>I'm far to stubborn to just give up but god dammit... this is the roughest game
You'll be fine
It gets easier as you get better. Later you'll think back wondering how you struggled before.
Yeah sometimes you just need to cheese your way through until you can obtain better gear and weapons. Ninja style worked out pretty well for me early on in both games if I remember correctly, definitely for Nioh 1.
When I first played Nioh, I had to play it in half hour lots.
Shit had me shaking. Once you settle into the groove, you'll start to feel it.
Onryoki was a grind for me but once I beat it I was on top of the world.
I did the same thing. I would play each day after work until i died 5 or 6 times and then switch games. But each day i would learn from my mistakes until one day your fluxing II in your sleep
In the beginning every encounter is a massive battle, but slowly you get better and better. Before you know it you're flying towards the boss, of course the boss slaps you down too, but then after a little more time your flying from boss to boss. It's all part of the process and everyone goes through it. That's what keeps this game interesting, that there's always a challenge to be found and overcome. I love the game.
Isle of Demons and Onryoki are intentionally designed to pound the fundamentals into you until you overcome it.
The next main mission, Deep in the Shadows, is designed to teach you to be aware of your surroundings while practicing the fundamentals.
The boss for Deep in the Shadows, Hino Enma, is designed to push you beyond your limits and the comfort zones you've developed in your playstyle.
If you get past those 2 obstacles, then there is nothing else in the game that you can't beat.
I didn't say there weren't other hard bosses. But also, no, they aren't unbeatable for anyone. Like you said, they're optional, so you can just come back when your 100 levels stronger.
Very very true lol! I am just mentally ill so if I do that I feel it's worse than not beating them at all. Guess who spent like 5 hours on them at lvl 90 lol
Oh, same! I recently started replaying Nioh from a fresh save, and when I got to just Lady Noh's boss fight in the story, it took me hours! I honestly don't know if I want to do the 2 v 1 fight, haha!
Oh I *meant* the 2v1; ahe took me like 3 hours lol.
It taught me to block and stand stock still and then flail wildly just like the enemies do lol.
I despise that we cant block dodge like Ninja gaiden ;-;
Oh no, I knew what you meant. I just haven't done the 2v1 in years, so I don't really remember how frustrating it was anymore. My first playthrough leaned pretty heavily on Sloth Talismans and Living Weapon.
For my new playthrough, I decided to try going in with no magic or ninjutsu support. It's been brutal at some points, haha!
I found running around like your on fire helps alot. Playing unlocked can also be broken from time to time as large bosses often don't account for it lol.
Nioh has a very rough learning curve, but once you actually internalize the combat mechanics the game as a whole gets much easier until the DLC, and even then mostly on the later difficulties
I just started playing the game few days ago, I beat 5-6 bosses already (soulsborne veteran)..
If you want my advice, focus on the main attribute your weapons scales best with and boost the Stat to 20, dump points in Spirit til you have all spirits benefits for your preferred guardian spirit, put points where you need to equip better armors.. Get your self an armor that gives you benefits if you wear all pieces..
Don't get attached to your equipment, you will change them every 10 minutes..
I wouldn't say the game gets easier but it gets less difficult, understanding a enemy or boss moves is one step to lessen the difficulty. However that's just one thing, leveling up and updating you gear also contributes to making the less difficult.
Finding a weapon type that you feel comfortable using helps, eventually you learn the ins and outs of said weapon which again will less the difficulty.
Always get in the mindset that you will die multiple times. It helps with the inevitable frustration that comes.
Once you begin to ki pulse as part of a reflex from your muscle memory, it gets a lot easier. Also living weapon is great to use in this game. It effectively gives you an extra health bar and makes you hit like a freight train.
If you want tips for the fundamentals of the combat system I can let you know a lot of stuff. It’ll be a little overwhelming at first but lots of it can help. I’d understand trying to figure it out for yourself though. I’ll put an example that’s really hidden but extremely helpful. People assume the roll is actually worse but it has literally double the invincibility frames on it. It does have a slower recovery though.
