Samurai Shodown/FAQ

General

Is this game for me?

Do not play Samurai Shodown 2019 if...

• You prefer games with a faster pace.
• You want to combo and blockstring all day.
• You like games where there are concrete walls not based around reads.
• You like tight oki and setplay
• You dislike having very heavy damage readily available if they read you correctly.
• You dislike regular throws being strong
• You dislike slowing down the pace to minimize risk

Do play if...

• You like strong defensive options
• You want a fighter without worrying about combos or blockstrings.
• You get a real kick out of spacing and movement games.
• You like being able to get huge damage off of a good read.
• You like a decently sized diverse and varied cast that is well balanced.
• You want something that's easy to pick up and mess around with.

Who should I play?

This is only a character overview, for more info please visit character's own pages.

Beginner

Character	Attributes (Scale of 1~5)	Major Game Style	Signature Move	Weapon	Personality	Lore
Haohmaru	Offense✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓ Okizeme✓ Specialist✓ Best Range: Mid	Rushdown Zoning	Traditional character. Good DP for Anti Air.	Fugudoku (Blowfish Poison; a prized-katana) Sake Jug	Fanatic, Warlike	The protagonist of the series. Seek to defeat any challengers to prove himself to be the best swordsman.
Darli	Offense✓✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓ Best Range: Close~Mid	Rushdown Pressure	Fast jump, pressure with j.C. Unblockable, specials with armor.	Libertalia (jagged saw-sword)	Confident	A shipbuilder sought to make the best ship for sailing.
Jubei	Offense✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓ Best Range: Mid~Long	Zoning	Long-range normals.	Protector of Yamato, Steel Tiger & Sukehiro (twin katana)	Loyal	Master swordsman sought to bring up young warriors.
Nakoruru	Offense✓✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓ Damage✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓ Best Range: Close~Mid	Rushdown	Fight with Mamahaha her eagle.	Her treasured sword, Chichi-ushi (Father Bull)	Calm, Gentle	An Ainu priestess who fights to depend nature.
Tam Tam	Offense✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Mid~Long	Zoning	Long pokes, instant overhead with j.C	Blade That Cuts Through The Darkness (a kind of scimitar)	Brave	A warrior of Quetzalcoatl who fights to retrieve artifects stolen from his village.
Wan-Fu	Offense✓✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓ Mobility✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Close~Mid	Rushdown Grappler	Pillar Throw (Weapon Throw)	Flesh-Pounding Large Stone Pillar (A Stone Pillar gifted from the Emperor)	Confident	A powerful Chinese warrior who dreams of raising an army and uniting his homeland.
Charlotte	Offense✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓ Best Range: Mid	Zoning Pressure	Shallow jump, j.C cross up. Fastest DP.	La Roche (an épée)	Proud, Graceful	French lady fighting for her country and the name of her family.
Warden	Offense✓✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓ Mobility✓ Okizeme✓✓✓ Specialist✓ Best Range: Mid	Pressure	Shallow jump with dominating j.C.	Longsword	Patriotic	Warrior from the west in honor of his homeland.

