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Nioh 3
Best Odachi Build
This is a guide to the best build and equipment for Odachi in Nioh 3. See the best armor and accessories to use with the Odachi, which Guardian Spirit and Soul Cores to equip, as well as which stat scaling to prioritize.
List of Contents
Odachi Strengths and Weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| ✔︎ High damage and strong Ki damage
✔︎ Excellent reach and wide swings ✔︎ Strong pressure against guarding enemies |
✖︎ Slower attack speed
✖︎ High Ki consumption ✖︎ Punishing if attacks miss |
The Odachi is a powerful weapon focused on heavy strikes, long reach, and sustained pressure. Its wide swings and strong Ki damage make it effective at controlling space and breaking enemy guards, allowing you to dominate fights through well-timed attacks and positioning.
However, the Odachi’s slower speed and higher Ki consumption mean mistakes are more punishing compared to faster weapons. Poor timing or missed attacks can leave you open to counterattacks, making proper spacing, Ki management, and commitment to each swing essential for effective play.
Best Scaling for Odachi
Put Points Into Stamina, Heart and Magic
| Odachi Scaling |
|---|
 Stamina
 Strength
 Magic |
| Character Stats |
 Heart |
The Odachi excels as a hard hitting tank, capable of dealing powerful damage while withstanding heavy attacks. Prioritize investing in Stamina, as it increases melee damage while allowing you to equip heavier armor for improved defense, lower Ki consumption, and overall survivability.
Odachi movesets consume a significant amount of Ki, making Heart an important supporting stat. Increasing Heart improves your maximum Ki and Ki recovery speed, helping offset the weapon’s high Ki consumption.
Talismans also provide strong support and utility that enhance both your offensive and defensive potential, so allocating points into Magic is recommended. This expands your available Talisman slots while also contributing to your overall damage output.
If you have additional points available, consider investing them into stats that activate useful Special Effects from your armor and accessories to further strengthen the build.
Best Special Effects for Odachi
| Jump to Section! | |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Armor |
| Accessories | |
Best Special Effects for Weapons
| Common Special Effects | |
|---|---|
| ・Ki Recovery Speed
・Ki Pulse Recovery ・High Attack Ki Consumption ・Low Stance Martial Art Ki Consumption ・Attack Bonus (Stamina) ・Martial Art Ki Damage |
|
| Fixed Special Effects | |
| ・High Attack Damage (Bizen Odachi)
・Strong Attack Ki Damage (Rai Odachi) ・Pride of the Crimson Army (Crimson General's Nagamaki) ・Imbue Water (Taro Tachi) ・Martial Arts Ki Consumption (Rai Kuniyuki Odachi) |
|
You may use any equipment that has one or two of the special effects listed above.
The Odachi relies on balancing Ki management with delivering heavy, powerful attacks. Equip special effects that boost Ki recovery, and prioritize those that reduce Ki consumption for High Attacks and Low Stance Martial Arts, as these will be used frequently in this build’s moveset.
Best Special Effects for Armor
| Common Special Effects | |
|---|---|
| ・Low Stance Martial Art Ki Consumption
・High Attack Ki Consumption ・Melee Attack Ki Consumption ・Ki Recovery Speed ・Damage Taken (While Attacking) ・Toughness ・Defense |
|
| Fixed Special Effects | |
| ・Pride of the Crimson Army (Crimson General Set)
・Single Sword's Reverie (Wayfarer Set) ・The God of War Looks Down (Tatenashi Set) |
|
You may use any equipment that has one or two of the special effects listed above.
The Odachi’s powerful moves have high Ki consumption, and its attacks are slow, making missed strikes vulnerable to enemy punishment. Because of this, wearing heavier armor is essential for maintaining strong defense.
Prioritize special effects that enhance Ki recovery and reduce Ki consumption for Melee, Low Stance Martial Art, and High Attack. Include defensive effects such as Damage Taken reduction, increased Toughness, and higher Defense to improve survivability.
For armor, the Crimson General Set synergizes well with the Odachi, boosting both Attack and Defense. Alternatively, the Wayfarer Set, which can be found in the later parts of the Warring States period, provides a much-needed boost to Strong Attacks and Martial Arts Ki Damage. In the late game, the Tatenashi Set is an excellent choice for survivability due to its strong defensive bonuses.
