Nioh 3 – Best Dual Swords Ninja Build Guide

Nioh 3 offers you unparalleled freedom in creating overpowered and accessible builds, whether it’s with the Samurai or the Ninja class. Today, we’ll take a look at the best Dual Swords Ninja build, which focuses exclusively on the Ninja fighting style. Mastering the Ninja class is more rewarding than the Samurai class, making this build beginner-friendly. So, without further ado, here’s everything you need to create the best Dual Swords Ninja build in Nioh 3.

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Nioh 3 – Dual Swords Ninja Build Overview

Fighting Style	Ninja-style exclusive build
Weapons & Armor	– Little Crow & Quickdraw – Demon Fang Kusarigama – Iga Jonin Armor Set
Foundational Skills (Ninja Style Skill Tree)	– Evade – Footstool Jump – Mid-Air Dodge – Shrapnel Bomb – Poison Shuriken – Fire Shuriken
Martial Arts Skills (Dual Ninja Swords Skill Tree)	– Spinning Drill – Cloud Dancer – Water Sword – Moon Shadow – Wave Slash – Spinning Dragon
Passive Skills (Ninja)	– Counteroffensive Evade – Venomfang Technique – Ninja Cultivation
Passive Skills (Common)	– Attack Mastery I & II – Supreme Parry – Enduring Destruction – Awakening
Soul Cores (Yin Position)	– Ibaraki Doji Soul Core – Kyokotsu Soul Core – Daidara Bocchi Soul Core – Kokora Soul Core – Yagyo Soldier Soul Core – Sunakake-baba Soul Core
Guardian Spirit	Nekomata

1. Weapons & Armor

During your first playthrough in Nioh 3, replacing your current gear with more powerful weapons and items is essential. The first playthrough should be focused on progression, not optimization, so sticking to a single weapon or an armor throughout the entire playthrough isn’t required, since you’ll be constantly obtaining new items with every boss and enemy.

For your weapons, pick the Dual Swords with the highest level in your inventory in Nioh 3. If you’re looking for something specific, aim for the Little Crow & Quickdraw as your primary weapon. This weapon has multiple Special Effects, from Life Drain, Reduced Attack Ki Consumption, to Increased Ki Recovery Speed and Crucible Weapon Damage.

For your secondary weapon, pick the Demon Fang Kusarigama, which is equipped with Special Effects like Increased Damage Dealt and Increased Melee Ki Damage, along with its synergy with the armor you’re going to pick. Next, for the armor set, go for the Iga Jonin Armor Set, a light armor set that promotes agility and damage. Here’s what you need:

• Iga Jonin Headband
• Iga Jonin Cuirass
• Iga Jonin Gauntlets
• Iga Jonin Waistguard
• Iga Jonin Greaves

The entire set offers major stat bonuses for your Ninja. It will not only help you deal increased damage but also improve your mobility, allowing you to perform backstabs more often in Nioh 3. Here are all the set bonuses you’ll obtain after equipping every piece of the Iga Jonin Armor Set:

• 2 Pieces: Reduces Ki consumed when dodging.
• 3 Pieces: Increases damage dealt by Ninjutsu.
• 4 Pieces: Increases running and dashing speed and grants the specified Status Enhancement when you hit an enemy with a Ninjutsu item.
• 5 Pieces: Grants a chance for stock to remain unconsumed on Ninjutsu use.
• 6 Pieces: Increases damage dealt to enemies by Ninja Tool Arts Ninjutsu.

Before you can craft this armor set, you need to complete two side quests: “Searching for a Spy” and “Demon’s Regimen”. Once you’ve completed both, head to the Blacksmith at the Eternal Rift and craft the Iga Jonin armor. The above image shows the location where you can find the “Demon’s Regimen” side quest. With the weapons and armor out of the way, let’s take a look at the Skills you’ll need in Nioh 3.

