Although Shogun 2 has a pretty universal roster, the special bonuses and units that each clan receives make them unique enough that it really does make a difference which one you choose. Their economy, army compositions, and campaign difficulty are all informed by their individual bonuses, starting position, and even starting religion.
10. Oda
The humble Yari Ashigaru is a staple in any clan’s early game army, and with its Yari Wall ability, it is one of the most cost-efficient weapons in the game, especially with a few experience chevrons under its belt. The Oda Clan takes these groups of peasant soldiers and turns them into an efficient fighting force.
The Oda, as Masters of the Peasantry, can field better Ashigaru units at a cheaper price, and have access to the Oda Long Yari Ashigaru, an even better version of the ubiquitous Yari Ashigaru. These men are the best anti-cavalry units in the game, and to make them even better, a skilled and knowledgeable general can stack them on top of a normal Yari Ashigaru unit, to gain a double Yari Wall.
Add the Matchlock Ashigaru to the mix and fight the Sengoku Jidai in the Pike and Shot style. Now, where other clans must spend a pretty penny on mid to late game armies, the Oda can take the lowest tier units, polish them up, and send them out to absolutely destroy their enemy’s hoity-toity samurai armies.
Choose the Oda if you like upending the current social status quo.
9. Tosa
Starting the campaign in the same province as the Chosokabe, the Tosa have a difficult early war against their northern neighbor, but once they have secured the island of Shikoku, they have a powerful base from which to launch their future attacks. This island fortress is only strengthened by the fact that the ships the Tosa field start with more experience and can bombard their enemies from farther away.
Add to this their increased diplomatic abilities, which can help to secure alliances with other Imperial factions, and you’re set up for either an invasion through Awaji, the island that connects Shikoku to the main island, or a naval invasion pretty much anywhere else.
My favorite part of the Tosa, however, are the Tosa Riflemen. Armed with repeating rifles and the ability to stay hidden while firing, they are great for sniping important targets from long range or flanking the enemy then unleashing a devastating crossfire.
Choose the Tosa if you like naval combat and repeating rifles.
8. Date
Certainly, the most aggressive clan in Shogun 2, the Date start in a difficult location, as their first provinces are very big and make it difficult to maneuver. However, once they’ve defeated their first enemy, they have a corner position on the map they can sweep down from to fight a long, protracted war until they reach Kyoto.
Their base trait of increased charge for all units encourages a fast and aggressive playstyle focused on first contact with the enemy, which especially helps Katana Samurai, most cavalry, and their unique No-Dachi Samurai. Their clan bonus to No-Dachi Samurai makes them a good punching unit that can be either your main line or flankers.
Plus, the Date can also recruit a powerful armored spear unit, the Date Bulletproof Samurai. These heavily armored samurai can protect your fragile No-Dachi Samurai from cavalry and ranged units while your heavily armed killers rush the unprepared defenders.
Choose the Date if you love melee combat and taking out enemies in one or two blows.
7. Ikko Ikki
If you like hordes of unwashed peasants, fiery preachers spreading revolutionary religion, and fanatical Warrior Monks, then you’ll like the Ikko Ikki. Based on the Ikko Sect that gained influence in the Warring States Period, this extremely unique faction has a lot of traits that makes a campaign interesting.
They can’t recruit Samurai units like the other factions, but they have a unique roster that makes them better in some ways. Their Ashigaru are organized in larger units, and they have a unique unit called the Loan Sword Ashigaru, essentially peasant soldiers who have been loaned swords by friendly samurai. This cheap anti infantry unit makes their early game armies pretty powerful, and they can cut through other low tier troops with ease.
The Ikko Ikki have access to unique Monk characters that spread their brand of Buddhism as well as being able to start revolts against your enemies. This is a powerful tool, as spreading revolt to a poorly guarded settlement behind enemy lines can cause disruption and chaos among rival clans.
Along with boasting superb Warrior Monk units, the Ikko Ikki also have access to Ronin, better armed and armored than Ashigaru but smaller in number. These units fill out the roster and help to avoid gaps in an army compilation.
Overall, play the Ikko Ikki if you’re looking for a challenge as well as a lot of fun.
6. Satsuma
Based in the same provinces that the Shimazu are, the Satsuma are their spiritual and literal successors in the Fall of the Samurai Campaign. They start with two provinces, boosting their initial growth, their route for expansion is very straightforward, unlike other clans.
The Satsuma are focused on expansion and modernization, with reduced administration costs that becomes better and better as they expand into more territory, saving them a lot of that sweet, sweet koku.
They start in Satsuma, a strong province that boasts a blacksmith, a powerful resource that can turn into a gunsmith to increase accuracy or an armorsmith to increase armor. Personally, I always like to boost accuracy, especially if I’m playing with a modern focus. However, a traditional playthrough would work quite well with the Satsuma, as their armor boost would be an advantage, especially in melee combat.
Black Bear Infantry, the Satsuma’s unique unit, are pretty fun and they fill a spot in between Line Infantry and Imperial Infantry. However, they’re unlocked at the same time the Imperial Infantry are, although they’re cheaper, so if your finances aren’t all you’d like them to be then they’re a good option.