Best Special Effects for Accessories
| Common Special Effects | |
|---|---|
| ・Ki Recovery Speed
・Guard Ki Recovery Speed ・Life Recovery (Yokai Realm) ・Untouched Elixirs ・Water Damage Reduction ・Fire Damage Reduction ・Lightning Damage Reduction |
|
| Fixed Special Effects | |
| ・Ki Recovery Speed (Fan)
・Life (Omamori) ・Spirit Force Charge (Magatama) ・Life Recovery (Amrita Absorption) (Prayer Beads) |
|
You may use any equipment that has one or two of the special effects listed above.
When selecting accessories, prioritize special effects that boost Ki recovery and enhance survivability. Include effects such as Life Recovery in the Yokai Realm and elemental damage reductions like Water, Fire, and Lightning Damage Reduction, which you can swap freely depending on the boss’ element.
Fixed effects, such as Spirit Force Charge or Life Recovery from Amrita Absorption, provide reliable bonuses that greatly support your Odachi build.
Best Martial Arts for Odachi
| Jump to Section! | |
|---|---|
| Odachi Martial Arts | Samurai Martial Arts |
Where to Spend Samurai Points?
Spend your Samurai Points to unlock the High and Low stances in the Samurai tree first, as these are required to access their corresponding movesets in the Odachi tree.
Odachi Martial Arts
| Martial Arts | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Ground Sweeper (Low Stance) |
2 Samurai Points
Prerequisite: ・Low Stance ・Severing Blade |
| Groundquake Lightning (High/Mid Stance) |
3 Samurai Points
Prerequisite: ・High Stance ・Twin Moons ・Groundquake ・Unlocked with a Martial Arts Guide |
| Moonlit Snow Charge | 3 Samurai Point
Prerequisite: ・Swirling Snow ・Moonlit Snow |
| Sunset Breeze: Earth (High/Mid Stance) |
1 Samurai Point
Prerequisite: ・Low Stance ・Severing Blade |
Ground Sweeper is an excellent and powerful art that you should prioritize first, as using it with a charged Arts gauge can easily clear groups of enemies and deal heavy damage to elite targets. When fighting individual enemies, switch to High Stance and use Strong Attacks paired with Frost Moon: Heaven to recover Ki, then finish the enemy with Groundquake Lightning, a powerful slam attack that deals Lightning damage.
Once your Arts gauge is full, use Sunset Breeze: Earth to offensively switch back to Low Stance, allowing you to trigger Ground Sweeper again. Another useful art is Moonlit Snow Charge, which can be used in any stance and delivers powerful slashes that can be smoothly integrated into your combos.
Samurai Martial Arts
| Martial Arts | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Low Stance | 1 Samurai Point |
| High Stance | 1 Samurai Point |
| Deflect | 1 Samurai Point |
| Flux II | 1 Samurai Point
Prerequisite: ・High Stance ・Low Stance ・Flux |
| Frost Moon: Heaven | 1 Samurai Point
Prerequisite: ・High Stance ・Low Stance ・Flux ・Flux II ・The Way of the Warrior: Novice |
Unlock the Low and High Stances to gain access to the Odachi’s stronger and more versatile movesets. Acquire Deflect, as timely parries are an important part of your defense when using a slower weapon.
Acquire Flux and upgrade it to Flux II, as this is essential for maintaining Ki recovery while switching stances during a Ki Pulse. Lastly, take Frost Moon: Heaven, which adds an additional offensive option during Flux and can be used to extend pressure after strong attacks in High Stance.
Best Combo for Odachi
High Stance Strong Attack to Frost Moon: Heaven
Strong Attack from High Stance will be your primary method of attacking, as they provide both reach and power without overly committing. Execute Frost Moon: Heaven after each Strong Attack, allowing you to recover Ki while performing a follow-up strike.
This works well against individual enemies and bosses, as it allows you to deal quick but powerful damage while maintaining enough Ki to defend.
Sunset Breeze: Earth to Ground Sweeper
From High Stance, use Sunset Breeze: Earth when your Arts Proficiency gauge is nearly full to switch to Low Stance while attacking. Once the gauge is full, execute Ground Sweeper for a powerful sweeping attack with reduced Ki consumption.
This works well against groups of enemies or bosses, especially when paired with Living Artifact, as it allows you to perform these attacks without worrying about Ki management.
