Samurai (7th Dragon)

“	Swordsmen who wield the ancient blades known as "katana". Using their exquisite power, anything will fall in a single stroke. By taking up a certain stance, phantasmagorical techniques can be unleashed.	”
— Game description.

Samurai (サムライ) is a reoccuring class in the 7th Dragon series.

Overview

Samurai are the highest single-target damage dealers that can wield one-handed swords and katanas, the latter being class-exclusive dealing slashing damage. They have 4 stances: Zamba (斬馬), Iai (居合), Unarmed (無手) and Musou Switch (無双スイッチ). They also have elemental and status ailments attacks. A desirable field skill they possess is Demonic Countenance (鬼の形相), which prevents low level enemies from appearing. Their main weakness is their very low DEF and can therefore fall easily compared to the other front-row classes.

Overview of the 4 stances:

• Zamba Switch (斬馬スイッチ) is the most damage dealing stance that gives 30% ATK at level 5. Notable attacks are the powerful Tate-Ichimonji (縦一文字) and the elemental lightning skill Rai-Rai (雷磊). 
• Iai Switch (居合スイッチ) gives a 30% SPD bonus at level 5. SPD increase speed (how fast you will act) and evasion. Notable attacks are the skill-sealing Zeppa-Uchi (絶刃打ち) and the elemental ice skill Fubuki (吹雪).
• Unarmed Switch (無手スイッチ) throws away your weapon's ATK and gives POW bonus instead. It also gives normal attacks a chance of instant death. Notable attacks are Cloud Counters, Yoroi-Dooshi (鎧通し) and the elemental fire skill Myouou (明王).
• Musou Switch allows you to use all attacks from any stance, but it has a few disadvantages:
  • You must always stay over 90% LIFE. If your LIFE drops under 90% you will be canceled from Musou Switch.
  • You wont get any stance bonuses (no ATK, SPD or POW bonus).

Strategy

Samurai has a very desirable react, Jinka no React (刃下のリアクト), so if you're picking it be sure to not give the Samurai too high DEF. Remember, Zamba and Iai Samurai are not available in the early game (because there aren't any katanas before the prologue) so you might either want to start with an Unarmed Samurai or hold off on investing in other stance skills.

The Zamba Samurai has the highest ATK compared to other stances. Their main attack is Tate-Ichimonji or Nuki-Kake (貫掛け). If you want a pure high-damage Samurai, Zamba is the stance for you. Zamba Samurai are pretty MANA intense, so you might want a Healer with Mana Craft (クラフトマナ) or a Princess with Song of the Moonlight (月明かりの詩) in the party. You should max Katana Mastery (カタナマスタリー) to get the most of your weapon, and Tate-Ichimonji or Nuki-Kake whichever you prefer. Nuki-Kake is slightly weaker than Tate-Ichimonji and cost 1 more MANA, but doesn't need to stance change. If you're choosing Tate-Ichimonji you can leave Nuki-Kake at level 1 for random encounters. You can also level up Rai-Rai (雷磊) and Sakaba-Uchi (逆刃打ち).

The Iai Samurai rivals Rogues in terms of SPEED. Their biggest advantage over the other stances is the skill-sealing move Zeppa-Uchi (絶刃打ち). Zeppa-Uchi has 45% chance of inflicting skill seal at level 10 so it is recommended to max it as soon as you get it. Skill seal only last for 3 turns however, so you might want to use it as your main attack. Other than that, the Iai Samurai has 3 other options: Sente-Dachi (先手断ち), Kubi-Otoshi (首落) and Nuki-Kake (貫掛け). Sente-Dachi is an attack with speed priority, meaning it will always go first (which can be covered by the Iai Samurai's high SPEED anyway) and doesn't cost much MANA. Kubi-Otoshi, however, has a chance of instant death and is very MANA intense. If you pick Nuki-Kake you don't need to bother with Sente-Dachi or Kubi-Otoshi. It is recommended to max Katana Mastery and a single level at Fubuki for ice coverage doesn't hurt.

