A clean, low-risk path through the six lieutenants (plus Saitō) with counter charts, cheese strats, and safe builds that work on any difficulty.
This guide assumes you’ve unlocked basic parry/dodge, the Yumi bow, kunai, smoke bombs, and the first two rows of the skill tree. No advanced frame-perfect techniques are required—everything here favors consistency and safety.
TL;DR — Optimal Boss Order
- Lady Hikari, the Crane of Nigorikawa → unlocks Grapple Arrow routes and Hawk-Eye charm (precision & stamina regen).
- Kenpachi “Stone‑Bear,” the Quarry Warden → unlocks Earthsplitter stance (fast posture break) and Steadfast (poise vs staggers).
- Lord Mizuchi, Serpent Daimyō of Kutchan Marsh → unlocks Purify Mist (cleanse poison + regen) and Marshwalker (slow resist).
- Sister Shizuka of the Gale → unlocks Cyclone Break (deflect wind projectiles) and Whisperstep (recovery on perfect dodge).
- Abbot Raiden Shō → unlocks Heavenly Counter (parry→lightning punish) and Grounded Mind (shock resist, Focus gain).
- Kurogiri, the Masked Onmyōji → unlocks Truesight mantra (reveals clones/illusions) and Shadowstep (short blink).
- Saitō (finale) → Truesight trivializes his clone phase; previous unlocks give safe answers to every pattern.
Why this order? Each boss drops a tool that directly counters the next major threat: mobility for Stone‑Bear, posture breaking for Mizuchi’s scales, projectile control for Raiden, lightning counter for Kurogiri’s mixed kit, and Truesight for Saitō’s clone maze.
Global Setup: Two “Safe” Builds You Can Swap Between
A) The Bamboo Bulwark (defense-first, bosses 1–3)
- Weapon: Katana in River Stance (fast deflects), secondary Tanto (for Fatal Counters).
- Armor: “Iron Willow” set (chip reduction + guard stability).
- Charms: +Max HP, +Guard Stability, +Stamina on Perfect Parry.
- Items: Kunai x6, Smoke Bomb x3, Regular Arrows x20, 1–2 Sticky Bombs.
- Playstyle: Win by posture; don’t race HP.
B) The Storm Scholar (projectiles & casters, bosses 4–6 + Saitō)
- Weapon: Katana in Earthsplitter (stance break), Yumi with Piercing/Disruptor arrows.
- Armor: “Scholar of Ash” (Focus gain + ability cooldown).
- Charms: +Focus on Parry, +Element Resist (swap to Poison, Wind, Lightning as needed).
- Items: Purify Mist (after Mizuchi), Disorient Powder, Rope & Grapple Arrows (after Hikari).
- Playstyle: Create windows via counters and tools; punish with short confirms, not greedy strings.
Consumables worth crafting early: Purge Moss (poison), Rice Cakes (steady regen between attempts), Oil Pot (ignite puddles), and Ceramic Shards (safe pull/space control).
The Six Lieutenants
Each section includes a quick counter chart, a safe build, a cheese strat, and the rewards that make the next fight easier.
1) Lady Hikari, the Crane of Nigorikawa (Archer Duel)
Where: Nigorikawa rooftops arena with grapples and banners.
Target Level: 12+ (doable earlier if your parries are clean).
Core idea: She tests approach discipline and vertical awareness. Don’t chase—bait Focus Shots, shoot them down, close on ziplines.
Quick Counter Chart
| Telegraph | What it means | Your counter | Punish window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draws bow to cheek with a single bell chime | Focus Shot (piercing, near-instant) | Micro‑strafe right or quick hop; shoot the arrow mid-air or kunai to flinch | 1–2 light hits |
| Spins cloak; gulls circle | Volley (rain of arrows) | Grapple to high banner, wait it out; or roll forward into dead zone | Charged heavy or throw Sticky |
| Slides left, bow low | Close jab + sidekick | Perfect parry the jab; duck the kick | Light→Light→Shoulder Bash |
| Jumps back onto rope | Aerial snipe | Shoot rope anchor or grapple cut mid‑air | Full combo if she falls |
Safe build
Use Bamboo Bulwark. Keep guard up; approach via cover; use kunai to interrupt Focus Shots when your timing falters.
Cheese strats
- Banner Loop: Grapple diagonally above her after each Focus Shot; drop‑attack. The AI will re‑position into the same lane repeatedly.
- Rope Breakdowns: Disrupt her aerials by pre‑aiming at rope anchors; 2–3 breaks often triggers a Stamina Stumble, enabling a free Fatal.
