Creating a custom character is the first major step of your journey in Rise of the Ronin, and after spending all that time obsessing over every detail of not one, but two characters, you’ll need to choose a Blade Sharpening Origin for them.
Without knowing much about the gameplay or progression systems in Rise of the Ronin, the Blade Sharpening Origin screen can seem daunting at first. It presents you with a ton of stats without telling you what they do, several icons for recommended weapons that you won’t have any experience with at this point, and multiple skills that you won’t be able to test out beforehand.
What Are Blade Sharpening Origins in Rise of the Ronin?
Blade Sharpening Origins are Rise of the Ronin’s version of starting classes. Your Blade Sharpening Origin determines your starting stats, your recommended weapons, and the skills that you start the game with. There are six Blade Sharpening Origins to choose from.
Which Blade Sharpening Origin is the Best?
While each class has a different starting stat spread, the difference is so minor that they really don’t matter. The same goes for “recommended weapons” since you can use any weapon with any class and you won’t get any huge buffs for using the weapons listed on the Blade Sharpening Origin screen.
What does matter is the starting skill since that can give you an edge in the early portion of the game. Because of that, Seducer is the best overall Blade Sharpening Origin since it unlocks Speechcraft “Liar,” which lets you use special dialogue options. If you don’t care about that, then you should choose Breaker since the Rapid Assassinations skill makes stealth a whole lot easier. Keep reading on to learn more about each of the game’s Blade Sharpening Origins.
Killer
The Killer class gets a boost to Strength, starting with 78 instead of 75. The recommended weapons for Killers are katanas, greatswords, and odachis. They began with the ability to repel arrows and bullets with a Counterspark parry, which is super helpful.
Breaker
Breakers specialize in Dexterity, starting out with 77 instead of 75. Their recommended weapons are paired swords and bayonets, which make for a highly aggressive playstyle. Their starting ability is Rapid Assassinations, which lets them assassinate two enemies standing side by side.
Seducer
Seducer is the Charisma class in Rise of the Ronin, starting out with 78 instead of 75. They specialize in polearms and oxtail blades, which are an odd pair. They’re still just as effective as other weapon types, and don’t forget that you’re not restricted to only these weapons anyway. Seducers start with Speechcraft “Liar,”, which unlocks unique dialogue options.
Sapper
Sappers focus on Intelligence, starting with 79 instead of 75 which is the largest initial stat boost of any class. Their recommended weapons are spears and sabers, which are two of the most precise and technical weapon archetypes in Rise of the Ronin. They start with Refill (Medicinal Pills) unlocked, which will increase the number of Medicinal Pills that are restocked upon visiting a Veiled Edge Banner.
Beginner
If you’d rather not have the game make any choices for you, then Beginner is the way to go. All four stats start at 75 with no modifications, there are no recommended weapons, and there are no starting skills. This is a blank slate intended for players who want more control over their character.
Unsharpened
Unsharpened is similar to Beginner, starting the game with no recommended weapons or starting skills, but all of the stats for this Blade Sharpening Origin are at 70. This is the lowest possible number for each of the game’s stats, so this class is the perfect blank slate for min-maxers who have a specific build in mind. Don’t pick this one if you don’t already know what you’re doing. This is the equivalent of the Deprived class in Dark Souls or the Wretch in Elden Ring.