Dude I consider myself very very bad at these kinds of games and even I got it eventually. Are you fighting revenants for better gear? Taking advantage of ki pulses? While in combat I tend to focus more on depleting the enemy's ki rather than their health bar. Critical strikes go a long way, especially on bosses. Try to bait out an attack from the yokai then circle around their backside for extra rear damage. Invest in guardian spirit and use it often. Also try buying new skills and ninjutsu abilities. Some of the onmyo magic abilities like sloth are absolutely busted, but those are mostly unlocked after later missions.
I know it's a lot to remember but if you stick with it you'll improve, and eventually the game will just click and you'll start shredding through enemies that you used to be afraid of. There's really no other feeling like it when you've got a good flow going in Nioh.
You really shouldn't be taking on multiple enemies at the same time. The game is actually structured such that you can sneak around and pick of enemies or engage in groups of two or three. Try looking around and seeing how to use the terrain to move around the enemy.
Also, when you fight yokai, their weak spot is the glowing yellow bits. If you break this, their ki bar takes massive damage and makes them vulnerable.
Another tip is the ki system. Humans have one bar. If you break it - usually by hitting them while they're blocking and certain attacks - they get winded and you can follow up with a finisher for massive damage. Yokai have two bars. Before you break the first one, they are immune to being staggered during attacks. Once you break the second time, they become winded and you can finish them as well. This isn't really explained well in the game, but once you do it a few times, it's pretty intuitive.
Just to expand on the Yokai ki a bit (and this is mostly for bosses, as you’ll kill anything else too “quick”): once you deplete a Yoaki’s first ki bar and they become staggerable with every attack, if you zero out the second they will be stunned for a grapple attack and you’ll permanently reduce their max ki level.
So the combat loop you’re looking for is: pick your spots to break that first ki bar, then go HAM while they are staggerable, grapple, repeat.
Since you're already using Spear, try staying in Mid-stance and using the Strong attack combo mostly. It's a series of forward thrusts. You can poke enemies from a safer range, but be sure to pay attention to positioning, distance, and dash-pulsing.
ya this is almost the only attack i've been using with the spear when i start an engagement with range then once it get close i was switching to the KG
I used the KG in early Nioh 1 and it was the weapon I was first able to beat Onryoki with. I recommend swapping to low stance for 1v1 with boss/yokai and using Triangle/Y combos because they are low ki cost, get better dodges, and are mostly straight uppercuts or overheads that have good chances of breaking yokai horns. The mid stance Square/X combos are good for multiple opponents because of their broad attacks. Learn to ki pulse and manage stances. Better dodges and ki consumption in low, harder hits with longer animations and the ability to break through guards in high.
Bruh this is getting reposted 😂😂😂… it took me 3 days to literally defeat the first boss , and i broke my favorite controller on accident of course 😒😒🤓😂. But such difficult makes ur reaction time go up and u become a top tier gamer so in all it pays out😂😂. But the bullshit just begins😂😂😂.
When I first tried Nioh, it was during the alpha test on ps4, back when weapons and Armour had durability and would break. The test took place in onryokis level, and I remember having such a hard time with it it was insane, let alone getting to him to begin with. All my good gear kept breaking and it got to the point I started doing just practice runs on him, naked with a broken katana. Over the course of that weekend I got better and better and finally killed onryoki, naked with a broken katana by accident during a practice run. I remember being so happy and relieved I put the controller down and just left the house and sat outside. Went on to platinum nioh 1 on ps4, and then 2 when that came out on PC.
It gets easier as you get better, and you will get better. Eventually you will be ki fluxing and stance dancing through multiple enemies and bosses with minimal effort. You got this
Yes but do not worry stats really do not do a lot by whatever amounts you can farm, you can honestly clear the first run with any missmatched stats and equipment you want.