The Unarmed Samurai relies on POW bonuses instead of weapon ATK. Level up Unarmed stance to max as soon as possible, then level up Yoroi-Dooshi (鎧通し) or Myouou (明王) whichever you prefer. Yoroi-Dooshi is sligthly weaker than Myouou but completely ignores resistance. Myouou is stronger than Yoroi-Dooshi but is useless against enemies with fire resistance. After you're done with that max POW bonus because the Samurai's ATK hangs on how much POW you can get. Therefore giving equipment with POW bonuses is also recommended. After that you can pick Cloud Counters, Shishi Funjin no Seme (獅子奮迅の攻め) or Tettou Tetsubi no Mamori (徹頭徹尾の守り).

The Musou Samurai is very risky. Sente-Dachi is a good skill to have because of the loss of SPEED. A Provoke Knight is considered mandatory for Musuou to work in order to redirect incoming damage. The build is also very SP intensive. Despite all the disadvantages, they still have a few unique advantages:

• You can use any skill from any stance with the except of Yoroi-Dooshi. If you want Rai-Rai from Zamba, Zeppa-Uchi from Iai and Cloud Counters from Unarmed, Musou is the switch to look for.
• You ignore resistance and your resistance for status ailments increases by perhaps 2 times.
• If you drop under 90% and get healed before the turn ends, you'll stay in Musou.

Skills

Universal

Name	MN Cost	SP Cost	Max Level	Prerequisites
POW Bonus (POWボーナス)	-	2	10	-
Raises physical attack and defense.
SPD Bonus (SPDボーナス)	-	1	10	-
Raises agility and evasion.
INT Bonus (INTボーナス)	-	1	10	-
Raises magic attack and magic defense.

Zamba Style

Name	MN Cost	SP Cost	Max Level	Prerequisites
Zamba Switch Horse-Cutting Switch (斬馬スイッチ)	2 (Lv. 1~5)	2 (Lv. 1) 1 (Lv. 2~5)	5	Katana Mastery Lv. 3
Switches to Zamba Stance, which increases attack power and allows the Samurai to use Zamba skills. Regardless of what weapon is equipped, the Samurai's attack power increases +10% at Lv. 1 and +30% at Lv. 5 in Zamba Stance, making each level up a +5% increase in attack power.
Tate-Ichimonji Vertical Slash (縦一文字)	2 (Lv. 1~5) 3 (Lv. 6~10)	1 (Lv. 1~7) 2 (Lv. 8~10)	10	Zamba Switch Lv. 1
Medium damage to one enemy. Damage is increased by 130% at Lv. 1 and 180% at max level (+5% per level up, with the last giving +10%). The original Japanese name describes the kanji character for one (Ichimonji), which is essentially a dash, which is stood up (Tate). Thus, a character that looks like "-" becomes one that looks like "|".
Rai-Rai Thundering Stones (雷磊)	2 (Lv. 1~5) 2 (Lv. 6~10)	1 (Lv. 1~7) 2 (Lv. 8~10)	10	Zamba Switch Lv. 3
Lightning damage to one enemy. Deals lightning damage, not slashing damage, from 120% to 150%.
Gou Thunderous (轟)	3 (Lv. 1~5) 4 (Lv. 6~10)	1 (Lv. 1~7) 2 (Lv. 8~10)	10	Zamba Switch Lv. 4
Extreme damage and Stun to one enemy. The Samurai loses use (and the ATK) of his equipped weapon for three turns. Deals 160% damage at Lv. 1 to 230% damage at max, but the attack power from the weapon will be 0 for the remainder of the current turn and the next three turns.
Sakaba-Uchi Back-Blade Strike (逆刃打ち)	2 (Lv. 1~5) 3 (Lv. 6~10)	1 (Lv. 1~7) 2 (Lv. 8~10)	10	Zamba Switch Lv. 5
Small damage to one enemy and a small chance of inflicting Sleep. Deals 120% damage at Lv. 1 to 150% damage at Lv. 10 and has a 25% at Lv. 1 to 45% at Lv. 10 chance to inflict Sleep. This technique deals blunt damage, not slashing damage. The original Japanese name is an easy way to express the act of attacking using the back of your blade.
Futatsu Tsubame Twin Sparrows (双つ燕)	0 (EX)	3	1	Zamba Switch Lv. 5
Extreme damage to a single enemy, with a high chance of inflicting Bleeding. Zamba's EX skill. 160% damage with a 75% chance of Bleeding. Bleeding will siphon out 3% of the afflicted's LF per turn.

