Hyakuichitaro Senju build, teams and tier

Overview

Mouthful of a name aside, Senju is a highly competent breaker if you’re willing to manually operate him. This is because Senju’s break speed depends on spamming his Secondary Attack for the highest break-per-hit in the game. His break speed is so fast only Kazuki can (kind of) keep up or beat him. Unfortunately, this is Senju’s main role. He can shield allies with Fighting Spirit, but building it requires slow primary attacks or using his long strategy skill animation.

Fighting Spirit / Intimidating Ignition

Senju’s meter that builds via the third hit of his primary, his chain skill, or his strategy skill. Hitting 30 stacks consumes them to apply Intimidating Ignition on allies, a shield based on Senju’s max HP. Damage taken by that shield redirects to Senju’s HP. The shield lasts 30 seconds and is easy to maintain thanks to Senju’s fast break window (giving time to use his strategy skill). It’s a neat mechanic but currently unnecessary since fights end quickly. You can ignore it by spamming his secondary.

Primary Attack

A slow 3-stage series. In theory it out-damages his secondary, but because of dodge cancelling the difference isn’t huge. The third hit builds 3 stacks of Fighting Spirit, 1 per hit.

Secondary Attack

Character defining. Senju swings his bat twice, dealing extreme break plus decent damage. You’ll spam this and cancel the second hit into a dodge to repeat.

Counterattack

A deflect counterattack (won’t deflect non-physical). Quick animation, decent damage for a counter.

Strategy Skill

As of the Neo Chiyoda patch, Senju’s strategy skill is… not great, but not terrible either. After an agonizingly long wind up, Senju leaps towards the target and hits 6 times, generating 15 Fighting Instinct in total and dealing a decidedly average amount of break damage. With the ability to now dodge out of this attack the AI spamming this attack is slightly more justified, but it’s still not the best use of this character's strengths. Best method of getting his shield online.

Ultimate Skill

Costs 1 Tension Bar. Senju stomps, swings a bit, then creates a huge explosion in front of him. It’s pretty good for a 1-bar ult, but its long animation lets enemies move away. At least it’s fully invincible. Best use is enabling Bombard.

Chain Skill

An average chain skill that generates 6 stacks of Fighting Spirit when it hits.

Combos (If Operating)

Spam his secondary, dodge cancel after the second swing for maximum break and damage. Counterattack when possible. Senju’s strategy skill can be used on a broken enemy to quickly build a shield if that’s part of your plan.

Tips

1. Senju is straightforward. Dodge cancel right after the second hit of secondary for best break speed and damage.
2. Only use his strategy skill on a broken enemy, since its huge animation will leave you open otherwise.

Potential

• Fighting Instincts: +64%, 64%, 88% Primary, +72% Secondary, +13.4% Counter, +36% Strategy, +40%, 600% Ultimate, +240% Chain.
• Survival Instincts: +10% HP, +10% Def, +100 Stamina.
• Coordination: +20 support per point.
• Passive 1: +10% (per rank, up to 50%) damage reduction on Intimidating Ignition.
• Passive 2: On reaching 30 Fighting Instinct, heal 5% (up to 25%) of max HP.

Max Survival Instincts for stamina/HP. Put extra points in Fighting Instincts (for more damage), or in Passive 1 or 2 if you want better team or personal survivability, but keep in mind you need to use the shield for those to matter.

Dupes

especially with a max Passive 1, making the team nearly unkillable while shielded.

• T1 (What You Lookin’ At?): Start battle with 15 Fighting Spirit. Good QoL, letting you cast the shield early if you want.
• T2 / T4: +2 / +3 Potential Gems. Not huge for Senju, but gems are always nice.
• T3 (Fight Me If You Dare!): Taking damage from Intimidating Ignition buffs Senju’s attack by 20% for 20s. A decent boost.
• T5 (The Most Handsome, Man of Men!): +30% DR on Intimidating Ignition plus -30% damage on redirection. Potentially amazing,

Operating Character

You must. AI Senju will get himself killed using strategy skill at bad times, losing his best trait of speedy breaks. You can pick AI-friendly characters around him while you manually pilot him.

Conclusion

Senju is an amazing, simple breaker. He may not deal Yo-level damage or be AI-friendly like Kazuki, but with an easy Bombard activation and a simple playstyle, he offers a niche for those who want what he brings.