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Nioh 3
Best Ninja Builds
★ 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
This is a guide to the best build for Ninja Weapons in Nioh 3. Learn about the Ninja Weapons, as well as the best Martial Arts, Ninjutsu, and Skills to get.
List of Contents
Attention! |
The following builds are currently based on early-game content. We are working on improving them as information becomes available.
|
|---|
Best Ninja Builds
| Ninja Weapons | ||
|---|---|---|
 Ninja Swords |
 Dual Ninja Swords |
 Kusarigama |
 Tonfa |
 Hatchets |
 Splitstaff |
 Talons |
||
Ninja Swords
| Weapon Scaling | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Skill |
 Intellect |
 Strength |
|||||||||
| Martial Arts | Ninjutsu | ||||||||||
| ・Shadow Cyclone
・Kurama Sword Dance ・Swallow Slash ・Sky Piercer ・Wagon Kick |
・Evade
・Cicada Shell ・Kunai ・Gunpowder Bomb ・Trembling Earth |
||||||||||
| Guardian Spirit | Yang Position | ||||||||||
 Nekomata |
Yamainu Soul Core | ||||||||||
| Yin Position | |||||||||||
| Gaki Soul Core | |||||||||||
The Ninja Swords are Uchigatanas or Katanas that attack in swift slashes. Balanced in power and speed, the Ninja Swords deliver good Ki damage by chaining light and heavy attacks. This build focuses on a simple but comprehensive moveset that makes use of the Ninja Swords' fast slashes, as well as a combination of Ninjutsu skills as utilities.
Dual Ninja Swords
| Weapon Scaling | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Heart |
Intellect |
 Magic |
|||||||||
| Martial Arts | Ninjutsu | ||||||||||
| ・Drifting Counter
・Abscission Combo ・Water Sword II ・Spinning Drill ・Moon Shadow ・Spinning Gale ・Cloudsplitter Fire |
・Evade
・Cicada Shell ・Kunai ・Lightning Step ・Footstool Jump |
||||||||||
| Guardian Spirit | Yang Position | ||||||||||
 Enko |
Infernal Oni-bi Soul Core | ||||||||||
| Yin Position | |||||||||||
| Jakotsu-baba Soul Core | |||||||||||
The Dual Ninja Swords are a faster, but shorter version of Ninja Swords. These weapons rely on continuous multi-hit attacks that quickly damage Ki or buildup status effects. This build focuses on using the Dual Ninja Swords' Magic scaling and swift multi-hit attacks to build up Confusion using Burn and Saturated. Additionally, the skills Water Sword and Cloudsplitter Fire accumulate more of these elements through combos.
The Guardian Spirit Enko is equipped for its buffs to Burn effects, such as Damage Over Time. While the Soul Cores are used to imbue more Fire damage or add the Water Familiar Talisman.
Kusarigama
| Weapon Scaling | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Constitution |
Skill |
Magic |
|||||||||
| Martial Arts | Ninjutsu | ||||||||||
| ・Crimson Flurry
・Whirlwind Kick ・Leaping Strike ・Deadly Mark ・Foot Sweep ・Whirlwind ・Whirlwind (Wind) ・Reedcutter ・Pollard ・Flying Top |
・Evade
・Mist ・Evade ・Kunai ・Uncanny Bubble ・Uncanny Bolt |
||||||||||
| Guardian Spirit | Yang Position | ||||||||||
 Kusanagi (Ninja) |
Jakotsu-baba Soul Core | ||||||||||
| Yin Position | |||||||||||
| Yoki Soul Core Core | |||||||||||
One of the Ninja weapons with the longest range, the Kusarigama is a rope-and-sickle weapon capable of creating wide arcs and slashes. This build uses the Kusarigama's Magic scaling to quickly build up the Saturated status effect with Water-based attacks. Having a Yoki Soul Core in the Yin position provides the Power Talisman to strengthen the Kusarigama's quick and long attacks.
Tonfa
| Weapon Scaling | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constitution |
Strength |
Skill |
|||||||||
| Martial Arts | Ninjutsu | ||||||||||
| ・Storm of Strikes
・Sweeping Kick ・Heavenly Chain ・Mountain Breaker ・Demon Dance ・Pulverize ・Wasp Sting |
・Evade
・Cicada Shell ・Kunai ・Uncanny Bolt |
||||||||||
| Guardian Spirit | Yang Position | ||||||||||
| Nekomata |
Jakotsu-baba Soul Core Yasha Soul Core (Optional) |
||||||||||
| Yin Position | |||||||||||
| Gaki Chief Soul Core Yoki Soul Core (Optional) |
|||||||||||
The Tonfa has the highest Ki damage out of all the Ninja weapons. Although lacking in range, the Tonfa can rapidly burn through the enemy's Ki due to its fast, blunt strikes and powerful combos. This build incorporates a chain of skills that deliver heavy Ki damage through a close-range play style using Demon Dance.