Rewards
- Grapple Arrow (tool): Opens Stone‑Bear skips and safe angles in later arenas.
- Hawk‑Eye charm: Slight headshot damage + stamina on ranged deflects (great vs Raiden later).
2) Kenpachi “Stone‑Bear,” the Quarry Warden (Heavy Armor Bruiser)
Where: Abandoned obsidian quarry.
Target Level: 14+ (Hikari’s grapple makes traversal easy).
Core idea: Posture damage over HP damage. His club has massive guard tax, but his overhands are hilariously telegraphed.
Quick Counter Chart
| Telegraph | What it means | Your counter | Punish window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raises club straight overhead, feet square | Meteor Overhand | Side roll (toward his back) → Earthsplitter charge poke | 1 heavy or 2 lights |
| Shoulder feint left→right | Double feint into grab | Backstep twice or Smoke Bomb if late | Fatal if he whiffs |
| Stomps, dust ring | Shockwave | Grapple to upper ledge (Hikari unlock), drop‑attack | Short combo only |
| Roars, club glows | Rage armor (no flinch 5s) | Circle & chip with pokes; don’t commit | Break posture with 2–3 perfect parries |
Safe build
Stay in River Stance until you unlock Earthsplitter here; block the first hit, parry the second. Kunai to clip his feints.
Cheese strats
- Ledge Lure: Bait his Meteor Overhand near the pit. If you roll past his right foot, his recovery step can walk him off. This is the fastest “any%” style kill.
- Smoke‑Parry Loop: Drop Smoke on a whiffed grab; his tracking drops, letting you parry the next three swings on rhythm for instant posture break.
Rewards
- Earthsplitter stance: Best posture shred in the game; defines the next three fights.
- Steadfast charm: Reduces stagger—lets you trade small blows safely while posture racing.
3) Lord Mizuchi, Serpent Daimyō (Poison & Puddles)
Where: Kutchan Marsh, ringed islets.
Target Level: 16+ (Earthsplitter trivializes his scales).
Core idea: Respect poison. Keep the fight on dry islets. Force him to sweep onto stone and punish.
Quick Counter Chart
| Telegraph | What it means | Your counter | Punish window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tail coils, tongue flicks | Wide poison sweep | Hop back onto dry ground; Oil Pot the puddle to burn it off | 1–2 Earthsplitter pokes |
| Spits a green arc | Tracking spit | Side roll late → kunai to the head | Light→Shoulder Bash |
| Dives under, wake lines | Burrow (pop‑up grab) | Walk (don’t run) in a circle; listen for gurgle → roll | Charged heavy or Sticky |
| Scales flash purple | Enrage (adds toxin aura) | Purify Mist if tagged; otherwise disengage | Short punish after aura fades |
Safe build
Swap to Storm Scholar with Poison Resist charm. Carry Purge Moss and Purify Mist (unlocks after kill, but bring Moss for first attempt). Keep your back to a dry islet’s center.
Cheese strats
- Oil Burn: Ignite the puddle under him when he sweeps; while he flails, his poison ticks are overwritten by burn, giving a long stagger.
- Bridge Trap: Kite him to the wooden footbridge; his burrow can pop into a beam collision and self‑stagger.
Rewards
- Purify Mist: Cleanse poison and grant regen; mandatory vs Kurogiri’s miasma rooms.
- Marshwalker perk: Negates slow—great quality of life for ruins and snowfields.
4) Sister Shizuka of the Gale (Dual Blades, Wind Projectiles)
Where: Shrine plateau with wind tunnels.
Target Level: 18+ (Poison handled, posture strong).
Core idea: She’s fast but honest. Learn her two‑beat dodge rhythm: most chains are 2 or 4 hits and end in a wind blade.
Quick Counter Chart
| Telegraph | What it means | Your counter | Punish window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short whistle, dash in | 4‑hit slash chain | Block, block, perfect parry, perfect parry | 2 lights or 1 Earthsplitter |
| Spins in place, hair lifts | Wind blade | Cyclone Break (after you win) or duck now | Light→Kunai confirm |
| Slides back, heel flick | Gap closer into throw | Backstep once, then roll forward through the throw | Shoulder Bash→Light |
| Leaps to wind tunnel | Aerial cross | Grapple to side banner, shoot her mid‑air | Charged heavy if she crashes |
Safe build
Stay River for parry ease; keep Stamina on Perfect Parry charm on. Use kunai after her fourth hit to anchor her in place for a free bash.
