Skills in Nioh 3 are passive buffs that enhance your combat capabilities without requiring active button inputs. Unlike Martial Arts or Ninjutsu techniques (which you unlock with Samurai/Ninja Locks and manually execute during combat), these skills remain constantly active once equipped. However, unlocking and equipping skills requires two separate resources: Secret Skills Texts for learning them and Texts or Memorandums for expanding your capacity to equip them.
This guide explains how to find Secret Skills Texts, the critical difference between Texts and Memorandums for capacity increases, and the fastest methods for farming Yokai Teardrops to buy Memorandums from merchants.
Understanding Skills vs Martial Arts in Nioh 3
Nioh 3 has two completely separate skill systems that beginners frequently confuse:
Skills (Passive) — unlocked by finding Secret Skills Texts in the world. These are passive buffs accessed in the Skill Management menu at Shrines. They cost capacity points to equip and remain active without button inputs. Examples: “Reduce Damage Taken by 10%”, “Increase Elixir Efficacy”.
Martial Arts (Active) — unlocked by spending Samurai Locks and Ninja Locks in the skill tree. These are active combat moves, combos, and techniques accessed in the Customize Martial Arts/Ninjutsu menu. They have their own separate equip slots and no capacity limit from Memorandums.
This article covers Skills (passive). For help with Martial Arts, see our guide on how to get and use Samurai and Ninja Locks.
The Three Skill Categories in Nioh 3
The skill system operates through three distinct categories, each with its own separate capacity meter:
- Common Skills — universal buffs active in both Samurai and Ninja styles
- Samurai Skills — passive bonuses specifically for Samurai Style combat
- Ninja Skills — passive bonuses specifically for Ninja Style combat
Skills cost varying amounts — some require only one or two points, while powerful endgame skills demand six to eight points or more. Your total capacity per category determines how many skills you can have active simultaneously.
Mastery Skills are a special subcategory of especially powerful passives. You can only equip one Mastery skill at a time, regardless of capacity — equipping a second Mastery skill automatically unequips the first.
How To Unlock Skills in Nioh 3 Using Secret Skills Texts
Skills don’t unlock automatically through leveling or spending points. You must find Secret Skills Texts scattered throughout the world. Each Text teaches one specific skill.
Finding Secret Skills Texts on Corpses and Behind Crucible Spikes
Corpses containing Amrita (the glowing bodies you loot throughout every region) sometimes hold Secret Skills Texts instead of standard items. Thorough exploration is essential — skills are hidden, not given as mission rewards.
High-value corpses are often behind Crucible Spikes — corrupted barriers that only disappear after defeating waves of enemies. Clear these combat challenges to access the valuable loot behind them, which frequently includes Secret Texts.
Looting Large Red Chests for Secret Skills Texts
Focus specifically on large red chests for the best chances at Secret Texts. Standard small chests rarely contain them. Large red chests appear in:
- Enemy Bases — inside hostile encampments requiring infiltration
- Dark Realm zones — corrupted areas with enhanced enemy difficulty
- Wraith-guarded chests — defeat the ghostly guardian to claim the chest
Learning Skills at Shrines (Activation Required)
Finding a Secret Skills Text doesn’t automatically activate the skill. After looting the Text, you must visit a Shrine and open the Skill Management menu to manually learn and equip the skill. Until you do this, the skill remains inactive and provides zero benefit even though it’s in your inventory.
Check the Skill Management section regularly after exploring new areas. You might have collected Texts without realizing it, and newly available skills could significantly improve your build’s effectiveness.
For help with other progression systems, check out our Blacksmith guide for forging and upgrading weapons.
How To Increase Skill Capacity in Nioh 3
Learning skills means nothing if you lack capacity to equip them. Each skill category (Common, Samurai, Ninja) has separate capacity that must be increased independently using two different item types.
Texts vs Memorandums: Critical Difference
This is the single most common point of confusion in the skill system. Texts and Memorandums are not interchangeable — they function completely differently:
Texts — give an instant +1 capacity boost to their category the moment you find them. Found in chests and on corpses throughout the world. Three types exist: Warrior’s Texts (Common Skills), Samurai’s Texts (Samurai Skills), Ninja’s Texts (Ninja Skills).
Memorandums — require collecting 4 of the same type before you can convert them into +1 capacity by praying at a Shrine. Three types exist: Warrior’s Memorandums (Common Skills), Samurai’s Memorandums (Samurai Skills), Ninja’s Memorandums (Ninja Skills).
If you find a Text, you immediately gain +1 capacity with no additional steps required. If you find a Memorandum, it accumulates in your inventory — once you collect four of the same type, pray at any Shrine or Boddhisattva Statue to permanently increase that category’s capacity by one point.
