Nioh 3 Combat Styles Guide
Nioh 3 introduces a revolutionary dual combat system. Master both Samurai and Ninja styles to become the ultimate warrior.
Style Overview
Nioh 3 features two distinct combat styles that fundamentally change how you approach battles. Each style has unique mechanics, strengths, and playstyles.
Samurai Style
Traditional Nioh combat focused on Ki management, stance switching, and precise timing.
- • Ki Pulse for stamina recovery
- • Three stances (High/Mid/Low)
- • Guard Parry for counters
- • Taku-Waza skill enhancement
Ninja Style
New agile combat system emphasizing mobility, evasion, and aerial dominance.
- • Mist for repositioning
- • Evade (See-Through) counters
- • Aerial combo chains
- • Enhanced Ninjutsu integration
| Aspect | Samurai | Ninja |
|---|---|---|
| Ki Recovery | Ki Pulse (active) | Evade (reactive) |
| Stances | 3 (High/Mid/Low) | None |
| Defense | Block + Parry | Evade + Mist |
| Mobility | Moderate | High |
| Skill Floor | Higher | Lower |
| Skill Ceiling | Very High | High |
Samurai Style
Samurai Style is the evolution of classic Nioh combat. If you've played Nioh 1 or 2, this will feel familiar with some powerful new additions.
Ki Pulse (残心)
Press R1 after attacking to recover spent Ki. This is the core mechanic of Samurai combat, allowing you to maintain offensive pressure without running out of stamina.
- Watch for blue particles gathering around you after an attack
- Time the pulse when particles fully converge for maximum Ki recovery
- Combine with Flux to switch stances while recovering Ki
Stance System (架式系統)
Switch between High, Mid, and Low stances to adapt your combat style. Each stance has unique attacks, damage output, and Ki consumption.
- High Stance: Maximum damage, highest Ki cost, slower attacks
- Mid Stance: Balanced offense and defense, good for blocking
- Low Stance: Fast attacks, lowest damage, best for dodging
Taku-Waza (琢技)
New to Nioh 3 - a technique that enhances your weapon skills during combat. Build up your Taku-Waza gauge through attacks, then unleash powered-up versions of your skills.
- Gauge builds faster with aggressive play
- Enhanced skills deal significantly more damage
- Some weapons have unique Taku-Waza effects
Guard Parry (格擋彈反)
New to Nioh 3 - a precisely-timed block that deflects enemy attacks and creates an opening for counterattacks. More rewarding but riskier than standard blocking.
- Timing window is stricter than normal blocking
- Successful parry staggers the enemy briefly
- Works against most melee attacks
Ninja Style
Ninja Style is brand new to Nioh 3, inspired by Team Ninja's experience with the Ninja Gaiden series. It emphasizes mobility and aggressive offense over defensive play.
Mist (霞)
The Ninja style's signature mechanic, replacing Ki Pulse. After attacking, activate Mist to leave a decoy and instantly reposition. Does not recover Ki but enables aggressive mobility.
- Leaves behind a shadow clone that briefly distracts enemies
- Use to dash behind enemies for backstab damage
- Can chain into aerial combos
Evade (See-Through) (識破)
A precisely-timed dodge that phases through enemy attacks. Unlike normal dodging, successful Evade recovers Ki and builds both Ninjutsu and Arts gauges.
- Timing window is more generous than Guard Parry
- No Ki cost when perfectly timed
- Successful evade enables powerful follow-up attacks
Aerial Combos (空中連段)
Ninja style excels at aerial combat. Jump off enemies with Footstool, chain attacks in mid-air, and maintain pressure from above where many enemies struggle to retaliate.
- Footstool Jump staggers enemies and launches you
- Aerial attacks have different properties than ground attacks
- Can extend combos significantly with proper timing
Ninjutsu Tools (忍術道具)
Ninja style has enhanced Ninjutsu integration. Shuriken, kunai, and other tools can be seamlessly woven into combos for damage and status effects.
- Ninjutsu gauge regenerates through combat actions
- Tools can interrupt enemy attacks from range
- Status effects stack faster with Ninja style
Style Switching
You can switch between Samurai and Ninja styles at any time during combat with a single button press. Mastering style switching is key to maximizing your effectiveness.
Style Switching Tips
- Low on Ki? Switch to Samurai and Ki Pulse to recover.
- Need mobility? Switch to Ninja for faster dodges and Mist repositioning.
- Fighting aerial enemies? Ninja's aerial combos are more effective.
- Need to block? Only Samurai Style has effective blocking and parrying.
- Boss combo incoming? Ninja Evade has more i-frames than Samurai dodge.
Which Style to Choose
Both styles are viable for all content. Your choice depends on playstyle preference:
Choose Samurai If:
- • You played previous Nioh games
- • You prefer methodical, patient combat
- • You like blocking and parrying
- • You want maximum control over Ki
- • You enjoy stance-based variety
Choose Ninja If:
- • You're new to the series
- • You prefer aggressive, mobile combat
- • You like dodge-based gameplay
- • You enjoy aerial combat
- • You want simpler core mechanics