SLAYER Breathing Styles

Breathing Styles are the Slayer-side ability sets in SLAYER. The current public board documents Flame, Lunar, Water, Thunder, Mist, Beast, Breathless, Insect, Sound and Wind, while Sun and Shadow are listed as developer-only or unobtainable. This Hub focuses on move roles and progression, not an unsupported tier list.

Currently documented style Dex

The Dex is intentionally “currently documented.” A card proves a named moveset exists in the public documentation, not that every style is obtainable on every server or balanced as described. Check the character roll screen and skill tree for current availability.

Breathing Level and limit breaks

Breathing Level unlocks a style’s moves. The current progression card says it advances by using already unlocked Breathing moves, performing gourd training in the Slayer hideout, and completing other Slayer trainings. At multiples of five, further progress pauses until a limit-break gourd minigame is completed.

If a move stays locked after ordinary character EXP increases, check Breathing Level rather than assuming the skill is broken. The Breathing Level guide explains the loop, milestone diagnosis and efficient practice record.

Weapon and resource gates

Public-test footage showed Breathing skills drawing from a Breathing bar refilled with E on PC. It also showed a Flame form refusing to activate with a wooden blade and directing the player to forge a Nichirin at the Blacksmith. Complete Final Selection, bring the documented ore to Ivory Passage, and confirm the Nichirin is equipped.

Before calling a move unavailable, check four gates: it is unlocked in the style tree, Breathing Level meets the requirement, the resource bar is filled, and the correct blade is equipped. The Nichirin guide covers the weapon route.

Read moves by function

A starter reaches neutral and begins a confirmed route. A guardbreak punishes blocking but may be unsafe when missed. A counter requires an incoming hit and should not be thrown like a normal attack. Hyper armor can protect a committed action from ordinary interruption, but it does not prove invulnerability. Knockback creates space and can end your own combo.

Learn the role before the animation. For example, Thunderclap and Flash is documented as a charged guardbreaking dash, while Moonfall is a counter. Using them in the same situation produces very different risk.

Build a five-move practice ladder

Start with the shortest reliable move on a stationary target. Add the move that changes position. Add the guardbreak only against a blocking target. Add the longest combo after confirming the starter. Test the fifth move as an ender, escape, counter or projectile rather than forcing every skill into one string.

Record whether the opponent can block, parry, dash or recover between moves. The current cards describe move shapes, not guaranteed combos. Server latency and balance updates can change what links reliably.

Styles and passives

The public board also documents style-specific perks, such as Flame damage to burning targets or a first-hit bonus for Thunder. Treat these as separate passive choices from the base moveset. A style should still function when the desired perk is unavailable.

Do not compare styles with different clan, perk, training and stat setups. A clean comparison uses the same target, level and route. Measure consistency, resource cost, safety and range before peak damage.

Unobtainable styles

The current FAQ says Sun Breathing and Shadow are developer specifications and cannot be obtained through normal means. Their presence in a WIP or unobtainable board list does not authorize a reroll target. Do not spend resources chasing them unless a current creator-owned announcement changes the status.

Cryokinesis also appears in the board’s unobtainable area. Keep developer tools and WIP entries separate from the player Dex so a documentation card does not become a false acquisition guide.

Common mistakes

• Buying or unlocking forms before equipping the required blade.
• Treating normal EXP as Breathing Level.
• Spending every move in one long sequence and having no resource to disengage.
• Using a counter without an incoming hit or a guardbreak against a moving target.
• Calling a style “best” from one clip with unknown stats and perks.
• Rerolling for developer-only styles.

Sources and confidence

Move names and roles come from the identity-linked SLAYER Trello Breathing Styles cards, checked October 28, 2026. The weapon gate and tutorial resource use are corroborated by a detailed public-test walkthrough. Exact damage, cooldowns, costs, rarity odds, availability and true combo windows need current in-game testing.