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The fate of ancient Japan in the Bakumatsu period is up in the air, and players will play a vital role in how events will unfold as part of the action inRise of the Ronin, Team Ninja’s offering of intense combat andopen-world exploration. However, that burden is not just yours alone to shoulder, as there will be plenty of allies and enemies alike joining the occasion.
And while players will be doing their best to cut down all who stand in their way, those who stand alongside you are valuable allies. These relationships can be developed further to bring additional benefits beyond just another blade beside you. For players hoping tounderstand all about bond levels and how to improve relationships with alliesinRise of the Ronin, this guide is for you.
All Bond Levels in Rise of the Ronin
After the initial hours of the game,Rise of the Roninwill introduce the first AI companion that can join players in missions. Following that, any new characters introduced throughout the story could potentiallyform a relationship with the player, resulting in anumber of benefits. This could bebuffsduring missions, gifts in the form ofnew equipment, and evenRare Skill Pointsand improvedCombat Styles.
Such relationships will begin with theAcquaintedlevel, which will then be followed byFriendly,Inseparable, and finallyFated. The last level is required for the characters whose players would want to start a romantic relationship, so there are always upsides to improving your bond levels inRise of the Ronin.
How to Improve Bond Levels in Rise of the Ronin
There are various ways in which bond levels between characters can be improved in the game, and it doesn’t always have to involve high stakes as part of the story.
Mission Companions
For certain story missions, players can bring up totwo allies to helpwith the fight. By completing the objectives with your chosen ones,relationships with these allies will be strengthenedat the end of everything. With the Testament of the Soul allowingmissions to be replayed, this can be the simplest way of improving your bond levels while chasing more XP and equipment.
Having Conversations
ThroughoutRise of the Ronin, there will beconversations and choiceswith various characters. Oftentimes, there will be severaldialogue choicesto choose from. If you hope to improve your bond levels, aligning yourself with a specific character and echoing their thoughts is always advisable. During your downtime, it is also possible to speak to different NPCs and learn more about them, which can provide a small boost, too.
Giving Gifts
Another option available when speaking to characters outside of missions is the ability togive them gifts. Gifts can be bought throughvendors,found in the world, orgiven as mission and activity rewards. Different characters will have different tastes, and themore effective giftswill be indicated with aheart shapeon the menu. Match those to the characters you want to get close with, and your bond levels will improve much more significantly.
Do note that there is acooldown periodbetween every gift-giving opportunity, so make sure you give several of the best gifts at once to make the most of it.
Sparring at the Dojo
For those who love fighting, another great benefit fromsparring in the dojois thebig boost in bond levelsit can provide, as long as players are capable of achieving high scores. Each fight at the doko has four ranking levels that can be reached, and byhitting the Master ranking, there are excellent rewards up for grabs, including bond level improvements. With the opportunity to both hone your martial and social skills, it is a no-brainer choice.
