Kensei Guide V_1.0

Kensei Guide

As a vanguard, kensei is pretty balanced. He has some quick lights, slow but powerful heavies, and a gimmick. Of the three vanguards, Kensei has the best dash, furthest range, the highest single strike damage, and strongest wall throw followup(perhaps of all heroes in the game). His mixup game takes some work to get to, but is very strong when it's reached.

The first thing you should do with Kensei is establish space. His normal attacks have greater range than every character except Nobushi. His side lights in particular cause him to rush forward towards the enemy if they are outside of their normal range. His forward dash guardbreak special also means his is superior to most other characters at a further range.

Kensei's backdash is great, almost as good as an assassin's, and can be used after blocking some heroes with shorter range to re-establish space. Peacekeeper in particular cannot spam light chains, because a blocked light means a free backdash for you, unless they read it and dash forward gb you. Blocking any character's heavy gives you a free backdash out of pressure.

Forward dash + light is a very fast top, equivalent to a warden's top light, but can be parried if the opponent reacts to the forward dash. It is useful for punishing whiffed heavies.

Side dash + light is also very fast, and Kensei's dash speed and range means this can be used to dodge and then punish an opponent for using anything like conq's shieldbash, nobu's kick, warden's shoulder, shugoki hug, warlord headbutt, ect.

Kensei has very powerful chain finishers, so you really want to get to the third hit in your chains.

Kensei's dash attacks allow you to skip the first hit in an attack chain. Also, a guardbreak skips the first hit, and a throw skips the second hit, so a throw can be immediately followed up by a chain finisher.

I recommend you follow up a guardbreak with a garunteed top heavy, then do your chain finisher mix-up. If you are near a wall, you should instead throw them and use a top heavy chain finisher, which is garunteed after a wall throw.

Forward throw also causes dizzy and has shorter range than side throws, which can be followed up with top heavy chaain finisher mix-ups for additional confusion. It makes reacting to side heavy cancels impossible, and a true 50/50. This is generally not as good as just following up guardbreak with top heavy - top heavy chain finisher, though. Good for staying unpredictable.

Once you reach the chain finisher, start with his top heavy unblockable. Your opponent must either side dash or parry this, creating a mixup. You never really want to just let top heavy go, it's extremely easy to parry or dodge.