Kensei openers ideas | Forums

[Yatagarasu-san]

Fellow Kensei players, what would you suggest as good opener for Kensei. By opener i mean move similiar to Warden Shoulderbash, or warlord headbutt, Nobushi Chucknoris roundkick etc.

Lately I find myself in matches against Lawbringers,Conqs,Valks,Wardens ... If they turtle and do go for parries, I literally only have to wait for their mistake and feint like madman ... If I turtle they can open me with SB,Push,headbut etc ... I Know its not impossible to dodge, or countermove ... but I think its unfair to fight with far inferior moveset and some nice juici (NOT OP) move would be welcomed Something Samurai would use ... lets give Devs some ideas

Btw, I am rep 11 kensei and its just maddening when someone with rep 0 lvl 19 lawbringer understands mechanics and can destroy you with his 50/50 (Again, its avoidable, but unfairly superior to Kensei moveset).

Post your ideas please.

Edit: One more thing, I personally think that nerfing whole def meta would be better than expanding movesets ... but since Kensei power is hidden in combos .. which is totally impossible to execute due to current meta.

[Karma_Ghost]

Combos aren't impossible, just get far enough away to whiff helm splitter or swift strike to go straight into unblockable and mixup from there.

[Blasto95]

If you're into unlock techs (which are growing on me the more I find them viable for heroes other than Raider), I believe youcan unlock his Zone Attack and make it near instant? I didnt look to much into it because I dont play him, but it had something to do with unlocking, turning to one side and performing the ZA. I think the ZA startsfrom the back or the side and it hits them.

Also the ZA Hyper Armor is great for countering Valks Leg Sweep/GB probably other things as well, but I found a video where they shut down a valk with his ZA.

Also, im not sure of Kenseis combos, but as the above said you can whiff to pull of combos. Valk has a deadly one where she can hit you, whiff the second attack to the side, and follow up with a surprising leg sweep. Unlocking from guard, not just to make attack unparryable, can expand alot of heroes movesets.

[Kitsune..]

lets give Devs some ideas

I would really like to have a possibility to switch attack direction on Helm Splitter, also Kensei should be able to chain light attacks even if they were blocked (including Helm Splitter and Swift Strike chains) in case if attack speed stays as it is now ofc.
I totally agree that wise decisions on turtle meta will help Kensei a lot.

[Brologna_Xeno]

Why are people opposed to expanding skill sets? I look forward to that eventuality.

When it comes to the new heroes, the first thing i'll be looking at is whether their move-sets include new mechanics or just be frankenstein assembly mix/matches of current mechanics from different heroes. Hope it's at least some of the former, because if it's only the later then things are looking a little more bleak from my perspective.

Theory-crafting incoming(warned):

A backswing trait for some of Kensei's attacks. Backswing capable attacks, when blocked or parried, inputting the right button (dash?sprint?GB?) with @launch's CGB precision will prevent combo interruption despite being blocked, maybe extra chip damage or a small bleed to compensate for nullified damage.

Against parries it can cancel out the recovery frames, letting Kensei CGB the usually guaranteed GB or dodge/parry/block the other usual parry counters.

But its not available on all attacks, just some, like Helm Splitter, 1st side heavy, 2nd Lights, and Light finishers.

They're not the only Hero who could use something like that, sprinkle it across other kits who need it too.

I hope UBI's defense meta solution isn't just moar UB/UI knock-backs.

[Chucky_Jones]

i would like him to be able so hard feint light attacks including the dash attack. That would make him be able to avoid the vortex with a dodge that can't be guard broken and he could cancel if the warden went to cancel the bash. Since he depends so much on gb to enter his mixup I think he should be able to get a gb off of any parry like shogoki. Maybe fo initiation it would work for him to be able to do his throw stun as an opener like warlords headbutt but with the stun instead of cheap damage. For his mixups if would probably help him if he could feint attacks at different points in the animation to throw the opponent off. I think these changes could keep kensei as a skilled mind game master but actually make him viable. It's possible that these changes would be overpowered so I'm open to suggestions.

[Kitsune..]

Imagine if your Kensei is more free to proceed to the 3rd UB attack and its variation moves, without being forced to always hit, or whiff the 1st/2nd attacks. Imagine your fight against the usual turtle, just blocking everything, and then this time, imagine how he blocks the 1st, but you can proceed to 2nd light, which he may block or not, and then still free to proceed to the 3rd UB portion of the combo.

I wonder if having the second light in a chain as an unblockable (the way LB has an unblockable after shove) could do a good change vs turtles.

[Yatagarasu-san]

Unfortunately, none of that will ever work in actual combat, because of the "superior vs. light attacks" trait on standard blocks".

Read about the problems, and my assessment on it, here: (http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php...light=superior)


This headache over "openers", is something all classes that are considered "mid~low tier" share in common. When the player skill level begins to rise above average, we enter a bracket where people start blocking initial light attacks consistently and reliably.(well, at least for PC). None of our combos, tactics, tricks can be used, because every attack you attempt is blocked/parried from the very first attack, breaking the chain completely, and disrupting the flow of combat.

So, when both players block each other's moves from the very first attack consistently, who gains the advantage? The one using the class with an UNBLOCKABLE, UNPARRIABLE opener.


Get rid of the "superior vs. light" trait from normal block. Let people continue with the combo even if attacks are blocked. There's so many middle/low tier classes that would benefit from this greatly.

Imagine if your Kensei is more free to proceed to the 3rd UB attack and its variation moves, without being forced to always hit, or whiff the 1st/2nd attacks. Imagine your fight against the usual turtle, just blocking everything, and then this time, imagine how he blocks the 1st, but you can proceed to 2nd light, which he may block or not, and then still free to proceed to the 3rd UB portion of the combo.


Man, the increase in QOL(Quality of Life) that would bring for Kenseis, Raiders, Nobushis... even Berserkers.


So, support the the suggestion to remove "superior vs. light attacks" status from standard blocks!

One of the best ideas I ever seen on Forums

I also think IF blocking wouldnt interrupt combos, it would greatly help reduce defense meta

Really ... really!! good idea to ehnace game ... oh also ...

Back back to topic, I think this would completely remove need for some UB/UP opener Why buff kensei combos, when in high lvl play u cant really use combos ... IDea of block not stopping combo chain is just ... it has potential to "Fix" game

[Datravan]

I was wondering if the easiest option that could have the most immediate effect would be adding an unparriable, unblockable pommel hit that has the same properties as the warlord headbutt. It could even somehow contribute to building up the combo meter so that it gives kensei another option.

[Knight_Raime]

I think he's got a lot of mix up potential. he just needs to not have his dash attacks unsafe on block.