English Nioh 3 expands the series' combat depth with two distinct fighting styles, Samurai and Ninja, each offering its own weapons, Martial Arts, mechanics, and playstyles. With 16 weapon types now available, including the new Samurai Hoko & Shield and Ninja Hoko & Shield, choosing the right weapon for your build can be challenging. This Nioh 3 weapon tier list ranks every Samurai and Ninja weapon based on overall damage potential, versatility, Ki pressure, survivability, and effectiveness across different combat situations, helping you find the best weapon for a strong Nioh 3 build.
The latest update also changes the weapon meta in several ways. Alongside the two new Hoko & Shield weapons, bug fixes have improved the reliability of several existing Martial Arts, while build and scaling options give weapons such as the Axe more potential than they had in the original ranking. We've considered these changes, along with current player testing, when ranking each weapon in this updated Nioh 3 tier list.
Since Nioh 3 encourages experimentation with different builds and Martial Arts, you may also want to practice new combos, test weapons, or farm gear without being tied to your PC. OSLink lets you remotely play Nioh 3 from your phone while the game runs on your PC, making it easier to experiment with different builds and continue your progression wherever you are.
Nioh 3 S Tier Weapons — Best Samurai and Ninja Weapons
These weapons provide the highest overall performance in Nioh 3, combining exceptional damage, strong Ki pressure, versatility, and reliable performance across different combat situations. The new DLC also introduces Ninja Hoko & Shield, which currently stands out for its powerful combo potential and parry-based mechanics. Whether you prefer Samurai or Ninja combat, these are the weapons that offer the strongest overall performance when mastered.
| Weapon | Details |
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Switchglaive
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Samurai weapon — High versatility, stance-based combat, top-tier adaptability |
| The Switchglaive remains one of the strongest Samurai weapons thanks to its ability to transform between different forms depending on your stance. This gives it excellent flexibility for close-range combat, spacing, and crowd control. Its stance transitions and Martial Arts create smooth combo chains while maintaining strong Ki pressure, making it a highly reliable choice for both bosses and regular enemies. | |
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Spear
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Samurai weapon — Long reach, safe damage, consistent performance |
| The Spear remains one of the safest and most consistent Samurai weapons. Its excellent reach lets you control distance while dealing reliable damage without committing too heavily to close-range exchanges. Its straightforward attacks are easy to learn but offer plenty of room for skilled players to optimize spacing, Ki management, and Martial Arts. | |
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Tonfa
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Ninja weapon — Extreme Ki damage, stun potential, aggressive playstyle |
| Tonfa continues to excel at destroying enemy Ki and maintaining relentless pressure. Its rapid attacks and Martial Arts can keep enemies vulnerable while allowing skilled players to maintain aggressive chains. With a Ki-focused build, Tonfa can repeatedly pressure enemies and make it difficult for them to recover, making it particularly effective in demanding fights. | |
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Talons
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Ninja weapon — Fast aerial combos, high DPS, mobility focused |
| Talons remain one of the strongest offensive Ninja weapons, combining extremely fast attacks, aerial mobility, and sustained damage. Their ability to stay aggressive while repositioning makes them particularly effective in the hands of players who understand movement and combo timing. They remain an excellent choice for players who prioritize pure offensive pressure. | |
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Ninja Hoko & Shield
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Ninja weapon — High combo potential, powerful parries, extreme Ki pressure |
| Ninja Hoko & Shield is one of the biggest additions to the current Nioh 3 weapon meta. Player testing has revealed extremely strong ground and aerial combo potential, with some attacks capable of repeatedly staggering human enemies while consuming Ki. Its parry mechanics can also create powerful backstab opportunities, with players reporting unusually long combo chains when the mechanic is used correctly. These interactions currently make Ninja Hoko & Shield one of the most powerful and potentially overpowered weapons in the game. |
Nioh 3 A Tier Weapons — Strong and Reliable Choices
These weapons perform extremely well in most situations and can become top-tier with the right build, Martial Arts, and player skill. They are excellent choices for Nioh 3 beginners who want powerful Samurai or Ninja weapons without the extreme specialization or potentially overpowered mechanics of the current S Tier options. The DLC has also strengthened the case for Axe and introduced Samurai Hoko & Shield, giving this tier a couple of important additions.
