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Nioh 3
Best Ninja Swords Build
This is a guide to the best build for Ninja Swords in Nioh 3. See the best armor and accessories to use with the Ninja Swords, which Guardian Spirit and Soul Cores to equip, as well as which stats to level up.
List of Contents
Ninja Swords Strengths and Weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| ✔︎ Has a balance of speed and damage.
✔︎ Attacks have low Ki consumption. ✔︎ Easy-to-learn movesets. |
✖︎ Block stat is low.
✖︎ Limited range. ✖︎ Builds rely more on using Martial Arts or Skills. |
The Ninja Swords are a light and easy-to-learn weapon. With its balanced attack speed and damage, it is perfect for players who are learning the feel of the combat without sacrificing attack power. Because of its moderate attack stat, the Ninja Swords are best combined with Martial Arts to do more damage.
Best Stats for Ninja Swords
| Ninja Swords Scaling |
|---|
 Skill  Intellect  Strength |
| Character Stats |
 Constitution  Heart |
Ninja Swords scales primarily with Skill, Strength and Intellect. Focus your points on Skill as it increase both Ninjutsu power and your damage with the Ninja Swords. Then, follow this with Constitution to increase health, and Heart to get more Ki to be able to dodge and attack more often. Lastly, increase Intellect so your Ki regenerates faster.
Having a lot of Ki is crucial when using Ninja Style weapons as you'll be continuously attacking and dodging, both of which uses Ki so don't neglect the Heart and Intellect skill. If you have extra Amrita to spend, put it on Strength for more damage scaling on the Ninja Swords.
If you feel that the stats where a weapon scales are not beneficial to your playstyle or build, you can use Remodel in the Blacksmith to change them. However, do note that this will cost materials and Gold, as such, it's not recommended to do until you get better equipment.
Best Special Effects for Ninja Swords
| Jump to Section! | |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Armor |
| Accessories | |
Best Special Effects for Weapons
| Common Special Effects | |
|---|---|
| ・Increase Damage Dealt (Amrita Absorption)
・Backstab Damage ・Arial Damage ・Melee Damage vs. Yokai/Human ・Onmyo Magic Ki Damage ・Attack Bonus (Skill/Constitution) ・Thrust Damage ・Ki Damage vs. (Scorched/Electrified/Bluster/Saturated) Enemy |
|
| Fixed Special Effects | |
| ・Strong Attack Ki Damage
Weapons: Mino Uchigatana ・Quick Attack Ki Consumption Weapons: Bizen Uchigatana |
|
You may use any equipment that has one or two of the special effects listed above.
As Ninja Swords have balanced attack power, it's good to get special effects that increases your damage further. Specifically, look for items that increases your raw Melee damage, or those with damage against an enemy type (Yokai or Human). Additionally, Ninja Swords attack in quick slashes so any special effect that increases your Ki or Ki recovery will also be crucial.
Consider using elements to buff your attacks as well. For example, having Ki Damage vs. Scorched Enemies will synergize with using the Uncanny Flame skill, effectively increasing Ki Damage you can deal.
For fixed effects, you can use the Mino Uchigatana for its inherent Strong Attack Ki Damage to easily damage your enemies' Ki and health. If you'd like to solely focus on using Quick Attacks, the Bizen Uchigatana has an inherit Quick Attack Ki Consumption. Both Uchigatanas are easily accessible early-game.
Best Special Effects for Armor
| Common Special Effects | |
|---|---|
| ・Life
・Ki ・Quick Attack Ki Consumption ・Item/Equipment Drop Rate ・Running Speed ・Ninjutsu Gauge Charge |
|
| Fixed Special Effects | |
| ・Dodge Ki Consumption
Armor: Any Heir Shinobi armor piece |
|
You may use any equipment that has one or two of the special effects listed above.
When using Ninja Swords, it is recommended to use Light Armor to keep your Equipment Weight low, which gives a higher grade in Agility. Having an A grade in Agility allows you to dodge farther, sprint faster, as well as lowers the Ki consumption to do these actions. However, this setup sacrifices your Toughness, lowering your resistance to Ki Damage and making you prone to be staggered.
Alternatively, you can use Medium Armor to keep your Toughness up and be able to absorb damage more. Just make sure to keep your Agility to at least B (below 70% Equipment Weight) to be able to dodge.