Iai Style

Name	MN Cost	SP Cost	Max Level	Prerequisites
Iai Switch Sword Draw Switch (居合スイッチ)	2 (Lv. 1~5)	2 (Lv. 1) 1 (Lv. 2~5)	5	Katana Mastery Lv. 3
Switches to Iai Stance, which increases speed and allows the Samurai to use Iai skills. While in Iai, the Samurai's speed will increase by +10% at Lv. 1 and +30% at Lv. 5.
Sente-Dachi Severing the Initiative (先手断ち)	2 (Lv. 1~5) 3 (Lv. 6~10)	1 (Lv. 1~7) 2 (Lv. 8~10)	10	Iai Switch Lv. 1
Medium damage to an enemy. Always goes first. Deals 130% damage at Lv. 1 and 180% damage at max level.
Fubuki Snow Storm (吹雪)	2 (Lv. 1~5) 3 (Lv. 6~10)	1 (Lv. 1~7) 2 (Lv. 8~10)	10	Iai Switch Lv. 3
Ice elemental damage to an enemy. Deals ice damage, not slashing damage, from 120% at Lv.1 to 150% at Lv. 10.
Zeppa-Uchi Severing-Blade Strike (絶刃打ち)	3 (Lv. 1~5) 4 (Lv. 6~10)	1 (Lv. 1~7) 2 (Lv. 8~10)	10	Iai Switch Lv. 4
Medium damage and a small chance of inflicting Skill seal to an enemy. Damage progression is 120% at Lv. 1 to 150% at Lv. 10, with a chance of Skill Seal (25% at Lv. 1, 45% at Lv. 10). Skill Seal lasts for around three turns.
Kubi-Otoshi Neck Severing (首落)	5 (Lv. 1~10)	1 (Lv. 1~7) 2 (Lv. 8~10)	10	Iai Switch Lv. 5
Medium damage and a high chance of instant death to an enemy. The damage is 130% at Lv. 1 and 180% at Lv. 10 and has a chance of instant death (30% at Lv. 1, 75% at Lv. 10). Bosses are highly resistant to instant death. The original Japanese is composed of two characters: the one for neck, and the one for falling. The imagery is that someone's just been decapitated.
Roku-Shaku Kubi-Otoshi Six-Shaku Neck Severing (六尺首落)	0 (EX)	3	1	Iai Switch Lv. 5
Instant death or huge damage to all enemies. Iai's EX skill. Attacks all enemies at 150% damage (then EX on top of that), and instantly kills them. Bosses are highly resistant to instant death. The original Japanese name has Kubi-Otoshi in it which is explained above. Roku-Shaku might refer to a measure of distance (a shaku is an old Japanese measurement of length, formally defined as 10/33 of a meter in modern times), perhaps alluding to the large amount of distance the sword strike is covering.

