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SenBasa chara Tadakatsu.png
  • Max HP: 70100
  • Weapon: Drill spear
  • Attribute: Lightning
  • Unlock: Clear Unification Mode with every other character

Tadakatsu Honda (Iron Ox in Devil Kings) is the strongest general of the army of Ieyasu Tokugawa, and quite possibly the strongest general overall. Additionally, his loyalty to his young lord is unwavering, making him a massive threat to anyone who wishes to challenge Ieyasu for his land. Still, he acts as a sub-boss on Ieyasu's map, and his defeat is optional if the player is able to escape him. Mysteriously, Tadakatsu has the appearance and mannerisms of a robot, and his "speech" consists only of mechanical sounds. How Ieyasu has managed to procure a giant robot during the Sengoku period is unknown, though it certainly gives him a heavy advantage.

Tadakatsu's health and strength is incredibly impressive, as would be expected of a soldier of his size. He also does not possess the usual trade-off of the stronger characters (movement speed), as he is able to glide across the map with ease. Even Tadakatsu's defense is enviable, as shooters, archers, and boulders thrown his way have no effect on his armor (this is hinted at in his opening movie, as bullets bounce off of his armor while Tadakatsu continues his advance). Fittingly, Tadakatsu is the very last character that can be unlocked, and clearing his Unification Mode for the first time unlocks the final difficulty ("Random" mode, which should make collecting rare accessories less difficult if all accessories have not yet been collected by this point).

Speed and defensive capabilities aside, Tadakatsu's reach granted to him by his massive weapon is also incomparable, allowing him to mow down crowds with ease. His Basara attack, which allows him to hit all enemies on screen, is also very useful, though there are a couple of hang-ups when fighting bosses: firstly, the boss must be on camera; if they manage to jump off-camera, the attack will not hit them, as Tadakatsu cannot adjust his position (and the player cannot adjust the camera) mid-Basara. Secondly, while the attack can accumulate a large number of hits, the boss will usually fall within the first few hits, making the rest of the attack ineffective against them. Thus, against bosses, traditional combos should be prioritized, with the Basara attack acting as a desperation move.

As for Tadakatsu's skills, they all take up a portion of his Basara gauge and simply change the way in which he attacks. For example, after his Attack Form skill is used, Tadakatsu can fire at enemies from a newly-equipped cannon, giving him an even wider range of attack. However, while these skills can be helpful in supplementary ways, his primary method of attack remains his normal combos, giving him less versatility than some of the other playable characters.

Skills[edit]

Name Unlocked Notes
Mobile Form N/A Consumes 25% of the Basara gauge. Tadakatsu's movement speed increases.
Defense Form N/A Consumes 25% of the Basara gauge. Tadakatsu improves his defense with a shield.
Attack Form Level 7 Consumes 25% of the Basara gauge. Tadakatsu equips a cannon on his back that bombards enemies each time Triangle button is pressed.
Electromagnetic Form Level 18 Lightning attribute. Consumes 100% of the Basara gauge. Tadakatsu expands the electromagnetic field around him, damaging nearby enemies continuously.

Weapons[edit]

Name Max Stats (level 99) Notes
ATK DEF
Crafty Black King 540 25 Tadakatsu's starting weapon. A huge drill spear that can pierce through anything.
Martial Arts 645 50 Better performance than Tadakatsu's initial weapon. A steel giant with multiple sharp tips.
Demon King Denki 895 199 Lightning attribute. When enemies are hit by Tadakatsu's lightning, nearby enemies also take damage.
Craftsman Tenno 695 1805 Lower attack power than Demon King Denki, but has the highest defensive power of all of Tadakatsu's spears.
Thunder Machine 1705 1093 Lightning attribute. Excellent attack power and defensive power.
Dragonfly 1705 1000 A special weapon in the shape of a dragonfly that can cut the enemy in two.