Best Skills for Odachi
| Secret Skill | Effects |
|---|---|
| Running Water | Enables you to perform a Ki Pulse by dodging. |
| Ki Pulse: Heaven | Activates when you recover the maxium amount of Ki Possible with a perfectly timed Ki Pulse while in High Stance. Applies Ki Pulse: Heaven to yourself. Increases the damage dealt by your next attack. |
| Unshakable | Reduces damage taken while you are attacking by 10.0%. |
| Oppressive Strength | Prevents you from being staggered during Strong Attacks and Martial Arts while Arts Proficiency is active. |
| Defense Mastery I | Increases Defense by 6. |
| Defense Mastery II | Increases Defense by 14. |
Running Water is a must have skill for any Samurai build, as it turns your dodge into a Ki Pulse, allowing you to recover Ki while avoiding enemy attacks. Ki Pulse: Heaven works as a strong complementary skill, increasing your next attack’s damage when you successfully perform a perfect Ki Pulse.
There will also be frequent situations where you and the enemy trade blows at the same time, making Unshakeable essential since it reduces the damage you take during these clashes. Oppressive Strength complements your Ground Sweeper move, ensuring you won’t be interrupted while executing it during Arts Proficiency.
If you have remaining points, consider including both Defense Mastery I and II, as they provide a solid boost to your defense and overall survivability.
Best Guardian Spirits for Odachi
| Early Game | |
|---|---|
| Mid Game | |
| Late Game |
Use Guhin in Early Game
| Guhin | ATK | DEF | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
|
10 | 10 | Wind |
| Quest | |||
| Unlocked at the start | |||
| Special Effects | |||
|
・Martial Arts Ki Consumption -8.4%
・Damage Taken -4.2% ・Strong Attack Break +11.0% ・Faster Winded Recovery ・Melee Damage vs Winded Enemy +8.4% |
|||
| Guardian Spirit Skill | |||
|
・Tree Slicer (Spirit Force: 60)
・Eight-Handed Blade (Spirit Force: 40) |
|||
Guhin provides a balanced blend of offense and defense for this early Odachi build. It lowers Martial Arts Ki Consumption, reduces Damage Taken, and boosts Strong Attack Break, which is important since Strong Attacks are used frequently. It also enhances performance when Winded, providing Faster Winded Recovery and increased Melee Damage vs Winded Enemies.
Its starting Guardian Spirit Skill, Eight-Handed Blade, unleashes close-range multi slashes, perfect for finishing off nearby enemies or weakened targets.
Use Kusanagi as Early Game Alternative
| Kusanagi | ATK | DEF | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
|
12 | 7 | Fire |
| Quest | |||
| Unlocked at the start | |||
| Special Effects | |||
|
・Martial Art Damage +6.3%
・Fire Damage Reduction +13 ・Ki Pulse Recovery +10.8% ・Increased Arts Proficiency Damage +6.9% ・Spirit Force Charge (Martial Art) +11.0% |
|||
| Guardian Spirit Skill | |||
|
・Nagi Blade (Spirit Force: 60)
・Heaven's Fire (Spirit Force: 40) |
|||
Kusanagi is a strong alternative for this early Odachi build, as its stats complement this build well. It provides a boost to Martial Arts and Arts Proficiency Damage, increasing your overall damage output.
In addition, Fire Damage Reduction, Ki Pulse Recovery, and Spirit Force Charge are excellent complementary buffs that further enhance this build’s effectiveness.
Use Narikama Tanuki in Mid Game
| Narikama | ATK | DEF | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
|
8 | 23 | Water |
| Quest | |||
| Defeat Takeda Shingen during the mission Tiger's Cause. | |||
| Special Effects | |||
|
・Auto-Amrita Recovery +15.0%
・Untouched Elixirs +11.6% ・Water Damage +8.5% ・Strong Attack Damage +6.5% ・Auto Life Recovery (Critical) |
|||
| Guardian Spirit Skill | |||
|
・Great Tanuki Slam (Spirit Force: 60)
・Boiling Counter (Spirit Force: 40) |
|||
Narikama is ideal for mid-game, offering improved defensive stats while granting special effects that boost Strong Attack Damage and Water Damage, both essential for this Odachi build. It also provides Auto Life Recovery when your Life is dangerously low, greatly enhancing survivability.
Use Oh in Late Game
| Oh | ATK | DEF | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
|
14 | 22 | Wind |
| Quest | |||
| Defeat Minamoto no Yoritomo at the end of the Heian era | |||
| Special Effects | |||
|
・Spirit Force Charge Bonus (Amrita Gauge) A-
・Guard Ki Consumption -8.6% ・Life Recovery (Amrita Absorption) 11 ・Faster Ki Recovery (Deflect) ・Item Drop Rate +17.0% |
|||
| Guardian Spirit Skill | |||
|
・Gusting Crosswind (Spirit Force: 60)
・Cutting Wings (Spirit Force: 40) |
|||
Oh is a strong late-game option, offering significantly better stats that emphasize defense while still improving offense. It grants enhanced Spirit Force Charge Bonus and Life Recovery based on Amrita, improving both survivability and resource management. Additionally, it reduces Guard Ki Consumption and provides Faster Ki Recovery (Deflect), which helps mitigate the Odachi’s high Ki consumption.
