I. Preface

These are my notes and FAQs about the run and are subject to change at any time. Can apply same route as Oni difficulty. Though, strategies will vary because it require more passive approaches. i.e H.Splitter loop against Tenkai is not reliable. It's better to opt for Magic Crit > H.Splitter instead

Currently, the route got completely changed with the Test of Valor trigger skips. This means the shopping and some other room strategies will be changed completely. I will update this when I return to grinding it again.

Test of Valor playlist

• 4: Rewards you Black Sword - 黒斬刀
• 7: Rewards you Gleam which is very helpful in Test of Valor 13 and 16.
• 10: Most important reward for Horns of Susano
• 13: Rewards you Sky Sword that helps Soki to maintain the required DPS.
• 18: Rewards you Roberto's ideal weapon for the boss rush section in Chapter 17
• 19: Rewards you Tenkai's ideal weapon for the boss rush section in Chapter 17

• Whenever you switch equipment during the menu always press START for quick exit.
• On any movement section, camera changing = changes stick direction.
• Most of your time saves comes from optimizing character switch.
• Refer to the Menu optimization when it comes to buying and upgrading skills and such.

II. Disc1

Ideal goal for end of disc 1 is 1:10:00 - 1:15:00

• Mecha Genma: To get the 2 cycle, dash through the hand slam to the left and spam heavy attack there. This grants you double hits.
• Red Danemon : Magic-Stab loop after critical.

• Get Oni Magic Lv1 before 3rd door for back up.
• Jubei : Oni Magic crit loop
• Killing spear zombies with crit restores you enough Magic for ToV 2
• ToV 2 raw crit > Oni Magic crit twice
• [Old] ToV 3 Oni Magic crit if possible. If this are a mess go ham with helm splitter.
• [Current] Tov3 Triple Raw Crit
• Crab Walker : Do 4x helm splitter loop on the first deflect to prepare for the second one. Make Jubei aggressive the moment you deflect the second time. Same with third cycle when it switches position. If you happen to miss deflect once then you will fail to skip phase that costs a lot of time. You can try to go for WR 2 cycle but it’s not recommended.

• Oni Magic crit to get past through enemies before picking up Oni Magic Lv1.
• ToV 4 : Chain Crit from the right zombie then chain crit ninjas followed by helm split. Finally chain crit spiders from the right.
• Jubei sneak switch then soki switch and equip new sword.
• Ladder switch
• Post Ohatsu (same idea as Jubei fight): Go until the edge map camera then go down to the ladder and the one in front.
• Crab Walker : Do 4x helm splitter loop on the first deflect to prepare for the second one. Make Jubei aggressive the moment you deflect the second time. Same with third cycle when it switches position. If you happen to miss deflect once then you will fail to skip phase that costs a lot of time. You can try to go for WR 2 cycle but it’s not recommended.

• *Self note: Might be useful to have split for each Orb pickup
• Get Red dot Orb then switch to Jubei.
• Orb-1: Right door > go to the next room to switch blue orb after the red orb pick up.
• Orb-2: Left door after you go past red door for red orb switch.
• Orb-3: Right door after you go past 2 blue doors.
• Tov 5: Dash Soki forward then start chaining with Jubei being the initiator
• Orb-4: Left door where the archer is standing.
• Orb-5: Left door after you go past 2 blue doors.
• Final-Orb: Last door to the right
• crit the spear charges.
• Tenkai : The crit setup is hard because its huge luck based only do it if you are really feeling it. Safest is just chaining with Magic.
• Genma Bug : During Triple Shock-wave blast, first one always has a chance to hit you so block them. Get to the right side as soon as possible. Once it finishes the blast command Tenkai for the weapon buff and start spamming helm splitter > stab loop. Max hit you can get should be 5. When it recovers use helm splitter so you can hit and get behind it at the same time. Chase it with Helm Splitter back dash loop. Genma Bug will then will stick his sphere in the ground Helm Splitter x2 then side switch to keep spamming the same move for the kill

• Key pick
• Equip new Staff Yama (始摩天杖) pick the key item then switch to soki.
• Roberto : If you fail True crit > Oni magic crit > helm splitter then just loop him with oni magic crit.
• Sakon I : Make sure tenkai is buffing Soki before the fight starts during Zombie hoard kills. You can setup for crit kill but it costs massive amount of time loss if you fail it.
• Make sure to Open red chest that is next to the save point to get 兵法書(Warrior's Code).
• Magic Crit chain into H.Splitter.
• Main door: Get broken Lever
• Left door into ladder: to get the key.
• Lever switch right door into ladder.
• Ohatsu break bridge to downstairs to pick key.
• Main door to C4 for the broken lever.
• Get Souls and keys after lever.
• C4 before you switch into new sword.
• Munenori I : Crit > Helm splitter > Stab> Backdash > Helm splitter > upper slash. Make sure that you are behind him and too close. He will throw sands to stun you otherwise. Kick him if he just stays idle.
• Hecuba : Command Berserk on Roberto and go full with Helm Splitter > Stab loop.

