- Natori is a Uesugi-affiliated military commander recruited through faction storyline events
- Missable character: her recruitment depends on how the Uesugi conflict is resolved
- Best role: solid mid-campaign commander for armies needing another capable leader
- Key rule: complete Uesugi events before pushing the faction to final defeat
- Save often: keep separate files before faction events that affect recruitment
Natori Overview and Role
Natori is one of the faction-linked commanders in Sengoku Rance, associated with the Uesugi storyline. Unlike starting Oda characters such as Rance or Suzume, she does not join automatically through normal story progression. Her availability is tied to how the player handles the Uesugi faction conflict and the events that surround it, which places her in the category of recruitment-sensitive characters that can be permanently missed on a careless playthrough.
In campaign terms, Natori functions as a military commander who strengthens an army that already has a dependable core. She is not a replacement for Rance or Uesugi Kenshin as a primary offensive centerpiece, but she adds reliable depth to a roster that needs more competent commanders once the campaign expands beyond the opening region.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Faction | Uesugi |
| Role | Military commander |
| Recruitment | Uesugi storyline events and progression |
| Missable | Yes |
| Best campaign phase | Mid-game onward |
| Main value | Roster depth, dependable secondary commander |
Natori is flagged as a missable recruit. If the Uesugi faction is pushed to final defeat before her related events are resolved, the recruitment window can close for the rest of the campaign. Keep a pre-event save before major Uesugi decisions.
How Natori Compares to Other Uesugi Recruits
The Uesugi storyline offers some of the strongest faction-linked characters in the game, and understanding where Natori fits helps you plan investment. Uesugi Kenshin is the headline recruit: a high-impact offensive commander rated S-tier for difficult battles. Natori sits a level below that ceiling but remains a practical addition, especially for players building a second formation or covering multiple fronts.
Uesugi Kenshin
- S-tier offensive commander
- Route-sensitive availability
- Best used in decisive field battles
- Highest combat ceiling in the faction
Natori
- Reliable military commander
- Recruitment-sensitive events
- Good for roster depth and second armies
- Solid mid-to-late campaign value
Standard Faction Officers
- Fill missing formation roles
- Effective with modest early investment
- Useful placeholders before stronger recruits
A practical rule from the campaign structure: when the campaign reaches the faction pressure phase against major powers like Uesugi, Takeda, and Mouri, the main army should never be exhausted. Natori's value grows precisely in this phase, because she lets you field a capable secondary force while your strongest commanders hold the primary front.
Judge Natori by what she adds to your overall army plan, not by comparing her raw output to Kenshin. A second dependable commander often prevents a lost border province, which is worth more than a marginal upgrade elsewhere.
Step-by-Step Recruitment Path
Follow this sequence during the Uesugi phase of the campaign to keep Natori's recruitment window open and finish her event chain cleanly.
Keep the Uesugi storyline active
Do not rush the Uesugi faction to complete conquest. Let the storyline progress through its natural event beats so that faction-linked character events have time to appear before the faction is removed from the map.
Check the event menu every turn
After each battle or conquest in the Uesugi region, open the event list and resolve any pending character or faction events. Several route-defining scenes appear outside normal battles, and skipping the event menu is the most common way to miss recruits.
Save before major faction decisions
Create a dedicated save before significant Uesugi events, recruitment choices, and the final push against the faction. This lets you compare outcomes without replaying long stretches of the campaign.
Resolve the Uesugi conflict
Complete the Uesugi storyline and its associated event progression. Natori becomes available through this resolution and the related recruitment path, provided the prerequisite events were handled.
Integrate her into your army
After recruitment, place Natori where the army needs another competent commander: a secondary formation, a defensive border assignment, or support for the main force during faction wars.
Once Natori has joined, she is no longer missable for the current campaign. You can then shift focus to developing her within your standard rotation of training and strengthening actions.
Battle Usage and Formation Advice
Natori performs best when slotted into a balanced formation rather than asked to carry battles alone. The core formation principles of Sengoku Rance apply directly to her deployment.
| Battle Situation | Recommended Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard field battle | Support the main formation | Pair with durable frontline units |
| Faction war (Uesugi phase) | Secondary front coverage | Keeps main army fresh for decisive fights |
| Base assault | Sustained pressure role | Bring commanders who can maintain attacks |
| Dungeon encounters | Balanced roster member | Attrition matters; avoid burning resources early |
| Border defense | Defensive assignment | Competent holding commander |
Key battle mechanics that shape her usage:
- Commander leadership matters: a slightly weaker unit with a better commander can outperform a stronger unit with poor leadership, so competent commanders like Natori remain relevant even when raw stats are not exceptional.
- Action order awareness: watch the turn sequence and identify which enemy unit acts next before committing valuable skills.
- Battle objectives over raw damage: play toward the objective. Retreating or defending can be correct when the scenario does not require total destruction.
- Preparation beats upgrades: matching unit roles to the enemy produces a larger advantage than spending resources on marginal improvements.
Do not spend every action point on attacks. Keeping a capable commander like Natori available for recovery, defense, and emergency response is often more valuable than taking one extra province.
Natori and Route Planning
Because Natori is tied to Uesugi events, her recruitment interacts with the broader route system. The Uesugi Kenshin route in particular is sensitive to event timing: Kenshin's availability and event progression matter more than simply defeating the Uesugi army, and faction conquest timing can determine whether the player receives a character ending, a general campaign ending, or no special resolution.
| Route Consideration | Impact on Natori |
|---|---|
| Uesugi Kenshin route | Keeps Uesugi events active longer, safer recruitment window |
| Fast standard conquest | Higher risk of missing her event chain |
| Multi-front expansion | Her secondary-commander value increases |
| Second playthrough | Bonus points can ease early development around her |
For players pursuing a specific ending rather than a straightforward completion, the standard planning checklist applies: record the order in which major factions are defeated, complete character events as soon as they appear, and maintain a rotating set of saves before faction invasions and recruitment decisions.
Natori Recruitment Checklist:
- Keep Uesugi storyline active until events resolve
- Check the event menu every turn during the Uesugi phase
- Save before major faction and recruitment decisions
- Resolve the Uesugi conflict through its event chain
- Deploy Natori as a secondary or defensive commander
For faction context, official product information is available on the AliceSoft support page, and the English release is listed on Steam. Community discussion on routes and recruitment takes place at r/RanceSeries.
FAQ
Q: Is Natori a missable character in Sengoku Rance?
Yes. Natori is recruitment-sensitive and tied to the Uesugi storyline. If the Uesugi faction is defeated before her related events are resolved, the recruitment window can close for the rest of the campaign.
Q: How strong is Natori compared to Uesugi Kenshin?
Kenshin is the higher-impact offensive commander and a top-tier pick, while Natori is a dependable military commander best used for roster depth, secondary formations, and border defense. Judge her by what she adds to your army plan rather than direct comparison to Kenshin.
Q: When is the best time to recruit Natori?
During the faction pressure phase of the campaign, when you are preparing to face major regional powers. Completing the Uesugi event chain before final conquest keeps the window open and adds a useful commander right when multiple fronts appear.
Q: What happens if I miss Natori's recruitment?
You can still complete the campaign, but the character will not join on that run. Reload a pre-event save if you kept one, or plan to handle the Uesugi events earlier in a subsequent playthrough, where bonus points can make the opening smoother.