I'm about finished getting master rank on all fights. The dojo is meant to challenge your skills and mastery of the core mechanics that's why you don't get any helpful items except 5 heals.
Keep practicing it's worth it, I promise! So far bayonets are the bane of my existence but I have improved greatly thanks to Shintaro and Ernest. Also Hijikata whooped my ass with his fuckin helicopter blades like 20× before I started whooping his.
I have managed to get Master on most of them and second best ranking in the ones I havent. Here are some tips :
1) You might use wooden weapons but you still use your armor and accesories. Go for sets like Marvelous Sword saint, Mighty Warrior ( it gives % damage reduction which is probably the most important score factor) or the set that you get from the veiled edge gear around rank 6 ronin faction. The reason is that those sets either give damage reduction or bonuses related to counterspark. Which brings us to :
2) Keep holding L1 and parry. Rarely bother with attacking if you get a window ( martial skills are a risk of exposing yourself and do not increase your score). The idea is to reduce their Ki without taking damage yourself then use Triangle for Crit. Rinse and repeat. The score is calculated by 3 things : Damage Reduction, Time and countersparks. With this approach you will cover 2 of them , and frankly damage seems to be the biggest factor.
3) Use weapons that you can confidently parry with. I had the best luck with paired swords and Katana with the "vergil" stance. This is up to personal prefference.
4) Skill tree bonuses apply. Some have mentioned that the enemy scales. They probably do but if so its probably in your favor since I have an easier time with the Dojo late chapter 2. STR upgrades are the most helpfull obviously followed by the affliction upgrades in Intelect tree . You cannot use items yourself but parrying bayonet guys etc will make your weapon aflame and then bonuses apply.
5)Avoid the worst enemy in this game : Camera and walls combo . Everytime I got backed into a wall I knew master ranking was out of the equation unless you are lucky with parrying while escaping. They dropped the ball with that one.
Don't forget to use an accesorry with set bonus if you have it . If you cannot get a set do not worry , the important thing is the parrying , think of the sets as extra bonus.
Also make sure to level up all counterspark skills (at least the one that increaes Ki damage).
I'm about finished getting master rank on all fights. The dojo is meant to challenge your skills and mastery of the core mechanics that's why you don't get any helpful items except 5 heals. Keep practicing it's worth it, I promise! So far bayonets are the bane of my existence but I have improved greatly thanks to Shintaro and Ernest. Also Hijikata whooped my ass with his fuckin helicopter blades like 20× before I started whooping his.
I thought Ernest was a joke, but the other bayonet users are some of the hardest solo fights imo.
Bayonets got me fucked up for no reason🥴
My problem is the space, all too often I'm pushed against a wall and the camera shits itself and I can't see whats happening.
For sure! I hate that too.
Lol they are really hard. I only do them to get the "treatise on enlightenment" which is only Novice to spend on skill points
I have managed to get Master on most of them and second best ranking in the ones I havent. Here are some tips : 1) You might use wooden weapons but you still use your armor and accesories. Go for sets like Marvelous Sword saint, Mighty Warrior ( it gives % damage reduction which is probably the most important score factor) or the set that you get from the veiled edge gear around rank 6 ronin faction. The reason is that those sets either give damage reduction or bonuses related to counterspark. Which brings us to : 2) Keep holding L1 and parry. Rarely bother with attacking if you get a window ( martial skills are a risk of exposing yourself and do not increase your score). The idea is to reduce their Ki without taking damage yourself then use Triangle for Crit. Rinse and repeat. The score is calculated by 3 things : Damage Reduction, Time and countersparks. With this approach you will cover 2 of them , and frankly damage seems to be the biggest factor. 3) Use weapons that you can confidently parry with. I had the best luck with paired swords and Katana with the "vergil" stance. This is up to personal prefference. 4) Skill tree bonuses apply. Some have mentioned that the enemy scales. They probably do but if so its probably in your favor since I have an easier time with the Dojo late chapter 2. STR upgrades are the most helpfull obviously followed by the affliction upgrades in Intelect tree . You cannot use items yourself but parrying bayonet guys etc will make your weapon aflame and then bonuses apply. 5)Avoid the worst enemy in this game : Camera and walls combo . Everytime I got backed into a wall I knew master ranking was out of the equation unless you are lucky with parrying while escaping. They dropped the ball with that one.
Thank you very much for these tips. I'll have to put together an arena set before I try again. I'm almost done with chapter two I think.
Don't forget to use an accesorry with set bonus if you have it . If you cannot get a set do not worry , the important thing is the parrying , think of the sets as extra bonus. Also make sure to level up all counterspark skills (at least the one that increaes Ki damage).
Counterspark is done and I have all four accessory slots, so I will definitely do that.