Getting Memorandums from Exploration Level 4/4
The most consistent source of Memorandums is reaching the final Exploration milestone (level 4/4) in each region. Every region rewards a specific Memorandum type when you hit this milestone:
- Tenryu River at level 4/4 → Ninja’s Memorandum
- Tokaido at level 4/4 → Samurai’s Memorandum
- Hamamatsu at level 4/4 → Warrior’s Memorandum
Push Exploration Level in every region by discovering secrets, collecting Kodama, clearing enemy bases, activating Shrines, and finding Scampuss and Chijiko. This guarantees Memorandums without relying on random chest drops.
Buying Memorandums from Sudama Merchants (Fastest Method)
The absolute fastest method for obtaining Memorandums is purchasing them from Sudama merchants using Yokai Teardrops as currency. Sudama are the purple skull-wearing yokai who set up shop throughout the world.
Key merchant locations:
- Outside the Hamamatsu Castle Crucible
- Inside the Eternal Rift hub
Memorandum pricing: Sudama sell Memorandums in sets of 4 matching types for 8 Yokai Teardrops total (2 Teardrops each). Buy four of one type (Warrior/Samurai/Ninja), pray at the nearest Shrine, and immediately gain +1 capacity. This bypasses the randomness of chest loot entirely.
How To Farm Yokai Teardrops in Nioh 3
Yokai Teardrops serve two purposes — buying Memorandums for capacity increases and purchasing skills directly from friendly Yokai NPCs. Multiple farming methods exist for accumulating large Teardrop quantities.
Best Kappa Farming Loop: Forest of Souls Shrine (Tokaido)
Kappa — crystal-shell turtle yokai that run away instead of fighting — are the single best Teardrop source in the game. The confirmed best farming location is Forest of Souls Shrine in Tokaido (south pond area).
Farming loop:
- Fast travel to Forest of Souls Shrine in Tokaido
- Head to the pond directly south
- Kill all Kappa in the area (they flee toward water — cut off escape routes)
- Rest at the Shrine to respawn all enemies
- Repeat
This loop yields 5-15 Teardrops every 5-10 minutes depending on Kappa spawn density. Combine with Scampuss petting and Hot Spring bathing in the same region for maximum efficiency.
Defeating Formidable Enemies
Tougher enemies yield higher Teardrop rewards. Mini-bosses, named enemies, and enemies significantly above your level all drop substantial amounts upon defeat. Prioritize these high-value targets during exploration rather than avoiding them — the Teardrops they provide directly translate into expanded skill capacity.
Petting Friendly Yokai (Scampuss)
Scampuss — the cat-like Yokai — drop Yokai Teardrops when successfully petted. They require patient following until they stop fleeing. Once calm, pet them to receive Teardrops. You can repeat this process with every Scampuss encountered throughout different regions.
Bathing in Hot Springs
Hot springs scattered across the map provide Yokai Teardrops when you interact with them. These locations also restore health and provide temporary buffs, making them valuable stops regardless of Teardrop rewards. Mark hot spring locations on your map for quick reference.
Example: The Desecrated Hot Spring Myth in Tokaido rewards Teardrops and can be revisited.
Additional Teardrop Sources
- Completing side quests and Myths
- Defeating Revenants at Bloody Graves
- Opening specific chest types in hidden areas
- Completing Battle Scrolls (special missions accessed from Shrines)
- Receiving as random loot from Amrita bodies
For help with combat progression, see our guide on how to get and use Samurai and Ninja Locks.
Strategic Skill Management Tips for Nioh 3
Prioritize Texts over Memorandums when exploring. Texts give instant +1 capacity with no accumulation required — they’re the most efficient capacity gains per item found. Memorandums still matter, but Texts are more valuable.
Buy Memorandum sets of 4 from Sudama immediately. If you have 8 Yokai Teardrops, buy a complete set (4 Memorandums of one type) from Sudama and convert them to +1 capacity right away. Don’t hoard Teardrops unnecessarily.
Focus on Exploration Level 4 milestones early. Reaching level 4/4 in Tenryu River, Tokaido, and Hamamatsu guarantees three Memorandums across all three categories. This is faster than random chest farming.
Match skills to your playstyle. Don’t equip skills just because you have capacity. Focus on passives that enhance your preferred weapons, combat style, and tactical approach. A focused build outperforms scattered skill allocation.
Remember the Mastery skill limit. You can only have one Mastery skill equipped at a time regardless of capacity. Choose the Mastery that best supports your build and don’t waste capacity trying to equip multiple.
Balance all three categories. Even if you heavily favor Samurai or Ninja Style, Common Skills benefit both approaches. Distribute capacity increases across all three categories to maximize total passive bonuses.
Unequip low-value skills as you progress. As you find better skills, revisit your equipped passives. Remove outdated skills consuming capacity that would be better spent on newer, more powerful options.
Save high-cost skills for mid-game. Skills requiring six or more capacity points won’t fit in early-game builds. Focus on cheaper passives initially, then swap to expensive skills once capacity increases significantly.
For more information about Nioh 3, visit the official Team Ninja website, check it out on PlayStation Store, or grab it on Steam.