Intermediate

Character	Attributes (Scale of 1~5)	Major Game Style	Signature Move	Weapon	Personality	Lore
Genjuro	Offense✓✓✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓ Best Range: Close~Mid	Pressure	Card pressure, cross up rekka.	Bai'oudoku (Plum Warbler Poison; a prized katana)	Ruthless, Brutal	A ronin who enjoys killing, sought to defeat his rival, Haohmaru.
Kyoshiro	Offense✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓ Best Range: Mid~Long	Neutral Zoning	Good Neutral, good tools for all situations.	Caring Wife (a naginata)	Charismatic, Eccentric	Kabuki master sought to inspire people with his dance performance.
Iroha	Offense✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓ Best Range: Mid~Long	Zoning Rushdown Air-Specialist	Double Jump. Multiple air specials, great at controlling space moving in or out	Feng Huang Phosphorus, Beak (two stylized butterfly swords)	Grateful	A Crane saved by an unnamed master in which she devoted herself to serve and make them happy however she's able to.
Yashamaru	Offense✓✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Mid~Long	Air-Specialist	Double Jump. Take good advantage of his air-to-air and air-to-ground specialty.	Shanaō (His father’s naginata)	Vengeful	The son of an executed noble, Yashamaru is a ronin seeking vigilante justice.
Yoshitora	Offense✓✓✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Close~Mid	Rushdown Pressure	Youchuuka, a powerful blade unlocked by hitting all six of his special moves.	Nadeshiko, Shirayuri, Botan, Tsubaki, Asagao, Yūgao and his self-titled (SEVEN different katana)	Slacker, Playful	He's a bit of a slacker, Yoshitora is vain and interested in the beauty of battle, though he recognizes his responsibility. He’s the sole heir to the ruling shogun, ran away from home to avoid politics.
Hanzo	Offense✓✓✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓ Mobility✓✓✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Any	Rushdown Grappler	Command grabs, teleports.	Unnamed Ninjato shurikens bomb varieties	Serious, Condescending	A ninja serving the Shogun.
Galford	Offense✓✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓ Damage✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓ Anti-air✓ Mobility✓✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Mid~Long	Zoning Grappler	Poppy tricks (his dog), command grab.	Justice Blade (a ninjatō)	Optimistic, Cheerful	An American who learned ninjutsu in Japan and fights for justice.
Shizumaru	Offense✓✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Close~Mid	Air-Specialist	Kyorakuzan (TAP, hold down a button for massive damage) Float (Umbrella trick)	Kirisame (Misty Rain; a parasol) Ooharae no Magakami Shizumaru (Great Exorcism's Calamity God Shizumaru; a katana)	Quiet, Polite	An amnestic boy sought to understand his “true self” (Associated with Demon)
Kazuki	Offense✓✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Any	Zoning Neutral	Meatballs, charge fireballs to enhance his specials.	Suzaku (The Vermilion Sparrow) a ninjatō	Hot-headed, Reckless	A ninja of the Kazama clan, he fights to protect his younger sister Hazuki and to catch up to his big brother Sogetsu.
Cham Cham	Offense✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Close~Mid	Neutral Mixup	Demon flip, Boomerang throw.	Yok Mok Mook (a boomerang)	Energetic, Optimistic	Tam Tam’s younger sister set out journey to restore an artifect from her vilage.
Earthquake	Offense✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓ Best Range: Mid~Long	Zone Grappler	Long range heavy, high damage.	Fujiyama (a gigantic kusarigama)	Greedy, Narcissistic	He learnt ninjutsu in Japan, uses his mobility and size, he becomes the leader of his bandit gang.

Advanced

Character	Attributes (Scale of 1~5)	Major Game Style	Signature Move	Weapon	Personality	Lore
Basara	Offense✓✓✓✓ Defense✓ Damage✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Mid~Long	Zoning Pressure	Shadow Feint (Creating shadow to deceive the opponent)	The Evil-Doer Destroyer (a giant triple-bladed shuriken hooked to a chain)	Crazed	Basara is a ghost, brought back by his hatred to find his wife’s killer (Spoilers: It’s him), and uses supernatural abilities to bring death to his opponents.
Ukyo	Offense✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Close~Mid	Counter	Tsubame (Instant overhead, anti-air, projectile reflector)	Nameless self-made sword.	Gentle, Introvert	He wants to find the “ultimate blossom” for his lover before he die of tuberculosis.
Hibiki	Offense✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓ Anti-air✓ Mobility✓✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Any	Neutral Counter	Long range normals, parry.	Kodama (Echo), a shirasaya	Calm/Psychotic (Yandere)	She sought to avenge her father’s death, she was brought back to the Edo period by a mysterious force.
Wu-Ruixiang	Offense✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓ Okizeme✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Mid~Long	Zoning Setup	Trap, that allows follow up attack. Fireball.	Chaoji Zhaolong Luopan (High-Quality Dragoncaller Compass)	Wise, Clumsy	A descendant of a Feng Shui clan. She was sent by the emperor of Qing dynasty to investigate the darkness in Japan (Shizuka).
Mina	Offense✓✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Any	Zoning Pressure	Arrows, best fireball reflector.	The Suppressing Holy Bow of 8 Purifications (a bow with arrows)	Withdrawn, Introvert	An exorcist who wants to live a happy life with her compinion Chample without disturbance.
Rimururu	Offense✓✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓✓ Neutral✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Close~Mid	Rushdown Setup Mixup	Tonteke, ice platform, moves that can impair the opponent for follow ups.	Hahakuru (a kodachi)	Cheerful, Optimistic	An Anui priestess who fights in protection of the nature and by her admiration of her big sister, Nakoruru.
Sogetsu	Offense✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Mid~Long	Zoning Setup Mixup	Bubble, this move can temporarily impair the opponent to allow follow up attacks.	Seiryu (the Blue Dragon) a ninjatō (later made into a tachi)	Stoic, Reserved	Elite ninja of the Kazama clan, he fights to honor his clan and to protect his younger siblings.
Shiki	Offense✓✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓ Damage✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓ Mobility✓✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓ Best Range: Close~Mid	Rushdown Punish	Fast normals, good rekka damage. High/low mixups.	Darkness Demon Ring, Light God Ring (twin katanas with stylized hilts)	Sad, Mysterious	She is a servant of Yuga the evil spirits. Her soul was freed after Haohmaru deafeated Yuga. She continues to seek understanding of her identity.
Gongsun-Li	Offense✓✓✓ Defense✓✓✓✓ Damage✓✓ Neutral✓✓✓✓✓ Aerial✓✓✓✓✓ Anti-air✓✓✓ obility✓✓✓ Okizeme✓✓✓✓ Specialist✓✓✓✓ Best Range: Any	Zoning Unarmed	Teleports, Fastest fireball, unarmed fighting.	Yi Nian Dan Feng (an umbrella)	Peaceful, Polite	A dancer from China came to investigate something in secret.

