Nioh 3 Best Skills to Unlock First
Nioh 3 throws dozens of skills at you across Samurai, Ninja, and Common skill trees. Spending Locks (skill points) on the wrong skills early means struggling through the first 10 hours with a weaker character than you need to be. This guide ranks the highest-impact skills in each category so you invest your limited early-game Locks where they matter most. Skill resets are free at any Shrine, so you can always reallocate later — but getting the priority right from the start makes the early game significantly smoother.
Top Samurai Skills (Unlock These First)
These skills apply regardless of your weapon choice. They are in the shared Samurai skill tree, not individual weapon trees.
1. Deflect (1 Lock)
Reduces Ki damage taken when guarding. Without Deflect, blocking drains your Ki bar fast and leaves you staggered. With it, you can safely block 2-3 extra hits before needing to dodge. This is the single most important defensive skill in the game. Unlock it before entering any boss fight.
2. Running Water: Heaven / Earth / Man (1 Lock each)
Lets you dodge-cancel out of Ki Pulse animations. Normally after attacking, you must wait for the Ki Pulse window, then dodge. Running Water lets you Ki Pulse and dodge simultaneously, cutting your recovery time in half. Each version covers one stance (Heaven = High, Earth = Mid, Man = Low). Get all three — 3 Locks total for a massive mobility upgrade.
3. Flux I (2 Locks)
Recover bonus Ki by switching stances during a Ki Pulse. This is the foundation of advanced Ki management in Nioh 3. With Flux, every stance switch after an attack recovers roughly 30% more Ki than a normal Ki Pulse. Later, Flux II (3 Locks) adds a second stance switch for even more Ki recovery. Get Flux I as soon as possible, Flux II when you have spare Locks.
4. Oppressive Strength (2 Locks)
Increases Ki damage dealt to enemies when they are guarding. This directly helps you break enemy Ki bars faster, creating openings for grapples (finishing blows). Against human bosses who block frequently, this skill is the difference between a 5-minute fight and a 2-minute fight.
5. Backwave + Tempest (3 Locks total)
Backwave is a timed guard skill in Mid Stance that parries enemy attacks, staggering them. Tempest is the follow-up attack that deals massive Ki damage. Together they form the strongest parry in the Samurai kit. Requires precise timing (about 6 frames before impact), but once learned, it trivializes human boss fights. Skip this if you play Ninja style exclusively.
Top Ninja Skills
Ninja skills cost Ninja Locks, which come from Dexterity and Ninjutsu usage. Even Samurai-focused players should invest a few points here.
| Skill | Cost | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Evade (Quick Change) | 1 Lock | Auto-revive on death once per life. The best survival skill in the game. Works for both styles. |
| Cicada Shell | 2 Locks | Teleport behind the enemy when hit while guarding. Creates a free punish window after every blocked attack. |
| Mid-Air Dodge | 1 Lock | Dodge while airborne. Essential against bosses with launch attacks. Also lets you reset combos in the air. |
| Catwalking | 1 Lock | Silences your footsteps. Lets you approach enemies for backstab damage (+50%). Huge for exploration. |
| Power Pill | 2 Locks | Consumable buff that increases melee damage by 10% for 60 seconds. Cheap, stacks with weapon buffs. |
Quick Change Scroll (Evade) is non-negotiable for every build. Even with 0 Dexterity, the 1 Lock investment to avoid a death is worth more than any other single skill in the game. Always keep one active.
Common Skills (Both Styles)
Common skills appear in both Samurai and Ninja trees and can be purchased with either Lock type.
| Skill | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Panacea Curefast | 1 Lock | Cure status ailments 40% faster. Prevents Scorched/Paralysis from killing you while stuck in the cure animation. |
| Vital Spirit | 2 Locks | Recover 20% more HP from Elixirs. Effectively gives you 20% more healing throughout the entire game. |
| Ki Pulse Mastery | 2 Locks | Increases the Ki recovered from a Perfect Ki Pulse by 15%. Stacks with Flux for massive Ki sustain. |
| Armor Piercer | 1 Lock | 10% of your damage ignores enemy defense. Flat damage increase that works on every attack. |
| Kodama Sense | 1 Lock | Shows nearby Kodama on the compass. Essential for finding all 150 Kodama without a guide. |
Weapon-Specific Skill Priority
After unlocking the shared skills above, invest in your main weapon tree. Here is the first skill to prioritize for each weapon type.