Cheese strats
- Tunnel Bait: Stand just outside a wind tunnel; her aerial cross snaps to your old position. Strafe at the last second—she’ll whiff into the tunnel wall for a long stun.
- Quiver Lock: If you shoot her right before she fires a wind blade, she frequently drops the projectile, giving you space.
Rewards
- Cyclone Break: Deflects wind projectiles on reaction—massive QoL vs Raiden’s sutra shuriken.
- Whisperstep: Better dodge‑cancel recovery → lets you poke and fade safely.
5) Abbot Raiden Shō (Lightning Monk)
Where: Storm cloister, concentric rings that conduct lightning.
Target Level: 20+.
Core idea: This is a counter check. Don’t chase his teleports; stand just outside the inner ring so the lightning return path punishes his retreats.
Quick Counter Chart
| Telegraph | What it means | Your counter | Punish window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beads rise, fingers snap | Lightning dash | Heavenly Counter (unlocks here) or perfect parry | Big punish—2 heavies |
| Draws sutra, murmurs | Shuriken fan | Cyclone Break (reflect) or block | 1 light or arrow |
| Staff planted, sparks circle | AoE bell | Backstep out of ring; shoot the bell to cancel | Short poke |
| Palms together, glow white | Teleport feint | Don’t swing early; wait for re‑appearance → parry | Full combo if read right |
Safe build
Run Storm Scholar with Grounded Mind if you already have it (you get it from this boss—add it on retries). Keep Hawk‑Eye for Focus gain on reflects. Use Disruptor arrows to punish sutra murmurs from range.
Cheese strats
- Ring Return: Stand on the second ring seam; when he dashes through you, don’t move—the path lightning often snaps him back into your already‑buffered Earthsplitter.
- Bell Snipe: If you snipe the AoE bell twice before it fully forms, Raiden will loop the cast and drain himself of Focus.
Rewards
- Heavenly Counter: Free 30–40% posture on every lightning dash parry; trivializes Kurogiri’s charged clones.
- Grounded Mind: Lightning resist + Focus gain on deflect—Saitō synergy later.
6) Kurogiri, the Masked Onmyōji (Illusions & Clones)
Where: Paper‑screen manor with shadow rooms and miasma lanterns.
Target Level: 22+.
Core idea: Fight the real Kurogiri. He mirrors your spacing with 2–3 clones and swaps places during attacks.
Quick Counter Chart
| Telegraph | What it means | Your counter | Punish window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three masks flicker; one blinks twice | Real body tells | Arrow the double‑blink mask | Short confirm |
| Hands weave signs; clone glows blue | Charged lightning clone | Heavenly Counter on contact | Big punish → Sticky |
| Tosses paper charms; floor darkens | Miasma field | Purify Mist; step out; shoot lantern | 1 heavy while he coughs |
| Backward step into screen | Screen step swap | Truesight mantra (after kill) or listen for cloth rustle | Light→Shoulder Bash |
Safe build
Storm Scholar with Poison & Lightning resist charms. Keep Purify Mist on quick‑use. Use Disorient Powder to de‑target clones when you lose the real one.
Cheese strats
- Lantern Crash: Shoot the miasma lantern while a clone walks under it; the falling debris staggers all instances including the real one if it’s in room.
- Doorway Wallbang: Lure the group into a sliding door frame; clones get caught on the threshold while the real Kurogiri steps through for a free punish.
Rewards
- Truesight mantra: Reveals the real boss in any multi‑entity confusion (Saitō phase 2!).
- Shadowstep: Short blink to correct spacing without spending stamina—great for Saitō’s wave cuts.
Finale: Saitō
Saitō is fair but has three clean phases with distinct solves. Go in with Storm Scholar, Grounded Mind, Truesight, and Whisperstep. Keep Hawk‑Eye if your parry timing is solid; otherwise swap to +Max HP.
Phase 1 — Ronin Fundamentals
- Moves: Basic katana strings, shoulder checks, quick feints.
- Plan: Stay mid‑range, parry third hit in his main chain (it’s always the third), and take one Earthsplitter heavy. Don’t over‑extend; he osmosis learns your rhythm if you spam.
Counter Chart (P1)
| Telegraph | Meaning | Counter | Punish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short inhale, shoulder drop | Feint into stab | Do nothing, parry the stab | Light→Light |
| Left foot plants hard | Shoulder check | Backstep → Shoulder Bash | 1 heavy |
| Blade over head, elbow high | Vertical cut | Perfect parry | Earthsplitter heavy |
Phase 2 — Clone/Illusion Maze
- Trigger: 60% HP. Arena darkens; three Saitōs circle.
