Gameplay

Gameplay
The players connect to the game by using wireless metal connectors the size of a coin, attached to both sides of the temples.

Once in the game, they experience a virtual reality, where they can interact with objects, scenery and other players within the world of Bushido Online.

Health and energy
Players have two resources: health (HP) and energy.

A player's health (HP) start as low as below 40, and can be as high as 4000 at Level 20. Health can be affected by melee strikes, weapons, magical spells or poison. If a player's HP reaches zero, they die. Upon death, players resurrect at the nearest morgue (if they are in a city) or spirit shrine (if they are in the wilderness), along with their equipped items and their possessions. There is a 5-minute Death Nausea, which prevents players from getting up.

Health slowly replenishes over time. It can also be filled by heals from houshi or kitsune, eating, or from health potions. Certain weapons, armors, and charms can have health-generating benefits.

Players use energy to activate special class-specific abilities. For example, a Focused Strike which uses energy deals more damage than an energy-less strike. Energy recharges automatically over time, but can be instantly filled with the use of energy potions.

Combat and class abilities
Players may engage in combat against monsters and other players. The amount of damage they do depend on their level and gear equipped. Combat within the city is allowed, but players can be arrested by the Patrols, and thrown in jail, where they have to wait for 30 minutes.

Players have access to a number of class abilities, which are special moves that allow for more damage to be done or other purposes, such as healing or trapping enemies.

New abilities are rewarded at fixed intervals every 2-3 levels and must be unlocked through a specific class quest. All players of a certain class use the same abilities, but they can modify these to a certain extent through a limited number of Enhancement Slots.

Free Slots, also rewarded at certain levels, can be filled with additional combat and non-combat abilities such as Disarm, Locate, or Telepathy.

Leveling
Players level when they reach the required amount of experience (XP) gained. Leveling is described as a rush of joy. The highest level attainable in the game is Level 30. NPCs and Monsters can also have Levels, but are sometimes shown as [Level unknown]. It is said that a player or monster can instantly kill a target 4 levels below them with only one shot.

Weapons and armor
For their primary weapon slot, players normally use weapons according the their class. Samuari and ronin use swords, a ryoushi bows and arrows, and a houshi a staff, while a ninja can have several hidden weapons. Kitsune and obake can use magical items such as fans, orbs or pearls. All classes can use a dagger, usually as a secondary weapon.

Weapons come in three classes: common, named, and unique named. Common weapons with fixed stats can be crafted, purchased or obtained as quest rewards. Equipped common weapons cannot be looted or stolen.

Named weapons (for example, Seiki's and Ippei's light-infused sword Hikari) are rarer, and are bound to the user - once used it cannot be looted or stolen, even without being equipped. Some named weapons are also scalable, meaning the stats will increase as the user levels.

Unique named weapons are extremely rare, as there are only 16 in total. They are one-of-a-kind, hence the name, and come with unique enhancements. It is said that some of the weapons themselves are not that impressive, with a few being downright horrible, but they are sought-after because of their uniqueness, thus stimulating PVP, especially between clans.

Armor is mainly for protection against melee damage. Some armor has special abilities, for example the Shinshioka armor set has resistance against shadow damage, useful when fighting the Demonic Clan. Some players may choose to wear clothing that has no defensive stats (called zero's), for the sake of fashion. After receiving damage, armor loses durability. For minor damage, armor can mend itself slowly over time, though for major damage or level-appropriate damage, armor can only partially mend itself, and must be mended by a tailor. When an armor reaches 0% durability, it no longer gives protection benefits.

Honor and Reputation
These points determine a player's social standing with a faction or a location. Honor points are in connection to a faction, for example the Shogun, or a clan, whereas Reputation points relates to a location, for example, the city of Shinshioka.

Shogun Honor Points
A player can receive Honor Points from quests and missions. Points can be deducted for breaking the law, participating in street brawls, or insulting the Shogun. The penalty of instigating combat within Shinshioka was four Honor Points, and the penalty for killing a player was another two.

Shogun Honor Points determine a player's standing within the Shogun's Court. Starting ranks are: Honored Citizen, Highly Honored Citizen and Member of the Court. A player can become a Favored Member of the Court when they have collected 500 Honor points, which allows them to command an army and participate in War Games.

Clan Honors
Clan Honors are points a clan can acquire to unlock extra benefits for their clan members. The purpose of these points is to stimulate PVP in clan territories out the East Gate.

Gaining Clan Honors: Losing Clan Honors: If a player commits seppuku, no Clan Honors are gained or lost, for both parties.
 * Completing clan quests and missions
 * Killing an armed enemy on your territory grounds (1 point for a NPC, 2 points or more for a player, according to rank)
 * Killing an unarmed NPC, or unarmed enemy clan members (2 points)
 * Getting killed on enemy or contest grounds (2 points or more, according to rank)
 * Getting killed while having no weapon unequipped is considered being executed and will cost a significant amount of Clan Honors. This discourages surrenders.

Reputation Points
Reputation points within a city determines how friendly NPCs are towards a player, whether and how much NPC vendors offer discounts. Reputation points can be gained by completing quests within that location, and practice honest professions such as crafting. Reputation points are taken away when a player performs 'dishonorable' acts such as assassinations, or practice dishonest professions such as Pickpocketing.

Currency
There are several types of currency in the game, most notably gold and favors.

Gold
Gold, silver and copper is the primary medium of trade in the game. A player acquires gold from quest rewards, instances, looting, trading or Pickpocketing.

Favors
Favors is described as a kind of currency; a temporary way to get around the honor system. Favors can be obtained by completing quests, or by trading in crafted items at the Palace. Favor tokens can also be bought from the Palace. Favors can be used to view combat logs, speed up official game processes (such as quest rewards), get in and out of prison, traded for food, or go on a tour of the Inner Palace. Just like in real life, favors can also be used for another person.