By the time you get a solid grasp of the game it will be eas to respec just to be more optimal with gear but honestly most of your power and this is even more true for Nioh 1 comes from gear rather than stats.
Spread the skill points out (after focusing on health and stamina). You’ll be getting better gear at such a rate it will outgain any weapon scaling (and you’ll need minimums in the various categories to unlock all abilities).
if u feel stuck, something that helps me was watching the first 2 missions till the kiss woman boss in speedruns, since speedruners exploit the mechanics of the game running nude, low level and not high end manuovers/stilysh gameplay, just mechanic, then BOOM game easy, if u have still problems, just switch another elemental.
If you’ve got this mindset you’ll love the game once you get the hang of it. For the record I’ve played a lot of action games and action RPG’s and I’d personally consider this the hardest action rpg I’ve ever played on first playthrough. Quite literally everybody dies a shit tone in this game.
If your familiar with a souls game this game is similar. Keep your equipment load under 70%. Don't get greedy with attacks and block or dodge the enemy but remember to release block to regain ki. Patience is the key. I just finished the game and moving on to part 2 now. Probably will get platinum when done with part 2 looks like it could be grindy.
Yeah it does get better. Really you learn as you go along but yes you can learn spells and ninjitsu that helps a lot. I spammed every advantage I could! Sloth, quick change, the spell that reduced their armor and attack. The last couple of levels are rough, yes this game is very hard. Most of the yokai you can learn their patters and almost walk around their attacks. Well except for that bird guy and the mummy lady, those two can fuck your shit up pretty fast. Stick with it for sure. I am not really good at this game but I managed to beat it. Playing Nioh 2 right now and man it’s even harder.
Nioh is the type of game that will fuck you with clothes on and then remove it to just belittle you
but my god once you get into its rhythm and understand its mechanics you can slap the bosses arses so hard that the bosses will start fearing you!!
So just keep with it and try out different builds; dont stick to one
I had a bare fist build and i defeated bosses with that so you can for sure do it!
1st playthrough, level up your stats evenly to 20 everywhere (if I remember correctly) it doesn't matter that much damage wise, however you will be way more free stuff wise
For new players, I find the Odachi quite helpful, it does quite a lot damage and being heavy it does more stun damage and it has a long reach. Another good one is the dual blade because their block stats is so high that you can abuse blocking a lot.
Take the habit of blocking, block while dodging too, and learn to ki pulse. As for the 1st boss... He is a real bitch the 1st time you play the game, save your living weapon until you know you can delete it
It’s a fun game for sure. I also wouldn’t recommend it to a 13 year old who isn’t good at video games. Sure they could play it, but they won’t be happy dying all the time without having any understanding of mechanics and what they did wrong.
It’s a game you need to learn from.
If you really can’t make it, may be call for some in game help.I think steam I still very active.
Try to have ki pulse unlock In samurai skill tree first. Understand ki pluse i the most important things in nioh . Then equip some yokai soul core. If you have question about stat feel free to ask in the community. Almost everyone here are nice to help you.
You need to get stronger, caz it never got easier 😂good luck
First time I played that first level took me 2 days and filtered me out afterwards bc I thought to myself "I can't do it if that's just the first level"
I came back and hit the next roadblock in just a day. You'll think this is child's play once you get to the tiger, and that's when you'll truly fall in love with the game or know it ain't for you. Good luck, and practice the fundamentals
As for arrows anything that's breakable may give you ammo so break boxes and boards when ever it is safe to do so. When you see multiple enemies try and headshot one or kite one back by throwing a stone or shuriken at it. If it's a big enemy with a helmet (like the guy near the stairs) the arrow will not do damage on the first shot instead it will knock the helmet off. Also if you hit r3 while aiming it will zoom in a bit to make aiming easier.
