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Katanas - Version 20 vs Version 21
Aug 26, 2026, 09:19 AM
Added a post-launch note that a Blade Arts balance pass is queued and not yet applied
Sep 14, 2026, 01:23 AM
Corrected the patch count and clarified that the September 8 balance pass moved Blade Arts and ranged weapons but not the blades themselves
11Overview22Katanas are Emma's primary melee weapon in Beast of Reincarnation. The game features multiple katanas that can be discovered through exploration, each with its own stat distribution, combo properties, and visual design. Katana combat is fast-paced and centred on the Parry System, where well-timed deflections generate FP for Koo's Command System and trigger Spirit Stones compounding effects.44Combat Role66Katana combat forms the real-time half of Beast of Reincarnation's hybrid system. Emma's sword strikes are responsive and fluid, with combo chains that vary depending on the equipped katana. The close-range skill tree enhances katana proficiency, improving damage output, combo length, and parry effectiveness. Players who invest in this path turn Emma into a melee specialist who generates FP rapidly through aggressive parry play.88Each katana has its own feel. Some favour speed with shorter recovery frames between swings, letting the player maintain pressure on enemies. Others hit harder but swing more slowly, rewarding players who commit to fewer, more deliberate strikes. The choice of katana affects not just raw damage numbers but the actual rhythm of combat.1010Confirmed Katanas1212Full Blade List1414Blades carry two separate properties that are easy to confuse. The damage type is physical, one of slash, impact, or rupture, and governs how the hit lands. The elemental effect is what builds up a status condition on the target, and many blades have none at all. Base damage is omitted because it shifts with upgrade level and sources record different figures depending on how far a blade had been enhanced. Boss weaknesses are listed under Bosses.1616BladeDamage typeElemental effectSpecial abilityFirst reachableMechblade (Standard)SlashNoneMech Slash: Medium, a temporary attack boostStarting bladeMechblade (Light)RuptureNoneMech Slash: Light, an attack boost on lighter strikesChapter 1, Ogouchi Buffer ZoneMechblade (Heavy)ImpactNoneMech Slash: HeavyChapter 2, Ancient Civilization ZonePurifierSlashNonePurifier Soul, reduces stagger taken when Emma is hitStarting bladePuritySlashNoneVampiric Blade, recovers a share of damage dealt as healthChapter 2, bought from a golem merchantCirrus SwordImpactNoneClear Skies, briefly boosts both Emma and Koo's damageChapter 1, Ogouchi Buffer ZoneBell SwordImpactNoneCrushing Blade, makes enemies easier to breakChapter 3, bought from the wandering merchantResonance SwordSlashNonePuppet's Call, small chance to turn foes into puppetsChapter 5, Matsukawa ZoneKanzashiSlashNoneRobes of Reincarnation, raises a barrier that restores healthNew Game Plus onlyShark CutterSlashNoneSpiral Critical, raises critical chanceChapter 6, Fuji Frontier ZoneFirst MoonSlashNoneRavenous Eclipse, applies stacking WeakenChapter 7, Giant Tree ZoneSilverlightSlashNoneFlurry, raises slash damageChapter 9, Inukami River ZoneBig DipperSlashNoneLucky, increases amber gained from defeated foesDeluxe Edition, available from the startThunderwave SwordNot recordedLightningTempest, calls down lightning and adds lightning buildupChapter 2, Ancient Civilization ZoneFall ThunderNot recordedLightningLightning Edge, charges the blade for heavier lightning buildupChapter 7, Giant Tree ZoneCamelliaImpactLightningSpring Thunder, crackles with lightning buildupChapter 12, aboard the Cleanse Walker after the Kunai fightHunter's SwordNot recordedPoisonEnvenomed, adds poison buildup on hitChapter 3, The Great Wall TerracesBlack BlossomSlashPoison and lightningPoison Storm, calls poison lightning for heavy poison buildupLate-campaign story rewardSunrise SwordNot recordedFireLight of Dawn, blasts flame and adds flame buildupChapter 4, Pilgrim's ZoneWinterwakeRuptureFire and lightningVermillion, calls flaming lightningChapter 8, bought from the wandering merchantSpring StormRuptureWaterTurbulence, gushes water for heavy drench buildupChapter 8, Crater ZoneHazebringerNot recordedAcidCaustic Touch, adds acid buildup on hitChapter 5, Matsukawa Zone1818Big Dipper, previously the only blade named in promotional material, is the Deluxe Edition starter weapon and sits in the roster above alongside the rest of the blades documented since release. The list is not guaranteed complete: the in-game milestone for collecting every blade is one of the rarest in the game, and independent post-launch rosters still differ at the margins.1919KatanaSourceNotesBig DipperDeluxe Edition starter weapon.Named in the Deluxe Edition contents; visible in the pre-order trailer in active gameplay. Available at the start of the campaign for players on the Deluxe SKU; see Editions and Pre-Order Bonuses for the full bundle.Starting katanaStandard Edition opening.Default weapon Emma carries from the opening arc; specific name not yet disclosed in published material.2121In-game the category is labelled blades, and the collection milestone for gathering all of them is one of the game's rarest. Blades sit at two base attack tiers: the