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Nioh 3
Best Spear Build
This is a guide to the best build for Spear in Nioh 3. See the best armor and accessories to use with the Spear, which Guardian Spirit and Soul Cores to equip, as well as which stats to level up.
List of Contents
Attention! |
The following builds are currently based on early-game content. We are working on improving them as information becomes available.
|
|---|
Spear Strengths and Weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| ✔︎ Excellent reach and strong mid-range control
✔︎ Effective against single targets and groups ✔︎ Strong mobility and repositioning tools |
✖︎ Requires proper spacing to be effective |
Spears excel at controlling distance, allowing you to safely pressure enemies while staying outside their immediate attack range. Its long reach makes it effective for both single targets and multiple enemies, as wide sweeps and forward-reaching thrusts can hit enemies lined up in front of you while keeping you at a safer distance from surrounding threats.
However, the Spear relies heavily on spacing and positioning. Its thrust-based attacks and Martial Arts excel at mid-range, making aggressive, close-quarters play less effective. Players need to stay patient and deliberate, using careful timing and positioning to maximize its potential.
Best Stats for Spear
| Spear Scaling |
|---|
 Constitution  Heart  Skill |
| Character Stats |
 Stamina  Magic |
The Spear primarily scales with Constitution, Heart, and Skill. Focus on Heart, as higher Ki and faster Ki recovery are essential for executing moves and maintaining defense. Skill is also valuable, as it boosts Arts Proficiency and unlocks certain equipment Special Effects.
Distribute any remaining points into Stamina to improve armor and agility scaling, and Magic to enhance Soul Core effects and Talisman capacity.
Best Special Effects for Spear
| Jump to Section! | |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Armor |
| Accessories | |
Best Special Effects for Weapons
| Common Special Effects | |
|---|---|
| ・Ki Recovery Speed
・Ki Pulse Bonus ・Martial Art Ki Damage ・Mid Attack Damage ・Melee Damage |
|
| Fixed Special Effects | |
| ・Mid Attack Ki Consumption (Cross Spear)
・Mid Attack Damager (Sickle Spear) |
|
You may use any equipment that has one or two of the special effects listed above.
The Spear relies on proper spacing and well-timed thrust attacks, which can consume significant Ki. Prioritize Special Effects that enhance Ki management, such as Ki Recovery Speed or Ki Pulse Bonus. Additionally, boosting Martial Arts and Melee Damage will make your attacks more effective and maximize your overall combat potential.
Best Special Effects for Armor
| Common Special Effects | |
|---|---|
| ・Strong Attack Ki Consumption
・Mid Attack Ki Consumption ・Melee Attack Ki Consumption ・Life Recovery (Amrita Absorption) ・Ki Recovery Speed ・Defense |
|
| Fixed Special Effects | |
| ・ Damage Taken (While Attacking) (Heirloom Set)
・ The Rightful Eccentric (Eccentric Set) |
|
You may use any equipment that has one or two of the special effects listed above.
Prioritize Special Effects that boost offensive potential, such as reduced Ki consumption for Strong and Melee Attacks, and increased Ki Recovery Speed. Strong Attacks generate Amrita, so pairing them with Life Recovery (Amrita Absorption) helps sustain you in battle. Special Effects like Defense remain essential for survivability.
For armor, aim for a green Agility to stay mobile while maintaining decent defense. Damage Taken (While Attacking) is a valuable defensive bonus, especially during simultaneous clashes. The Rightful Eccentric set bonus boosts Strong Attacks, but requires investment in Strength to activate, so consider it only if you have extra points to spare.
Best Special Effects for Accessories
| Common Special Effects | |
|---|---|
| ・Guard Ki Recovery Speed
・Life Recovery (Yokai Realm) ・Untouched Elixirs ・Spirit Force Charge |
|
| Fixed Special Effects | |
| ・Ki Recovery Speed (Fan)
・Life (Omamori) ・Spirit Force Charge (Magatama) |
|
You may use any equipment that has one or two of the special effects listed above.
For accessories, focus on Ki management and Spirit Force Charge, while also including survivability effects such as increased Life, a chance to not consume Elixirs, and passive Life recovery in the Yokai Realm.
Best Martial Arts for Spear
| Jump to Section! | |
|---|---|
| Spear Martial Arts | Samurai Martial Arts |
| Crucible 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 Spear tree.
Spear Martial Arts
| Skills | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Spear Bash | 1 Samurai Point
Prerequisite: ・High Stance |
| Spear Flourish | 1 Samurai Point
Prerequisite: ・High Stance ・Spear Bash |
| Lightning Vortex | 1 Samurai Point
Prerequisite: ・High Stance ・Spear Bash |
| Flying Monkey II (Low Stance) |
3 Samurai Points
Prerequisite: ・Low Stance ・Spearfall ・Flying Monkey |
| Cull the Herd (Low Stance) |
2 Samurai Points
Prerequisite: ・Low Stance ・Spearfall ・Flying Monkey |
| Spear Shove | 1 Samurai Point
Prerequisite: ・Twisting Spear |
| Fatal Thrust | 2 Samurai Points
Prerequisite: ・Low Stance ・Spearfall |
Spear excels at hit-and-run tactics. Maintain proper spacing, wait for openings, then unleash a one-two combo and repeat. Use Strong Attacks from Mid Stance for stabbing single targets.
Prioritize Spear Flourish, as it turns your Ki Pulse into an offensive follow-up, making it a strong complement to any combo. Spear Bash connects well with your standard Strong Attacks, while Spear Shove is a quick stab that deals Ki Damage. Fatal Thrust lets you charge relentlessly when enemies are in range, dealing continuous damage.
