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Nioh 3
Best Weapon Tier List
★ List of Weapons | Armor Sets | Martial Arts
★ Nioh 3 Interactive Map
★ Best Weapon Tier List
★ Best Ninja Builds | Best Samurai Builds
★ Character Creation Codes
★ How to Emote
Here is a Tier List for the Best Weapons in Nioh 3. See which weapons are the best for progressing through the game!
List of Contents
Best Weapon Tier List
Nioh 3 Weapon Tier List
| Tier | Weapon |
|---|---|
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The best weapons to use in Nioh 3 are the Switchglaive, Talons, Tonfa, and Spear. These weapons are capable of producing the highest DPS against almost every opponent you may face while being relatively easy to use.
They are also very easy to use when picked up and have very fluid animations while performing attacks. Additionally, each weapon's combos are not that hard to master.
What is the Best Weapon For You?
Let Us Know in the Comments About Your Favorite Weapon
Different players have their own opinions on which is the best weapon to use in Nioh 3, and we would like to hear from you and your opinions about each one. Let us know in the comments by clicking on the button link below!
Share Your Ideas On the Best Weapon Here
Best Weapon Tier List Criteria
How Game8 Ranks Nioh 3 Weapons
| Damage Output | Considers the weapon's potential damage output and overall DPS. |
|---|---|
| Mobility | Considers if the weapon synergizes very well with quick movements and dodging. |
| Ease of Use | Gauges how easy to use a weapon and its mechanics when picked up. |
| Difficulty to Master | Calculates how hard it is to master the weapon and bring out its maximum potential. |
Each weapon has its own strengths and weaknesses. That is why we recommend trying out all the weapons, for both Ninja and Samurai styles, on your own and choosing which suits your playstyle better.
Tier Ranking Legends
| Tier | Description |
|---|---|
|
High DPS, animations are very mobile and fluid, and very easy to pickup and master. |
|
High damage output, but requires more effort in mastery for maximum use of different attack combos. |
|
Decent DPS, high mobility, but has low mastery ceiling compared to other weapons. |
|
Average DPS and has very clunky animations that slows down mobility. |
Does the Weapon Tier List Matter?
The meta for weapon types is not because of the weapons themselves, but due to the general experience of players. Its aim is not to discourage people from using their preferred weapon, but rather to inform them about which type of weapon is most effective to use overall.
The Weapon is As Good As the Player's Skills
With the freedom of respec in Nioh 3, players can change their builds at anytime. Hence, they can change weapons at any time. This means that there is no good or bad weapon in this game, but rather it's about who wields it.
Best Weapon Rankings Explained
| Samurai Weapons | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Switchglaive | Spear | Odachi | Cestuses |
| Sword | Axe | Dual Sword | - |
| Ninja Weapons | |||
| Talons | Tonfa | Dual Ninja S. | Ninja Sword |
| Kusarigama | Splitstaves | Hatchets | - |
Best Weapons for Samurai
Switchglaive
The Switchglaive is an SS-tier weapon for the Samurai class in Nioh due to its durability, which can change into 3 different forms for each stance. It is very flexible to use in any build that players can think of.
Its attack patterns and combinations also feel smoother than any other blade. When paired with its recommended Martial Arts, the Switchglaive gives an unfair advantage against any enemy or boss in the game.
Spear
The Spear is a safe weapon to choose, but strong nonetheless. Its combat mechanics are basic; it can poke enemies from afar, has a good one-two combo that is easy to learn, and provides a good amount of damage against enemies and bosses.
Odachi
The Odachi is a strong A-tier weapon with its long-range attacks similar to the Spear. It can also perform powerful sweeping strikes and high-damage single hits, similar to the Axe. However, the Odachi also consumes a lot of Ki due to its weight.
Cestuses
Cestuses are Ki destroyers, similar to the Tonfa of the Ninja style. The Cestuses is a fist weapon that works well with close combat attacks, which makes the character more mobile compared to other Samurai weapons.
Sword
At first, the Sword may feel rather basic, but when paired with the right Martial Arts, it becomes one of the strongest weapons out there. It is also one of the easiest weapons to pick up and learn how to use, or even master.
Similar to the Spear, it has a very basic yet effective one-two combo that can be used anytime.
Axe
The Axe's big swings are its biggest selling point. It deals a lot of heavy damage against any enemy. However, the Axe's attacks require a lot of Ki, and its movements can feel a bit heavy and clunky sometimes due to the weapon's weight.
Dual Sword
The Dual Sword provides fast attacks that can make the Samurai very mobile. It also has a strong attack that can make the character thrust forward. This weapon makes the Samurai move like the Ninja style due to the fast and quick attacks.
Best Weapons for Ninja
Talons
The Talons are the best weapon for the Ninja class in Nioh 3. It complements the fast-paced style of the Ninja with its high-speed attacks that take a huge chunk off enemies and bosses’ HP.
It is very mobile to use and can perform aerial combos that can keep you airborne for quite some time.
Tonfa
The Tonfa is very similar to the Talons, the only difference being that the Tonfa focuses more on depleting the enemies' Ki bar rather than HP. It is a great weapon that stuns enemies very well. Combined with the Ninja's fast-paced attacks, this weapon can stun-lock enemies for a good amount of time.
Dual Ninja Swords
The Dual Ninja Swords have more thrust attacks than the Talons, making them push forward more when performing their attacks. This allows players to have more of a hit-and-run kind of playstyle.
Ninja Swords
The classic Ninja Sword is considered a jack-of-all-trades. It has good damage output, is easy to pick up and use, and is very quick to master. This weapon is versatile and flexible, as it can be used in any build for any playstyle that players can think of.
Kusarigama
The Kusarigama is best used for crowd control and dragging small enemies closer to you. When used against bigger enemies, it can be used to get close to them. It has an average damage output and can shred off Ki at a decent rate.
Splitstaves
Splitstaves have an incredible range, similar to the Kusarigama, and are very effective against a group of enemies. The only downside of it is that it uses a lot of Ki and can't quickly recover it since it is with Samurai's Ki Pulse.
Hatchets
What makes the Hatchets very unique is that you can throw them against enemies, which improves range. However, it lacks DPS against bosses even when its skills are upgraded.
Nioh 3 Related Guides
Recommended Guides
| General Guides | |
|---|---|
 Character Creation Codes |
 Demo Collectibles |
 Crucible Wraiths |
 Trophy List Guide and All Achievements |
 List of All Smithing Texts |
 Interactive Map |
 Best Weapon Tier List |
 List of Soul Cores |
| Collectible Guides | |
| – | |
Nioh 3 Wiki
| Nioh 3 Wiki Contents | |
|---|---|
 News and Game Info |
 Tips and Tricks |
 Story Walkthrough |
 Bosses |
 All Myths |
 Martial Arts |
 Skills |
 Builds |
 Weapons |
 Armor |
 Guardian Spirits |
- |
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Best Weapon Tier List
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