| Weapon | Details |
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Samurai Hoko & Shield
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Samurai weapon — Defensive offense, guard-point mechanics, strong Ki pressure |
| Samurai Hoko & Shield brings a unique combination of offense and defense, with shield-based guard points integrated throughout its moveset. Perfect blocks can create strong counterattack opportunities, while several attacks are effective at keeping winded enemies staggered. Its defensive mechanics make it forgiving in difficult encounters, although some of its shield follow-ups are slower than established parry options such as Dual Swords and Odachi. | |
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Axe
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Samurai weapon — Massive damage, strong toughness synergy, forgiving playstyle |
| Axe deserves to move up from the previous B Tier placement. Its heavy attacks provide excellent raw damage, while high Toughness can make its slower playstyle considerably more forgiving. The build research also highlights Axe as a strong option for Ki trading and Victory Rush-style setups, making it more effective and versatile than the original ranking suggested. | |
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Sword (Katana)
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Samurai weapon — Balanced versatility, beginner friendly, strong Martial Arts scaling |
| The Sword remains one of the most adaptable Samurai weapons. Its balanced moveset provides reliable mobility, defense, damage, and Martial Arts options without requiring players to specialize heavily in one particular mechanic. It is an excellent choice for players who want a weapon that performs consistently across different encounters while still offering plenty of depth to master. | |
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Odachi
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Samurai weapon — Heavy damage, long reach, hybrid power playstyle |
| Odachi combines long reach with powerful attacks, making it effective against both groups of enemies and single targets. Its higher Ki demands reward careful Ki Pulse management, while its defensive Martial Arts give it useful tools for dealing with aggressive opponents. It remains one of the strongest choices for players who prefer deliberate, high-impact attacks. | |
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Cestus
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Samurai weapon — Close-range combo specialist, high skill ceiling, Ki pressure |
| Cestus remains a strong technical option for aggressive players. Its close-range combo system allows skilled users to maintain pressure while repeatedly attacking enemy Ki. Several previous Martial Art issues were also addressed through bug fixes, so there is little reason to move it below A Tier based on the information available. | |
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Dual Ninja Swords
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Ninja weapon — Fast hit-and-run combat, mobility focused DPS |
| Dual Ninja Swords remain a strong Ninja choice for players who prioritize mobility and continuous pressure. Their forward-moving attacks allow players to close distance, maintain momentum, and reposition quickly. They are less overwhelming than Ninja Hoko & Shield's current combo potential, but they remain a reliable high-tier option for aggressive Ninja builds. |
Nioh 3 B Tier Weapons — Balanced but Situational
These weapons offer solid performance throughout Nioh 3 but generally require more specific builds, favorable matchups, or greater player investment to compete with higher-tier options. They remain worthwhile choices for players who enjoy their unique mechanics and playstyles, even if they lack the consistency or power ceiling of the weapons above them.
| Weapon | Details |
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Dual Swords (Samurai)
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Samurai weapon — Fast attacks, mobility focused, high Ki consumption |
| Dual Swords remain an effective choice for aggressive Samurai players who value speed and continuous pressure. Their rapid attacks and strong defensive options allow them to stay active in combat, but their relatively high Ki demands and reliance on positioning make them less consistent than the stronger Samurai weapons. They remain particularly effective in the hands of players who can manage Ki efficiently and maintain close-range pressure. | |
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Ninja Sword
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Ninja weapon — Versatile moveset, balanced damage, adaptable playstyle |
| The Ninja Sword is one of the more flexible Ninja weapons, offering smooth combos, mobility, and reliable damage across a variety of situations. It can fit comfortably into different Ninja builds and is relatively easy to pick up, but it lacks the extreme offensive specialization of Talons and the currently exceptional combo potential of Ninja Hoko & Shield. | |
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Kusarigama
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Ninja weapon — Battlefield control, range manipulation, Ki damage utility |
| Kusarigama remains a useful utility-focused Ninja weapon. Its chain-based attacks provide excellent control over enemy positioning and allow players to manipulate spacing while applying pressure to enemy Ki. However, its damage potential generally requires more setup than the higher-ranked Ninja weapons, keeping it in B Tier for overall performance. |
Nioh 3 C Tier Weapons — Niche or High Effort Options
These weapons have unique mechanics and can still perform well in the right hands, but they generally require more specialized playstyles, tighter resource management, or more favorable situations to compete with higher-tier options. They remain viable choices for players who enjoy their mechanics, but they are currently less consistent for overall progression than the weapons in S, A, and B Tier.
