Samurai Shodown VI/FAQ

What's Changed?

If you are reading this, chances are you've spent a decent amount of time playing Samurai Shodown V Special, Samurai Shodown (2019) or some other similar entry, or at least pretended to because the idea of being knowledgeable about relatively obscure video games makes you feel special. At any rate, you may be interested in what makes Samurai Shodown VI different to other entries, or may be confused by aspects of the game which feel weird. Below is a list of general system changes from V Special to VI:

• The game has throw techs. Furthermore throw followups are automatic, even when unarmed.
• WFTs and Secret Moves both have a super flash and a brief pause before the attack commences.
• Your time in Rage is marked by a visible timer where your meter usually is, similar to Samurai Shodown (2019) in its current state.
• Similar to Samurai Shodown (1993) (and previously Samurai Shodown (2019) before one of the more recent patches), disarmed weapons stay where they are on the ground and do not move with the screen.
• Damage has been significantly toned down. Even Enja's just frame only does about 40% on average. This theoretically gives the defendent more opportunities to escape pressure.
• Chip damage still only does about one pixel per hit, but because your lifebar is longer this means that chip damage is generally less threatening.
• Certain characters do not run, but instead have step dashes when one inputs 66. These include Amakusa, Gaira, Gen-An, Iroha, Kusaregedo, Kyoshiro and Tam Tam. Curiously, Gaira's console-only headswap Kim Ung Che has a run instead of a step dash.
• Runstop can be cancelled instantly into a jump, making special moves with up inputs impossible to buffer through a runstop.
• Most running slashes will not recoil.
• Your input directions do not change at any point in your jump, even if you have crossed over an opponent. This greatly benefits Iroha, a newcomer who spends plenty of time in the air and who partly relies on crossups for her mixups, while making returning characters like Suija much easier to control.
• There is a new movement option available to some characters: Triangle Get Off (j3 near wall), which is essentially a wall jump but your character falls instead of jumps. Everyone with a Triangle Jump (j9 near wall) has access to this new manuever, but some characters who don't have a Triangle Jump such as Enja may have a Triangle Get Off anyway.
• Crossups are possible in the corner, similar to Arcana Heart and Street Fighter V, if your character is thin enough. Kusaregedo is the only character who is unable to crossup a cornered opponent, as he is way too wide.
• You are unable to delay your wakeup (unless you are running VII Spirit, which is console-exclusive), and there is no holding left or right to control where you roll. Instead of the traditional wakeup roll system, Samurai Shodown VI adopts tech rolls where one must tap the E button right as they hit the ground, or 4E if they wish to roll back a greater distance. The timing is rather precise so you would do well to get it down. There is a bit of strike vulnerability after recovering from a short roll, which can be exploited easily by strong meaty attacks such as Sieger's Vulcan Weinen. Long rolls are vulnerable to throws and command throws and will send you a great distance back from the opponent, which may be good or bad depending on your character and how close you are to the wall behind you. The presence of tech rolls means that guaranteed pursuit followups are very, very rare.
• There are no high/low pursuits anymore. Instead, there is only one type of pursuit (3C), which is mainly used to counter opponents who won't tech roll. In the arcade version, there is a glitch where Iroha, Gaira and Mizuki can combo from their pursuits into their command grabs. This was fixed in the console releases but may be re-enabled by setting the game mode to Arcade.
• Certain attacks have greater juggle potential. Mina's 6C, for instance, will launch the opponent and allow for realistic followups.
• A deflected slash attack will yield the exact same amount of time to punish no matter the strength of attack, and furthermore deflecting an opponent's heavy slash will not disarm them. However, deflecting the I Spirit-exclusive Hyper Slash will disarm the opponent.
• Counter hits will reward you with extra frame advantage, but no extra damage.
• Deephits can still be earned by hitting a crouching opponent, but no longer through hitting the opponent deep into your jump, though aerial heavy slashes generally have enough hitstun that they can link into a close medium slash or something similarly fast. Instead, deephits can be achieved through hitting an opponent while they're vulnerable to counter hits.
• Backhits will reward extra frame advantage per attack strength, but the opponent will only stay with their back turned for one hit. This makes backhit infinites impossible.

Tier Lists

Dark Geese

• S: Mina, Shizumaru, Amakusa, Iroha
• A: Galford, Mizuki, Cham Cham, Kazuki, Sogetsu, Gaoh, Zankuro, Haohmaru, Ukyo
• B: Rera, Sieger, Hanzo, Yumeji, Rasetsumaru, Enja, Gen-An
• C: Andrew, Ocha-Maro, Yunfei, Kusaregedo, Sankuro, Suija, Nicotine, Rimururu, Gaira, Basara
• D: Charlotte, Sugoroku, Kyoshiro, Jubei
• E: Genjuro, Earthquake, Nakoruru, Wan-Fu, Yoshitora

Shoryuken! Wiki

Tier List #1

• S: Mina, Shizumaru, Amakusa, Iroha
• A: Kazuki, Sogetsu, Cham Cham, Gaoh, Zankuro, Haohmaru, Ukyo, Galford, Mizuki
• B: Hanzo, Yumeji, Rasetsumaru, Enja, Gen-An, Rera, Sieger
• C: Suija, Nicotine, Sankuro, Basara, Andrew, Ocha-Maro, Gaira
• D: Rimururu, Sugoroku, Jubei, Yunfei, Tam Tam, Kyoshiro, Charlotte
• E: Genjuro, Yoshitora, Wan-Fu, Kusaregedo, Earthquake, Nakoruru

Tier List #2

• SS: Mina
• S: Amakusa, Iroha, Shizumaru, Kazuki
• A: Galford, Mizuki, Cham Cham, Sogetsu, Gaoh, Zankuro, Haohmaru, Ukyo, Yunfei, Enja
• B: Rera, Sieger, Hanzo, Yumeji, Rasetsumaru, Andrew, Rimururu
• C: Ocha-Maro, Kusaregedo, Gen-An, Sankuro, Suija, Nicotine, Gaira, Basara
• D: Charlotte, Sugoroku, Kyoshiro, Jubei
• E: Genjuro, Earthquake, Nakoruru, Tam Tam, Wan-Fu, Yoshitora

TenChiKaiByaku

• S: Mina (V), Kazuki (IV), Amakusa (VI), Iroha (IV)
• A: Shizumaru (V), Sogetsu (IV), Ukyo (IV), Mizuki (VI), Andrew (V), Gen-An (V)
• B: Rasetsumaru (VI), Rera (V), Galford (IV/V), Rimururu (IV), Gaoh (IV), Wan-Fu (IV/VI), Sieger (IV)
• C: Suija (V), Nicotine (IV/V), Sankuro (IV), Enja (I), Ocha-Maro (III), Zankuro (V), Yunfei (V), Hanzo (IV/VI), Nakoruru (V), Charlotte (I/IV)
• D: Gaira (III), Jubei (V), Yumeji (IV/V), Basara (V), Genjuro (IV), Yoshitora (IV/V), Sugoroku (IV)
• E: Tam Tam (V), Kusaregedo (III), Earthquake (IV/VI), Haohmaru (V/VI), Cham Cham (IV/V), Kyoshiro (IV)
  • Notes: Characters are listed in their best grooves.
  • Purple Nakoruru shares spot with Nakoruru, being a palette swap.
  • Not included are all the console-exclusive characters (Rasetsu Galford, Kim Ung Che, Poppy, Shikuru & Mamahaha, Paku Paku, Champuru)
  • Rasetsu Galford is broken so he would be in God Tier obviously; and the animals seems to be all weak since they're unable to block.