Introduction
When going into an opener, it’s important to highlight your best attacks with optimal cooldown rotations to maximize damage. You want to get as much use out of your Higanbana, Ogi Namikiri, Sensi, Midare, and Double Midare as possible. Knowing your rotations and being able to execute them quickly will result in some powerful gameplay.
First, we’ll go over the rotation and then we’ll explain and reflect on the abilities cooldowns, effects, and our reasoning for using them.
Samurai Opener Rotation
Part 1:
Pop Meikyo Shisui -> True north (optional) -> Ikishoten -> Kasha -> Drink Potion(optional) -> Yukikaze -> Hissatsu Kaiten -> Midare -> Senei -> Kaeshi Setsugekka
Part 2:
Pop Meikyo Shisui -> Gekko -> Kaiten -> Higanbana -> Kaiten -> Ogi Namikiri -> Shoha -> Kaeshi: Namikiri -> Gekko -> Kasha -> Meikyo Shisui -> Hakaze -> Yukikaze -> Shinten -> Kaiten -> Midare
Rotation Explanation
You can see how using these skills and abilities in this particular order maximizes your overall damage output. Popping Meikyo Shisui first allows for the execution of weapon skill combos. By using True North, you’re voiding all direction requirements to execute Gekko and Kasha, which will increase the damage of each by potency of 50, even if you can’t get into the correct position.
When you Kaiten a weapon skill, you unleash damage at 50% more potency, then use an ability to trigger weapon skill cooldowns and finish part 1 with Gaeshi to repeat Iaijutsu with even more potency. The same concept goes for part 2 when you Kaiten Higanbana, Kaiten Ogi Namikiri, your following with Shoha, which can only be done after Ogi Namikiri, and then Kaeshi for another cooldown, then finishing your rotation.
You’re using your OGCDs here to have a longer impact and as long as you pop Meikyo Shisui 5 seconds or less before the pull, you can get through all the stacks without them expiring. The biggest factor of successfully using this rotation is to remember it has to be executed quickly.
Skills and Abilities
Weapon Skills
- Gekko – 2.5s CD – will deliver an attack with a potency of 100, 150 when executed from the target’s rear.
- Kasha – 2.5s- CD – will deliver an attack with a potency of 100, 150 when executed from the target’s flank.
- Yukikaze – 2.5s CD – will deliver an attack with a potency of 100.
- Iaijutsu- 2.5s CD- you’ll need 3 Sen to execute Midare Setsugekka.
- Ogi Namikiri – New Skill – 2.5s CD – will deliver with an attack of 800
- Higanbana – 2.5s CD – has an attack of 200 with additional damage given over time.
- Midare Setsugekka – 2.5s CD – will deliver with an attack of 660.
- Hakaze -2.5s CD – attack potency of 150.
Abilities
- Meikyo Shisui – 55s CD – allows you to execute Gekko, Kasha, and Yukikaze.
- Hissatsu: Senei – 120s CD – delivers an attacking potency of 800.
- Tsubame-Gaeshi – 60s CD – will repeat Iaijutsu with increased power
- True North – 45s CD – helps you get into position for the execution of Gekko and Kasha.
- Ikishoten – 120s CD – increase Kenki by 50
- Hissatsu: Kaiten – 1s CD – increases the next weapon skill by 50%
- Shoha – 15s CD – attacks with a potency of 580, after using Ogi Namikiri.
- Kaeshi: Namikiri -1s CD – delivers with an attack of 1200 and triggers cooldowns of weapon skills
- Hissatsu: Shinten -1s CD – attacks with potency of 270.
Update of specific buffs: When landing Gekko-Fugetsu will increase damage and Kasha-Fuka will reduce weapons & skill cast times, and include an auto-attack delay.
