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  1. #1

    Teach me Kensei..

    Hello, if anyone is a pro kensei player and looking to teach a samurai student and make a friend, let me know. I main orochi and have been helping win round 2 with you all! Go samurai. I am interested in playing kensei but I feel like he sucksssssss. I feel like he's so predictable and I can't do anything with him. He feels so slow and trashy, so if you're a good kensei--teach me how to do the things please so we can win for the samurai! All I know is heavy feint into side attack and grab, lol..Is that seriously all I got?
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  2. #2
    You need to have next-level feint game if you want to play Kensei.
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  3. #3
    DrinkinMyStella's Avatar Senior Member
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    As a kensei main i agree that he is predictable that's why i don't play how others expect. Ignore heavy attacks they are too slow and high level players have caught on and easily block or parry them.
    Heavy feint into light attacks work well and side dodging with light attacks, lots of dodging and light attacks work well for me occasionally to switch it up ill throw some heavy attacks in there.
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  4. #4
    HL Kensei's can only rely on top lights, parry's and GB's. Means that your ENTIRE style needs to go on feinting. You got no engage, nothing to actually open any turtle, but u got one of the fastest guard switch speed (6 frames at 30 fps), which allows you to parry easier than most of the other chars. Means that your entire gameplay turns around feint mastering, top light timing, and parry's to GB's or Side Heavy's (To feint/GB/feint/feint/light/feint/feint/feint/GB/feint/feint/feint/feint/feint. I think u got it.)

    FEINTS to parry/GB/lights. FEINTS EVERYWHERE. That's the only way of mastering the kensei.

    Kensei main here too.
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  5. #5
    Originally Posted by DrinkinMehStella Go to original post
    As a kensei main i agree that he is predictable that's why i don't play how others expect. Ignore heavy attacks they are too slow and high level players have caught on and easily block or parry them.
    Heavy feint into light attacks work well and side dodging with light attacks, lots of dodging and light attacks work well for me occasionally to switch it up ill throw some heavy attacks in there.
    I am gonna throw some of my 2cent here.

    Heavy attacks might be slow, but it is actually beneficial to throw it out there once in awhile. The reason being

    1. If you feint enough, and did enough light attacks, it is impossible for the enemy to know if your next attack is going to be a feint, a real hit, or a light attack
    Parrying is not hard at high level play, but if you are going for parry everytime the enemy attack, you will get baited hard. That is why you are safe to throw in heavy here and there. If they block it, it allows you to go into second hit of the chain, which you can then feint a heavy, or dash GB.

    2. Even if they do parry your heavy, you won't be punished hard. Parrying Kensei's heavy at max range will bring him outside of GB range. You will only receive top light attack as punishment most of the time, or even better if the opponent goes for a GB even tho he is out of range.

    Also, side dodge lights are VERY VERY risky. I'd say use it very cautiously. All it takes is for enemy to block it and you will eat a untechable GB. Which will most likely result in you getting hit by a heavy. And even when you successfully hit the enemy, it would only do a light attack damage. the risk/reward ratio isn't great here.

    You use it when you see an enemy's committed attack like Valk forward dash poke, PK forward dash attack, etc.
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  6. #6
    DrinkinMyStella's Avatar Senior Member
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    Originally Posted by GiganticKORAK Go to original post
    I am gonna throw some of my 2cent here.

    Heavy attacks might be slow, but it is actually beneficial to throw it out there once in awhile. The reason being

    1. If you feint enough, and did enough light attacks, it is impossible for the enemy to know if your next attack is going to be a feint, a real hit, or a light attack
    Parrying is not hard at high level play, but if you are going for parry everytime the enemy attack, you will get baited hard. That is why you are safe to throw in heavy here and there. If they block it, it allows you to go into second hit of the chain, which you can then feint a heavy, or dash GB.

    2. Even if they do parry your heavy, you won't be punished hard. Parrying Kensei's heavy at max range will bring him outside of GB range. You will only receive top light attack as punishment most of the time, or even better if the opponent goes for a GB even tho he is out of range.