Flying Monkey combined with Cull the Herd lets you vault over enemies and land a spinning attack, making it effective against groups and useful for repositioning. Lightning Vortex excels for airborne attacks, delivering a powerful landing strike.
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 |
Prioritize unlocking High and Low Stances, as they grant access to the Spear’s most effective movesets. Deflect is essential for defense, allowing you to parry standard enemy attacks, while Flux II lets you perform a Ki Pulse when switching stances, making it ideal for chaining into combos.
Crucible Arts
| Piercing Rain | Follow up a Quick Attack with a flurry of five fierce thrusts at the enemy. (High Stance Only) |
|---|
Piercing Rain unleashes a rapid series of forward thrusts, hitting the enemy multiple times. It’s an excellent follow-up for High Stance, providing a fast and agile option to complement the slower, more powerful moves available in that stance.
Best Skills for Spear
Secret Skills Text
| Secret Skill | Effects |
|---|---|
| Running Water | Enables you to perform a Ki Pulse by dodging. |
| Ki Pulse: Earth | Activates when you recover the maxium amount of Ki Possible with a perfectly timed Ki Pulse while in Low Stance. Applies Ki Pulse: Earth to yourself where your next dodge action will not consume any Ki. |
| Ki Pulse: Man | Activates when you recover the maxium amount of Ki Possible with a perfectly timed Ki Pulse while in Mid Stance. Applies Ki Pulse: Man to yourself where you will not lose any Ki the next time you guard against an attack. |
Maintaining Ki is crucial for sustaining pressure with the Spear. Unlock Running Water to turn your dodge into a Ki Pulse, allowing you to recover Ki while avoiding enemy attacks. Ki Pulse: Earth and Ki Pulse: Man are essential skills that help conserve Ki during guarding and dodging, improving both your offense and survivability.
Best Guardian Spirits for Spear
Use Kusanagi as Guardian Spirit
| 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 | |||
| ・Heaven's Fire (Spirit Force: 40) | |||
Kusanagi has strong Special Effects that enhance your offensive potential, helping you maintain pressure with this Spear build. It boosts Martial Arts and Arts Proficiency damage, which you will be using frequently during attack opportunities, while also helping charge your Spirit Force for additional offensive options. Additionally, it provides Ki Pulse Recovery and Fire Damage Reduction, improving both your Ki management and survivability.
Use Shin-Roku as Alternative
| Shin-Roku | ATK | DEF | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
|
7 | 17 | Lightning |
| Quest | |||
| Escape from Hitokoto Slope | |||
| Special Effects | |||
|
・Increased Damage Dealt (Purification)
・Nagitama Sensor ・Lightning Damage Reduction +14 ・Life Drain (Strong Attack) 4% ・Ailment Resistance +9 |
|||
| Guardian Spirit Skill | |||
| ・Thunderous Kick (Spirit Force: 40) | |||
Shin-Roku is a great alternative if you do not have Kusanagi, as its Life Drain (Strong Attack) synergizes well with the Spear’s frequent use of Strong Attacks. It also provides strong defensive bonuses, including Lightning Damage Reduction and Ailment Resistance. The only drawback is that you will need to destroy 13 Crucible Spikes to fully unlock all of its Special Effects.
Best Soul Cores for Spear
Use Mezuki Soul Core for Yang
| Mezuki Soul Core | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Yang Position | Special Effects:
・Ki Recovery Speed +2.5% Yokai Ability: ・Summoning Seal: Mezuki x2 |
| Yin Position | Talisman:
・Cutting Blast Talisman x5 |
Mezuki provides Ki Recovery Speed and allows you to summon it, performing a powerful full-circle swing that hits all enemies around it, making it especially effective against groups or elite enemies. Alternatively, you can place Mezuki in the Yin Position for its Cutting Blast Talisman, which produces shockwave projectiles during Strong Attacks and complements the Spear’s playstyle.
You can carry up to two Summoning Seal: Mezuki, and they are replenished at the 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 |
Yoki’s Power Talisman is essential in almost any build since it provides a temporary boost to your melee attack, making it especially useful when dealing extra damage to elite enemies or bosses. This pairs well with the Spear’s ability to maintain reach and safely continue attacking while the buff is active.
You can carry up to five Power Talismans, and they are replenished when you rest 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’s Water Familiar Talisman summons floating water orbs that damage enemies on contact. Additionally, performing Strong Attacks causes the orbs to fire as projectiles, allowing you to deal damage at range. This works especially well with this Spear build, as it frequently relies on Strong Attacks, letting you apply additional pressure while maintaining safe distance.
You can equip up to four Water Familiar Talismans at a time, and they are replenished when resting at a Shrine.
Spear Tips and Tricks
Master Spacing and Timing
The Spear excels at mid-range combat. Focus on maintaining proper spacing to maximize your thrusts and combos. Rushing in recklessly can leave you exposed, so patience and well-timed attacks are key. Use Strong Attacks from Mid Stance to deliver powerful thrusts against single enemies, and incorporate your Martial Arts for aerial follow-ups or multi-hit combos.
Ki Management is Critical
Spear combat relies heavily on Ki management. Prioritize Special Effects that reduce Ki consumption and boost Ki recovery, especially for Strong Attacks and Flux combos. Martial Arts like Spear Flourish turn your Ki Pulse into offensive follow-ups, allowing you to maintain pressure while recovering Ki.
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 Spear Build
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