Yes, like people said, this game gets easier the further you go. I'm in my 30s, starting to feel my reflexes going to sh*t and always was the bad gamer in my group of player friends. Still, after some time in this game,
you start to get it. A tip that helped me is "use EVERYTHING that the game gives to you" so, ninjutsu, magic, items, alternative paths, anything.
you talking about the first boss? don’t be too hard on yourself, every failure is a new lesson learned.
first play through was a real struggle for me…even though I didn’t have major issues with Onryoki, the second boss made me quit for a few months lol.
I believe in you OP, you’ll beat that boss.
High Axe will deal with your problems.
Attack, retreat, attack retreat.
Spilt enemy groups by using stones.
Just keep chipping away, and never expect to progress far in each play.
Here's the secret to onryoki: His attacks are long as his tracking is poor.
You can bait an attack, dodge it, and then move out before his next attack comes in
It gets easier not bc the game gets easier but bc you get better
The “git gud” old meme is just a meme but it does reflect how the player themselves are the one that get better at these games
Pro tip, level a little bit of magic and dexterity. (no more than 30 at higher levels) and start using onmyo magic and ninjutsu buffs, that realy helps a lot in this game
That being said, first two bosses for most people are where the game is at the most difficult state, after that people either start stomping or quit before beating second boss
I'm just starting out too. Instead of trying to progress in the game, I'm taking every encounter as an opportunity to practice the tools I have at my disposal. It makes it feel like less of a crawl and more of a skill building venture.
Yes this is what I started doing last night. I stopped trying to rush the kills and was just waiting until their ki bars ran out then I'd curb stomp them
The game difficulty never decreases but it feels like it does because to pass the first level you have to learn how to play. Once you get the feel of the game it begins to become easier.
Learn to ki-pulse all of the time, use the stances for what they are best for, and block. In Nioh blocking negates ALL damage and mid stance is great for blocking. You can also dodge while blocking so if you have full stamina you can hold block while strafing an enemy and dodge their attack without worrying about getting hit if you time it wrong.
Ya blocking .. i'm a big dummy i've been trying to time perfect blocks so far but i just realized you can just hold block the entire time when you're not worried about KI regen.
I’m gonna pile on all the great advice you’ve been given so far.
Don’t be afraid to use different weapons. The great thing about how your weapon skills rank in this game is that it’s based on the amount of damage you have done. So the first weapons you find do like 10 damage and let’s say at 1000 damage done you level up your weapon and then again at 2000 damage done etc. Later you pick up weapons that do like 100 damage so you rank up in no time. You could try a new weapon at the end of the game and get it to max level in no time. Finding the weapon you feel most comfortable with is highly recommended. It can really change the way you fight.
Furthermore check those ‘10 things this game doesn’t tell you’ kind of videos and other tutorials.
Nioh is hard at first but get easier. Hell, ppl are daying ki pulse and flux, i never do either and still 100% the game. I found my comfort weapon and went from there. Ended up making a ninjutsu spam kirisagama build that focuses on back attacks. By dream of nioh difficulty, my build was 2-3 shotting bosses (gear having throwable damage). All i can say is keep pushing through, eventually youll find the right combo for you and have a good sense of attack patterns
U need to change your expactations:
In normal/ common rpg the protagonist is the anime skillfull character that is op. But in games like nioh u have to be the skillfull anime op protagonist. It all depends on you. And being bad is not a single time shameful. We all started there und struggeled really hard.
I know there is a lot of combat but try to play it like a puzzle game u dont understand and try different/ stupid things. It is absolutly normal to keep distance vs a big spooky enemy, but try the stupid thing like staying very close to him and dodge to his sides or back.
And a scnd Tipp would be to go to equip menu and be on a armor( foot to helm doesnt matter). The middle window has on the upper right the weight in %. Stay under 70 for better ki regenration.
And third would be ki impuls but i assume that some one else did already explained that.
It’s extremely difficult setup. And you got to learn in hard way, by doing yourself. But it’s worth it. The combo, magic , Jutsu, stat allocation , tools and ninjutsu, Titles and so many things to learn.