Water and Lightning elements are encouraged to be combined with this build to stack up on the Saturation and Electrified status effects, making enemies move slower and take more damage.
Hatchets
| Weapon Scaling | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength |
Intellect |
Magic |
|||||||||
| Martial Arts | Ninjutsu | ||||||||||
| ・Dual Hurl
・Dual Hurl Light ・Dual Hurl Shadow ・Greased Lightning ・Wild Surge ・Wild Surge II ・Biting Hail ・Tile Shaker |
・Evade
・Cicada Shell ・Kunai ・Uncanny Bolt |
||||||||||
| Crucible Arts | |||||||||||
| All Ablaze | |||||||||||
| Guardian Spirit | Yang Position | ||||||||||
| Nekomata |
Yamainu Soul Core | ||||||||||
| Yin Position | |||||||||||
| Gaki Soul Core | |||||||||||
Hatchets are both melee and throwable weapons with a moveset that rely on their range attacks. These weapons provide more mobility than other Ninja weapons, so its play style requires more spacing than staying close to an opponent.
This build focuses more on using the Hatchets as long-range weapons and adopting a hit-and-run strategy to do damage when near the enemy or from a distance.
Splitstaff
| Weapon Scaling | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength |
Intellect |
Magic |
|||||||||
| Martial Arts | Ninjutsu | ||||||||||
| ・Shin Crusher
・Dragon Dance ・Unruly Revolution ・Serpent Sweep ・Serpent Sweep (Water) ・Darting Cloud ・Radiant Moon |
・Evade
・Kunai ・Lightning Step ・Uncanny Bubble |
||||||||||
| Guardian Spirit | Yang Position | ||||||||||
| Kusanagi (Ninja) |
Maelstrom Oni-bi Soul Core | ||||||||||
| Yin Position | |||||||||||
| Yoki Soul Core Mezuki Soul Core |
|||||||||||
The Splitstaff acts as both a polearm and a blunt weapon. Its moveset consists of changing its form (Fluid Form) and using the extended rope to widen its reach. This weapon boast good Ki damage and fast multi-hit bashes, making enemies stagger quickly.
As this weapon also scales with Magic, this build takes advantage of using Onmyo Magic and benefiting from Soul Core special effects and Talismans. Consider imbuing or using water element attacks to build up Saturation, as this status effect makes enemies take more damage.
Talons
| Weapon Scaling | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heart |
 Stamina |
Intellect |
|||||||||
| Martial Arts | Ninjutsu | ||||||||||
| ・Mist Slash
・Flying Fist ・Archer's Impact ・Dragonfly Reversal ・Spinning Kicks ・Impact Punch ・Opportunist ・Sunrise |
・Evade
・Uncanny Flame ・Kunai ・Cicada Shell ・Lightning Step ・Footstool Jump |
||||||||||
| Guardian Spirit | Yang Position | ||||||||||
| Nekomata |
Yamainu Soul Core | ||||||||||
| Yin Position | |||||||||||
| Gaki Chief Soul Core Yoki Soul Core Mezuki Soul Core |
|||||||||||
The Talons are the fastest, albeit the shortest of the Ninja weapons. Boasting its strong damage, the Talons encourages an aggressive style of combat, often hugging close to enemies to deliver high-speed combos. This build focuses on using the Talon's heavy damage output to deliver a combination of swift kicks and slashes.
Whirling Tiger is a good way to start off a combo, as it dashes you forward while doing spinning slashes, then follow it up with agile ground combos like Spinning Kicks, or a starter aerial attack like Flying Fist. Use Ninjutsu like Cicada Shell to position yourself better or get some space to retreat.
Best Ninja Secret Skills
Use Ninja Style and Common Secret Skills
| 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 one of the most important Secret Skill for the Ninja Style. When combined with the Evade Ninjutsu, it has the same effects as the Samurai Style's Ki Pulse, so it is highly recommended to acquire both skills as soon as possible. Awakening is valuable too, as plenty of Ninja weapons scale with Magic, so using Onmyo and Talismans are often encouraged.
Other Secret Skills of note are Panacea Curefast and Lingering Spirit. As these are Common Secret Skills, they provide effects that apply to both Samurai and Ninja Styles.
For combat, Taichi Arts and Armor Piercer are easily found within the Warring States period, but these Secret Skills can be changed based on your weapon or play style.
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 Builds
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