Magic in Nioh 2 hits a strange sweet spot. It is supportive, destructive, quietly overpowered and somehow still underused. When you first open the Onmyo tree it feels like walking into a hardware shop with no idea what half the tools actually do. I remember taking my first Sloth Talisman and wondering why the Yokai that had been bullying me suddenly moved like it was underwater. That was the moment I realised magic was not a side dish. It was the main meal, dessert and the free mint at the end.
After finishing NG+, experimenting with elemental builds and getting far too comfortable abusing certain talismans, here is my honest ranking of the best magic skills in Nioh 2.
The Best Magic Skills in Nioh 2 Ranked
1. Sloth Talisman
Slows enemy movement and attack speed
This is the spell everyone tells you not to rely on, which is exactly why so many people do. It turns almost any boss fight into a biology lesson on the natural consequences of reduced momentum. Even patched versions remain powerful. If you want your life to feel easier without admitting you want your life to feel easier, use this.
2. Rejuvenation Talisman
Ongoing health regeneration
This is the closest thing Nioh 2 offers to emotional support. You pop it before a boss and suddenly the chip damage you would normally panic about just melts away. Stack it with Barrier and you start feeling like a smug shrine statue that refuses to die.
3. Barrier Talisman
Ki recovery boost plus Ki pulse help
Barrier turns tight matchups into something you can actually control. The Ki pulse support alone is ridiculous, especially in Yokai Realms. With Barrier running I feel like I have finally passed that strange Nioh exam where the question is always Ki management and the answer is always stress.
4. Elemental Shot Talismans
Fire, Water, Lightning, Purity
These hit harder than they look and scale impressively with a magic focused build. Lightning Shot in particular can swing boss pressure immediately. They are also fantastic for applying elemental status for Confusion which remains one of the strongest debuff states in the game.
5. Elemental Weapon Talismans
Fire, Water, Lightning, Purity, Corruption
Weapon enchant talismans are the backbone of hybrid play. They let you control the element you want to build around, they boost damage, and they enable Confusion setups. The only drawback is remembering to keep reapplying them which I still forget in every frantic fight.
6. Soul Purge Talisman
Boosts ki damage dealt
This is criminally underrated. Soul Purge turns your weapon into a ki deleting machine and bosses crumble once their bar empties. If you play aggressively or use heavy stance chains you will love this far more than you expect.
7. Devigorate Talisman
Reduces enemy attack power
People treat Devigorate like the quiet kid in class who never speaks, but when it finally does it delivers a full safety net. Excellent for bosses with heavy burst combos. It keeps you alive in fights where you usually need to dodge like your pride depends on it.
8. Extraction Talisman
Generates Amrita with every hit
If you enjoy living inside Yokai Shift for half the mission, Extraction becomes a lifestyle choice. Combine it with Carnage or elemental buffs and you end up snowballing through encounters like a magical tax collector hoovering up Amrita from every unfortunate creature you tap.
9. Geyser Shot
Water burst projectile with great stagger
This is one of those spells you try once and think, wait, why does this hit like a small truck. Geyser Shot is brilliant for interrupting Yokai attacks and has surprisingly strong stagger potential.
10. Steel Talisman
Boosts defence
Simple, reliable, and slightly dull. But dull works when a boss is trying to fold you into the floorboards. Pop Steel, pop Rejuvenation, and you become a disappointingly resistant problem for anything that wants you dead.
Best Magic Skills For Boss Fights
If you want the short version for boss delete mode, run this core set:
Sloth
Barrier
Rejuvenation
Your element of choice on weapon
Lightning or Water Shot for Confusion
Devigorate and Soul Purge as optional extras
This combination handles everything from Human duelists to towering Yokai who look like they were designed specifically to ruin your day.
Best Magic Skills For Early Game
For anyone just starting:
Rejuvenation
Barrier
Elemental Shots
Weapon Talismans
These four give you safety, damage and status application long before your character feels powerful.
Seven Swords Takeaway
Onmyo in Nioh 2 is not a simple buff system. It is a toolbox that lets you bend the difficulty curve into something you can actually manage. Once you understand how to combine elemental pressure with Ki control the whole game feels different. Less chaotic, more tactical, and somehow more fun.
Magic will not carry you on its own, but it adds enough control that you feel like you finally have room to breathe. And sometimes that is all you need to look like you know what you are doing.