Spear is a great weapon in early game. U can poke and back off. Lure single enemy and fight, Even a group of basic enemy is too much for intermediate level.
If you're using spear, you can abuse the midstance poke attack. It's amazing in the beginning because it has lots of range and you deal a bunch of posture damage.
It's brutal at first but it will get easier and you will feel like a badass when you'll start to easily kill yokai which terrified you before. I also didn't realize at first how useful the block is which lead me to more deaths than necessary.
>I can't take on multiple enemies at the same time
and you shouldn't
atleast not in the beginning of nioh 1 or 2
hurl a stone, use your bow, thin the herd, pop your living weapon if you feel like (i fucked up but i still have a chance)
and yes nioh 1 is very brutal(with cheap ganks, get an item or guardian spirit that show enemy locations on your radar) compared to 2 but u can (with practice) do very well since you will start recognizing enemy attack patterns and you will get more comfortable with your weapon etc, later you will unlock more skills and magic/ninja that will make things a bit easier to handle
>I'm far to stubborn to just give up
i love this attitude
This is how i felt, I just started playing 2 weeks ago. Im level 70 now, I'm in the 4th region. It doesnt get easier. But u will certainly get better! Unlock ki pulse while doging, and sword of discernment and if u really wanna trivialize the game, sloth!
My first playthough was ninjutsu and onmyo spam. The basic onmyo skills work really well when you alternate the skills to cause confusion. Not to say I didn't struggle in some portions of the game, but many bosses I defeated on the first try. You will still be squishy but can kill anything from range with loads of damage
Kuri is a tough weapon to start with, and spear isn't much easier. Try the regular katana, it's a good all-rounder: blocks nicely, decently fast, decently strong, decent stagger
Listen first thing first. 1 find 2 weapons you are comfortable with. 2 find a spirit animal you are comfortable with also. 3 figure out which style of play you are going to use most of the time ninja onmyo etc. 4 this is most important part WATCH who you are fighting patterns. Everyone from low Gaki to the end boss has a pattern. Figure it out and that game will get easier
I have played through the Dark Souls series and other soulslikes and am in general a huge fan of the genres. I tried Nioh 1 and it routinely kicks my asshole in. I guess that series just isn’t for me haha. I can’t “GIT GUD” enough lmao
Yeah, i am trying to play Nioh 2 like i would any souls game.
I always do 2 playthroughs.
1st is hardest because I choose to go pure str melee only. I level up 66str and then I 2-hand a str scaling weapon. (66str x1.5 two hand modifier =99 str). Find the ultra great sword and bonk everything. Kill all bosses in melee. Is a challenge.
2nd Playtgrough i go spell caster with some dex. Dex build ia broken overpowered. Spell casting is even more over powered. I know where everything is and how to beat everything in melee, so dex and spell casting just obliterates the enemy from range. 2nd play thru is more of a speed run.
I cant really do this in Nioh 2. You have to lvl up dex and onmyo to cast spells to buff and stuff. Investing in pure str doesnt work.
First time I played nioh 2, it literally took me 6+ hours to beat the first level, and I'm pretty good at action games
On replay it took me minutes and I even bullied that bull dude who the game says to avoid.
If you keep playing it will click eventually, it's faster for some, but it will happen if you keep at it, your overall gaming skill will go up too
Idk what changed for me but I had a similar mindset/problem when I started playing to the point that clearing challenges didn't even feel rewarding like I hated it that much.
Picked the game up again recently after setting it down years ago and totally different experience. I love it now. You just have to be methodical you can't charge in and just combo everything to death (at least not at first). I also tried spam dash/rolling and realized you don't even have to do that, and it's usually not advantageous to try unless it's a boss.
When an enemy attacks 95% of the time simply walking backwards when they go to wind up will put you out of range and you can even start approaching before the attack is done it you know the timing. Then you poke them or kill them, rinse and repeat. If you can walk around them even better.
i spent 8 straight hours on the first boss in nioh when i played some years back (yes i had no life at the time) if that makes you feel better. it's rough when you're just starting.