| Weapon | Details |
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Split Staff
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Ninja weapon — Long reach, combo potential, very high Ki consumption |
| Split Staff offers excellent reach and a flexible moveset with strong combo potential, making it useful for controlling groups and maintaining pressure. However, its heavy Ki consumption can become a significant drawback during extended encounters. Players who overcommit to its longer combinations can quickly run out of Ki, making careful Ki management especially important. Its resource demands keep it below the more consistent higher-tier Samurai options. | |
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Hatchets
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Ninja weapon — Ranged throws, flexible positioning, lower boss DPS |
| Hatchets provide a distinctive Ninja playstyle built around ranged throws, mobility, and controlling the distance between you and your target. This gives them useful safety and positioning options, but their overall damage output can struggle to match stronger Ninja weapons, particularly in longer boss encounters. Their ranged utility makes them effective in specific situations, but their lower damage ceiling keeps them as a more situational choice overall. |
Pre-set Keymaps for Easy Play
Nioh 3 Best Samurai and Ninja Weapons Recommendation
Choosing the best weapon in Nioh 3 depends on your preferred playstyle and how comfortable you are with mechanics such as Ki management, stance switching, parrying, and combo timing. The latest DLC also adds Samurai Hoko & Shield and Ninja Hoko & Shield, giving players new options built around defensive counters and aggressive combo mechanics. Based on overall performance, versatility, and current build potential, the following weapons stand out for specific playstyles.
| Category | Weapon | Best For | Why It’s Strong | Recommended Martial Arts / Playstyle |
| Samurai |
Switchglaive
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Best Overall Samurai Weapon | Excellent versatility through stance transformations, strong combo flow, reliable Ki pressure, and adaptability across different encounters. | Stance-transition combos, Flux-based transitions, high-stance finishers |
| Samurai |
Samurai Hoko & Shield
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Best Defensive Samurai Weapon | Combines offensive pressure with integrated shield guard points and perfect-block mechanics. Strong against aggressive enemies and particularly effective when exploiting winded-enemy stagger opportunities. | Perfect blocks, guard-point attacks, shield counter follow-ups, Ki-pressure combos |
| Samurai |
Spear
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Best Safe and Consistent Weapon | Excellent reach and spacing control make it one of the safest weapons for maintaining reliable damage while minimizing unnecessary risk. | Long-range thrusts, spacing tools, Ki Pulse mobility, high-stance attacks |
| Samurai |
Axe
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Best Heavy Damage & Toughness Weapon | Massive damage combined with strong Toughness synergy makes Axe more forgiving than its slow speed suggests. It also performs well in Ki-trading and Victory Rush-style builds. | Heavy attacks, Ki trading, Toughness-focused builds, Victory Rush setups |
| Ninja |
Ninja Hoko & Shield
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Best Current Ninja Weapon | Exceptional combo potential, strong stagger pressure, and powerful parry interactions can produce extremely long ground and aerial chains. Player testing has also reported powerful backstab interactions that may be subject to future balance changes. | Parry timing, Strong Attack chains, aerial combos, backstab setups |
| Ninja |
Talons
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Best Traditional Offensive Ninja Weapon | Extremely fast attacks, aerial mobility, and sustained DPS make Talons one of the strongest choices for aggressive players who don't want to rely on the newer Hoko mechanics. | Aerial combo extensions, dodge attacks, mobility chains, multi-hit finishers |
| Ninja |
Tonfa
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Best Ki Damage and Control Weapon | Exceptional Ki pressure allows Tonfa users to keep enemies vulnerable while maintaining relentless close-range attacks. Ki-focused builds further strengthen this playstyle. | Demon Dance, Pulverise chains, rapid strike sequences, Ki-focused builds |
| Ninja |
Dual Ninja Swords
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Best Mobility-Focused Ninja Weapon | Fast movement and forward momentum make Dual Ninja Swords excellent for hit-and-run combat, repositioning, and maintaining pressure without committing to the more unusual Hoko mechanics. | Forward-moving attacks, dash follow-ups, mobility chains, rapid combo extensions |
Conclusion
Nioh 3 gives players plenty of freedom to build around different weapons, Martial Arts, and combat styles. While Switchglaive, Spear, Tonfa, Talons, and the new Ninja Hoko & Shield currently stand out for their overall performance, the best Samurai or Ninja weapon ultimately depends on your playstyle, build, and mastery of its unique mechanics. The latest DLC also adds new options like Samurai Hoko & Shield and Ninja Hoko & Shield, while weapons such as Axe have become more competitive with the right build. Experiment with different weapons and Martial Arts to find what feels most effective for you, and tools like OSLink can make it easier to practice combos, test builds, or farm gear by letting you play Nioh 3 remotely from your phone while your PC runs the game.
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