Samurai Shodown 5 Special

Game Mechanics

The Sword Gauge

The Sword Gauge below the Life Gauge shows the character's attack strength. Striking an opponent with a low Sword Gauge level delivers little damage, but slash an opponent with the Sword Gauge at MAX and watch his life drop. The Sword Gauge falls with each slash or miss but climbs again with time.

Rage Gauge

Whenever characters take damage their Rage Gauge rises. When it reaches MAX, you can use Rage moves. As you take attacks and damage, the Rage Gauge increases. And when it reaches MAX, the Sword Gauge maxes out, too.

Rage Explosion

Activating the "Rage Explosion" allows you to use invincible attacks that blow back an enemy attack even if you are taking damage, and it shoots the sword gauge up to MAX in an instant. Time your use of this right because once it's activated, the Rage Gauge disappears for the rest of the match.

Circumstance of Nothing

By meditating you can lower your rage meter while raising your meditate meter. The meditate meter is integrated with the life bar, look for the small arrow on top of it. When you have lost one match and your life meter is down past the arrow it will turn blue and allow you to activate Circumstance of Nothing (a slow motion state) by pressing BCD together. In this state you can perform an Issen move by again pressing BCD. Use only in need because your rage meter will be removed for the rest of the match.

Button Notation and Command Attacks

A = Weak Slash
B = Medium Slash
C = Kick
D = Special
AB= Fierce Slash
BC= Surprise Attack (overhead attacks while dodging low attacks)
D = Meditate (hold down)
ABC = Rage Explosion
BCD = Circumstance of Nothing
BCD = Issen (after Circumstance of Nothing)
qcb+ CD = Fatality (can only be used after one win and during rage explosion; opponent's life bar must be blue)

Special Button Commands

D+ down= duck (dodges high)
D+ back = hop in place (dodges low)
D+ forward = hop forward (dodges low, can hop over characters)
D+ downforward = roll forward
D+ downback = roll backward

Advanced Strategy

Tiers

S :Kusaregedo, Suija, Shizumaru, Rera

A :Haomaru, Ukyo, Charlotte, Sogetsu, Kazuki, Mina

B :Galford, Rimururu, Jubei, Basara, Hanzo

C :Yunfei, Gaira, Gaoh, Resetsumaru, Amakusa, Zankuro, Genjuro

D :Nakoruru, Kyoshiro, Tam, Yoshitora

E :Enja, Mizuki

The Characters

• Shiro Tokisada Amakusa
• Kubikiri Basara
• Charlotte Christine Colde
• Enja
• Gaira Caffeine
• Galford
• Gaoh Kyougoku Hinowanokami
• Genjuro Kibagami
• Hanzo Hattori
• Haohmaru
• Jubei Yagyu
• Kazuki
• Kusaregedo
• Kyoshiro Senryo
• Mina Majikina
• Mizuki Rashojin
• Nakoruru
• Poppy
• Rasetsumaru
• Rera
• Rimururu
• Shizumaru
• Sogetsu
• Suija
• Tam Tam
• Ukyo Tachibana
• Yoshitora Tokugawa
• Yunfei
• Zankuro Minazuki