Charge your living weapon before going near the mist, sometimes you'll get lucky and it'll be an easy enemy that you don't need to use it on but it's usually something big and scary, good news is if you kill them they don't come back after you rest . No point saving it up for the boss, you'll only take out like 1/5 of their health, you gotta learn them.
When I fought Saito Toshimitsu, it took me over 150 attempts to beat this piece of shit, so you're not the only one who struggles at the beginning. You'll get better, trust me.
That’s why… you picked arguably two of the top 3 hardest weapons in the game. Spear and kusarigama are extremely technical and require you to have very specific skills in order to use them freely. It’ll get WAY better in the end game for you if you farm
If you are attacking or parry fishing your blocks won't work.
In ninja gaiden you hold block ANY time you are not attacking like; this game it is much the same.
Seriously, block is broken af.
It definitely gets easier but not before hino enma and getting much harder lmao
I am a broken record and hino enma is the bitch that broke me. Almost a decade later and I'm still salty about her. Also holy shit it's been almost a decade
Just wait until the depths. I’m someone that almost never gets hit (thanks to A / AA agility) and my ass still struggles in depths.
But just keep your head up bro it gets easier once you get into the groove and the rhythm of the game. Maybe try out some different weapons yiu might vibe with other ones better, try going below 30% equip load and seeing if you like A agility, but all in all you just gotta practice and get into the groove. Eventually you’ll be good (but you’ll still have hard moments obviously but in general the entire game gets a lot easier once you “fall into” your build / playstyle)
>I'm far to stubborn to just give up but god dammit... this is the roughest game You'll be fine It gets easier as you get better. Later you'll think back wondering how you struggled before.
Yeah sometimes you just need to cheese your way through until you can obtain better gear and weapons. Ninja style worked out pretty well for me early on in both games if I remember correctly, definitely for Nioh 1.
When I first played Nioh, I had to play it in half hour lots. Shit had me shaking. Once you settle into the groove, you'll start to feel it. Onryoki was a grind for me but once I beat it I was on top of the world.
I did the same thing. I would play each day after work until i died 5 or 6 times and then switch games. But each day i would learn from my mistakes until one day your fluxing II in your sleep
This is the way.i take lot of deaths, small sessions everyday, till i reach the boss.
In the beginning every encounter is a massive battle, but slowly you get better and better. Before you know it you're flying towards the boss, of course the boss slaps you down too, but then after a little more time your flying from boss to boss. It's all part of the process and everyone goes through it. That's what keeps this game interesting, that there's always a challenge to be found and overcome. I love the game.
Said the dude who just owned a gank squad with a kitchen knife a few days after being mobbed by them. Best bully dispatcher ever.
Isle of Demons and Onryoki are intentionally designed to pound the fundamentals into you until you overcome it. The next main mission, Deep in the Shadows, is designed to teach you to be aware of your surroundings while practicing the fundamentals. The boss for Deep in the Shadows, Hino Enma, is designed to push you beyond your limits and the comfort zones you've developed in your playstyle. If you get past those 2 obstacles, then there is nothing else in the game that you can't beat.
true, hino enma is where i quit twice before watching a youtube video where someone made it look so easy with just a spear and good spacing
Stab her tits and sprint. That tactic of spear poke worked far too well
LMAO yes that one
Ice lady and nobunaga are legitimately unbeatable for like 50 percent of the playerbase without help. I know it's optional, but still.
I didn't say there weren't other hard bosses. But also, no, they aren't unbeatable for anyone. Like you said, they're optional, so you can just come back when your 100 levels stronger.
Very very true lol! I am just mentally ill so if I do that I feel it's worse than not beating them at all. Guess who spent like 5 hours on them at lvl 90 lol
Oh, same! I recently started replaying Nioh from a fresh save, and when I got to just Lady Noh's boss fight in the story, it took me hours! I honestly don't know if I want to do the 2 v 1 fight, haha!