• Summon Tenkai
• Make sure that Tenkai is under Pray command.
• ToV 6: Lv3 Magic Yellow Danemon into H.Split.
• Soki Solo: red chest before save point to pick Warrior's Ring 武偏者の指輪.
• Try to Magic crit archer to go through balls.
• ToV 7: Magic crit to knock down then raw twice. Extremely annoying ToV.
• Sakon II : Equip Warrior's Ring 武偏者の指輪 then get behind Sakon to Enlightenment spam do magic crit for iframe his flame barrier then repeat Enlightenment.
• Heidyoshi is one of the most difficult fight in the game to do optimally. Mistiming the stun after critical will likely make phase skip fail immediately.
• Heidyoshi 1 - Safe : Equip Warrior's Ring 武偏者の指輪 Hit him with heavy attack twice none double hit version. Stop him with Helm Splitter then wait for him to move a bit to stop him again for heavy attack. Helm Splitter > Stab > Backdash > Helm Splitter > Heavy attack.
• Heidyoshi 1 - Optimal : Heavy attack into crit then equip Warrior's Ring 武偏者の指輪. Repeat the process. You have at least 2 chances for this. Helm Splitter > Stab > Upper Slash.
• Heidyoshi 1 - Optimal V2
• Heidyoshi 1 - US / EU version

• Puzzle to get Oni-Cutter
• Red chest to get Guardian.
• Maze Trial is RNG
• First room: It's better to follow to the candle but, if you are feeling lucky then left > straight. Make sure have Warrior's Ring 武偏者の指輪 equipped.
• Second room: spam straight > right.
• Third room: straight x2 > right x2 > red key go back > straight > right > straight > Ultra potion > go back > left > straight > left > left > follow the candle.
• Forth room: spam left > left. fifth room: spam straight > right > right
• Gargant: Break the sword. Magic crit then start spamming H.Splitter > Blade Jab loop
• Ohatsu: Magic Crit loop then R2 once her HP is 0. You might going to use Oni Magic Lv1.

• Crit the cannon with soki to help his drive gauge fill
• ToV8: Overdrive Ohatsu loop before you cancel loop make sure that the rocket reached at the giant grab with the rapid fire check.
• ToV9: finisher loop with Ohatsu’s weakest weapon
• Green button: kill zombies > lever to open the door.
• C4 > red button: Lever to open the door.
• Ladder > equip previous weapons > lever to open the door.
• Blue button: get the key
• Last lever door to activate the elevator
• Munenori II Same as Munenori I but you make sure to chain true crit with Ohatsu.

• Revisit Munenori II spot with Ohatsu for ToV10. You must get gold for Horn of Susano
• Pick Ohatsu after heading out to chapter 10.
• Safe - ToV11: Lure them to soki to do magic crit setup x2
• Optimal - Tov11: Use Onimusha form Soki transform to one shot each armor with forward + R2.
• Luis Time Ohatsu’s command cover stun to loop the boss with Rapid shots. < Old Method

• Red chest lever then water
• You can setup chain crit on Dordo if you want to conserve drive meds.
• Climb ladder to get the key for the red door.
• ToV11: Equip Horn of Susano on Soki then at the green commander then one combo him with H.Splitter > Blade Jab > Special Heavy Attack.
• ToV12: Chain with Roberto with one magic crit.
• Interact the Save Point with Soki after 5th box push from Roberto.
• Rapid fire the last gate keeper while making Soki charge forward.
• Genma Bug II Ohatsu: "Never tire, Never recoil, Never Reload, Open fire overdrive cancels.

III. Disc2

For chapter 12 and 15. You should always have notes up because its very easy to get mixed up with this map. It's definitely worth to put each color dots Mechanic break as a subsplits for a reminder.

• Lever switch: Take Green Plate.
• Next switch: Downstairs to pick dark pink plate then break the mechanic (Green dots)
• Next switch x2: Downstairs to use dark pink plate for the key then break the mechanic (Red dots)
• Ground floor to Green dots door: go the iron door to unlock the door (Light blue dots) and break it's mechanic.
• Go to yellow dots room and break it's mechanic.

• Main hall then switch Ohatsu. Make sure she is equipped with Horn of Susano..
• Old - ToV13: Chain Crit setup. Very important to have overdrive gauge ready for both characters. If you don't have Sky Sword then it will be rough because Soki won't be able to kill Yellow Danemon. Soki should only absorb souls on the final wave.
• New- ToV13: Overdrive Transform Soki and one shot each Yellow Danemon with H.Split > Stab. Make sure the zombie are spawned for more souls
• Don't forget overdrive jewel on the second test subjects room.
• Mitsunari I Ohatsu: "Never tire, Never recoil, Never Reload, Open fire overdrive cancels.

