Nioh: 13 Things The Game Doesn't Tell You

Nioh is a mechanically rich action-RPG that sometimes glosses over the importance of its many moving parts. While it does its best to inform you of its critical mechanics, there are times when they might simply fly over your head. That's why we've gathered together a series of tips to help you understand and embrace the things the game fails to tell you in detail.

Are there other things the game doesn't tell you that you don't see here? Let us know in the comments below.

If you're still on the fence about Nioh, read our Review in Progress to find out our initial thoughts about the game. In addition, you can look at our review roundup to see what other critics think. And you can also check out the game's coolest armor sets for a sneak peak at the loot you may find if you take our tips to heart.

For more about the history of Nioh, check out our feature discussing how the game is a return to form for its developer Team Ninja, as well as our feature on its evolution from JRPG to action game.

It's worth noting that in the first area of the game, you can't level up your character. The shrines you encounter in this area are only used to fully heal and nothing more.

After completing Nioh's introductory dungeon, you're given the option to play a tutorial mission. It's highly recommended that you complete this in order to better understand the game's main mechanics. But even more important is completing the additional tutorials you unlock as you progress through the game. These can be highly beneficial in teaching you the complexities and nuances of each mechanic, as well as unlocking more advanced Skills from the Learn Skills menu. To access tutorials, go to the Starting Point and choose the Dojo option.

This might seem obvious to Souls veterans, but for newcomers, don't forget to use Amrita Stones. These are usable items that can grant you a certain amount of Amrita points i.e. experience points. They're particularly handy in providing you the extra Amrita you need to level up when going out to kill more enemies proves too risky. Be wary, Amrita Stones also boost your Guardian Spirit gauge, so be mindful of that as you play. They could be best used to level up before attempting to fight a boss.

You can also sell weapons, equipment, and items you don't need at a shrine for Amrita via the Make Offering option. If you sell enough, you'll be rewarded with additional items, such as Elixirs, Sacred Waters, and Spirit Stones.

While it might not seem apparent at first, there's actually an Equipment Weight mechanic in the game. Each piece of armor has its own weight value, and a full suit can add up pretty quickly. Note how the font color changes from green to yellow at the top right of the Equipment screen when you exceed a certain weight. The higher the percentage is, the more Ki your attacks and dodges will consume; your movement speed is also affected.

Understand your playstyle to manage your Equipment Weight accordingly. If you value mobility, staying at a lighter weight is ideal, but if you prefer slow, powerful weaponry, stick to a heavier weight. It's important that you never let your Equipment Weight exceed 100% as your attacks and evasive maneuvers will consume nearly half your Ki per action.

Each piece of armor you find has distinct special effects that grant you a variety of bonuses such as damage reduction, Amrita bonuses, and increased dash endurance. However, in order to access them, you need to meet that armor's statistical parameters, which are listed at the bottom of its description in the equipment screen. For example, the foot piece of the Warlord Armor requires your Stamina to be at seven and your Strength at six. Be mindful of parameters whenever you equip armor, as not meeting them makes a piece of armor only half as useful as it could be.

Your Guardian Spirit does more than simply trigger your Living Weapon ability; it also offers you a set of passive stat bonuses. Each Guardian Spirit has its own distinct set of bonuses that transfer to you when you equip it. For example, equipping Daiba-washi gives you added spirit protection, evasion Ki usage, equipment drop rate, quick attack damage, and luck. To check a Guardian Spirit's bonuses, pray at a shrine and choose the Change Guardian Spirit option.

As you accumulate more Guardian Spirits, acquaint yourself with their bonuses in order to better understand which one suits your playstyle or a specific combat situation. Like the Special Effects of Armor, some Guardian Spirits require your Spirit stat to be at a certain level in order to fully take advantage of its bonuses.

Nioh has an internal achievement system called Titles, which allows you to earn additional stat bonuses. There are two achievement lists in total: Agyo and Ungyo. Each offers different challenges that demand you fulfill distinct conditions. For example, the Swordsman Adept Title requires you to defeat 100 human enemies with a sword. The more you diversify the types of attacks you use, including non-weapon attacks like throwing bombs, the more likely you'll earn a new Title.

Upon earning a Title you'll receive Reputation Points. Once you've accumulated enough, you'll gain a Prestige Point which you can use to acquire a stat bonus in the Prestige Summary screen.

When you explore an area, keep an eye out for Kodama, which are small, green yokai that wear soup cups as hats. If you encounter a Kodama, approach it and hold circle to send it back to a shrine. While Kodama seem like a meaningless collectible, they're actually incredibly useful. For every five you collect, you increase the max number of elixirs you can hold at a time.

In addition, the number you collect affects the percentages of the Kodama Blessings you receive at a Shrine. Kodama blessings are passive buffs that you can purchase at a Shrine. Each blessing is associated with a specific type of Kodama; there are five types in total with five of each to find in a region. The more you collect of a specific type, the higher the percentage its respective blessing will be.

It's important to note that whenever you reach a new region, the Kodama Blessing percentages reset. This is because each region has its own set of 25 Kodama to collect.

Do not forget or underestimate the value of the techniques that are available to you via the Learn Skills menu. They're each capable of providing you with a wealth of new offensive or defensive maneuvers. For example, the Onmyo-Jutsu's Sloth Talisman allows you to slow down the movement speed of opponents, while the Leg Sweep trips enemies into a vulnerable state. These are but two of many techniques that are pivotal game-changers. Always take the time to spend your Skill points whenever possible.

As you acquire Skills for a particular weapon, you'll start to notice that multiple Skills are executed using the same button press or sequence. It's possible to assign these skills to be used while in certain stances. For instance, you can assign the Kick Skill to to the Mid Stance, and the Morning Moon Skill to the High Stance. Take the time to see how a Skill pairs with a particular stance, as a calculated understanding of the combinations can better your offensive abilities in the long run.

Like the Souls games, Nioh allows you to summon a player to support you in battle. To do this, you'll first need an Ochoko Cup, which is a special item dropped by enemies or found in the environment. Once you find an Ochoko Cup, pray at a shrine and choose the Summon Visitor option; this will bring an available player into your game. Keep in mind that if you die while a visitor is in your game, you'll need to restart the process of summoning them after respawning.

It's worth noting that a visitor can only inhabit your world if they've beaten the respective mission you're on. In addition, your shrine access is restricted; you can only pray once at each of a particular mission's shrines.

While Nioh lets it be known that the Ki Pulse is an important combat mechanic, don't feel pressured to use it if it doesn't fit your playstyle. The game provides you with myriad solutions in a fight, such as offensive item use, hit-and-run tactics, Ninjutsu, Onmyo-Jutsu, and more. These methods are equally viable towards helping you survive and will more than likely prove just as effective as the more advanced-techniques of the Ki Pulse.

As you progress in Nioh, you might begin to regret how you spent your hard earned Amrita points to level your character's various stats. Luckily, you're not bound to your past decisions, as there's an item that allows you to completely respec all of your stats and skills. The item is called the Book of Reincarnation, and it sells at Tome's Blacksmith shop for 10,000 gold. Be wary, it completely resets your character's level upon use, and it cannot be used in the middle of a mission.