Best Special Effects for Accessories
| Common Special Effects | |
|---|---|
| ・Life
・Ki ・Amrita/Gold Earned ・Luck ・Untouched Elixir |
|
| Fixed Special Effects | |
| ・Elixir Efficacy
Accessory: Medicine Case |
|
You may use any equipment that has one or two of the special effects listed above.
Any Accessory with the following special effect can boost your stat further, or increase the Amrita and Gold you earn. The Luck special effect increases your chance to get a better rarity on item drops. Untouched Elixir is helpful but sometimes unreliable, as it gives you a small chance to not consume an Elixir when healing.
The Elixir Efficacy fixed special effect is commonly found in Medicine Case accessories. This special effect increases the amount the Elixir heals.
Best Ninjutsu and Martial Arts
| Jump to Section! | |
|---|---|
| Ninja Swords Skills | Ninja Style Skills |
| Crucible Arts | |
Where to Spend Skill Points?
Spend your points on the Ninja Sword and Ninja Style skill trees to learn new combos for the Ninja Swords, while also acquiring useful Ninjutsu and Martial Arts.
Ninja Swords Skills
| Skills | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Shadow Cyclone | 1 Ninja Point |
| Swallow Slash | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Hollow Stab |
| Kurama Sword Dance | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Kickslash |
| Sky Piercer | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Sky Rift |
| Wagon Kick | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Shadow Cyclone |
For starter Ninja Sword skills, get the Kurama Sword Dance to unleash a combo of slashes to drain enemy Ki faster. Then the Shadow Clone skill can be used to close the gap between your opponents, or to maneuver behind them. However, if you're more comfortable dodging backwards, get Swallow Slash instead.
Lastly, Sky Piercer can be used to combo moves mid-air for flying enemies, and you can also use its prerequisite, Sky Rift to continue the combo.
Ninja Style Skills
| Skills | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Evade | 1 Ninja Point |
| Cicada Shell | 1 Ninja Point |
| Kunai | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Shuriken |
| Gunpowder Bomb | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Shuriken |
| Trembling Earth | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Cicada Shell |
For Ninjutsu and Martial Arts, Evade and Cicada Shells are crucial to have as you get used to the combat of the Ninja Style. Evade regenerates Ki and gives a short invulnerability that allows you to dodge again, use this skill to put a space between enemies. Cicada Shell is another important skill as it allows you to safely maneuver behind an enemy, giving you the chance to backstab them with Martial Arts or strong attacks.
Trembling Earth can be used as a small AOE attack when being crowded by enemies. The Gunpowder Bomb and Kunai are cheap, fast, and decently ranged Ninja Tools to use for flying enemies, to attract the attention of an enemy, or as an alternative to Bows and Rifles.
To increase your elemental damage options, opt for either Uncanny Flame, Breeze, Bolt, or Water. Consider having at least two elemental Ninjutsu to be able to inflict the Confusion status effect on enemies.
Crucible Arts
| Morning Light | This skill allows you to do an attack when downed to spring back up. |
|---|
The Morning Light skill does a spinning slash move that springs you back up when you're downed, allowing you to recover.
Normally, rolling away from the enemy is the safest way to recover when downed. However, with this skill, you'll get a chance to punish your opponents while dealing damage.
Best Skills for Ninja Swords
Secret Skills Text
| Secret Skill | Effects |
|---|---|
| Evil-Dispelling Evade | Dispels the Yokai Realm from an area where you have successfully Evaded. |
| Armor Piercer | Increases damage dealt by Final Blow and Grapple by 10.0%. |
| Tachi Arts | Increase melee attack by 8.4% against enemies with maximum Life. |
| Awakening | Allows to use Onmyo Magic faster. |
| Panacea Curefast | Increase Life restored by elixirs by 15.0% |
| Lingering Spirit | Recovers 30.0% of the Amrita left at your grave when you die. |
The Evil-Dispelling Evade is a must-have Secret Skill for any Ninja Style user as it is the only way to clear Yokai Realm pools. It requires having the Ninja Style skill Evade to be used.
Secret Skills for the Ninja Style like Tachi Arts increases damage against enemies with full health, this gives you an advantage every first attack you do against an enemy.
Common Secret Styles like Panacea Curefast will allow you to survive battles even if you have a few Elixirs left, while Lingering Spirit is a good safety net in case you fail to retrieve your grave after dying.
