Nioh 3 Axe Guide大斧
Heavy two-handed weapon with slow arcs and high Ki cost. Deals massive damage per hit and excels at breaking enemy guards.
Overview
The Axe is the hardest-hitting weapon in Nioh 3, delivering the highest damage per individual swing of any weapon type. It is designed for players who prefer a deliberate, methodical combat style where every hit counts. While this weapon is the slowest in Nioh 3, its guard-breaking capability is unmatched — heavy strikes shred through enemy blocks and quickly drain their Ki bar, leaving them vulnerable to devastating finishers. The Axe scales primarily with Constitution and Stamina, meaning users gain both HP and equipment load bonuses from their damage stats. In Nioh 3's boss encounters, it shines during damage windows where its slower speed is offset by massive per-hit damage. This weapon demands patience and precise timing, but rewards committed players with some of the most satisfying hits in the game.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- • Highest damage per single hit — dominates short damage windows
- • Best guard break weapon — heavy attacks drain enemy Ki through blocks
- • Constitution/Stamina scaling makes users naturally tanky with high HP
- • Stagger value on hits interrupts most enemies mid-attack
Weaknesses
- • Slowest weapon in Nioh 3 — attacks have long wind-up and recovery
- • Very high Ki consumption limits combo length severely
- • Missing a swing leaves you wide open for enemy counter-attacks
- • Poor performance against fast bosses that don't offer long damage windows
Key Characteristics
- •Highest damage per single hit in Nioh 3
- •Excellent guard break capability against blocking enemies
- •Slowest attack speed among all weapon types
- •High Ki consumption requiring heavy investment in Stamina
Moveset Guide
Lumber Chop (木こり割り) is the Axe's signature overhead slam — it deals the highest single-hit damage in Nioh 3 and should be used on every guaranteed opening
Tri-Spark (三連撃) chains three heavy swings together — devastating when all three connect, dealing nearly triple the damage of a single hit
The charged heavy attack has excellent hyper armor — use it to trade hits with confidence, knowing the impact will stagger most enemies before they can finish their swing
Heaven and Earth (天地) is a two-hit combo that slams enemies — first hit launches, second hit crushes, dealing massive damage to downed targets
Attacks gain bonus damage against enemies with broken Ki — always follow up a guard break with your strongest skill for maximum burst
Stance Guide
High Stance (上段)
High Stance Axe is pure destruction — every hit deals maximum damage but at tremendous Ki cost. Only use this stance during guaranteed openings. A single High Stance combo can empty your Ki bar.
Mid Stance (中段)
Mid Stance provides the best balance between damage and sustainability. The Mid Stance combos are more Ki-efficient while still dealing heavy damage. This is the recommended default stance for this weapon.
Low Stance (下段)
Low Stance Axe sacrifices damage for speed. While it lacks the weapon's signature power in Low Stance, the faster swings are useful for applying elemental effects and maintaining pressure safely.