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Nioh 3 can be a very difficult game, not because it is hard, which, by the way, it definitely is, but more because the game will constantly throw so many mechanics and tutorials your way that you'll definitely get lost at some point, not knowing which gauge is for which option and the like.
To avoid such confusion and be as ready as possible for the real challenges this action-adventure from Team Ninja can give you, we've prepared the 'Tips and Tricks' guide that will help you understand the essential in-game mechanics and help you start as well as possible.
Explore as soon as you're able
Nioh 3 is all about exploration. Each part of the map features its own set of collectibles, and all of them are essential for your character's progression. So as soon as the game allows you to, start exploring maps.
Every type of collectible, apart from some Spirit Veins that are locked and will be unlocked as the story progresses, will be available from the very beginning of the game, so as soon as you're inside the new area, the best course of action would be to scrub it clean of everything it has to offer and then to move on.
Doing so will allow you to gain much-needed levels and have a chance against tougher enemies located inside the tougher areas.
Invest the Ninja and Samurai lock points into your preferred weapon skills
This tip is as simple as it sounds, yet it is really important. Nioh 3 gives you a huge range of weapons for both styles, Ninja and Samurai, and each type of weapon will have its own skill set to be unlocked.
You'll unlock skills with the corresponding locks (Samurai and Ninja), and those locks will be found through map exploration. The game won't throw many of those at you at the beginning, but the more of them you get, the better place to invest them in will be your preferred weapon.
I, for example, love using swords, and all of my skill points I invested in those skills. Apart from those, make sure to invest several skill points into the basic Samurai and Ninja skill trees.
Once you start unlocking new areas, you'll get more and more of those points, and then you can start experimenting with different weapons.
Unlock light/heavy attack combos right away
Nioh 3 is a heavily combat-related game, and playing it in a button-mashing way won't lead you anywhere. As soon as you get a couple of skill points, go to the 'Acquire Martial Arts/Ninjutsu' menu and invest those points in unlocking combo moves.
More importantly, as soon as the Eternal Rift becomes available, some NPCs will offer you to spar with them. Speak with those NPCs and then make your way to the nearest shrine. Enter the 'Battle Scrolls' menu from within the shrine, choose the Edo period, and find all the missions starting with 'The Way of the...' Finish those missions, and new, very important skills will get unlocked inside skill trees, which will allow you more combos.
Set passive skills through the 'Skill Management' menu
Passive skills are as important, if not more important, than the main skills, and many players will, due to the beginner's confusion, totally forget about them; do not be one of those players.
From within the shrine menu called 'Skill Management', you can set passive skills that will give you important buffs and allow your characters some special abilities to help you in combat. Those passive skills can be found in two ways: by exploring the world or by buying them from Sudama merchants.
Once you have them, make them active inside the Skill Management menu, and you'll receive those buffs. You'll have limited capacity inside those skill trees, but the capacity can be extended by finding special texts that will automatically expand them.
Get familiar with combat by training inside training arena
If you don't know where this arena is located, do not worry; it took quite a lot for us to figure this out as well. To get there, you'll have to first unlock Eternal Rift. This is a hub area of Nioh 3 located by owning a very special mirror, which is a story-related event, so if you haven't unlocked this area yet, just keep following the story.
Once inside the Eternal Rift, speak with three NPCs located there. One of them will teach you the way of the Ninja, the second one the way of the Samurai, and the last one the way of the Onmyo. Once you speak with them, go to the nearest shrine and choose the 'Battle Scrolls' menu from within it.
Inside the Edo period, choose the 'Expanded Control' mission, and you'll get transported into the arena. Once there, you'll be able to choose the opponent (Samurai or Ninja) and the shrine to leave the area whenever you want.
Just open the 'Acquire Martial Arts/Ninjutsu' menu, find whatever combo you want to practise and try it on the spawned enemy. Don't worry, you cannot die inside the training arena.
Mind the encumbrance level
The encumbrance level in Nioh 3 isn't affected by the items you carry in your inventory but by the equipment you put on, so be very careful when choosing which equipment you want to have on your character.
If it's too difficult for you to choose, Nioh 3 gives you an option to do it for you. Once inside the 'Equipment' menu, press the R3 button, and the game will give you the best equipment based on the encumbrance level you like. A is very light, B or above is optimal, and C or above is slightly encumbered.
Keep in mind, however, that heavier equipment affects Ki (stamina) considerably, so choose wisely here.
Ki Pulse and Mist are very important
Ki Pulse and Mist are mechanics tied to either Samurai or Ninja style, and while using them, you'll manage stamina considerably better.
We have a dedicated guide for those mechanics, so make sure to check it out if you don't understand how those work.
Parry as Samurai is a must-have skill
You'll be able to parry using both styles, but Samurai style can benefit from parrying much more. Parry, or 'deflect', as it is called in Nioh 3, can be unlocked from the Samurai skill tree very early, and we urge you to do it as soon as possible.
While dodging consumes a great amount of Ki, parrying will instead restore it and fill up your martial arts gauge in the process too, which is of huge help. The parry window is very generous too, so make sure to learn this skill as early as possible; it will help you a lot during combat encounters.
Explore optional parts of the map to gain levels
The levelling system plays a huge role in Nioh 3, and some missions will have a much bigger recommended level than your current level actually is. So what can you do in this situation?
According to your current level, you'll check out the map and see which part of the map is better suited for you. Once you do everything that particular part of the map offers, you'll gain enough Amrita to level up and then visit the part of the map corresponding to the newly acquired level.
Rinse and repeat, and before you know it, you'll be ready for those tougher areas you couldn't even touch earlier.
Break Spirit Stones and Lumicite Fragments and Crystals to gain Amrita
Spirit Stones and some rarer items like Lumicite Fragments and Lumicite Crystals are nothing more than a big amount of Amrita (the levelling currency) crystallised in those items, so all you need to do is to break them and use that Amrita.
Every once in a while, make sure to check out your 'Items' menu, go to the 'Usable Items' tab, and see if you have some of those items. If you do, break them and add some Amrita. You can use your old, unused equipment to extract Amrita from it if you like as well.
All you have to do is go to any shrine, choose the 'Preparation' tab, and make an offering. In this menu, select any pieces of equipment you don't want any more and extract Amrita from them. Keep in mind, however, that you won't get too much Amrita this way, and old equipment can have a better use.
And there you have it. These several tips will help you start easier in Nioh 3. However, experiencing the game in your own way and at your own pace is unmatched, so be sure to explore all the possibilities the game offers you; trust us, you'll be happy with the results.
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