    Also, side dodge lights are VERY VERY risky. I'd say use it very cautiously. All it takes is for enemy to block it and you will eat a untechable GB. Which will most likely result in you getting hit by a heavy. And even when you successfully hit the enemy, it would only do a light attack damage. the risk/reward ratio isn't great here.

    You use it when you see an enemy's committed attack like Valk forward dash poke, PK forward dash attack, etc.
    i do agree with you, but i do think the side dodge light attacks are his best move to confuse the enemy and this showed when i was using the valk against a kensei, i just couldn't block his side dash light quick enough i would have to dodge the opposite side to get out of the way.
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  7. #7
    Hi!

    First of all sorry for my english!

    Kensei is not the weakest character – it is a character hard to master, and character that requires thinking while playing. It's not straight-forward warrior. So, as my experience goes, while playing Kensei you need to:

    -Use mainly fast attacks

    Most of the time – forget about slow attacks – you can use them, but only when you are 100% sure that slow attack will land on enemy. For instance after guard break. Fast attacks are Kensei most powerful attacks – I won many fights with high level players ONLY using fast attacks. Yes – they are much weaker, but you will “stab” your enemy to death.

    -Move a lot, use dashes and KEEP YOUR DISTANCE

    I can't stress this enough. Keeping your distance from your enemy is essential while playing Kensei. You can't start close combat like other more straight-forward characters. You need to move, circle your opponent and use high range of Kensei attacks. Fast attacks. For me this moving, pretending, dashing is most fun part of playing as Kensei. You need to dance around your enemy keeping distance. Kensei range and fast dash forward + overhead attack can help you win a lot. Just keep distance – fast attack – escape, keep distance, dance around – fast attack – escape.

    -Know your enemy playstyle

    And here comes the hard part. You need to adapt your play style to your enemy play style. Most of the time first round of battle will tell you how your enemy is behaving. Is he spamming the same combos? Is he more defensive? More rushing? You need to adapt, to learn how to MOVE around your enemy – when to escape and when to fast attack.

    -Feint game but mostly about your move/dash style, not about your combo “Top-heavy to side-heavy”

    Top-Heavy changed to side-heavy is the most popular type of Kensei Feint. It's great but mostly while fighting less experienced players. As previously mentioned first round will tell you if you can use it at your opponent or not. If it is working, than great – use it. But many higher level opponents know this combo and can block this faint 100%. So – you need to behave unpredictable all the time. For instance start this combo, but interrupt the top-heavy and... dash away. Or change it for normal fast attack. Or simply do nothing after it but don't change top-heavy to side-heavy. It will make you less predictable and your opponent simple wont know what you will do next. Play with your opponent. Don't finish every move, every dash with attack, and what is most important don't finish it with the same attack.

    Kensei is a character hard to master not in the sense of “mastering his combos”. He is hard to master in the sense of a whole play style. You need to thing a lot, analyze your opponents moves and react to them.

    For me playing Kensei is great because I'm not focusing on combos, like other characters, but I'm thing of the fight more in a way like thinking about a dance style. You need to know your surroundings, know your enemy, know how to move, where to move, and how to pretend. And that is pure beauty of a fight
     2 people found this helpful
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  8. #8
    Originally Posted by Delevir Go to original post
    Hi!

    First of all sorry for my english!

    Kensei is not the weakest character – it is a character hard to master, and character that requires thinking while playing. It's not straight-forward warrior. So, as my experience goes, while playing Kensei you need to:

    -Use mainly fast attacks

    Most of the time – forget about slow attacks – you can use them, but only when you are 100% sure that slow attack will land on enemy. For instance after guard break. Fast attacks are Kensei most powerful attacks – I won many fights with high level players ONLY using fast attacks. Yes – they are much weaker, but you will “stab” your enemy to death.

    -Move a lot, use dashes and KEEP YOUR DISTANCE

    I can't stress this enough. Keeping your distance from your enemy is essential while playing Kensei. You can't start close combat like other more straight-forward characters. You need to move, circle your opponent and use high range of Kensei attacks. Fast attacks. For me this moving, pretending, dashing is most fun part of playing as Kensei. You need to dance around your enemy keeping distance. Kensei range and fast dash forward + overhead attack can help you win a lot. Just keep distance – fast attack – escape, keep distance, dance around – fast attack – escape.

