Nioh 3 Equipment Weight, Agility & Toughness
Equipment weight is one of the most misunderstood systems in Nioh 3. It determines two things that affect everything you do in combat: your Agility rating (how fast you dodge and recover Ki) and your Toughness rank (how much you resist being staggered). Getting these wrong means your build underperforms no matter how good your weapon or stats are. This guide covers the exact thresholds, the Stamina breakpoints you need to hit, and what to target for every build archetype.
Agility Ratings
Your Agility rating is determined by your total equipment weight as a percentage of your maximum equip load. Check both values in your Status screen (Shrine > Status > Equipment). The percentage is displayed next to your agility letter grade.
| Rating | Weight Range | Dodge Type | I-Frames | Ki Recovery | Movement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 0-30% | Quick step | 12 frames (200ms) | +15% bonus | Fastest |
| B | 30.1-70% | Medium roll | 10 frames (167ms) | Normal (base) | Normal |
| C | 70.1-100% | Heavy roll | 7 frames (117ms) | -10% penalty | Slow |
| D | 100.1%+ | Fog walk | 3 frames (50ms) | -30% penalty | Crawl |
A Agility (< 30%)
Maximum dodge speed and i-frames. The quick step covers less distance than a roll but recovers faster, letting you dodge twice in the same time it takes to roll once. The +15% Ki recovery bonus is massive for sustained combos. The tradeoff: you can only wear light armor, which means low defense and low Toughness. Getting hit once costs a huge chunk of HP. Best for Ninja-style builds that rely on Mist Step and Evade, or experienced players who rarely get hit.
B Agility (30-70%) — Recommended for Most Builds
The sweet spot. B agility gives you a responsive dodge roll with good i-frames and no Ki recovery penalty. You can wear medium armor for decent defense and moderate Toughness, or mix light and heavy pieces to hit specific set bonuses while staying under 70%. Most optimized builds target B agility. The difference in dodge performance between A and B is small enough that the extra armor defense is worth it.
C Agility (70-100%)
Heavy dodge roll with fewer i-frames and a Ki recovery penalty. The only reason to run C agility is for maximum Toughness (A rank, 200+) in a tank build that blocks instead of dodging. With A Toughness, you can block almost any attack without being staggered, which lets you guard counter with Samurai-style parries. This is a specific playstyle — if you are dodging attacks, C agility is strictly worse than B.
Toughness Ranks
Toughness measures your resistance to being staggered. Higher Toughness means you can take hits during your attack animations without being interrupted. It comes primarily from armor weight.
| Rank | Toughness Value | Stagger Resistance | Typical Armor |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 200+ | Block most attacks without staggering | Full heavy armor set |
| B | 100-199 | Block light attacks, stagger on heavy | Medium armor or mixed |
| C | 0-99 | Stagger on any hit while attacking | Light armor or minimal gear |
Toughness is the inverse of Agility. Heavy armor gives high Toughness but pushes you toward C agility. Light armor gives A agility but C Toughness. The goal is finding the balance that matches your playstyle. Block-heavy Samurai builds want B-A Toughness. Dodge-heavy Ninja builds can safely run C Toughness.
Stamina Breakpoints
Stamina is the primary stat that increases your maximum equipment load. Here are the key breakpoints to target based on your armor weight class.
| Armor Type | Total Set Weight | Stamina for B Agility | Stamina for A Agility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light (e.g. Iga Jonin) | ~12-15 units | 6-8 Stamina | 15-20 Stamina |
| Medium (e.g. Warrior of the East) | ~20-25 units | 12-16 Stamina | 30+ Stamina |
| Heavy (e.g. Obsidian Samurai) | ~30-38 units | 20-25 Stamina | Not practical |
| Mixed (Light body + Heavy legs) | ~18-22 units | 10-14 Stamina | 25+ Stamina |
Recommended Weight Setups by Build
| Build Type | Target Agility | Target Toughness | Stamina Investment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ninja dodge build | A | C (ignore) | 15-20 (light armor) |
| Samurai balanced | B | B | 12-16 (medium armor) |
| Samurai tank/block | C | A | 20-25 (heavy armor) |
| Hybrid (style switch) | B | B | 14-18 (mixed pieces) |
| Onmyo caster | A or B | C or B | 8-16 (depends on armor) |
For most players, the "Samurai balanced" setup is the safest starting point. Invest 12-16 points in Stamina, wear medium armor, and stay at B/B. As you learn to dodge more consistently, you can shift toward lighter armor and A agility. Check the Stats Guide for how Stamina compares to other stat investments.
Equipment Lightness Effect
Some armor pieces and accessories have the "Equipment Lightness" special effect, which reduces the weight of that piece by a percentage (typically 5-15%). This is extremely valuable on heavy armor: a chest piece with 15% Equipment Lightness can save 2-3 weight units, potentially keeping you in B agility instead of C. You can temper this effect at the Blacksmith, but it competes with other valuable temper slots. Prioritize it on the heaviest piece in your loadout (usually the chest or legs) for maximum impact.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best agility rating in Nioh 3?
B agility (30-70% equip weight) is optimal for most builds. It gives a responsive dodge roll with decent i-frames and no Ki recovery penalty. A agility (<30%) is better for pure Ninja builds that rely on dodging, but requires sacrificing significant armor defense. C agility is only viable for dedicated tank builds with high Toughness.
How does Toughness work in Nioh 3?
Toughness determines your stagger resistance when blocking or taking hits. At A rank (200+), you can block most attacks without being staggered. At C rank (0-99), even light attacks will interrupt your combos if they connect. Toughness comes from armor weight — heavier armor gives more Toughness. It's the tradeoff against agility.
How do I increase my max equip weight in Nioh 3?
The Stamina stat is the primary way to increase maximum equipment weight. Each point of Stamina adds roughly 1.2 units of equip load capacity. The Strength stat also adds a small amount (0.3 per point). The 'Equipment Lightness' special effect on armor reduces the weight of that piece by a percentage.
What happens if I go over 100% equip weight?
You enter D agility, which is essentially unplayable. Your dodge becomes a slow 'fog walk' with almost no i-frames, your Ki recovery drops by 30%, and your movement speed is drastically reduced. Never equip gear that pushes you past 100%. Unequip accessories or swap to lighter armor pieces.