If you are booting up Nioh 3 expecting a casual hack and slash, I admire the optimism. Genuinely. Team Ninja does not make gentle games. They make games that stare at you, hand you a sword, and quietly wait for you to embarrass yourself.
But that is the fun of it.
If you are new, or even if you survived Nioh and Nioh 2 and still feel mildly traumatised, here are the tips that actually matter before you step onto your first blood soaked battlefield.
Understand That Ki Is Your Real Health Bar
Everyone talks about HP. Veterans talk about Ki.
Ki governs everything. Attacking, dodging, blocking, sprinting. When it runs out, you are not just tired. You are vulnerable. Enemies will stagger you, bosses will flatten you, and you will stare at the respawn screen wondering what just happened.
Learn the rhythm of attacking, pausing, and recovering. Do not mash. Control the tempo. Think of combat like a conversation. If you keep shouting, you will miss the moment to breathe.
Mastering Ki Pulse early is non negotiable. It is the difference between controlled aggression and panicked flailing.
Pick Weapons That Fit Your Brain, Not Just the Meta
Nioh 3 continues the series tradition of deep weapon systems. Every weapon feels distinct. Some reward patience. Others reward chaos.
If you like deliberate timing and spacing, try heavier weapons. If you prefer mobility and pressure, lean toward faster options. The “best” weapon is the one that clicks with your instincts.
Early on, experiment. The game throws plenty of loot at you. Spend time in the dojo or early missions just learning move sets instead of chasing perfect damage numbers.
Comfort beats theorycrafting in your first ten hours.
Stances Are Not Optional
High, Mid, and Low stances are not flavour. They are the core of the combat loop.
High stance gives damage but drains more Ki. Low stance keeps you mobile and safer. Mid stance often balances offence and defence.
The mistake beginners make is staying in one stance because it feels familiar. The real power comes from switching mid fight. Open in High, pressure in Mid, reposition in Low.
When it clicks, combat stops feeling clunky and starts feeling intentional.
Block More Than You Think
Dodging looks cool. Blocking wins fights.
Shields are not the focus here, but weapons have strong defensive potential. A well timed block saves you from panic rolling into a worse position. Especially against humanoid enemies, blocking can stabilise a messy exchange.
Just remember that blocking drains Ki. If your Ki is empty, your guard will break and the enemy will punish you hard.
So yes, block. Just do not turtle forever.
Yokai Fights Demand Patience
Yokai enemies are built to test you. They hit hard, they pressure you, and their Dark Realm phases change the flow of battle.
When the realm shifts and your Ki recovery slows, do not panic. Play tighter. Look for burst counter opportunities. These moments are not about aggression, they are about discipline.
You are not supposed to bulldoze through yokai encounters early on. You are supposed to survive them.
That is a very different mindset.
Do Not Hoard Consumables
New players treat elixirs and buffs like rare museum pieces. Stop that.
Use your items. Apply weapon buffs before bosses. Use debuffs when fights drag on. The game expects you to lean on these systems.
If you die with a full inventory of unused tools, that is not efficiency. That is stubbornness.
Early Builds Should Stay Flexible
It is tempting to commit fully to a hyper specific build in the first few missions. Resist that urge.
Your early stat allocation should support survivability and Ki management. You can specialise later once you understand how scaling works and what armour sets you enjoy.
The early game is about learning systems, not min maxing spreadsheets.
Think of it as building foundations before you start decorating the house.
Gear Level Matters More Than Rarity
A lower rarity item with higher level can outperform a fancy purple piece that is underlevelled.
In your first playthrough, swap gear regularly to stay aligned with mission level. Obsessing over perfect perks too early slows you down and rarely pays off.
Refinement comes later. Survival comes first.
Learn Enemy Patterns Instead of Forcing Damage
If a boss keeps destroying you, the problem is rarely raw damage output.
Watch their tells. Notice the recovery windows. Many attacks look overwhelming but leave clear punish opportunities once you calm down and observe.
The game rewards adaptation. It punishes ego.
The moment you stop trying to rush the fight and start reading it, everything changes.
Accept That You Will Die, A Lot
This is not failure. It is onboarding.
Every death teaches spacing, stamina control, or timing. The frustration fades once you see improvement. The first boss that once felt impossible becomes manageable. Then easy. Then trivial.
That progression is the hook.
If you approach Nioh 3 expecting to dominate immediately, you will burn out. If you approach it curious and willing to learn, you will get addicted to the growth curve.
Final Thoughts Before You Press Start
Nioh 3 rewards players who engage with its systems. It is not a button masher. It is a layered action RPG disguised as a punishing brawler.
Take your time. Experiment. Respect Ki. Swap stances. Use your tools.
And when the game humbles you, which it will, laugh, adjust, and try again.
That is where the real satisfaction lives.