2. Foundational & Martial Arts Skills

Simply having the right weapons and armor won’t cut it in Nioh 3. You must pick the right Skills that transform you into a backstabbing demon, allowing greater movement and agility to reinforce your hit-and-run Ninja playstyle and recover Ki instantly. So, in the Ninja Style Skill Tree, here are the foundational Skills you should be looking for:

• Evade: By far the most important and useful Skill to pick as a Ninja in Nioh 3. With this skill, evading the enemy’s attack before it lands, except for Burst Attacks, will restore your Ki and increase your Ninjutsu and Arts Gauge. The evade needs to be perfectly timed to receive an additional period of invulnerability, making you more durable.
• Footstool Jump: With this Nioh 3 skill, you can perform a mid-air jump near an enemy to launch yourself off of them and rise in a specific direction, allowing you to evade attacks and look for backstabbing windows.
• Mid-Air Dodge: You can dodge mid-air with this skill unlocked, which offers greater flexibility and mobility.
• Shrapnel Bomb: Throws a shrapnel bomb in a specific area, dealing massive AoE damage to every enemy in that direction. Additionally, it inflicts Burn on enemies and deals damage over time.
• Poison Shuriken: This skill causes Poison to accumulate via the use of a Shuriken. You can throw Shurikens quickly to stack Poison and debuff enemies.
• Fire Shuriken: Throws Fire Shurikens at targets and bursts them into flames after a short period, dealing extra damage. Unlike the other Skills, this one is learned from a Handbook you’ll find from a corpse to the east of the Hamamatsu Castle Town, near a ledge.

Next, move on to the Dual Ninja Swords Skills since these will maximize the potential of this Nioh 3 build. Without these Skills, your Dual Swords won’t be dealing as much damage. So, here are the Dual Swords Skills you should aim for:

• Spinning Drill: This is a Martial Arts Skill, and one of the strongest Ninja Skills in Nioh 3. It can be performed in the air and deliver spinning slashes while falling upside-down. This is an incredibly useful Skill simply due to the number of hits it delivers, which stacks damage and drains enemy Ki quickly.
• Cloud Dancer: This Skill unlocks after completing “The Way of the Ninja: Veteran” training mission. With this Skill active, hitting an enemy with a mid-air attack will apply a special effect to yourself that raises the damage dealt by attacks. Landing another attack before the effect wears off will increase its potency.
• Water Sword (Water): With this Skill, you can cloak your weapon in water and attack, which expands the attack radius.
• Moon Shadow: This Skill unlocks after completing “The Way of the Ninja: Novice” training mission. With this Skill, you can get behind enemies who are guarding to deliver backstabs.
• Wave Slash: This Skill unlocks after completing “The Way of the Ninja: Novice” training mission in Nioh 3. This allows you to attack and jump backwards to create distance and give you breathing room.
• Spinning Dragon: This Skill is learned after defeating the All-Seeing Mage, located west of the Funaokayama Shrine in the Kamo Village. This follows up your Light Attacks with a spinning leap and a wave of slashes, delivering rapid hits in succession and dealing Burst Damage.

3. Passive Skill Management

These Skills are different from the ones you unlock in Skill Trees in Nioh 3. You need the necessary Secret Texts to learn these Skills and the Memorandums to increase their capacity. They act as passive buffs and are available in three types: Common, Ninja and Samurai, with Common being the shared Skills between both playstyles. Focus on the Ninja-exclusive skills first:

I. Counteroffensive Evade

This Skill grants the specified Status Enhancement after a successful Evade and increases damage dealt by attacks. Since evading is your primary defense as a Ninja, your damage will increase after every Perfect Evade. You can obtain this Skill from a corpse on top of a sunken roof in Nishiichi’s central area during the Heian time period, as shown in the image above in Nioh 3.

II. Venomfang Technique

This Skill increases the Poison build-up rate and Paralysis status ailments on enemies by a significant margin. A Poison-based status ailment gradually reduces health, while a Paralysis-based status ailment disables enemy movement. This Skill is obtained from a corpse next to a rotten Hot Spring in southeastern Hachijo in the Heian area, as shown on the map above.

III. Ninja Cultivation

Lastly, you’ll need the Ninja Cultivation Skill in Nioh 3, which increases Ninjutsu damage. This Skill is obtained from a corpse next to the Gaki Chief in Lake Sanaru during the Warring States period, as shown in the image above.