Unarmed Style

Name	MN Cost	SP Cost	Max Level	Prerequisites
Mu-te Switch Unarmed Switch (無手スイッチ)	1 (Lv. 1~5) 2 (Lv. 6~10)	2 (Lv. 1) 1 (Lv. 2~10)	10	-
Switches to Unarmed Stance, which adds a small chance of instant death to regular attacks and allows the Samurai to use Unarmed skills. The Samurai's weapon ATK will be replaced with an ATK bonus based on this skill's level. The bonus starts at +100% at Lv. 1, rises by +10% up to Lv. 8, then sees two massive increases at +25% and +40% for the last two levels, ending its bonus at +235%. As well, the Samurai's regular attacks will have a chance of instantly killing your target (15% at Lv. 1, 25% at Lv. 10). Despite being described as a POW bonus, it doesn't apply to defense and the Samurai don't take any less damage.
Yoroi-Dooshi Armor Pierce (鎧通し)	2 (Lv. 1~5) 3 (Lv. 6~10)	1 (Lv. 1~7) 2 (Lv. 8~10)	10	POW Bonus Lv. 1
Medium damage to an enemy. 130% damage at Lv. 1, 165% damage at Lv. 10. In Japanese, Yoroi-Dooshi refers to a specific type of tanto (knife) which, predictably enough, was meant to bust through armor.
Myouou Wisdom King (明王)	2 (Lv. 1~5) 3 (Lv. 6~10)	1 (Lv. 1~7) 2 (Lv. 8~10)	10	Unarmed Switch Lv. 3
Fire damage to an enemy. 130% damage at Lv. 1, 180% damage at Lv. 10. In Vajrayana Buddhism, a Wisdom King is the third type of deity after buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Zangeki-Unshin Slashing Cloud-Body (斬撃雲身)	3 (Lv. 1~3) 4 (Lv. 4~5)	2 (Lv. 1) 1 (Lv. 2~5)	5	Unarmed Switch Lv. 5
Nullifies a Slashing attack and retaliates with large damage and chance of instant death. When hit with a Slashing damage attack, the Samurai will negate the damage entirely and respond with a powerful counter attack. Damage starts at 150% at Lv. 1, but rises rapidly to 300% at Lv. 5. Also comes with at 25% chance of instant death. Unlike the Mage's Veil spells, this only fires off once in a round and won't go off if the attack misses altogether.
Kaigeki-Unshin Blunt Cloud-Body (壊撃雲身)	3 (Lv. 1~3) 4 (Lv. 4~5)	2 (Lv. 1) 1 (Lv. 2~5)	5	Unarmed Switch Lv. 5
Nullifies a Blunt attack and retaliates with large damage and chance of instant death. When hit with a Blunt damage attack, the Samurai will negate the damage entirely and respond with a powerful counter attack. Damage starts at 150% at Lv. 1, but rises rapidly to 300% at Lv. 5. Also comes with at 25% chance of instant death. Unlike the Mage's Veil spells, this only fires off once in a round and won't go off if the attack misses altogether.
Totsugeki-Unshin Piercing Cloud-Body (突撃雲身)	3 (Lv. 1~3) 4 (Lv. 4~5)	2 (Lv. 1) 1 (Lv. 2~5)	5	Unarmed Switch Lv. 5
Nullifies a Piercing attack and retaliates with large damage and chance of instant death. When hit with a Piercing damage attack, the Samurai will negate the damage entirely and respond with a powerful counter attack. Damage starts at 150% at Lv. 1, but rises rapidly to 300% at Lv. 5. Also comes with at 25% chance of instant death. Unlike the Mage's Veil spells, this only fires off once in a round and won't go off if the attack misses altogether.
Asura (阿修羅)	0 (EX)	3	1	Unarmed Switch Lv. 10
Extreme damage and Stun to a single enemy. Unarmed's EX skill. 200% damage, and 100% Stun effect. The description says it hits 6 times, but damage is dealt as one lump sum.

