Nioh 3 Weapon System Explained#
Nioh 3 has doubled the weapon roster compared to earlier entries in the series: 14 melee weapons in total, split by Samurai and Ninja styles, plus 3 ranged weapons — and DLC1 adds two more, the Spear & Shield and Ninja Spear & Shield. This page lays out the verified full weapon list along with the mechanics that define it: the “highest of three stats” scaling rule, Crucible weapons, and the bow’s instant-kill headshots. Official martial arts lists and per-weapon damage figures have not been published, so this page does not speculate; the incomplete 6-weapon roster left over from the older version of this guide has been fully corrected against official information.
As with everything else on NTGame, anything the developers haven’t confirmed stays blank rather than filled with guesses.
Full Weapon List#
Samurai-Style Melee Weapons (7)#
| Weapon | Role |
|---|---|
| Sword | The standard samurai katana, balanced between offense and defense |
| Dual Swords | Dual-wield rapid combos |
| Spear | Mid-range thrusting attacks |
| Axe | Heavy, high-power strikes |
| Odachi | A massive blade with sweeping, committed swings |
| Switchglaive | A hybrid sickle and naginata weapon |
| Cestus | Fist-type weapons for close-range brawling |
Ninja-Style Melee Weapons (7)#
| Weapon | Role |
|---|---|
| Ninja Sword | The ninja’s standard-issue blade |
| Ninja Dual Swords | Ninja-style dual wielding |
| Kusarigama | A hybrid sickle and chain weapon |
| Tonfa | A short-handled spinning weapon |
| Hatchets | Small axes usable for throwing and in melee |
| Splitstaff | A staff that extends and retracts |
| Talons | Ninja-style claw gauntlets |
Ranged Weapons (3)#
| Weapon | Notes |
|---|---|
| Bow | Headshots are an instant kill against human enemies (confirmed by this site) |
| Matchlock Gun | Standard firearm |
| Hand Cannon | Heavy firearm |
DLC1 Additions (2)#
| Weapon | Style | Traits |
|---|---|---|
| Spear & Shield (Shield Spear) | Samurai style | Short spear plus shield — offense and defense in one |
| Ninja Spear & Shield (Ninja Shield Spear) | Ninja style | Same core design, blended with Ninja-style mobility |
Grand total: 14 melee + 3 ranged + 2 DLC1 additions = 19 weapons. Style assignment is a hard boundary — the Kusarigama, Tonfa, Splitstaff, Hatchets, and Talons are Ninja-style weapons and cannot be used in Samurai style.
Weapon Scaling: Highest of Three Stats#
Weapon damage scaling in this entry uses a “designate three stats, take the highest” system:
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Rule | Each weapon designates three stats, and only the highest of the three takes effect |
| In practice | Before swapping weapons, check whether its designated stats match where you’ve put your points |
| Remodeling | Forge remodeling can change a weapon’s scaling stats — see Items & Equipment System Explained |
This rule makes raising a new weapon far cheaper than in previous games: as long as one of the three designated stats is one of your strengths, that weapon will scale properly.
Crucible Weapons#
Crucible weapons are the most unusual category in the entire weapon system:
| Mechanic | Details |
|---|---|
| Acquisition | Dropped by The Crucible missions; since version 1.06, minor Crucible battles on open-field maps drop them as well |
| Cost | The wielder suffers continuous life drain even while outside the Crucible |
| Reward | Each one carries a random Crucible martial art, learned once familiarity is maxed out |
Whether to use a Crucible weapon is fundamentally a risk calculation — trading health for martial arts: the sturdier your sustain tools (Guardian Spirit skills, soul transformations, recovery items), the more that blade is worth.
Tactical Value of Ranged Weapons#
Two verified threads define the tactical role of ranged weapons in this entry:
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Bow headshots are lethal | Against human enemies, a single bow headshot kills instantly |
| Exploration use | Sniping human enemies at strongholds first on open-field maps is a legitimate way to cut down the cost of fights |
Exact figures for the Matchlock Gun and Hand Cannon have not been published, so this site won’t fill in a table.
Martial Arts and Weapons#
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Martial arts loadout | Martial arts must be equipped manually — they don’t all come auto-equipped |
| Crucible martial arts | Crucible weapons carry a random Crucible martial art, learned at max familiarity |
| Reinforcement | Samurai-style weapons are reinforced through Arts Proficiency |
Full martial arts lists for each weapon have not been published, and this site won’t invent them entry by entry; for the broader skill system, see Martial Arts, Ninjutsu & Onmyo Magic Explained.
Styles and Weapon Pairings#
| Style | Available melee weapons | Key synergies |
|---|---|---|
| Samurai style | Sword, Dual Swords, Spear, Axe, Odachi, Switchglaive, Cestus | Pairs with the three-stance system, Ki Pulse, and Deflect |
| Ninja style | Ninja Sword, Ninja Dual Swords, Kusarigama, Tonfa, Hatchets, Splitstaff, Talons | Pairs with high-speed movement, Evade, and Ninjutsu hit-and-run tactics |
The practical process for picking a weapon: settle on your main style → pick whichever of its 7 weapons feels comfortable → check whether its three designated stats match your build. For tactics on switching between styles, see Samurai & Ninja Dual Styles Explained.
FAQ#
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many weapons does the game have? | 14 melee (7 Samurai + 7 Ninja) + 3 ranged; DLC1 adds the Spear & Shield and Ninja Spear & Shield |
| Is the Kusarigama a Samurai weapon? | No — the Kusarigama belongs to the Ninja style; it is not among the Samurai style’s 7 weapons |
| Can the bow really one-shot people? | Headshots on human enemies are an instant kill (confirmed by this site) |
| Is constant health drain from Crucible weapons normal? | Yes — it is the built-in cost of the mechanic; max out familiarity to learn the weapon’s Crucible martial art |
| Where can I check per-weapon damage numbers? | Official per-entry figures have not been published and this site won’t fabricate them; in-game data is the final authority |
Closing Thoughts#
Three things about Nioh 3’s weapon system are worth remembering: the 14 melee weapons are split strictly by style, and borrowing weapons across styles simply is not a thing; scaling follows the “highest of three designated stats” rule, so trying a new weapon costs less than you might expect; and Crucible weapons are a risk trade — constant bleeding in exchange for special martial arts. As for each weapon’s complete martial arts list: what the developers have not published, this site would rather leave blank than re-skin last game’s table with a new header.
— 龙追日, Editor-in-Chief, NTGame