higher tier trades raw damage for a weaker status effect, while several lower-tier blades apply much heavier elemental buildup.2222Where a blade carries an element, its physical damage type is not published separately, which is why those rows read as not recorded rather than as having no physical type. Two blades stand outside the exploration loop: Kanzashi is only obtainable on a New Game Plus run, and Camellia appears aboard the Cleanse Walker after the Kunai fight rather than being found in the world. Black Blossom is a late-campaign story reward, and post-launch guides disagree on which fight hands it over, so this page leaves the exact trigger open.2424Parry-System Hook2626Each Spirit Stone effect is designed to trigger on a successful parry, which makes the katana the engine of the entire customisation loop. The katana sets the tempo; the parry timing converts that tempo into resource.2828BeatWhat the Katana DrivesSuccessful parryGenerates FP for Koo's command menu and fires the equipped Spirit Stone effect.Chained parriesCompound multiple Spirit Stone effects within the same exchange, so a katana with a fast recovery window stacks more triggers than a heavier blade in the same fight.Riposte and follow-upThe post-parry punish defines how much of the resource gained per parry actually translates into damage. Faster katanas extend the follow-up window; heavier ones convert a single window into more raw damage.3030Discovery3131Like Charms, katanas are found through exploration rather than a linear upgrade path. The game's districts and zones contain hidden katanas in optional areas accessible through Plant Abilities. This means the order in which players find katanas varies depending on which areas they explore and how thoroughly they search each zone.3333The discovery-based system means that katanas are not a simple better-or-worse progression. A katana found early might suit a particular playstyle better than one found later. The value of each weapon depends on the player's build, their Spirit Stone setup, and their preferred combat approach.3535Spirit Stone Interaction3737Armour offers between four and six Spirit Stone slots, with the starting Light Gambeson already carrying five, so the practical depth of a katana build comes from how its tempo lines up with the parry-driven Spirit Stone triggers. Two players carrying the same katana with different Spirit Stones effectively wield different weapons. One configuration might lean into critical-rate compounding for a burst-damage build; another might stack defensive triggers for a tankier parry loop. The katana itself sets the rhythm; the Spirit Stones decide what each parry actually rewards.3939Build Pairings4141DirectionKatana TempoSpirit Stone AnchorBurst aggressorFaster katana with tight recovery, leaned into back-to-back parries.Critical Rate stones to convert the parry chain into a damage spike window.Sustained brawlerHeavier katana whose single hits matter more than chain length.Attack and Skill Power stones, with a smaller defensive cushion to survive the slower trade rhythm.Defensive anchorMid-speed katana run primarily for the parry trigger rather than for damage output.HP and Defense stones to convert each parry into sustain rather than damage.4343Ranged Alternatives4444While katanas are Emma's signature weapons, players are not locked into melee combat exclusively. Emma also has access to a bow and crossbow for ranged engagements. The long-range skill tree supports this alternative approach.4646However, katanas remain the most direct path to FP generation through parrying, making them the natural choice for players who want to maximise their use of Koo's Bloom Arts. A pure ranged build can clear most encounters, but the loss of consistent parry triggers reduces both Spirit Stone activations and the command-resource refill rate for the dog side of the duo.4848Post-Launch Changes5050No blade has been rebalanced yet. Across the three patches shipped since release, the katana roster, its damage types and its elemental effects are unchanged, and the closest thing to a weapon change is the August 24 adjustment to the execution timing for Counterattacks, which affects the riposte a blade lands out of a parry rather than the blade itself.51+No blade has been rebalanced. Across the five patches shipped by mid September, the katana roster, its damage types and its elemental effects are unchanged. The September 8 balance pass came close without landing: it retuned Blade Arts, finishers, Nushi Skills and ranged weapons, so the arts swung with a katana moved while the katana itself did not, and ranged weapons were the only weapon class touched. The closest thing to a melee weapon change is still the August 24 adjustment to the execution timing for Counterattacks, which affects the riposte a blade lands out of a parry rather than the blade itself.5252A balance pass is queued. Blade Arts are named alongside Bloom Arts in the official list of adjustments planned for a future update, with no direction, target list or date attached. Blade Arts are the plant-named arts unlocked from boss defeats rather than the blades themselves, so the roster table above is not expected to move, but any ordering of which art is worth spending points on should be treated as provisional until that patch lands.
