Nioh 2 blends samurai combat with Japanese folklore, placing players against a sprawling range of supernatural enemies known as Yokai. These creatures aren’t just reskins of one another; they’re designed with unique behaviours, elemental affinities, and lore rooted in Shinto beliefs and medieval mythology. Understanding them is crucial not just for survival, but for mastering the game’s rhythm and counter mechanics.
This guide breaks down every major Yokai type in Nioh 2, with strategies on how to beat them, and insight into their origins and battlefield roles.
Yokai Types and How to Beat Them
Gaki
Role: Swarming pest
Tactics: Gaki are weak but dangerous in numbers. They bite, spit poison, and often appear in tight spaces.
Strategy: Use quick attacks and avoid being surrounded. A single heavy hit usually knocks them down.
Enki
Role: Agile spear-wielding beast
Tactics: Leaps into the air, throws spears, and counters sloppily timed attacks.
Strategy: Time your bursts carefully. After an aerial spear throw, Enki is vulnerable. Mid-stance works best for spacing.
Yoki
Role: Brute with massive cleaver
Tactics: Slow but hits hard, using wide cleaving swings and stomps.
Strategy: Stay behind and punish the recovery phase. Use high-stance for maximum stagger potential. Burst counter the red-flash overhead slam.
Ippon-Datara
Role: One-legged hammer-wielding smith
Tactics: Lunges across long distances, ground pounds, and spins with area attacks.
Strategy: Avoid frontal engagements. After its leaping attack or spin, you’ll get a wide opening. Ranged weapons are useful here.
Nure-Onna
Role: Serpent seductress
Tactics: Paralyses with a scream and follows with whip-like tail strikes.
Strategy: Keep distance unless it’s recharging after a scream. Burst counter the lunging grab.
Yamanba
Role: Savage crone with wind attacks
Tactics: Biting, wind projectiles, and short charges
Strategy: Mid-stance and elemental buffs help. Break her horn to stagger. She’s particularly vulnerable to lightning.
Karasu Tengu
Role: Swift flying Yokai
Tactics: Dive-bombs, wind slashes, and deceptive movement
Strategy: Use ranged weapons to bring them down or bait them into ground attacks. Burst counter the red-flash charge mid-air.
Nurikabe
Role: Wall guardian
Tactics: Won’t attack unless provoked
Strategy: Gesture correctly to pass or attack to initiate a slow, heavy fight. If fighting, use high-damage single strikes.
Onyudo
Role: Giant monk-like demon
Tactics: Long-range sweeping attacks and grabs
Strategy: Sidestep and attack the legs. They’re slow, but soak damage. Fire is particularly effective.
Tesso
Role: Rat swarm
Tactics: Scatter and regroup to overwhelm
Strategy: AOE attacks like Whirlwind or elemental talismans clear them quickly. Try not to panic if swarmed.
Kasha
Role: Wheel-bound demon
Tactics: Spins fast, summons fire trails, constantly pursues
Strategy: Ice-based attacks slow her down. Watch for sudden lunges. Burst counter the spinning charge.
Ubume
Role: Mourning spirit
Tactics: Sings to debuff, then attacks with shockwaves
Strategy: Interrupt the singing. She has low poise. Water and wind work well to stagger her.
Mezuki
Role: Horse-headed demon
Tactics: Swings massive cleaver and creates Yokai Realms
Strategy: Dodge towards its weak side (left), then counterattack. Burst counter works well for red-flash cleave.
Gozuki
Role: Larger, more aggressive than Mezuki
Tactics: Charges with his weapon, stomps, and enrages
Strategy: Wait for charge to finish and strike from behind. Fire and paralysis reduce the threat.
Magatsu Warrior
Role: Corrupted warrior spirit
Tactics: Teleports, combo chains, and counters
Strategy: This is a duel. Time burst counters and Ki pulses carefully. Low stance dodges most of his long combos.
Namahage
Role: Oni with mask and axe
Tactics: Rapid axe strikes and sudden aggression
Strategy: Avoid face-to-face trades. Punish the wide sweep. Break his horn to stagger.
Wheelmonk
Role: Flaming wheel
Tactics: Rolls across the battlefield and explodes on contact
Strategy: Dodge perpendicular to its path. Water or lightning slows it. Strike from behind during its recovery spin.
Rokurokubi
Role: Neck-extending ambusher
Tactics: Hides as a corpse, then lashes out
Strategy: Stay alert in corpse-heavy areas. Once activated, interrupt with fast strikes.
Infernal Yokai (Corrupted Variants)
These are enhanced versions found in the later Dream of the Strong and onwards. They hit harder, move faster, and often regenerate or have added elemental attacks.
Strategy: Use full buffs, purification weapons, and yokai shift if overwhelmed.
Yokai Realms and Burst Counters
Yokai Realm Effects:
- Enemy attacks hit harder and faster
- Your Ki regeneration is severely reduced
- Some enemies transform or become enraged
Counter-strategy:
- Use Purification weapons to cleanse the realm
- Burst counter aggressively to interrupt their combos
- Always Ki pulse correctly when standing in a Yokai Realm
Boss Yokai (Summary)
| Boss Yokai | Key Threats | Best Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Gyuki | Water beams, crushing stomps | Stay mobile, punish rear legs |
| Yatsu-no-Kami | Snake summons, poison cloud | Focus on the head, use poison resistance |
| Tatarimokke | Projectile spam, spirit orbs | Destroy orbs, bait the dive |
| Otakemaru | Elemental phases, rapid bursts | Learn each phase, burst counter consistently |
| Shuten Doji | Grabs, firebreath, long combos | Fire resistance, bait and punish grabs |
Final Tips for Yokai Combat
- Ki Management: Always maintain strong Ki pulse rhythm. Without it, you will quickly lose the ability to dodge or block.
- Burst Counters: Learn the timing for all three Guardian Spirits. Feral is best for agility-based counters, Brute for power trades, and Phantom for ranged interruptions.
- Purification Buffs: These are essential when fighting in the Yokai Realm or against corrupted bosses.
- Familiarity Matters: The more you fight a Yokai type, the better you’ll know the cue for burst counters, red flash grabs, and ranged tells.
Seven Swords Takeaway
Nioh 2’s Yokai roster is a test of adaptability, timing, and your understanding of Japanese folklore. Each creature brings something distinct, and once you learn their rhythm, the game opens up from a punishing experience into something far more tactical and rewarding.
