Team Ninja’s latest entry blends the methodical combat of Soulslikes with the relentless aggression of Ninja Gaiden, creating something truly unique. First-timers might feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of systems at play, but once you grasp what sets this apart from other action RPGs, everything falls into place naturally.
Whether you’re struggling with Life Corrosion or trying to figure out the blacksmith upgrade system, these practical tips will smooth out your early hours and set you up for success.
Nioh 3 Settings You Need to Adjust Immediately
Turn On Auto Pick-Up to Save Your Sanity
Loot drops constantly in this game—and I mean constantly. Managing it all manually will drive you up the wall. Head into System → Basic Game Settings → Page 5 and enable Item Auto Pick-up. Your future self will thank you.
Once you’ve gotten comfortable with how gear works, consider enabling Auto Dispose on the final settings page. Early on, you might want to auto-dispose only common-rarity items to avoid accidentally trashing something useful. You’ve got three disposal options:
- Offer equipment for Amrita (experience points)
- Sell items for Gold
- Disassemble gear for crafting materials at the blacksmith
Separate Your Burst Break from Style Shifts
Here’s an annoying default: pressing Burst Break automatically swaps between Ninja and Samurai styles. If you’re like most players, you’ll accidentally switch styles mid-combat and wonder what just happened.
Fix this by going to System → Controls and enabling the Style Shift & Burst Break Separation option. Now you can control when you swap styles instead of having it happen randomly during fights.
Nioh 3 Combat Tips: Aggression Wins Fights
Stop Playing Like It’s Dark Souls
The single biggest mistake newcomers make is treating this like a traditional Soulslike. Sure, enemies hit hard and you’ve got limited healing, but the combat rhythm is completely different. Hit-and-run tactics with basic attacks work, technically—but they’ll make fights drag on forever and sap all the fun out of the experience.
Think Ninja Gaiden or Devil May Cry instead. Be aggressive. Push forward. Use your abilities liberally. Your unlocked skills and Fighting Style passives (Martial Arts for Samurai, Backstab for Ninja) are where your real damage comes from, not basic weapon swings.
The combat truly shines when you’re chaining abilities together and keeping pressure on enemies. Don’t be afraid to experiment with wild combos—that’s where the magic happens.
Nioh 3 Playstyle Guide: Master One Before Trying Everything
Commit to One Weapon and Style
The weapon variety here is staggering, and each one plays radically differently. Every weapon has unique moves, combos, and skills that take genuine time to understand. If you keep bouncing between weapons, you’ll never get past surface-level play.
Pick a weapon that feels right and commit. The combat depth reveals itself slowly, but it’s absolutely worth the investment. The skill system rewards specialization.
If something isn’t clicking after giving it a fair shot, no worries—you can respec completely free at any Shrine. There’s zero penalty for changing your build, so experiment until you find your groove.
Nioh 3 Best Starting Style for New Players
Ninja Style Makes Learning Easier
If you’re new to the series, start with Ninja Style. It’s significantly more forgiving than Samurai for several reasons:
- Ki (stamina) consumption drops noticeably while in Ninja form
- Ninjutsu skills offer incredible utility and damage potential
- The playstyle is straightforward without sacrificing effectiveness
Samurai isn’t weaker—not at all—but it demands more from you mechanically. Stance Swapping forms the core of Samurai combat, and mastering those transitions takes practice. The Ninja approach keeps things simpler while you’re still learning the basics.
That said, both styles bring unique tools to the table. Even if you main one style, switching between forms situationally makes you far more versatile. Check out our guide on using Samurai and Ninja Locks to understand when to swap.
Nioh 3 Equipment Management Made Simple
Use Auto-Equip Until You Know What You’re Doing
Press R3 on controller (or 4 on keyboard) while in the Equipment screen to auto-equip your best gear instantly. The system even lets you choose your preferred Agility level, which determines your weight class and movement speed.