If you like dudes with big black wigs, or you want to play a heavy armor traditional campaign, you should try the Satsuma.
5. Mori
If pirates and warships are your thing, then the Mori are for you. Starting north of the Chosokabe’s home island of Shikoku, The Mori are close to the tail end of the main island of Japan. Their options for expansion are varied, as they can attempt to go west to take the island of Kyshu, go east to take the rest of the main island, or navally invade Shikoku to the south.
In naval combat, the Mori are unmatched, with cheaper ships, a longer movement range on the seas, and better stats for their ships. One of the best strategies is building trade ships and sending them to the trade nodes to the west, guaranteeing a good income as long as the player keeps them safe. Plus, raiding enemy trade lanes hurts their economy and brings in more gold, allowing you to role play as a pirate even better.
Also, if you were worried that you could only be a pirate on the sea, the Mori unique unit is the Mori Wako Raider, katana infantry that have kisho training allowing them to deploy outside the deployment zone. They can also take a Katana Samurai in a straight up fight, as long as there aren’t any archers around to take advantage of their light armor.
Give the Mori a try if you like naval combat mechanics and you like to say “Argh.”
4. Shimazu
The predecessors to the Satsuma, the Shimazu Clan embodies the ideals of the Samurai the most out of the other Shogun 2 clans. When one thinks of a samurai warrior, one thinks of an armored warrior with a katana, and the Shimazu fit that archetype to a T.
As masters of the sword, the Shimazu Katana Samurai are obviously their focus. Being able to recruit cheaper and better Katana Samurai is extremely helpful for the mid to late game, and watching your green armored samurai cut their way through every other infantry in the game is extremely fun. Take eight Katana Samurai, some Bow Samurai or Warrior Monks, throw in some Yari Cavalry for anti cav and flanking, and you’ve got an army that can beat basically everything else out there.
Their start in Satsuma is extremely good, as Katana Samurai’s worst match up is against ranged troops. Getting gold armor on your sword-wielding maniacs makes them all the more versatile against other types of troops.
The Shimazu also have a unique firearm unit, the Shimazu Heavy Gunners. With huge matchlock guns, the Heavy Gunners can damage buildings and heavily disrupt formations, allowing for their sword-armed brethren to sweep in and kill the survivors. Plus, they’re just fun to watch.
Overall, if you want to play the quintessential samurai campaign, the Shimazu are a great choice.
3. Chosokabe
Starting in Tosa on the island of Shikoku, the Chosokabe have a great starting position, especially since, as a small island, their homeland is very hard to attack once you’ve taken control. They also have a trait that boosts income from farms, so once you’ve taken some of that fertile farmland you can start making a bunch of money.
Their clan bonus is for bow units, which helps in every unit tier. From the start, you will have an advantage because of your Bow Ashigaru, which are better and cheaper than your enemy’s. This bonus means that your Bow Samurai and your Bow Warrior Monks are also excellent, allowing you to outmatch your enemy’s ranged units at every turn so you’ll dominate the opening stages of the battle as well as any ranged fights that start up.
The Chosokabe’s other unique unit is the Chosokabe Daikyu Samurai. These samurai have higher range and damage than any other unit except for the Bow Warrior Monks, who they match in range. They do shoot slower than the Monks, however, but they have higher armor, so depending on how you play you could choose either one.
If you love seeing your enemies torn apart before they can close to melee range, then the Chosokabe are a great choice.
2. Jozai
The Jozai are a Shogunate clan in the eastern part of the map, and they embody the virtue of “living off the land.” They’re basically guerilla fighters, and their bonuses give the player a lot of flexibility and maneuverability on both campaign and battle maps.
Their most unique ability is the fact they can replenish troops in enemy territory. You still replenish faster in your own territory, but if you’ve just defeated an enemy army in open field and now you need to siege the remnants in their city,it’s nice to replenish every turn, even if it’s just a little. Winter attrition is still a factor, however, so don’t expect to hang out in enemy territory even in winter.
The Jozai’s unique unit, the Yugekitai, are extremely good light infantry skirmishers. They can stay hidden when walking and shooting, allowing you to set up ambushes, snipe important enemy units, and sneak up to and attack a fortress without your enemy noticing. Overall, these units are so fun.
This clan is great if you like sneaking around and catching your enemy off guard.
1. Otomo
The only clan that starts Christian, the Otomo are a DLC clan that encourages a unique playstyle. Plus, they have a lot of big guns.
The Otomo have excellent matchlock units due to their Portuguese connections, and can recruit these units much earlier than other clans. If used properly, even Matchlock Ashigaru can be devastating, especially when defending against a siege. They also have access to Portuguese Tercos, the best gun unit in the game, as well as Donderbuss Cavalry. These horsemen carry the equivalent to shotguns, and are so, so fun.
Adding to their fun, the Otomo get access to Nanban Trade Ships, which are essentially merchant caravels. They can trade at the trade nodes, and they have cannons. That’s all I have to say, I think.
If you like matchlock firearms, Jesuit priests, and full plate armor, you should try the Otomo.
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