SNK has revealed the patch notes for Samurai Shodown‘s latest update. Unlike previous patches, this update contains loads of changes and improvements to Samurai Shodown‘s features and its cast of fighters. You can check out the full patch notes at this link. Below, you will find some highlights from the Samurai Shodown update 1.11 patch notes including the improvements made to the game’s features, as well as taking a look at some of the changes made to fan-favorite characters.
Samurai Shodown Update 1.11 Patch Notes | Changes and improvements to Samurai Shodown features
Some of the changes and improvements listed in this section of the patch notes are pretty vague. This includes “balances to character interactions during battle” and fixes for “other minor issues and features.” The specifics of these balances and minor bug fixes are not detailed.
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However, there are quite a few specific improvements to some of Samurai Shodown‘s features that do go a bit more in-depth. Most of these pertain to Casual Match lobbies, but there is one change that now returns players to their previous mode after leaving a Ranked Match. Here is the full list of changes made to Casual Match lobbies:
- Single Match only changes
- Battles now begin when both players press OK when seated.
- Players are not automatically removed from a seat after the end of a match.
- “Watch while waiting” and “Watch only” options are now available when in the spectator seats.
- A rematch option will show if there are no other players waiting.
- Skippable character intros and win poses now implemented both online and offline.
- Players who make a lobby can now choose the stage right from the lobby menu screen.
Samurai Shodown Update 1.11 Patch Notes | Kyoshiro changes
A character much of the Samurai Shodown community has been waiting to receive a buff (or the request the community seems to be most vocal about) is Kyoshiro. There have been little changes to him in the past but nothing that really made him a viable character in competitive. With the changes from update 1.11 now active, players who main Kyoshiro should be happy. Here is the full list of changes to Kyoshiro:
- Advance (with/without weapon)
- Move speed increased
- Retreat (with/without weapon)
- Move speed increased
- Standing Close Medium Slash (with weapon)
- Now cancellable
- Standing Far Medium Slash (with weapon)
- Faster attack startup
- Crouching Far Medium Slash (with weapon)
- Faster attack startup
- Crouching Heavy Slash (with weapon)
- Hitbox expanded downwards
- Advancing Medium Slash (with weapon)
- Now can’t leap over crouching opponents
- Hitbox expanded downwards
- Advancing Kick (with/without weapon)
- Moves farther forward
- Recovery frames reduced
- Jumping Light Slash (with weapon)
- Increased active hitbox frames
- Increased hurtbox active frames
- Jumping Fist Attack (without weapon)
- Increased active hitbox frames
- Increased hurtbox active frames
- Light, Medium, and Heavy Dance of Fire (with/without weapon)
- No longer hits from behind
- Increased opponent’s knockback duration when blocked
- Toad Plague (with/without weapon)
- Resolved an issue where any hit Kyoshiro received from behind
while on the toad wasn’t being counted as “in-air” - No longer hits in-air opponents
- No longer hits from behind
- Active hitbox frames reduced
- Damage increased
- Unblockable
- Resolved an issue where any hit Kyoshiro received from behind
- Light Twisting Heavens (with weapon)
- Expanded the opening hitbox downwards
- Made attack startup faster
- Medium Twisting Heavens (with weapon)
- Expanded the opening hitbox downwards
- Heavy Twisting Heavens (with weapon)
- Invulnerable on startup
- Expanded the opening hitbox downwards
- Light Lion’s Tail Blast (with weapon)
- Removed feet hitbox on startup.
- Now invulnerable to throws and low hits.
- Increased opponent’s knockback duration when blocked.
- Reduced recovery frames
- Expanded the collision box downwards
- Now does not hit from behind
- Medium Lion’s Tail Blast (with weapon)
- Removed feet hitbox on startup.
- Now invulnerable to throws and low hits.
- Increased opponent’s knockback duration when blocked.
- Reduced recovery frames
- Ragion Lion’s Tail Blast (with weapon)
- Removed feet hitbox on startup.
- Now invulnerable to throws and low hits.
- Reduced recovery frames
- Now does not hit from behind
- Increased chip damage
- Max Rage Ragion Lion’s Tail Blast (with weapon)
- Removed feet hitbox on startup.
- Now invulnerable to throws and low hits
- Reduced recovery frames
- Now does not hit from behind
- Increased chip damage
- Smoldering Blood Pounce (with weapon)
- Now activates with diagonal down inputs
- Increased damage
As you can see, just about every facet of Kyoshiro’s movements and moves has received some sort of change. Generally, it seems like he will be a quicker fighter than he was before. The move Toad Plague also looks like the most “buffed” out of the bunch. While it no longer hits in-air opponents, the damage it receives has been increased. More importantly, it is now unblockable. It used to be a low attack which meant you needed to crouch block to stop it. However, that is no longer the case.
Samurai Shodown Update 1.11 Patch Notes | Genjuro changes
On the very opposite side of the spectrum from Kyoshiro in terms of competitive viability, Genjuro was one, if not the strongest character in the game pre-patch 1.11. Giving credence to that statement was Infiltration’s win over Kazunoko during the Samurai Shodown Grand Finals at Evo 2019 where he used Genjuro to defeat Haohmaru. While he will probably still be a good option in competitive, he did receive a few nerfs in the new update. Here are all the changes Genjuro received courtesy of update 1.11:
- Rage Gauge
- Decreased amount gained on hit
- Time in Max Rage
- Time has been reduced
- Advance (with/without weapon)
- Movement speed increased
- Retreat (with/without weapon)
- Movement speed increased
- Standing Kick (with/without weapon)
- Attack startup slower
- Second hit now high instead of overhead
- Crouching Far Medium Slash (with weapon)
- Shrank front part of hitbox
- Shrank first part of hitbox
- Increased recovery frames
- Attack startup slower
- Advancing Light Slash (with weapon)
- Weapon does not fly off when countered
- Recovery frames on block reduced
- Advancing Medium Slash (with weapon)
- First attack now uncounterable
- Advancing Kick (without weapon)
- Character behavior after Advancing Kick changed from crouching to standing
- Light Lightning Wings (with weapon)
- Removed invulnerability on startup
- Shrank front part of hitbox
- Expanded hurtbox forward and upward during active attack frames
- Increased recovery frames upon landing
- Medium Lightning Wings (with weapon)
- Removed throw and upper-body invulnerability on startup
- Now invulnerable to in-air attacks on startup
- Shrank the front part of the hitbox when rising
- Expanded hurtbox forward and upwards during active hit frames
- Increased recovery frames upon landing
- Heavy Lightning Wings (with weapon)
- Expanded hurtbox forward and upwards during active hit frames.
- Increased recovery frames upon landing
- Max Rage Lightning Wings (with weapon)
- Increased recovery frames upon landing
- Light, Medium, and Heavy Cherry Blossom Slice (with weapon)
- Increased recovery frames
- Can no longer pursuit attack after hit in the air
- Zen Blade (with weapon)
- Shrank the Command Grab hitbox
- Made attack startup slower
- Increased recovery frames
- Reverse Five Flash Rip (with weapon)
- Increased recovery frames
- Reduced opponent’s knockback duration on block
Seen above many of Genjuro’s moves have increased recovery frames, which means after you execute the moves, the number of frames it takes for the character to recover and gain control again has been increased. To put it simply, he doesn’t recover as well as he used to. Additionally, The amount of Rage gained per hit, as well as the amount of time in Max Rage state, has been decreased. Essentially, it will now take more hits to fill up the Rage Gauge, and you will have less time to use that meter effectively.
