Nioh 3 Best Weapons: Tier List for Samurai & Ninja Styles

Nioh 3 bifurcates its arsenal of over 14 weapon types into two distinct combat styles, each with proprietary mechanics.

Weapons by Combat Style

Combat Style	Core Weapons	Primary Advantage
Samurai	Sword, Dual Swords, Spear, Axe, Odachi, Switchglaive, Cestus	Stance switching, Deflect, Arts Proficiency
Ninja	Ninja Sword, Dual Ninja Swords, Kusarigama, Tonfa, Hatchets, Splitstaff, Talons	Double jump, double dodge, backstab bonus, Mist

Samurai Weapons

• Sword (Katana) - Most balanced option, appears in both styles
• Odachi - High reach and damage, slower but safer
• Spear - Excellent range for beginners
• Cestus - Community favorite for "stagger-locking" potential

Ninja Weapons

• Talons - High-speed martial arts, community favorite
• Tonfa - Fast pressure and combo potential
• Kusarigama - Versatile range options
• Dual Ninja Swords - Quick strikes and mobility

Starter Recommendations

• Want reach + safety? Try Spear or Odachi (Samurai)
• Want fast pressure? Try Dual Swords or Tonfa
• Want versatility? Sword works in both styles

A significant QoL change is the unified attribute scaling: every weapon now shares at least one core stat with another, allowing for much more flexible multi-weapon builds without compromising DPS.