IV. Common Skills

With Ninja skills out of the way, it’s time to focus on the Common Skills that you’ll share between the Ninja and the Samurai styles in Nioh 3. Here are the Skills you should pick as your shared passives:

• Attack Mastery I: Increases Attack by 5. Found inside a Treasure Chest on the ground floor of a two-storey house past the Lesser Crucible in the eastern town of Hamamatsu.
• Attack Mastery II: Increases Attack by 12. Found inside a Treasure Chest in a small shed, which is accessed through a hole in the roof of an enemy base in Iinoya.
• Supreme Parry: This Skill recovers 150 Life after a successful Burst Break. Found inside a Large Chest inside a building near a lantern in Hamamatsu during the “Crucible Manifested” quest.
• Enduring Destruction: Inflicts Increased Damage Taken on an enemy after a successful Burst Break. Purchase from Sudama, the friendly Yokai, located across the Hamamatsu Castle Town Shrine.
• Awakening: Allows you to use Onmyo Magic faster. Unlocked after completing “The Way of Onmyo: Novice” training mission.

4. Stat Allocation

Stat allocation is extremely important in Nioh 3, as it will allow you to equip the right Soul Cores and Talismans as you level up. Here’s a table detailing the Core Stats along with the Allocation that you need to do to maximize the potential of this Dual Swords build:

Core Stat	Allocation
Constitution	8
Heart	20
Stamina	5
Strength	5
Skill	40
Intellect	9
Magic	45

5. Soul Cores & Talismans

Since your Magic Stat is above 45 for this Nioh 3 build, you’ll be able to equip up to six Soul Cores or Talismans into the Yin Position, which will provide additional buffs. For the Yang Position, pick the higher-level Soul Cores that offer more attack power and defense. Now, let’s take a look at the Soul Cores you’ll be needing in the Yin Position in Nioh 3:

• Ibaraki Doji Soul Core: This Soul Core gives you the Carnage Talisman, which lowers your defense, but improves your melee attack power. It’s a high-risk, high-reward Talisman with a fair trade-off.
• Kyokotsu Soul Core: This Soul Core offers the Weakness Talisman, which will lower your enemy’s defense in Nioh 3.
• Daidara Bocchi Soul Core: This Soul Core offers the Sloth Talisman, which greatly reduces the speed of your enemy. This works against bosses, making it one of the most powerful Talismans in Nioh 3.
• Koroka Soul Core: This Soul Core gives you the Explosive Shot Talisman, which launches an explosive ball of fire at enemies.
• Yagyo Soldier Soul Core: This offers the Cutting Blast Talisman, which temporarily imbues your Dual Swords with the power to release shockwaves when delivering strong attacks.
• Sunakake-baba Soul Core: Lastly, this Soul Core gives you the Devigorate Talisman, which lowers your enemy’s Attack in Nioh 3.

6. Best Guardian Spirit: Nekomata

The overall best Guardian Spirit for the Ninja in Nioh 3 is Nekomata, since it greatly increases the value of all Stats and Attributes. It offers the following Special Effects when equipped:

• Increased Ninjutsu Ki Damage
• Increased Ki Recovery Speed
• Increased Quick Attack Break
• Reduced Melee Attack Ki Consumption
• Increased Final Blow/Grapple Damage

Combining every aspect of this build will help you create the ultimate Dual Swords Ninja build and melt every boss that stands in your way in Nioh 3. YouTuber ColdBwoyy is the mastermind behind this genius Dual Swords Ninja build, and you can check out his video for an in-depth visual of how it works.

FAQs

Can I use any Dual Swords with this build?

Yes, you can use any Dual Swords with this build, preferably those that have higher levels.

Is there a way to remain in Ninja style after performing Burst Breaks?

Yes, head to System Settings, then Controls, and toggle off Style Shift & Burst Break separation.

Should I level up the Nekomata Guardian Spirit?

Yes, since it will massively increase the potency of all Special Effects that you get from Nekomata.