy Attack | Weapon Skill | The charged strike that every weapon type carries, spending more Ki for more Ki damage and poise break. | Core Combat | 1 | Available from the start of the game | Charged strike with high Ki damage Per-weapon-type animation and hitbox Upgrades add a second charge tier |
| Sneak Attack | Stealth Skill | A silent kill from behind on an unaware enemy. | Stealth | 1 | Available from the start of the game | Instant kill on unaware human enemies Works on officers and patrol leaders Fails once an enemy is alerted |
| Air Assassination | Stealth Skill | A drop kill from a rooftop, ledge or beam onto an enemy below. | Stealth | 2 | Grappling Rope unlocked | Instant kill from above Combines with grappling rope for vertical entries Upgrade adds a chained second assassination |
| Grappling Rope | Traversal Skill | A rope hook that pulls the hunter up walls, onto roofs and across gaps to marked anchor points. | Traversal | 0 | Unlocked during the opening chapters | Climb walls and reach rooftops at anchor points Enables stealth entries and shortcuts Upgrades extend range and add a grapple attack |
| Glider | Traversal Skill | A folding glider that lets the hunter cross valleys and drop from high ground without fall damage. | Traversal | 1 | Unlocked during the opening chapters | Glide from height without fall damage Fast district-to-district travel Escape tool after a botched stealth approach |
| Horseback Riding | Traversal Skill | Mount and ride, with mounted attacks that let the hunter cut down a fleeing courier or ride through a checkpoint without dismounting. | Traversal | 1 | A horse acquired through the story | Fast road travel Mounted melee and ranged attacks Upgrades add a charge attack from the saddle |
| Weapon Upgrading | Passive | The blacksmith system that turns looted duplicates and materials into a stronger weapon. | Crafting | 1 | Blacksmith unlocked in the first region | Raise weapon level with materials and duplicates Add or re-roll weapon traits Passives reduce cost and improve trait rolls |
| Weapon Style Proficiency | Passive | The passive layer under the style system. | Weapon Style | 2 | At least one fighting style learned | Proficiency builds with use per weapon type Unlocks extra style slots Enables mid-fight style switching |
| Tennen Rishin-ryu | Fighting Style (Katana) | The historical sword school of the Shinsengumi, and in game the katana style tied to the Shinsengumi Bond line. | Weapon Style | 3 | High Bond with the Shinsengumi commanders | Forward-pressure katana move set Strong guard into counter sequences Taught through Shinsengumi Bond progression |
| Style Families (Katana, Odachi, Spear, Naginata, Dual Blades) | Fighting Style | Each melee weapon type has several competing styles that change its reach, speed and stat weighting rather than just adding attacks, and each style is attached to a specific teacher among the game's allies and dojo masters. | Weapon Style | 2 | Bond with the NPC who teaches the style | Multiple styles per weapon type Each style changes reach, speed and scaling Styles are unlocked through individual Bond lines |
| Bow Marksmanship | Fighting Style (Bow) | The bow style line, built around quick draws, aimed shots and fire arrows. | Weapon Style | 2 | A bow equipped and a hunting contact met | Fast silent draws Fire arrows with burn effect Upgrades add moving aim and faster draw |
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