Other

Name	MN Cost	SP Cost	Max Level	Prerequisites
Katana Mastery (カタナマスタリー)	-	1 (Lv. 1~7) 2 (Lv. 8~10)	10	-
Raises the ATK of equipped katana. Required for higher-level katana skills. +10% at Lv. 1, to +30% at Lv. 10, so you gain +2% each additional point (except the Lv. 9 to Lv. 10 jump has a higher return like most skills at +4%). Regular swords are not affected by this.
Rentan (練丹)	4 (Lv. 1~5)	2 (Lv. 1) 1 (Lv. 2~5)	5	INT Bonus Lv. 3
Recovers a medium amount of the Samurai's health. Heal progression from Lv. 1 to Lv. 5: 24, 36, 60, 96, 144. A bonus of (INT / 5) will be amount to the amount healed.
Nuki-Kake (貫掛け)	3 (Lv. 1~6) 4 (Lv. 7~10)	1 (Lv. 1~7) 2 (Lv. 8~10)	10	Katana Mastery Lv. 1
Medium damage to a single enemy. Can be used without stance, or in Zamba or Iai Stance. 130% damage at Lv. 1, 165% damage at Lv. 10.
Shishi Funjin no Seme Attack of the Charging Lion (獅子奮迅の攻め)	5 (Lv. 1~5)	2 (Lv. 1) 1 (Lv. 2~5)	5	POW Bonus Lv. 5
Increases the Samurai's ATK by a small amount each turn that passes. The bonus is around 1% to 2% per turn. The effect lasts for 30 turns. Cancels out negative attack power dehancements.
Tettou Tetsubi no Mamori Absolute Defense (徹頭徹尾の守り)	5 (Lv. 1~5)	2 (Lv. 1) 1 (Lv. 2~5)	5	POW Bonus Lv. 5
Increases the Samurai's DEF by a small amount each turn that passes. The bonus is around 1% to 2% per turn. The effect lasts for 30 turns. Cancels out negative defense dehancements.
Musou Switch Matchless Switch (無双スイッチ)	5	3	1	Zamba Switch Lv. 5 Iai Switch Lv. 5 Unarmed Switch Lv. 5
Switches to Musou Stance, where the Samurai can use skills from all styles (without those styles' bonuses). The Samurai is forcibly withdrawn from this stance if he has 90% or less of his Max LF. The only skill that cannot be used in Musou Stance is Yoroi-Dooshi. If the Samurai drop under 90% and get healed before the turn end, they will stay in Musou. Musou Stance ignores resistance and the Samurai's resistance for status ailments increases by perhaps 2 times.
Jinka no React Reaction Under the Blade (刃下のリアクト)	4	2	1	SPD Bonus Lv. 5
The React status lasts for 5 turns. While the React is active, the Samurai gains an extra turn if he is hit with any single attack that does more than around 30% of this Max LF. The react will also go off on the damage taken from Curse. It's also been known to go off even while Charmed.
Oni no Keisou Demonic Countenance (鬼の形相)	5 (Lv. 1) 4 (Lv. 2) 3 (Lv. 3) 2 (Lv. 4) 1 (Lv. 5)	1 (Lv. 1~5)	5	POW Boost Lv. 1 INT Boost Lv. 1
Chance to ignore random encounters that are lower in level than the Samurai. Does not prevent lucrative Flower Seed encounters. At Lv. 5, encounters of a lower level than the party's average level will be completely ignored Demonic Countenance lasts for 140 steps at Lv. 5. Has a mean-eye icon in the status screen.

Gallery

Samurai 1

Samurai 2

Samurai 3

Samurai 4

Samurai 1

Samurai 2

Samurai 3

Samurai 4

Berich, Gassan, Rosary and Maron

Trivia

• In order from left to right in-game, the default names are Shishimaru, Gassan, Ran and Namuna.
• The Samurai Gassan makes a small appearance in the 7th Dragon manga.

Etymology

Samurai (侍) were the military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan.

Classes
7th Dragon		《Fighter》《Rogue》《Samurai》《Knight》《Mage》《Healer》《Princess》
7th Dragon 2020 & 7th Dragon 2020-II	2020 & 2020-II	《Samurai》《Destroyer》《Trickster》《Psychic》《Hacker》
	2020-II exclusive	《Idol》
7th Dragon III Code: VFD	Present	《Samurai》《God-Hand》《Agent》《Duelist》
	Past	《Rune-Knight》《Fortuner》
	Future	《Mage》《Banisher》