Best Soul Cores for Odachi
| Yang Position |
|---|
| Yin Position |
Use Bloodedge Demon Soul Core for Yang
| Bloodedge Demon Soul Core | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Yang Position | Special Effects:
・Elemental Damage +5.5% ・Damage vs. Revenants +7.5% Yokai Ability: ・Summoning Seal: Bloodedge Demon x1 |
| Yin Position | Talisman:
・Carnage Talisman x5 |
The Bloodedge Demon Soul Core is best used in the Yang Position, as it boosts Elemental Damage, complementing your use of the Water Familiar Talisman. It also allows you to summon the Bloodedge Demon to unleash an elemental attack based on your Guardian Spirit, followed by multiple melee strikes that deal substantial damage.
You can carry one Summoning Seal: Bloodedge Demon at a time, which is replenished when resting at a Shrine.
Bloodedge Demon Location and How to Beat
Use Gaki Chief Soul Core for Yang
| Gaki Chief Soul Core | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Yang Position | Special Effects:
・Amrita Gauge Charge +7.5% ・Strong Attack Ki Damage +3.5% Yokai Ability: ・Summoning Seal: Gaki Chief x2 |
| Yin Position | Talisman:
・Extraction Talisman x5 |
The Gaki Chief Soul Core is best used in the Yang Position, as it boosts Amrita Gauge Charge and Strong Attack Ki Damage, both essential for this Odachi build. It also allows you to summon the Gaki Chief to perform a body slam against enemies and bosses, providing additional damage and pressure during combat.
You can carry two Summoning Seal: Gaki Chief at a time, which is replenished when resting at a Shrine.
Use Jakotsu-baba Soul Core for Yin
| Jakotsu-baba Soul Core | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Yang Position | Special Effects:
・Water Damage +4.4% ・Auto-Grave Recovery +17.0% Yokai Ability: ・Summoning Seal: Jakotsu-baba x2 |
| Yin Position | Talisman:
・Water Familiar Talisman x4 |
Jakotsu-baba provides the Water Familiar Talisman, which summons floating orbs that deal Water Damage to nearby enemies. This builds up the Saturated status, increasing the damage enemies take.
You can equip up to four Water Familiar Talismans at a time, and they are replenished when resting at a Shrine.
Use Nurikabe Soul Core for Yin
| Nurikabe Soul Core | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Yang Position | Special Effects:
・Damage Taken -2.0% ・Decreased Elemental Damage Taken (Guarding) -0.8% Yokai Ability: ・Summoning Seal: Nurikabe x3 |
| Yin Position | Talisman:
・Steel Talisman x5 |
Nurikabe grants the Steel Talisman, which temporarily boosts your Defense and improving survivability during difficult encounters.
You can equip up to five Steel Talismans at a time, and they are replenished when resting at a Shrine.
Use Yoki Soul Core for Yin
| Yoki Soul Core | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Yang Position | Special Effects:
・Spirit Force Bonus (Purification) +20 ・Defense +10 Yokai Ability: ・Summoning Seal: Yoki x4 |
| Yin Position | Talisman:
・Power Talisman x5 |
The Yoki Soul Core grants the Power Talisman, which temporarily boosts your Attack. It is most effective against elite enemies or bosses, as it can significantly increase your DPS.
You can equip up to five Power Talismans at a time, and they are replenished when resting at a Shrine.
Odachi Tips and Tricks
Prioritize Stance and Strong Attacks
Odachi excels when you capitalize on High and Low Stances. High Stance delivers heavy single-hit damage, perfect for staggering or finishing off enemies, while Low Stance offers faster, multi-hit swings for crowd management. Learn to switch stances mid-combo to chain Martial Arts effectively and maintain offensive pressure.
Manage Ki Efficiently
Ki management is crucial with the Odachi, as its moves are slower and more consuming. Always perform a Ki Pulse after attacks to recover Ki quickly. Skills like Flux II are essential for recovering Ki while switching stances, and Frost Moon: Heaven adds extra damage during Ki-enhanced attacks.
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 Odachi Build
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