How to Get the Best Start in Nioh 3

Unlike previous Nioh games, Nioh 3 features a large, open world that players can freely explore, moving away from the series’ older, mission-based structure. While not as huge as some other RPG worlds, these areas are packed with valuable items and upgrades that will be essential when facing powerful, monstrous enemies.

This guide will walk you through essential things to do and activities to complete before rushing straight to the main objective in Nioh 3.

Where to Go First in Nioh 3?

Once you’ve finished the tutorial and the next part of Hitokoto Slope, you’ll arrive near Hamamatsu Castle. You’ll notice a terrifying creature in the distance, a red sky, and wandering spirits. You can go fight the huge skeletal monster right away, but you’ll probably be defeated if you’re not ready. It’s best to finish these tasks or gather these items first to increase your chances of winning.

Find All the Scampuss Cats

Scampusses are cute, round, cat-like spirits that sometimes sleep in the wild. If you find one, try waking it up and playing with it until it’s calm. As a reward, it might give you either Samurai or Ninja Locks, which are used to unlock new skills in those classes.

When you follow a Scampuss, you’ll often discover valuable items and things to interact with along the way, so be sure to look around while you’re pursuing it.

Find and Shoot Down Chijiko Yokai

Chijiko are playful, ferret-like spirits that often appear as small, bouncing balls. Surprisingly, they enjoy being used for target practice! If you manage to hit one, it will land near you and reward you with either a Samurai or Ninja Lock – special items that boost your skills and let you earn even more skill points. They’re similar to Scampusses in that way.

Some Chijiko and Scampusses may also give you additional skills or transform existing ones.

Find and Guide Lost Kodama

Kodama are little spirits found near Shrines. If you find lost Kodama and lead them to a Shrine, you’ll earn Kodama Blessing points. You can use these points to improve your Elixirs in Nioh 3. These improvements include:

Stronger Elixir healing
Higher Elixir drop rates
Gain bonus damage after using an Elixir
Gain bonus damage reduction after using an Elixir

To improve these bonuses beyond the first level, you’ll need a large number of Kodama. It’s a good idea to start collecting them as soon as possible.

Pray to Jizo Statues

Jizo Statues are similar to Kodama, but they’re actual statues you can pray to for blessings. Praying to them earns you Jizo Blessing points, which can be used to improve your abilities related to Life Corrosion and Crucible realms.

In Nioh 3, Life Corrosion can be a major problem because it lowers your maximum health. Thankfully, Jizo blessings can help you manage it.

How to Get Better Gear

At the beginning of Nioh 3, enemy bases and Lesser Crucibles are the most reliable places to find good loot. These areas are packed with enemies, and defeating them will give you a lot of rewards.

As a big fan, I’ve learned that Lesser Crucibles can drop weapons with these awesome abilities called Crucible Arts! They’re seriously powerful and unique – you can’t find them anywhere else in the game. The best part? If you master a weapon with a Crucible Art and get its Familiarity all the way up, you can then use that same Art with other weapons of the same type. It’s a great way to customize your build!

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Raise Your Exploration Level

Exploring a specific area will increase your Exploration Level for that region. As you level up your exploration, more items, collectibles, and interesting locations will appear on your map, making them easier to discover.

Increased Elixir Healing Skill

South of the Hojo Shrine, you’ll find an enemy base that, when cleared, grants a useful ability called Panacea Curefast. This skill boosts the healing power of Elixirs by 15%, and the effect combines with any healing bonus you receive from finding Lost Kodama. To access it, defeat all the enemies in the base, then use the key dropped by the bandit leader to unlock the storehouse.

Bonus Amrita Gained Skill

Just north of the first shrine you’ll find in this area, Prospect Hill Shrine, is a small bandit camp. Next to the archer on the raised platform, you’ll discover a chest containing Vital Spirit. This skill gives you 4% more Amrita after each battle, which isn’t a huge amount, but it will help you level up more quickly over time.

The enemy base here also has a Lost Kodama in it.

Armor Piercer Skill

The Armor Piercer skill is a Ninja ability that boosts the damage of your Final Blows and Grapple attacks by 10%. You can learn it by visiting the village located between the Ikeda Ferry and Tokaido Shrines. To access the skill, you’ll need to find a key. This key unlocks a locked door on the house at the top of the hill, and you get it by defeating the Yamainu monster in the center of the village.

There’s also a Chijiko floating above the house containing Armor Piercer.

Farming Amrita and Crucible Weapons

After entering the main Crucible within Hamamatsu Castle, you can effectively start collecting Amrita and Crucible weapons. This area is full of tough enemies, each with a good chance of dropping both valuable Amrita and a Crucible weapon. Progress through the destroyed castle town until you reach the Jakotsu-Baba boss arena. From there, you can either replay the area or repeatedly fight the Ippon Datara enemy near one of the statues to continue farming.

Okay, so if I’ve got weapons and armor I don’t need, I can take them to Shrines to get extra Amrita. The more I’ve used a weapon – basically, the higher its Familiarity – the more Amrita I’ll get from offering it. Or, I can break down stuff into crafting materials. Once I unlock the Blacksmith at the Eternal Rift, I can use those materials to make even better gear. It’s a good way to keep upgrading!

2026-02-06 15:36