- Plan: Pop Truesight right away. Heavenly Counter the real one’s spark dash (only the real one dashes with sparks). Use Shadowstep to slip behind him after each punish—this resets clone alignment.
Counter Chart (P2)
| Telegraph | Meaning | Counter | Punish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sparks on sandal edge | Real dash | Heavenly Counter | Big punish |
| Clone sheath flash, no sparks | Fake dash | Ignore; keep guard | None |
| All three sheath at once | Triple Iaijutsu | Roll through first, parry second, Shadowstep the third | Short combo |
Phase 3 — Wave Cuts & Resolve Test
- Trigger: 25% HP. Saitō gains semicircle wave cuts and a Resolve guard (chip only) unless you force posture breaks.
- Plan: Hug mid‑close so wave cuts overshoot. After two parries, kick (or Shoulder Bash) to crack Resolve, then Earthsplitter to rip posture.
Counter Chart (P3)
| Telegraph | Meaning | Counter | Punish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sword tip draws a半‑moon | Wave cut | Shadowstep through or duck | 1–2 lights |
| Brief kneel, blade flat | Iaijutsu guard | Kick to break Resolve | Earthsplitter heavy |
| Calm step, exhale | True counter window | Perfect parry | Fatal if posture low |
Universal Saitō Tips
- Don’t chase whiffs; let him finish. He punishes greedy chasers.
- Focus economy wins long fights: reflect projectiles (if any), parry dashes, and you’ll always have tools for emergencies.
- If you drop a combo in P3, reset with Smoke rather than panic roll; he often walks into your next parry rhythm.
Route Rationale (Why this Works)
- Hikari first builds your vertical and ranged discipline without punishing HP trades.
- Stone‑Bear teaches posture racing; Earthsplitter becomes your main boss killer.
- Mizuchi gives Purify Mist so poison/miasma never end runs.
- Shizuka refines parry timing and hands you Cyclone Break for safe projectile play.
- Raiden converts your defense into offense with Heavenly Counter.
- Kurogiri becomes manageable once lightning and poison are solved, and his Truesight trivializes Saitō’s clones.
- Arriving at Saitō with this kit means you always have a safe, non‑greedy answer to every pattern.
Quick Reference: Element / Status Counters
- Poison: Purify Mist > Purge Moss > Oil Pot to clear puddles.
- Wind projectiles: Cyclone Break reflect > Duck timing.
- Lightning dashes: Heavenly Counter > Grounded Mind charm.
- Illusions / clones: Truesight mantra > Disorient Powder to desnap targeting.
- Heavy armor: Earthsplitter > Smoke‑Parry Loop.
Troubleshooting Common Pain Points
- “I keep getting clipped by Hikari’s Focus Shot.” Practice the micro‑strafe right—it has the largest leniency—and buffer a quick shot to flinch her if late.
- “Stone‑Bear grabs me after feints.” Count “one‑two” on the shoulder sway; backstep twice and do nothing—his grab whiffs if you don’t panic roll.
- “Mizuchi’s burrow always grabs me.” Walk, don’t run. Running increases his tracking. Listen for the gurgle then roll.
- “Shizuka’s wind blade snipes me.” If Cyclone Break isn’t unlocked yet, duck instead of roll—the blade has a big vertical hurtbox, not horizontal.
- “Raiden teleports behind me; I turn and get hit.” Don’t turn; hold guard and parry behind—the timing is identical.
- “I can’t tell Kurogiri’s real body.” Watch for the double blink on one mask or fire Truesight on cooldown; it pays for itself.
Final Loadout for Saitō (Safe, Not Slow)
- Katana: Earthsplitter stance.
- Bow: Yumi with Disruptor arrows.
- Armor: Scholar of Ash (or Iron Willow if you still flinch).
- Charms: Grounded Mind, Truesight, Whisperstep, +HP or Hawk‑Eye.
- Items: Smoke x3, Purify Mist x2, Kunai x6, Sticky x2.
- Mindset: Parry → 1 heavy. Kick Resolve in P3. No hero strings.
You’ve Got This
If you follow the route and lean on counters over aggression, “The Yōtei Six” becomes a study in answers rather than reactions. The build swaps are minimal, the consumables are common, and every boss gives you a tool that makes the next one safer. By the time you meet Saitō, you’re not out‑dueling the final boss—you’re solving him.