• If you failed to get Sky Sword which is the gold prize in Test of Valor 12 then buy Raizan and make it Lv3 if possible. He desperately needs the damage boost from that point.
• Take Roberto.
• Tov14: Chain the first spider with Roberto then one shot the rest with Soki’s Oni form Heavy Attack.
• Switch to Ohatsu after you get the oil.
• Paint Puzzle notes: Butterflies = 6 | Birds = 5 | Wolves = 4 | Bears = 3 | Elephants = 2 | Whale = 1
• First puzzle: From Largest to Smallest number. You can try your luck to guess but its always better to find at least 2 painting for the consistency
• Second puzzle: Order is Whale > Elephants > Bears = to their respective warehouse number.
• Go back with Roberto after you open the big gate.
• Sakon III : Transform then helm splitter > Blade Jab loop.

• ToV 15 is similar to ToV 12 but only soki have to chain once.
• Take Roberto.
• Ophelia Minion Phase: Start chain magic from the left to kill the whole wave in one go.
• Ophelia Boss Phase: Overdrive Transform with Ohatsu then rapid shoot. Soki special command can make the process faster to remove Ophelia’s energy

• Secret Med at the start is a good back up.
• Old - ToV17: Very tricky, Switch jubei roll forward 3 times. Make Soki stand between Zombie spear ground then crit chain. The timing is based on Jubei's block sound cue.
• New - ToV17: Ohatsu: "Never tire, Never recoil, Never Reload, Open fire overdrive cancels."
• Menteith room: Soki Overdrive.

• Light blue room: Pick red plate and the electric switch.
• Activate the electric: Switch to Tenkai and get the blue plate then switch back to Roberto.
• Use lever once: Switch to Tenkai destroy red dots mechanic and go downstairs to use blue plates get the key. Switch back to Roberto.
• Use lever once: downstairs to get electric key and destroy yellow dot mechanic before going back.
• Use lever x2: Activate electric and destroy green dot mechanic.
• Ground floor to Green dots door: Switch to Jubei. Unlock door and go upstairs to break the last mechanic light blue dots.
• Go back to the main hall.
• Mitsunari II and Claudius I: Ohatsu: "Never tire, Never recoil, Never Reload, Open fire overdrive cancels."

• All 3 gate keepers: Soki just H.Split > Blade Jab in his Drive Form.
• Last ToV can very roof with Soki dying to minions. You want to finish with at least 12 and a half soul gauge bar.
• Munenori is Jubei Overdrive basic attack > Flurry cancel loop.

• Pick up the Rare Shell after the final ToV.
• Unequip Horn of Susano and equip shishio to Jubei.
• Puzzle to get low king ring complete purple > red.
• Puzzle to get class zero upper right row to downward left.
• Might be good idea to pick Ultra Med before boss room for back up.

• Equip Low King Ring and use Oni magic pot Lv1.
• The usual with the first two encounter but, when his hp is around 50% start Oni Magic crit loop to pervent him from summoning his Doppleganger. This usually happens after 3 good true crits.
• Oni Magic crit if things get out of hand.

• Take Tenkai to buff Soki to kill 2 major gate keepers quickly.
• Giga Menteith same as Chapter 16 Menteith.
• Black Crab Walker: H.Split one shot.
• It’s good idea to Ultra Med Lv3 during tree dialogue climb as a back up.

• Roberto - Rosencrantz: Clear basic enemies then equip horn of susano. Magic lv2 > overdrive heavy attack.
• Tenaki - Claudius [Safe]: horn of susan overdrive then 2 cycle him with Enlightenment.
• Jubei - Munenori: Overdrive basic attack > Flurry cancel loop.
• Ohatsu - Ophelia: "Never tire, Never recoil, Never Reload, Open fire overdrive cancels."
• Soki - Hideyoshi : Helm splitter to break the leg then don't choke. If failed to one shot then helm splitter > stab loop. The failure of critical is usually due to not begin in range.
• ChaCha: Get Tenkai to buff Soki transform then H.Splitter > Blade Jab spam.

• Phase 1: Don't choke and make sure that Soki is facing him directly. Use Ultimate crit when he attacks.
• Phase 2: Take Ohatsu and refill her Overdrive gauge. Transform and make Soki aggressive when it starts descending.

VI. FAQs

How is chapter 13's painting puzzle being RNG ?

• The first puzzle the paintings are either going to be in the even or odd buildings. To solve this as fast as possible, check building 1 first then if its not there you know it will be in 2 and 4. Therefore you can look for 2 then guess the 3rd number..
• The Second puzzle you are just looking for the whale elephants or bear paintings corresponding to the building number. For example, if whale is in building 6 then the first number is 6. As a result, you can find 2 and guess the 3rd..