A discussion of why Kensei is not viable in 1v1 duels and my suggestion for change | Forums

[Tomas_Jari]

I agree with everything you wrote. I don't understand why ubi take off that heavy top after light side, that there are so many other warriors which, or their combos are so strong and fast.

[Kitsune..]

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I would like Ubi guys to see this video. Both EnderVex and Alphastrike are amazing and these duels are insanely good and fun to watch, but this video shows the main kensei's problem: his drastic lack of viable openers and overall lack of divercity. Just notice how much they both avoid all (freakingly slow, easy to read and to punish) dash attacks, that's -3 moves (intended ones!) to kensei's kit Dunno even how can we talk about ruining the turtle play and never attack first meta while punishing the avangard hero for attacking iniciative...

[PKUSUB]

I have been thinking for a while on how to make this class viable, change its zone attack to something similar to the warden

[AncientGR]

Thanate i agree unfortunately. I'm a very dedicated Kensei rep.6 myself and in every step of your description I could see myself fighting through the same delimmas.
I happen to have some Kendo experience and although i didn't have high hopes for what this game could do right, I must say I was dissapointed in how the Samurai faction, in essence, lacks a standard Samurai class.

I could write pages about it but there's no sense, this is just a game after all and they did good work in some cases. Just not with Kensei.
In a few words, my point is that Kensei has very high cost (both in-game and in actual brain-power) for very moderate results when it comes to high-level fights
with oponnents who know what they're doing.
As skill and experience increases, most poeple playing this game will pretty much know every hit of every character there is by heart. (Some in my friends list already do)
So, as player mistake-rates will decline, only the ones with good counter-attacking abilities, low-stamina cost and high speed will be at the top.
Kensei lacks all three.

[Seven.One]

idk how he will get balanced if ubi will base everything on win %, which is pretty good on kensei at lower level of play.

against a skilled passive player, you always get the feeling of checkmate because literally all the options you've tried does not work.

[Vilerin]

Almost every time I win with Kensei I feel like I met just weak opponent not earned it.

Any other situation is just put too much risk & effort for such a small reward that it drains my fighting spirit super fast.

Maybe I got old and can't play too long, but this is only for this game...

Some threat, some opener is must have. Overhead light is not enough.

[Havdreng]

They're quite hard for me as Orochi, because they do some side step thingy which is so freaking quick :P And I've noticed he slides over the ground like tracking me when he goes into a top heavy and I dodge.. then he just slide/teleport to me

But yeh I feel they're damn quick with their heavy, but maybe Orochi isnt a tough opponent for Kensei?

[Havdreng]

They're quite hard for me as Orochi, because they do some side step thingy which is so freaking quick :P And I've noticed he slides over the ground like tracking me when he goes into a top heavy and I dodge.. then he just slide/teleport to me

But yeh I feel they're damn quick with their heavy, but maybe Orochi isnt a tough opponent for Kensei?

[Kitsune..]

I wonder if some kind of front dash attack, like a Helm Splitter, but not restricted to top light, could become a viable opener? Helm Splitter is really good, but if your opponent guards top, he's way too safe now. Such possibility to be hit from any side or GB'd will keep him on his toes a bit.

[Seven.One]

Maybe add more options for us to access the unblockable easier. Maybe a 2-combo instead of 3 with all the dash attacks? or maybe feints can count in a combo too? or just increase the side light attack speed.