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Nioh 3
Best Talons Build
This is a guide to the best build for the Talons in Nioh 3. See the best armor and accessories to use with the Talons, 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.
|
|---|
Talons Strengths and Weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| ✔︎ Fast attacks that deal heavy health damage.
✔︎ Continuous attacks can easily build up status effects. ✔︎ Chaining combos are smooth and reactive. |
✖︎ These have the shortest range out of all the Ninja weapons.
✖︎ Requires having an aggressive playstyle and constantly doing attacks. |
Despite being the shortest-ranged Ninja weapon, the Talons are the fastest when it comes to attacks and skill executions. Unlike the Tonfa which excels in breaking Ki, the Talons deliver massive health damage with their swift attacks. Conversely, when built to stack enough Ki Damage or Break special effects, the Talons are capable of melting enemy Ki just as efficiently due to its speed. Otherwise, their rapid combos are used to build up elemental status ailments instead. The Talons require an aggressive playstyle to make the most out of their high-speed slashes and ability to pressure enemies.
Best Stats for Talons
| Talons Scaling |
|---|
 Heart  Stamina  Intellect |
| Character Stats |
 Constitution  Magic |
The Talons scale with Heart, Stamina, and Intellect. It is recommended to invest more points in Heart to increase your Ki, as you'll be attacking more with the Talons rather than spacing yourself to recover Ki during combat. Next, put some points into Intellect so Ki recovers faster and special effects last longer. Lastly, increase your Stamina if you'd like to wear heavier armor while maintaining an A rank in Agility for mobility.
For this build, it's recommended to put at least 10 points in Magic to unlock 3 slots for the Yin position, as you'll be equipping Power Talisman, Extraction Talisman, and Cutting Blast Talisman.
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 Talons
| Jump to Section! | |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Armor |
| Accessories | |
Best Special Effects for Weapons
| Common Special Effects | |
|---|---|
| ・Life Drain (Melee Attack)
・Life Recovery (Amrita Absorption) ・Attack Bonus (Heart/Stamina/Intellect) ・Melee Ki Damage ・Strong Attack Ki Damage ・Increased Damage Dealt (Amrita Absorption) ・Imbue Lightning ・Final Blow/Grapple Damage |
|
| Fixed Special Effects | |
| ・Quick Attack Ki Consumption
Weapons: Simple Talons ・Martial Arts Ki Consumption Weapons: Togakushi Talons |
|
You may use any equipment that has one or two of the special effects listed above.
To take advantage of the Talons' rapid attacks, get the Life Recovery (Amrita Absorption) or Increase Damage Dealt (Amrita Absorption) special effect and pair it with the Extraction Talisman. Every hit you do to an enemy will cause you to steal and absorb Amrita with this talisman, causing these special effects to trigger. If you don't have access to the Extraction Talisman yet, you can opt to get any special effect that increases the Talons' overall Ki and health damage, like Attack Bonus or Melee Ki Damage.
If you want elemental damage, you can get Imbue Lightning to build up the Electrified status and slow down enemies.
Best Special Effects for Armor
| Common Special Effects | |
|---|---|
| ・Auto Life Recovery (Evade)
・Faster Movement (Evade) ・Decreased Damage Taken (Amrita Absorption) ・Life Recovery (Amrita Absorption) ・Toughness ・Defense Bonus (Heart/Intellect/Stamina) ・Defense ・Yokai Realm Resistance ・Ki Recovery Speed |
|
| Fixed Special Effects | |
| ・ Dodge Ki Consumption
Armor: ・Heir's Shinobi armor piece ・Ascetic armor piece |
|
You may use any equipment that has one or two of the special effects listed above.
For Armor, any piece with Decreased Damage Taken (Amrita Absorption) or Life Recovery (Amrita Absorption) is good to have while using the Extraction Talisman, as you'll get these bonuses whenever you hit a target and absorb their Amrita. You can also take Auto Life Recovery (Evade), which will increase survivability while evading. Other defensive special effects you can get are Defense Bonus, Toughness, and Yokai Realm Resistance.
When using Talons, it's best to keep your equipment weight below 30% (Agility rank A) to maintain low Ki consumption when attacking and have more mobility when dodging or dashing.
Best Special Effects for Accessories
| Common Special Effects | |
|---|---|
| ・Faster Movement (Amrita Absorption)
・Life Recovery (Amrita Absorption) ・Life Recovery (Yokai Realm) ・Spirit Force Bonus ( Electrified Enemy) ・Living Artifact Duration ・Lightning Damage ・Amrita Bonus (Inflict Electrified) |
|
| Fixed Special Effects | |
| ・Ki Recovery Speed
Accessories: Fan |
|
You may use any equipment that has one or two of the special effects listed above.
Since this build will be using the Extraction Talisman, any accessory with special effects like Faster Movement or Life Recovery with Amrita Absorption is suggested. If you don't have these yet, you can equip other accessories that buff your Ki recovery, Spirit Force regeneration, or Living Artifact duration.
If you have Talons with Imbue Lightning or other elements, you can use accessories that increase elemental damage or status ailment accumulation.
Best Ninjutsu and Martial Arts
| Jump to Section! | |
|---|---|
| Talons Skills | Ninja Style Skills |
Where to Spend Skill Points?
Spend your points on the Talons and Ninja Style skill trees to learn new combos for the Talons, while also acquiring useful Ninjutsu and Martial Arts.
