How Karma works in Rise of the Ronin

Karma in Rise of the Ronin is not quite what you would expect when hearing the name. Instead of the traditional meaning, the game has opted to interpret it as the currency used for levelling.

A lot of games now have one or more currencies to wrap your head around, with some used for levelling and others used for purchasing items. This is how it works in Rise of the Ronin, with Karma specifically used for levelling - but as with all Soulslikes, there is more here than meets the eye.

How to earn Karma

Karma will be picked up organically as you progress through the game. Every time you defeat an enemy, tackle a boss or tick off an open-world objective your Karma meter will shoot up a touch.

To farm Karma, your best bet is to find an area with some easy enemies, near a checkpoint, and take them out - intermittently resting so they respawn and you can defeat them all over again.

How does Karma work?

Karma in Rise of the Ronin helps contribute to earning Skill Points that can then be spent on levelling up. However, if you die with unspent Karma, then it will be temporarily lost.

You have the opportunity to earn it back by defeating or landing a critical hit on the enemy who killed you. Failing to do this will lead to the Karma being lost forever.

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Converting Karma to Skill Points is fortunately very simple, all you need to do is interact with a Veiled Edge Banner or finish a mission. This way, you can ensure all your efforts haven’t been lost and you can continue levelling up.

You can keep track of how this is progressing by looking at the meter in the top right of the screen.

For more guides, check out our Rise of the Ronin homepage where we have already covered how to complete regional Bonds, how to find Shrines, and how to check in with Pilgrim Dogs.