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In thisA.I. Limitguide, I’m going to explain the general approach to building your character when using theKatanaweapon type as your main weapon.
Katanas inA.I. Limitare very different from other weapon types—mainly due to how rare they are, and because the one you can obtain relatively early in the game has a unique weapon skill not shared by any other weapon.
Keep in mind that there are no starterKatanas, and you won’t be able to get one until reaching the third area. This makes it challenging to usethe Katanaas a main weapon on your first playthrough. PickingDual Swordsas your starting weapon is ideal, as it gives you an extra point in Technique, which benefits the Katana.
Due to the nature of the weapon upgrade and scaling system, none of the weapons will fall off or become obsolete—so long as you keep upgrading them with materials found on your journey. You can use a Katana all the way to the end of the game.
Attribute Distribution
Let’s begin with attribute allocation. Katana damage primarily scales withTechnique, and to a lesser extentStrength—though scaling values can differ between individual Katanas. Therefore, it’s most efficient to invest heavily in Technique when usingthe Katanaas your main weapon. This will also help during the early parts of the game if you start withDual Swords.
Vitalityis especially important for Katana builds. Around 20 points at level 50and about30 points at level 100is recommended. While this reduces damage output slightly, the trade-off is worth it, as it significantly helps withSync Ratemanagement.
Lifeis flexible and player-dependent, but having25 points around level 50and about35 by level 100is a good baseline. For a more aggressive playstyle where you want to tank more damage, consider increasing this to40 or even 50. Investing in Life will generally reduce the game’s difficulty by making your character more forgiving of mistakes.
You can safely ignoreSpiritandStrengthfor most of the game. You only gain access to a Spirit-scaling Katana late in the game after defeating a specific boss. You can put just enough points in Spirit and Strength to use any desired backup weapon—typically15 Strength and 12 Spiritwill cover most options.
Consider investing in Strength after reaching40 points in Technique, as Technique’s scaling drops off beyond that point.
There are a total ofthree Katanasavailable inA.I. Limit.
Materialism
This is the first Katana you’ll find, located in the third area near theFisherman Camp Branch. It features the unique weapon skillEureka, a counter ability similar to theCounter Fieldspell. When you counter an enemy successfully, it triggers a flurry of invisible slashes—arguably one of the coolest and most satisfying effects in the game.
However,Eureka does not generate Sync Rate, which is its major drawback. It also doesn’t posture-break enemies or open them up toFatal Strikes, meaning you lose a critical source of Sync Rate regeneration. These factors makeMaterialismmore challenging to use, especially on a first or fresh playthrough. It’s highly recommended to invest inVitalityto manage this drawback.
Materialism opens up a unique, high-skill-ceiling playstyle by encouraging you to make full use of all available tools, including shields and theThunder Stepability.
You’ll use Materialism for a large portion of your Katana run, as the other two Katanas require you to defeat a hidden boss,Ursula, and can only be obtained by trading in her nucleus. Importantly, you can only getoneof the two in a single playthrough, so choose wisely.
During the Ursula fight, you’ll see her use both weapons, giving you a preview of their potential.
This Katana scales primarily withTechniqueand partially withStrength. When fully upgraded, it hasS-scaling in Techniqueand ranks among the highest damage weapons in the game.
Its weapon skill,Phoenix Slash, is anIai Slashthat can be followed up with a second, fire-imbued slash. The move is chargeable, and if you hold back on the directional input, it includes abackstep dodgebefore slashing—just like Ursula’s move. You also lunge forward during the initial slash, allowing great distance coverage.
Red Deer is highly versatile and useful in a wide variety of situations.
This Katana scales with bothTechnique and Spirit, making it the most hybrid of the three. It deals fire damage on regular attacks and features the weapon skillBloodfire Waltz, a flaming spin attack that also imbues your weapon with fire. You’ll see Ursula perform this move in Phase 1 of her boss fight.
Though simpler than the others,Mercycan deal the most damage at higher levels thanks to its dual-attribute scaling.
If you’re undecided, chooseMercyfor a more straightforward option andRed Deerif you want something more technical. Both are powerful in their own right.
Spells inA.I. Limitare more supplementary than central to your build, unlike in other Souls-like games. You can only equiponeat a time, and changing spells requires opening the menu—interrupting combat flow.
The most universally useful spell isPartial Reconstruction, which costs 60%Sync Ratebut restores Life without using consumables. It casts slower than healing items, so timing is key.
Aside from that, you’ll rarely use spells in a Katana build, as yourSync Ratewill mostly be spent on weapon skills.
During the early and mid-game, I found theStandard Seal of the Bladersworked very well. It grants fasterSync Rategain when you’re below 70%, and increased stability above 70%, helping maintain Sync Rate and use weapon skills more consistently.
Its four seal slots can be customized with passive bonuses. I typically use:
Feel free to switch these based on your playstyle, but this setup gives a strong balance between offense and defense.
Another strong option is theSeal of the Pilgrim, which increases resistance to status effects and unlocksSync Rate Level 1 at just 40%, letting you activate weapon skills (likeEureka) earlier and more frequently.
For the late game, I switched to theSeal of the Tree, which passively regenerates Sync Rate from 50% to 75%. This makes healing and using skills easier without needing to recharge by attacking.
The Headwear, Armor and Nucleus
Headwear and armor offer varying degrees of protection butno set bonuses or unique effects. Just use the pieces with the highest defense stats as you progress. They won’t affect your playstyle, just your survivability.
TheNucleusaccessory should be selected based on your confidence:
For farming, use one withhigh absorptionto gain more crystals from enemies.
For safety in new areas, equip one withhigh retentionto lose fewer crystals on death.
Spell Frame Abilities
The first Spell Frame ability you get—Counter Field—is arguably the best. While it requires learning enemy attack timing, it’s forgiving and powerful. Most enemies (except a few bosses) will enter aweakened stateafter a successful counter, allowing aFatal Strike.
If you’re still learning, theShieldis a viable alternative. It blocks all physical and most elemental damage, butstatus effectswill still build up. Blocking isn’t unlimited—your shield will overload (glowing purple), and you’ll need todischarge it with an Overload Burstto return to normal blocking.
The third ability isPiercing Claw, an offensive option. It inflicts a piercing status on you (damaging you slightly) and grants a buff where your weapon attacks unleash extraenergy claw strikes. The buff drains over time but can be refilled by landing hits.
The final ability,Thunder Step, lets you dodge quickly behind or away from enemies. Aperfect dodgeleaves behind an electric clone that explodes after a few seconds. However, it doesn’t stagger enemies or open them for Fatal Strikes, making it the weakest Spell Frame ability overall.
Still,Eurekafrom the Katana can replaceCounter Field, andThunder Stepbecomes a useful backup when you lack the Sync Rate to use Eureka.
Conclusion
That wraps up my Katana guide forA.I. Limit. Katanas are arguably the hardest weapons to master in the game, but they offer an incredibly rewarding experience and a high skill ceiling.
If you have tips or tricks to share—especially forDual Sword builds—drop them in the comments! Also, be sure to check out thewikifor more guides.