Best Guardian Spirits for Ninja Swords
Use Nekomata as Guardian Spirit
| Nekomata | ATK | DEF | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
10 | 10 | Lightning |
| Quest | |||
| The Fall of Edo Castle | |||
| Special Effects | |||
|
・Ninjutsu Ki Damage +7.3%
・Ki Recovery Speed +6.2% ・Quick Attack Break +10.6 % ・Melee Attack Ki Consumption Requirements: Destroy 12 Spikes ・Final Blow/Grapple Damage Requirements: Destroy 13 Spikes |
|||
Nekomata provides a lot of stat buffs fitting for Ninja Style weapons. The Ninjutsu Ki Damage and Quick Attack Break are a good combination of special effects as they help in damaging the opponent's Ki faster.
Aiming to unlock Nekomata's other special effects will be beneficial too, especially Melee Attack Ki Consumption. Destroy 12 spikes to unlock all the stat bonuses this Guardian Spirit provides.
Best Soul Cores for Ninja Swords
Use Yamainu Soul Core for Yang
| Yamainu Soul Core | |
|---|---|
| Yang Position | Special Effects:
・Faster Movement (Amrita Absorption) ・Quick Attack Damage +3.0% Yokai Ability: ・Summoning Seal Yamainu x3 |
| Yin Position | Talisman:
・Strider Talisman x2 |
Yamainu is best used in the Yang position as it possesses special effects useful for the Dual Ninja Swords. Faster Movement (Absorbing Amrita) will give you more movement speed to position yourself in combat, or to escape a conflict. Quick Attack Damage will help in boosting the attack output of the Dual Ninja Swords. You will need 7 Magic points to unlock all of Yamainu's special effect.
Use Gaki Soul Core for Yin
| Gaki Soul Core | |
|---|---|
| Yang Position | Special Effects:
・Amrita Earned +8.5% ・Strong Attack Ki Damage +8.5% Yokai Ability: ・Summoning Seal: Gaki x6 |
| Yin Position | Talisman:
・Lifeseal Talisman x2 |
The Gaki Soul Core provides the Lifeseal Talisman when set in the Yin position. This talisman reduces the enemy's ability to recover Ki, leaving them staggered for a longer duration. Alternatively, the Gaki Soul Core in the Yang position increases the Amrita you gain from killing an enemy, as well as increases your Ki Damage with Strong Attacks.
Ninja Swords Tips and Tricks
Spend Your Prestige Points to Get Bonuses
Prestige Points can be used to obtain permanent bonuses (known as Prestige) to enhance a variety of stats from 9 different categories. For the Ninja Style, we suggest using your points on some of the following Prestige:
- Ninja: Dodge Ki Consumption, Melee Attack Ki Consumption
- Tactics: Ki Recovery Speed, Onmyo Magic Power
- Subjugation: Amrita Earned, Damage Taken (Ki Depleted)
- Exploration: Medicine Efficacy
- Crucible: Amrita Earned (Crucible)
Take note that the Prestige Points you've spent can be reset and redistributed to another bonus within the same category.
How to Get Prestige Points?
To get more Prestige Points for a category, fulfill a milestone or complete challenges to earn Titles. To see the available Titles you can unlock, open the Main Menu then go to Titles > Title List.
Use Equipment Suited to Your Level
To get the best bonuses, always use equipment that suit your current level. Using underleved items will give you less attack bonuses for weapons, and less defense bonuses for armor.
Use Purple Rarity If Possible
Items with Purple (Exotic) rarities provide better and rarer special effects. Additionally, you'll sometimes find better combinations of special effects from Exotic weapons.
Raise the Tonfa to Full Familiarity
Constantly using weapons will increase its Familiarity. Weapons with full Familiarity gets a significant bonus in damage.
Nioh 3 Related Guides
All Samurai Builds
| Samurai Weapons | ||
|---|---|---|
 Swords |
 Dual Swords |
 Spears |
 Axes |
 Odachi |
 Switchglaives |
 Cestesus |
||
All Ninja Builds
| Ninja Weapons | ||
|---|---|---|
 Ninja Swords |
 Dual Ninja Swords |
 Kusarigama |
 Tonfa |
 Hatchets |
 Splitstaff |
 Talons |
||
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Best Ninja Swords Build
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