Shogun 2 Best Clans Ranked: Who to Pick and Why
The Shogun 2 clan tier list — every major and minor faction ranked by campaign power, starting position and difficulty, from Shimazu swords to one-province minors.
Your clan is your difficulty setting, your unit identity and your opening position all at once. This tier list ranks the Shogun 2 factions by how strongly their toolkit and geography carry a campaign — strongest picks first, with the reasoning you need to match a clan to what you want from the next hundred hours.
S Tier: Shimazu and Chosokabe
Shimazu sits on Kyushu's resource-rich southwest corner with superb sword samurai discounts and a naturally defensible island position — expand at your own pace, ship armies inland when ready, and dominate with the game's best line infantry economy. Chosokabe owns Shikoku with the series' finest archers and a cheap-yari backbone; the island start is quiet, the income from farms and trade is exceptional, and upgraded Chosokabe bow samurai delete armies before they reach your line. Both clans forgive early mistakes and reward mid-game discipline — the definition of a first campaign.
A Tier: Date, Oda and Takeda
Date turns the frozen northeast into a fortress with fearsome no-dachi charge bonuses; the position is safe and the cavalry-heavy roster punishes anything careless. Oda fields the game's most cost-efficient army — long yari ashigaru in mass — converting economics into victory the historically accurate way; a mid-tier position that scales beautifully into Realm Divide. Takeda is cavalry perfected: horsemen with unmatched charge and the mastery tree to push them further, in a central position that demands you fight well early. All three win decisively when played to their identity.
B Tier: Tokugawa, Mori and Uesugi
Tokugawa plays the diplomatic game with elite ninja support and reliable diplomacy bonuses — powerful, but subtle, and squeezed between giants at the start. Mori rules the waves with naval bonuses and a strong western seaboard, ideal for players who enjoy trade empires and coastal invasions. Uesugi runs warrior monk armies that are magnificent when managed and expensive when mishandled, from a northern start under early pressure. Skilled hands get S-tier results; beginners bounce off them.
C Tier: Hojo and the Minors
Hojo has siege discounts and a rich Kanto plain but faces early coordinated pressure on multiple fronts — fair, demanding, rewarding. Below the majors, the Complete Edition's fifty-plus playable minors are their own tier system: some, like the Sado or Amako starts, are curated cruelty — one province, weak economy, powerful neighbors. Minors are for players who have already won and want Shogun 2 as a puzzle box.
Choosing by Goal
First campaign: Shimazu or Chosokabe. Power fantasy: Date or Takeda. Economic mastery: Oda. Intrigue: Tokugawa. Punishment: any minor. The clans guide covers every bonus package in detail, and the beginner guide covers the opening that fits them all.
FAQ
Does clan choice really matter? It shapes the first thirty turns and your unit identity deeply; by Realm Divide, skill outweighs the pick.
What is the hardest major clan? Uesugi — monk economics plus an exposed northern start against strong rivals.
Which minor is the classic challenge run? Any single-province minor adjacent to a major — the Amako against the Mori is a famous wall.
Pick your tier, read the opening economy chapter, and the map is yours to lose.