Nioh 3 Respec Guide
Nioh 3 lets you respec your character as many times as you want. Stat resets require a Book of Reincarnation, but skill resets are completely free. You never have to worry about making a bad stat choice or investing in the wrong skill tree — everything can be undone at any Shrine. This guide covers every type of respec in Nioh 3, where to get the items you need, and what few things are actually permanent.
How to Reset Stats (Respec)
Step-by-Step
- Go to any Shrine in the open world or a mission
- Select Preparations
- Select Redistribute Stats
- Confirm to consume one Book of Reincarnation
- All stat points are refunded — reallocate them from level 1
Your character level stays the same. You keep all your gear, Kodama, skills, and progress. Only the stat point distribution changes. The reallocation screen shows your weapon scaling values in real-time, so you can see exactly how each point affects your damage before confirming.
Book of Reincarnation Sources
| Source | Cost / Method | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Main Story | Free (1x) | After 2nd main mission |
| Blacksmith | 10,000 Gold | Anytime after Blacksmith unlocks |
| Mission Drops | Random from boss/chest | Region 3+ missions |
| Sudama Trade | Trade a purple accessory | Random chance |
| Hidden Tea Utensil | Story reward | 1x per playthrough |
Gold is abundant by mid-game, so buying Books at the Blacksmith is the easiest method. The 10,000 Gold cost is trivial by Region 3 when you are selling surplus gear regularly.
How to Reset Skills (Free)
Skill resets are separate from stat resets and cost nothing. You do not need any item. This means you can freely experiment with different skill loadouts for every mission.
Step-by-Step
- Go to any Shrine
- Select Preparations
- Select Reset Skills
- Choose which category to reset:
| Reset Option | What It Resets | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| All Samurai Style Categories | All Samurai weapon + stance skills | Free |
| All Ninja Style Categories | All Ninja weapon + Ninjutsu skills | Free |
| Shiftling Skills | Yokai Shift, Soul Core, Guardian skills | Free |
| Individual Weapon Tree | Only that weapon's skill tree | Free |
All skill points are refunded to the appropriate pool. You do not lose any skill points you have earned from proficiency, missions, or Dojo training. The points go back to the unspent pool and you can immediately redistribute them.
Other Things You Can Reset
Clan Pledge
You can switch clans at any Shrine under Preparations > Clan. The cooldown is 24 real-time hours between switches. Your previous clan rank and contribution are saved, so if you switch back you do not lose progress.
Kodama Blessings
Switch Kodama Blessings freely at any Shrine. No cost, no cooldown. Change from Healer to Diviner for a loot farming session, then switch back to Healer for boss attempts. See our Kodama Locations Guide for all blessing effects.
Guardian Spirit
Switch Guardian Spirits at any Shrine under Spirit Attunement. No cost. Your secondary Guardian Spirit slot unlocks after completing the Heian era storyline.
What Cannot Be Reset
Kusanagi Stat Bonuses
During certain story events, you gain Kusanagi transformation bonuses that add +1 or +2 to specific stats permanently. These cannot be removed. They are always beneficial, so this is not a problem — just be aware that your "base" stats after a respec will be slightly higher than your starting stats due to these bonuses.
Weapon Proficiency
Proficiency levels for each weapon type are permanent. Once you reach a proficiency milestone, the skill points and bonuses it grants stay forever. This is only a benefit — higher proficiency gives more skill points and unlocks Dojo missions.
Title Prestige Rewards
Titles earned through the Prestige system (Subjugation, Benevolence, etc.) are permanent. The stat bonuses they grant cannot be removed. Again, these are always beneficial.
When Should You Respec?
| Situation | Respec Type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Switching main weapon | Stats + Skills | Move scaling points from old weapon stat to new weapon stat |
| Trying a new build | Stats | Reallocate to match the build's stat requirements |
| Boss wall (stuck) | Skills | Reallocate skills to prioritize defense or specific counters |
| Entering NG+ | Stats + Skills | Optimize for endgame: drop early defensive stats, boost scaling |
| New weapon proficiency unlocked | Skills | Redistribute to include newly unlocked weapon skills |
There is no penalty for respeccing frequently. Books of Reincarnation are cheap and plentiful by mid-game. If your build feels wrong, respec. Do not push through 10 hours with a bad stat distribution when the fix takes 2 minutes at a Shrine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I respec stats in Nioh 3?
Go to any Shrine, select Preparations, then choose 'Redistribute Stats.' You need a Book of Reincarnation, which refunds all stat points so you can reallocate them from scratch. The first Book is free from the main story. Additional ones drop from missions or can be bought at the Blacksmith for 10,000 Gold.
Can I reset skills without resetting stats in Nioh 3?
Yes. At any Shrine, select Preparations > 'Reset Skills' and choose which skill category to reset: All Samurai Style Categories, All Ninja Style Categories, Shiftling Skills, or individual weapon skill trees. Skill resets are free and unlimited. You keep all unlocked skill points.
Is there anything that cannot be reset in Nioh 3?
Permanent stat bonuses from Kusanagi transformations and Title prestige rewards cannot be removed. Weapon proficiency levels are also permanent — you cannot un-level a weapon type. Everything else (stats, skills, clan pledge, Kodama Blessings) can be reset freely.
How many times can I respec in Nioh 3?
Unlimited times, as long as you have a Book of Reincarnation for stat resets. Skill resets are always free with no item required. Books of Reincarnation drop frequently from Region 3 onward and can be bought at the Blacksmith.