Black Death Overview
Black Death is Kurourushi's epithet — a free Complete Style added in the V1.76 Black Death update. This A-tier (climbing) pick uses a unique parasite meter that builds on sword hits, enabling burst damage windows and three distinct awakening variants including domain break.
Moveset: Festering Strikes (sword rush), Detach (projectile/pull), Chokehold (grab), Roach Swarm (Swarm-type area denial). The parasite meter fills as Festering Strikes connect, unlocking enhanced damage on subsequent hits.
Parasite Meter Mechanics
Every Festering Strikes hit adds parasite stack. At full meter, your next sword combo deals bonus damage and extends hitstun. Do not waste full meter on blocked attacks — bait block with Detach, then commit Festering Strikes into Chokehold for guaranteed meter spend.
Meter management separates good Black Death players from great ones. In public lobbies, full meter burst can delete opponents before third parties arrive.
Recommended Combos
Core route: Festering Strikes → Detach → pull in → Chokehold → M1 string. Detach pulls whiffing opponents back into grab range.
Swarm route: R special (blind bugs) → Festering Strikes → Roach Swarm. Blind bugs obscure vision while Roach Swarm (Swarm attack type) chips damage. Effective against Honored One players who rely on visual cues for Lapse Blue timing.
Three Awakening Variants
Black Death offers Clone Awakening (duplicate rushdown), Roach Swarm Tornado (area denial), and Domain Break (interrupts enemy domains). Choose based on matchup — Domain Break counters Ten Shadows Chimera Shadow Garden and Honored One Infinite Void attempts.
Clone Awakening doubles pressure in 1v1 Duels. Roach Swarm Tornado controls public lobby team fights near Shinjuku Station.