Talons Skills
| Skills | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Mist Slash | Unlocked at the start |
| Whirling Tiger | 1 Ninja Point |
| Flying Fist | 1 Ninja Point |
| Archer's Impact | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Flying Fist |
| Dragonfly Reversal | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Whirling Tiger |
| Spinning Kicks | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Flying Fist |
| Impact Punch | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Whirling Tiger |
| Opportunist | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Chaotic Cleave |
| Sunrise | 2 Ninja Points
Prerequisite: ・Defensive Drop ・Defensive Drop II |
The Talons' moveset consists of fast slashes and kicks that can deal significant health damage. Doing rapid combos in close range is the core mechanic of this weapon; as such, overcommitting to combos can sometimes happen, which leads to being stuck in a move and leaving no space for other actions. Good timing, knowing when to follow up attacks, and using utilities like Ninjutsu and Onmyo are crucial when using the Talons.
Most of your combos can start with simple quick attacks or with Whirling Slash, a move that makes you dash and leap forward while dealing damage. Mist Slash, Flying Fists, and Archer's Impact are effective closers; Archer's Impact is a strong attack that is reactive and fast to execute, while Mist Slash and Flying Fist function as both damage dealers and backwards evasion.
For aerial attacks, Impact Punch inflicts a good deal of damage while hitting surrounding enemies at the same time. You can pair this move and other aerial moves with the Footstool Jump Ninjutsu.
Ninja Style Skills
| Skills | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Uncanny Flame | Unlocked at the start |
| Evade | 1 Ninja Point |
| Cicada Shell | 1 Ninja Point |
| Footstool Jump | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Evade |
| Kunai | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Shuriken |
| Lightning Step | 1 Ninja Point
Prerequisite: ・Cicada Shell |
For Ninjutsu, Evade and Cicada Shell are always a must in any Ninja Style weapon, serving as defensive skills for dodging without expending Ki. The Kunai and Uncanny Flame are always good choices to have to inflict long-range chip damage or elemental hits, especially against flying enemies. You may change to other types of Uncanny Ninjutsu based on the elemental weakness of your target.
Lightning Step and Footstool Jump are used as combat utilities. Lightning Step is used to easily close the gap without using up Ki, while Footstool Jump is for positioning or starting aerial moves.
As you get more Ninja points and unlock more skills, consider replacing the Kunai with the Fire Shuriken.
Best Skills for Talons
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 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.
Best Guardian Spirits for Talons
| 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 |
|||
Use Nekomata as the Guardian Spirit to get additional Ki Recovery Speed to lessen the need to manage Ki when doing continuous attacks. Quick Attack Break makes up for the Talons' lesser Ki damage and to give them an advantage against enemies with large health pools. Then, aim to destroy at least 12 Crucible Spikes to get Melee Attack Ki Consumption.
Best Soul Cores for Talons
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 |
Equip Yamainu Soul Core in the Yang position to get the Faster Movement (Amrita Absorption) special effect, as it can easily activate when stealing Amrita from enemies using the Extraction Talisman. Additionally, Quick Attack Damage adds more power to the Talons' devastating attacks.
Use Gaki Chief Soul Core for Yin
| Gaki Chief Soul Core | |
|---|---|
| Yang Position | Special Effects:
・Amrita Guage Charge +7.5% ・Strong Attack Ki Damage +3.5% Yokai Ability: ・Summoning Seal: Gaki Chief x2 |
| Yin Position | Talisman:
・Extraction Talisman x5 |
The core of this build is using the Extraction Talisman to absorb Amrita from enemies whenever you deal damage and activate special effects with Amrita Absorption as the condition. This talisman can be found from the Gaki Chief Soul Core in the Yin position.
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 |
To enhance the Talons' overall damage, get the Power Talisman from the Yoki Soul Core in the Yin position. The duration of this talisman is relatively short, but investing in the Magic stat could make it last longer.
Use Mezuki Soul Core for Yin
| Mezuki Soul Core | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Yang Position | Special Effects:
・Ki Recovery Speed +2.5% ・Strong Attack Ki Damage +3.5% Yokai Ability: ・Summoning Seal: Mezuki x2 |
| Yin Position | Talisman:
・Cutting Blast Talisman x5 |
Place the Mezuki Soul Core in the Yin position to use the Cutting Blast Talisman. This imbues your weapon with the power to throw shockwaves when using strong attacks. This can help in adding solid health damage to your combos, and it can also function like a shuriken and deal chip damage to finish off enemies from a safe distance.
If you have access to the Kyokotsu Soul Core, consider replacing this Soul Core to get access to Weakness Talismans.
Alternative: Kyokotsu Soul Core for Yin
| Kyokotsu Soul Core | |
|---|---|
| Yang Position | Special Effects:
・Damage Taken (Critical) -3.5% ・Melee Damage +2.0% Yokai Ability: ・Summoning Seal: Kyokotsu x3 |
| Yin Position | Talisman:
・Weakness Talisman x5 |
It is suggested to replace the Mezuki Soul Core with the Kyokotsu Soul Core to get the Weakness Talisman. This lowers your enemies' Defense and further strengthens the Talons' fast and strong damage. Using this combination, together with the Power Talisman, is highly recommended when going against beefy enemies with large health pools.
The Kyokotsu enemy has a small chance of dropping this Soul Core when defeated.
Talons 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 suits 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 Talons 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 Talons Build
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