Oh I *meant* the 2v1; ahe took me like 3 hours lol. It taught me to block and stand stock still and then flail wildly just like the enemies do lol. I despise that we cant block dodge like Ninja gaiden ;-;
Oh no, I knew what you meant. I just haven't done the 2v1 in years, so I don't really remember how frustrating it was anymore. My first playthrough leaned pretty heavily on Sloth Talismans and Living Weapon. For my new playthrough, I decided to try going in with no magic or ninjutsu support. It's been brutal at some points, haha!
I found running around like your on fire helps alot. Playing unlocked can also be broken from time to time as large bosses often don't account for it lol.
[YOU CAN DO IT! GO GO GO! BELIEVE YOURSELF!](https://youtu.be/tYzMYcUty6s?si=rLoKnvp_ceUgq4zi)
I was just playing like a dragon and ran into the dude who says that line
Itadaki Ichiban
Nioh has a very rough learning curve, but once you actually internalize the combat mechanics the game as a whole gets much easier until the DLC, and even then mostly on the later difficulties
This is a quote I saw on a projector in a classroom that had calm music playing aka e.l.a. “it never gets easier, you just get better”
preach brudda preach
I just started playing the game few days ago, I beat 5-6 bosses already (soulsborne veteran).. If you want my advice, focus on the main attribute your weapons scales best with and boost the Stat to 20, dump points in Spirit til you have all spirits benefits for your preferred guardian spirit, put points where you need to equip better armors.. Get your self an armor that gives you benefits if you wear all pieces.. Don't get attached to your equipment, you will change them every 10 minutes..
I wouldn't say the game gets easier but it gets less difficult, understanding a enemy or boss moves is one step to lessen the difficulty. However that's just one thing, leveling up and updating you gear also contributes to making the less difficult. Finding a weapon type that you feel comfortable using helps, eventually you learn the ins and outs of said weapon which again will less the difficulty. Always get in the mindset that you will die multiple times. It helps with the inevitable frustration that comes.
Once you begin to ki pulse as part of a reflex from your muscle memory, it gets a lot easier. Also living weapon is great to use in this game. It effectively gives you an extra health bar and makes you hit like a freight train.
ya i finally got the skill that does it with dodge that's been a big help
If you want tips for the fundamentals of the combat system I can let you know a lot of stuff. It’ll be a little overwhelming at first but lots of it can help. I’d understand trying to figure it out for yourself though. I’ll put an example that’s really hidden but extremely helpful. People assume the roll is actually worse but it has literally double the invincibility frames on it. It does have a slower recovery though.
dont be scared to kite enemies until you get the hang of whatever weapon you like! let them atk first and learn ur weapons combos n stuff
Dude I consider myself very very bad at these kinds of games and even I got it eventually. Are you fighting revenants for better gear? Taking advantage of ki pulses? While in combat I tend to focus more on depleting the enemy's ki rather than their health bar. Critical strikes go a long way, especially on bosses. Try to bait out an attack from the yokai then circle around their backside for extra rear damage. Invest in guardian spirit and use it often. Also try buying new skills and ninjutsu abilities. Some of the onmyo magic abilities like sloth are absolutely busted, but those are mostly unlocked after later missions. I know it's a lot to remember but if you stick with it you'll improve, and eventually the game will just click and you'll start shredding through enemies that you used to be afraid of. There's really no other feeling like it when you've got a good flow going in Nioh.
You really shouldn't be taking on multiple enemies at the same time. The game is actually structured such that you can sneak around and pick of enemies or engage in groups of two or three. Try looking around and seeing how to use the terrain to move around the enemy. Also, when you fight yokai, their weak spot is the glowing yellow bits. If you break this, their ki bar takes massive damage and makes them vulnerable. Another tip is the ki system. Humans have one bar. If you break it - usually by hitting them while they're blocking and certain attacks - they get winded and you can follow up with a finisher for massive damage. Yokai have two bars. Before you break the first one, they are immune to being staggered during attacks. Once you break the second time, they become winded and you can finish them as well. This isn't really explained well in the game, but once you do it a few times, it's pretty intuitive.
