Creative Assembly and SEGA released Total War: SHOGUN 2 on 15 March 2011, opening the campaign in 1545 and handing every clan the same win condition: take Kyoto and hold it. Nine clans ship in the base game, each with one signature discount, from Shimazu katana samurai to Mori warships. Fall of the Samurai is a separate standalone expansion set during the 1860s Boshin War, so its Gatling guns and ironclads never show up in the Sengoku campaign covered here.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oda | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Shimazu | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Takeda | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Chosokabe | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Tokugawa | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Total War: SHOGUN 2 tier list.
A-Tier: Oda
Oda is a top-performing option in Total War: SHOGUN 2.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Katana Samurai | The standard samurai melee unit, strong against other infantry and terrible against spears braced in a yari wall. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Realm Divide | Fame climbs as you capture provinces, and somewhere around 13 to 18 provinces every neutral and friendly clan turns on you in the same handful of turns. |
How to Play Oda
Oda focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Katana Samurai does the damage and Realm Divide keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Shimazu
Shimazu is a strong option in Total War: SHOGUN 2.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Yari Ashigaru | The cheapest infantry in the game and the answer to cavalry, because the yari wall order turns a rank of peasants into a hedge no horse will charge. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Chi and Bushido arts research | Research splits into two branches that advance on separate timers. |
How to Play Shimazu
Shimazu focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Pair Yari Ashigaru with Chi and Bushido arts research and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Takeda
Takeda is a strong option in Total War: SHOGUN 2.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Bow Ashigaru | Cheap massed archers with poor accuracy and worse morale than bow samurai, made up for by numbers and the fire arrow order. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Ashigaru and samurai unit tiers | Ashigaru are conscripted farmers who cost a fraction of a samurai unit and rout once their morale cracks. |
How to Play Takeda
Takeda focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Ashigaru and samurai unit tiers covers the gap Bow Ashigaru leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Chosokabe
Chosokabe is a specialized option in Total War: SHOGUN 2.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Matchlock Ashigaru | Slow-reloading gunpowder infantry that hits far harder per shot than a bow but needs an unobstructed line of fire and dry weather. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Ninja, Metsuke and Monk agents | Ninja assassinate enemy generals and sabotage armies, Metsuke bribe units and stamp out corruption in your own provinces, and Monks convert provinces or stir up rebellion in someone else's. |
How to Play Chosokabe
Chosokabe focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: This one leans on Ninja, Metsuke and Monk agents rather than raw numbers, and Matchlock Ashigaru is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Tokugawa
Tokugawa is a specialized option in Total War: SHOGUN 2.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | No-Dachi Samurai | Two-handed sword samurai with brutal attack and almost no armour, which means they win the first thirty seconds of a melee and lose anything longer. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Castle sieges and province capitals | Each capital upgrade adds another ring of walls an attacker has to break through before reaching the keep, and raises the free garrison that spawns to defend it. |
How to Play Tokugawa
Tokugawa focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: No-Dachi Samurai and Castle sieges and province capitals pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Shimazu: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Oda once you understand core mechanics and have access to Katana Samurai
- Keep a Takeda setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Tokugawa for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Count your provinces from turn 10 onward. Realm Divide fires somewhere between 13 and 18 provinces, so keep two full stacks and a war chest ready before you take the province that crosses the line, because you will not get a quiet turn afterwards.
- Yari Ashigaru with the yari wall order will hold any cavalry charge in the game, but only if they are already braced. The order takes a moment to apply, so set it as soon as you see horses moving, not after the charge starts.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More Total War: SHOGUN 2 Guides
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Total War: SHOGUN 2 Overview
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Tier List
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Walkthrough
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Beginner's Guide
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Tips & Tricks
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Weapons Guide
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Combat Guide
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Boss Guide
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Maps & Locations
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Crafting Guide
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Total War: SHOGUN 2, check out these related guides:
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- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Builds: strategy game with similar mechanics
- RimWorld Builds: strategy game with similar mechanics