    -Know your enemy playstyle

    And here comes the hard part. You need to adapt your play style to your enemy play style. Most of the time first round of battle will tell you how your enemy is behaving. Is he spamming the same combos? Is he more defensive? More rushing? You need to adapt, to learn how to MOVE around your enemy – when to escape and when to fast attack.

    -Feint game but mostly about your move/dash style, not about your combo “Top-heavy to side-heavy”

    Top-Heavy changed to side-heavy is the most popular type of Kensei Feint. It's great but mostly while fighting less experienced players. As previously mentioned first round will tell you if you can use it at your opponent or not. If it is working, than great – use it. But many higher level opponents know this combo and can block this faint 100%. So – you need to behave unpredictable all the time. For instance start this combo, but interrupt the top-heavy and... dash away. Or change it for normal fast attack. Or simply do nothing after it but don't change top-heavy to side-heavy. It will make you less predictable and your opponent simple wont know what you will do next. Play with your opponent. Don't finish every move, every dash with attack, and what is most important don't finish it with the same attack.

    Kensei is a character hard to master not in the sense of “mastering his combos”. He is hard to master in the sense of a whole play style. You need to thing a lot, analyze your opponents moves and react to them.

    For me playing Kensei is great because I'm not focusing on combos, like other characters, but I'm thing of the fight more in a way like thinking about a dance style. You need to know your surroundings, know your enemy, know how to move, where to move, and how to pretend. And that is pure beauty of a fight


    As a Kensei main too, i cant agree with u in this points. Easy to learn and hard to master are just another words for too weak in a direct compare

    Kensei is actually the weakest class in game. Why? Thats a good question. Before i tell u my statements let me say, to play a charackter good, all these things u descripe are needed on every charakter in this game. No class can rly bet on their combos in this defensive meta game.

    But there are some issues with the classes itself which makes the situation of the kensei so bad.
    The fact about feinting a lot is nice and shows that the player x has more knowledge than the other if his feints work, but every player above rep 3 will know that feintings are mostly just feints ^^

    The main issue on the kensei is that he has no special tool to compare or build up his playstyle. Like the lawbringer and the raider, the kensei NEED THE PARRY ADVANTAGE! If u didnt parry ur enemy u mostly cant do anything. The same problems can we see on the Lawbringer and the raider. But the main diffrence here is, the raider can start his UB without chaining to play the mind game and the Lawbringer has his Block push or dodge Push. The most dissapointing thing about the kensei (and damn i love this char) for me is, the only strong phase in his fightstyle is the UB overhead feint into something. BUT, this is only be working if u chain it. When ubisoft rly wants to buff the kensei, than they should do maybe 2 things.

    First. Give him the opportunity to start his UB without chaining. like the raider.
    If the kensei Just were able to do the mindgame like the raider he would get a massivly better fighting flow to confuse the enemy in much more ways that he can do it now.
    And i mean, even the raider has a better feinting style like the kensei with the soft feint from heavy into top light and hes a god damn viking with a huge axe

    Second: Give him as special tool that his light attacks dont be stopped from blocking. (Warlord, valk and conq doesnt count).
    In a nutshell this gives him the same Opportunity like my first idea AND it were his special Ability like alsmost all others classes have it too.

    To buffing the kensei from a sealclubber to s-class hero is not hard work. Just give him the same possibilitys like other classes alrdy have in this game.
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  9. #9
    Can't agree more to the inputs above. You can't just stay as one type of playstyle as kensei throughout a match. I, myself tend to be 50% reactive, 30% bluffing and 20% offensive most of the time, until i get a parry/gb to connect my combos or feint the end to start another one.

    Imo, range is a big part of his kit because most of his swings are slow and staying at maximum range defeats this weakness. But this will not be possible if you are predictable, and that's why you need to master feinting to make him work. I always stay at max distance with the nodachi, which imo, is kensei's positional advantage because most moves will be more effective. For example, side dash can be used reactively with less risk in this range and safe from a gb in cases your enemy feints. Also, his heavies are harder to defend from if it comes from a distance, coz they would not know if it will hit or miss, especially if you do lots of feinting.
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