
Tokugawa Kunimatsu is a boss from Nioh 3 in the main mission To the Beginning. See how to beat Tokugawa Kunimatsu, as well as the weaknesses, drops, and location in this guide.
List of Contents
To beat Tokugawa Kunimatsu, take advantage of Ninja style's increased backstab damage and superior mobility. Follow these tips to win the encounter:
Ninja style is recommended for the mobility to avoid several of Kunimatsu's area-of-effect attacks. Since he is a human boss, he is easily punished with backstabs, making Ninja style's bonus damage very effective.
Samurai style is just as viable but Ninja style's low Ki expenditure makes the fight more manageable.
You don't need to wait for the lightning animation to fully clear. Even though it lingers, you can rush straight in to punish as soon as you hear lightning explode.

When Kunimatsu winds up a draw attack with both his swords, do not follow him directly from behind, as the wind trail can damage you after a short delay. Instead, approach him from the side after he zips past you, then counterattack.

Quickly disengage when Kunimatsu does his wind slash around him, as it deals heavy wind damage. Take this opportunity to heal up, reapply buffs and debuffs, or use Ninjutsu to deal damage safely.
In the second phase, Kunimatsu’s falling red attack is tricky to counter once he disappears. He may be obscured by tornadoes, but you can use a Guardian Spirit Skill to counter the attack before he leaps.
While he's in the air, ranged Guardian Spirit Skills can still be used. If you don't cancel it in time, simply run out of the area of effect to avoid it completely.
Do not forget to use your summoning seals, especially as you can now have two of them equipped by this stage in the game. They can help deal extra damage, open opportunities to attack, or even save you from dying.
The rematch with Kunimatsu is one of the more difficult fights in the story. Feel free to farm some levels and equip gear that matches your level before trying again.
How to Level Up Fast: Amrita Farming Guide
Keep your Living Artifact ready to secure the victory when Kusanagi is low. You're invulnerable while in this state but you must still dodge or block because sustaining damage shortens its duration.
You also have unlimited Ki while Living Artifact is active. Use this to spam your most potent Martial Arts.
Summon an acolyte from nearby benevolent graves to serve as a distraction and help deal chip damage. You'll need Ochoko Cups to summon acolytes, which you can obtain by defeating revenants from bloody graves.
Use talismans and items such as Power Talismans and Power Pills to boost your attack. Note that they do not stack and only refresh the duration of the attack buff. Wind Stop and Lightning Stop Talismans help mitigate elemental damage.
You can also use the talismans from Soul Cores listed below to give you an advantage.
| Talisman / Soul Core | Effect |
|---|---|
| Scampuss Summoning Seal (Scampuss Soul Core) |
Shreds enemy Ki quickly |
| Life Leech Talisman (Mermaid Soul Core) |
Helps keep your health topped up |
| Preservation Talisman (Mujina Soul Core) |
Saves you from a fatal hit |
| Barrier Talisman (Otoroshi Soul Core) |
Boosts Ki regeneration and dispels Yokai Realms |
The Awakening skill is highly recommended to speed up talisman usage, especially against bosses where you can easily get punished.
It is also easy to fit in most builds as it only costs 3 Points.
| Weaknesses | ・None |
|---|---|
| Resistances |
・Electrified ・Blustered |
| Era | Return to Edo |
| Main Mission | To the Beginning (Recommended: Lv 97) |
Tokugawa Kunimatsu has no elemental weaknesses, but can still be affected by Saturated and Scorched. He is resistant to the Electrified and Blustered status effects.
|
・Brother's Dual Katana Lv. 106 ・Brother's Sandals Lv. 106 |
Tokugawa Kunimatsu is found in Edo Castle during the mission To the Beginning.

| Warring States | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yamagata Masakage |
Jakotsu-baba |
Baba Nobuharu |
|||
Yamagata Masakage (Yokai) |
Takeda Shingen |
Takeda Shingen (Yokai) |
|||
| Heian | |||||
Great Tengu |
Otoroshi |
Ibaraki Doji |
|||
Kajiwara Kagetoki |
Minamoto no Yoritomo |
||||
| Antiquity | |||||
Kusanagi |
Hiruko |
||||
| Return to Edo | |||||
Tokugawa Kunimatsu |
|||||
| Bakumatsu | |||||
| Takasugi Shinsaku | Enenra | Nuribotoke | |||
| Okita Soji | Tokugawa Yoshinobu | ||||
| Final Battle of Edo | |||||
| Death Veil | Hiruko (Final Boss) | ||||
| Optional Bosses | ||
|---|---|---|
Demon of Pride |
Demon of Envy |
Demon of Obsession |
| Optional Bosses | ||
|---|---|---|
Bloodedge Demon |
Ryomen Sukuna |
Hino-Enma |
Otzu no Kata |
Yoki |
Hattori Hanzo |
| Ninja Yoki | Kyokotsu | Aggrieved Warrior |
| Warring States Era | ||
|---|---|---|
Kamaitachi |
Mezuki |
Green Shadow's Blade |
| Blood-Spurting Ogin | Naito Masatoyo | Anayama Nobutada |
| Honda Tadakatsu | Nuppeppo | Onryoki |
How to Beat Tokugawa Kunimatsu



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