Is Season Pass One free?

Season pass One was only available for free on PS4 outside Japan for a limited time right before the game's release in the west. Nowadays you'll have to pay for it.

I bought Season Pass Two on PS4 but I cant use Mina

Due to some issue with the PS Store, Season Pass Two had to be delayed so people was only able to acquire the first character (Mina) separately. Later on when the season pass was finally made available, they decided not to include Mina in it while making it cheaper that the first season pass. So you will have to get both Season Pass Two and Mina on PS4 for the full package

How do I find tech on Twitter?

Besides to the general hashtags #SamuraiShodown, #SamSho and #サムライスピリッツ, #サムスピ in Japanese, each character in the game has a specific hashtag which people should aim to use when posting tech for ease of searching. The rule of thumb is to start with #SS_ (for Samurai Spirits / Samurai Shodown) and append the first two letters of a character's name. In case of overlap, a different 2nd letter is picked. For example: Shiki (#SS_SH) and Shizumaru (#SS_SZ), Haohmaru (#SS_HA) and Hanzo (#SS_HZ), or Charlotte (#SS_CH) and Cham Cham (#SS_CC). The current list is as follows:

Character	キャラクター	Hashtag / ハッシュタグ
Basara Kubikiri	首斬り破沙羅	#SS_BA
Charlotte	シャルロット	#SS_CH
Cham Cham	チャムチャム	#SS_CC
Darli Dagger	ダーリィ・ダガー	#SS_DA
Earthquake	アースクェイク	#SS_EA
Galford	ガルフォード	#SS_GA
Genjuro Kibagami	牙神幻十郎	#SS_GE
Gongsun Li	公孫離	#SS_LI
Hanzo Hattori	服部半蔵	#SS_HZ
Haohmaru	覇王丸	#SS_HA
Hibiki Takane	高嶺 響	#SS_HI
Iroha	いろは	#SS_IR
Jubei Yagyu	柳生十兵衛	#SS_JU
Kazuki Kazama	風間火月	#SS_KA
Kyoshiro Senryo	千両狂死郎	#SS_KY
Mina Majikina	真鏡名ミナ	#SS_MI
Nakoruru	ナコルル	#SS_NA
Rimururu	リムルル	#SS_RI
Shiki	色	#SS_SH
Shizumaru Hisame	緋雨閑丸	#SS_SZ
Sogetsu Kazama	風間蒼月	#SS_SO
Tam Tam	タムタム	#SS_TA
Ukyo Tachibana	橘右京	#SS_UK
Wan-Fu	王虎	#SS_WA
Warden	ウォーデン	#SS_WD
Wu-Ruixiang	呉瑞香	#SS_WU
Yashamaru Kurama	鞍馬夜叉丸	#SS_YA
Yoshitora Tokugawa	徳川慶寅	#SS_YO