Every weapon & sub-weapon Rise of the Ronin explained
As you progress through Rise of the Ronin, you’re going to be picking up weapons constantly, to the point where it feels like every other enemy drops a new one to try out.
When looking at weapons, you’re going to want a combination of high damage output and passive boosts. To help you decide which ones to use, I’ve outlined all of the weapons you can find in the game below, including a small explainer of what they do. However, my advice would be to give them all a chance.
Every weapon in Rise of the Ronin
There are nine weapons in total, each with unique stances and movesets:
- Katana: Single, two-handed sword
- Spear: Long weapon focused on stabbing
- Paired Swords: Two shorter swords that do less damage but are much quicker
- Odachi: A long blade that sits on the back when not being used
- Sabre: Western weapon in the game that is also used with two hands
- Polearm: Similar to spear, but more focused on sweeping and swiping, great for distance
- Bayonet: Using a rifle, as a melee weapon stabbing with the Bayonet. Still capable of firing too
- Greatsword: Giant two-handed sword carried on the back, looks very Final Fantasy 7
- Oxtail Blade: A quick one-handed weapon that utilises the attached cord to allow for more aerial combos
Some weapons will offer greater range, whilst others prioritise speed. Fortunately, you can have two weapons equipped at a time, switching between them on the fly.
During my play-through, I found weapons constantly, but if I had a high-level Odachi and Paired Swords, they would always be my go-to choices as this combination allows for the perfect blend of range and speed. The Oxtail Blade is a lot of fun as well.
Every sub-weapon so far
Rise of the Ronin has fewer sub-weapons and they’re all pretty standard:
- Rifle: Long-ranged gun that allows for a zoom and deals devastating damage but is loud
- Revolvers: Pistols that allow for quick shots to be fired during close-quarter combat
- Bow: A long-range weapon that will be imperative to being stealthy
- Flame Pipe: A very aggressive short-ranged weapon that shoots flames is earned during the A Lucky Find quest with Igashichi Iizuka
During my playthrough, I mainly went for a combination of a bow and a revolver. Using a bow allowed me to sneak effectively, and I could then switch to a revolver when things got a bit out of hand.
I'll update this guide if I discover any more sub-weapons in future playthroughs.
If you’re looking for more guides, check out our Rise of the Ronin homepage where we have already covered the different stables in the game, the best skills to get early on and how to unlock the glider.