For your first playthrough, just auto-equip everything. Gear drops so frequently that manually comparing stats every few minutes becomes tedious. Save the detailed optimization for later when you’ve found equipment worth building around.
Pro tip: When browsing your weapon inventory, hit R3 to Auto-Sort. Always sort by item level so you spot upgrades immediately.
You can also change your equipment’s appearance without affecting stats if you care about fashion alongside function.
Nioh 3 Spirit Guardian Recommendations
Nekomata Carries Hard for Ninja Players
You’ll acquire Nekomata during the tutorial, and this cat Spirit Guardian punches way above its weight class. Available exclusively for Ninja Style, Nekomata grants solid Ninja-focused stats and unlocks Thunderclaw Kick—which is genuinely overpowered for three key reasons:
- Deals solid damage consistently
- Builds Lightning status effect quickly
- Interrupts enemy attacks while creating distance
The best part? Spirit Guardian skills don’t consume Ki at all. Got caught in a bad situation? Out of stamina? Thunderclaw Kick resets the fight and gives you breathing room without costing resources.
Samurai players should look at Guhin instead. His Spirit skill hits like a truck, though the lengthy animation means you’ll want to save it for big openings—like when enemies run out of Ki. Learn more about Yokai Soul Cores to expand your Guardian options.
Nioh 3 Additional Quick Tips for Success
Seven More Things That’ll Help
- Aerial assassinations work from anywhere. Double-jump behind enemies and you’ll trigger the assassination even outside normal range.
- Destroy yellow crystals on sight. These weak points deal massive damage to both health and Ki when broken. Use ranged attacks, Ninjutsu, or overhead strikes to hit high-placed crystals.
- Apply elemental debuffs consistently. Hit enemies with elemental damage to inflict status effects. Uncanny Ninjutsu skills excel at building these up quickly.
- Shurikens interrupt everything. Ninja Shurikens stop enemy attacks cold. Throw them liberally—they’re cheap and incredibly useful.
- Chase every Scampuss you see. Yes, running after these creatures feels like a chore, but they lead you straight to valuable loot and Hair Locks, which you need for unlocking new skills.
- Scampuss Soul Cores dominate human enemies. Once you’ve got a Scampuss Soul Core, summon two of these little guys during human boss fights. They can completely stunlock opponents, turning tough encounters into easy wins.
- Open your map frequently. Collectibles, chests, and points of interest appear on your map even if you walked right past them. Regular map checks prevent you from missing important items.
Don’t forget to claim your demo and preorder bonuses if you’ve got any, and consider using Ochoko Cups for cooperative play when you hit a wall.
For more information about the game, visit the official Nioh 3 website or grab it on PlayStation Store or Steam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I play Ninja or Samurai style in Nioh 3?
Start with Ninja if you’re new to the series. It consumes less Ki, offers straightforward combat, and provides excellent Ninjutsu utility skills. Samurai delivers equally strong performance but requires mastering Stance Swapping, which adds complexity. You can respec freely at Shrines, so trying both carries no penalty.
What’s the most important setting to change in Nioh 3?
Enable Item Auto Pick-up immediately (System → Basic Game Settings → Page 5). Loot drops constantly, and manual pickup becomes tedious fast. Once comfortable with gear, add Auto Dispose to streamline inventory management even further.
How should I approach combat in Nioh 3 differently from Dark Souls?
Be aggressive instead of defensive. Nioh 3 rewards forward pressure and ability usage over cautious hit-and-run tactics. Your damage comes primarily from unlocked skills and Fighting Style passives, not basic attacks. Think Ninja Gaiden’s pace rather than Dark Souls’ methodical approach.
Is it better to specialize in one weapon or try multiple weapons in Nioh 3?
Commit to mastering one weapon initially. Each weapon has deep, nuanced movesets that only reveal themselves through dedicated practice. Bouncing between weapons keeps you at surface level. Pick one, learn it thoroughly, then branch out once you’ve grasped the combat depth. Remember, you can respec for free anytime at Shrines.