| Weapon | First Skill | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sword | Iai Quickdraw | Highest burst damage in the Sword kit. Punishes every boss opening. |
| Dual Swords | Sign of the Cross | 8-hit combo that shreds enemy Ki and applies status effects instantly. |
| Spear | Tornado | AoE spin that hits all enemies around you. Best crowd control skill. |
| Axe | Rumbling Earth | Massive stagger value. Knocks down most human enemies in one hit. |
| Odachi | Moonlit Snow | 3-hit combo with huge range. The Odachi's bread-and-butter damage skill. |
| Kusarigama | Serpent Strike | Long-range grapple pull. Closes distance instantly against ranged enemies. |
| Tonfa | Tiger Bite | Fast combo finisher with bonus Ki damage. Breaks enemy guard quickly. |
| Hatchets | Piercing Hurl | Ranged throw that scales with melee stats. Free damage at any range. |
| Switchglaive | Cyclone | Stance-shifting combo that flows through all three stances automatically. |
| Splitstaff | Dragon Dance | Multi-hit spin attack. Highest DPS skill in the Splitstaff tree. |
| Fists | Unbroken | Counter-attack after a successful dodge. Rewards aggressive dodge-in play. |
| Claw & Cleavers | Rend & Tear | Dual-wielding combo with innate lifesteal. Sustains HP during combos. |
| Naginata | Sweeping Gale | Wide arc attack. Hits all enemies in front of you in a 180-degree sweep. |
| Nagamaki | Crescent Moon | Heavy overhead slash with armor-breaking property. Ignores partial blocks. |
Secret Skill Texts
Each weapon type has one Secret Skill that cannot be unlocked with Locks. You must find a Secret Skill Text, which drops from specific bosses and formidable enemies. These are the strongest skills for each weapon and are essential for endgame optimization.
How to Get Secret Skill Texts
- Boss drops: Each main boss has a chance to drop the Secret Skill Text for their associated weapon type. Farm by replaying the mission.
- Formidable enemies: Open-world formidable foes (red diamond map icons) also drop Secret Skill Texts, but at a lower rate (~5%).
- Dojo missions: Completing all Master-rank Dojo missions for a weapon type guarantees its Secret Skill Text.
- Drop rate boost: Set Kodama Blessing to "Hunter" for +15% item discovery. Use Diviner Blessing in NG+ for even higher rates.
Skill Capacity (Shortcut Slots)
You can only equip a limited number of active skills at once. Your Skill Capacity starts at 8 slots and increases with weapon proficiency milestones and stat investment (Heart increases Samurai capacity, Dexterity increases Ninja capacity). At endgame, you will have 14-16 slots. Prioritize your strongest active skills and leave passive skills (like Deflect and Running Water) always equipped — they do not cost slots. Only active skills that go on your shortcut bar consume capacity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What skills should I unlock first in Nioh 3?
For Samurai: Deflect, Running Water (all 3 stances), and Ki Pulse Mastery. For Ninja: Evade, Cicada Shell, and Mid-Air Dodge. For Common skills: Panacea Curefast and Vital Spirit. These give the biggest survivability boost in the first 10 hours.
How do I get more skill points in Nioh 3?
Samurai Locks (skill points) come from weapon proficiency — deal damage with any weapon to earn proficiency, which grants Locks at milestones. Ninja Locks come from Dexterity stat investment and Ninjutsu item usage. You also earn bonus Locks from Dojo missions and certain sub-missions.
What are Secret Skill Texts in Nioh 3?
Secret Skill Texts are rare drops from specific bosses and formidable enemies that unlock the most powerful skills for each weapon type. Each weapon has one Secret Skill that is not available through normal skill point investment. These are the capstone abilities that define endgame weapon play.
Can I respec my skills in Nioh 3?
Yes. Skill resets are completely free and unlimited at any Shrine under Preparations > Reset Skills. You can reset individual weapon trees or entire Samurai/Ninja categories. All skill points are refunded. See our Respec Guide for details.