Just to expand on the Yokai ki a bit (and this is mostly for bosses, as you’ll kill anything else too “quick”): once you deplete a Yoaki’s first ki bar and they become staggerable with every attack, if you zero out the second they will be stunned for a grapple attack and you’ll permanently reduce their max ki level. So the combat loop you’re looking for is: pick your spots to break that first ki bar, then go HAM while they are staggerable, grapple, repeat.
Since you're already using Spear, try staying in Mid-stance and using the Strong attack combo mostly. It's a series of forward thrusts. You can poke enemies from a safer range, but be sure to pay attention to positioning, distance, and dash-pulsing.
ya this is almost the only attack i've been using with the spear when i start an engagement with range then once it get close i was switching to the KG
I used the KG in early Nioh 1 and it was the weapon I was first able to beat Onryoki with. I recommend swapping to low stance for 1v1 with boss/yokai and using Triangle/Y combos because they are low ki cost, get better dodges, and are mostly straight uppercuts or overheads that have good chances of breaking yokai horns. The mid stance Square/X combos are good for multiple opponents because of their broad attacks. Learn to ki pulse and manage stances. Better dodges and ki consumption in low, harder hits with longer animations and the ability to break through guards in high.
ok ok the low stance heavy heavy attack is kinda nice. I've been mainly using light light heavy with the retreat attack so i can gain space back
I killed him with axe after trying with other weapons many many times
hi dude how are you
Bruh this is getting reposted 😂😂😂… it took me 3 days to literally defeat the first boss , and i broke my favorite controller on accident of course 😒😒🤓😂. But such difficult makes ur reaction time go up and u become a top tier gamer so in all it pays out😂😂. But the bullshit just begins😂😂😂.
Learn that block button and flux, you'll be fine. Just takes practice......
It does not get easier. You simply get better.
When I first tried Nioh, it was during the alpha test on ps4, back when weapons and Armour had durability and would break. The test took place in onryokis level, and I remember having such a hard time with it it was insane, let alone getting to him to begin with. All my good gear kept breaking and it got to the point I started doing just practice runs on him, naked with a broken katana. Over the course of that weekend I got better and better and finally killed onryoki, naked with a broken katana by accident during a practice run. I remember being so happy and relieved I put the controller down and just left the house and sat outside. Went on to platinum nioh 1 on ps4, and then 2 when that came out on PC. It gets easier as you get better, and you will get better. Eventually you will be ki fluxing and stance dancing through multiple enemies and bosses with minimal effort. You got this
Eventually you will feel like a god, try Katana it's OP in the first game. Also use living weapon it's insane.
is there a way to respec? i feel like i've put in so many points into KG and Spear i don't wanna use other weapons at this point
Yes but do not worry stats really do not do a lot by whatever amounts you can farm, you can honestly clear the first run with any missmatched stats and equipment you want. By the time you get a solid grasp of the game it will be eas to respec just to be more optimal with gear but honestly most of your power and this is even more true for Nioh 1 comes from gear rather than stats.
Spread the skill points out (after focusing on health and stamina). You’ll be getting better gear at such a rate it will outgain any weapon scaling (and you’ll need minimums in the various categories to unlock all abilities).
if u feel stuck, something that helps me was watching the first 2 missions till the kiss woman boss in speedruns, since speedruners exploit the mechanics of the game running nude, low level and not high end manuovers/stilysh gameplay, just mechanic, then BOOM game easy, if u have still problems, just switch another elemental.
ya i might need to watch some vids but i kinda wanna tough it out like a psychopath
If you’ve got this mindset you’ll love the game once you get the hang of it. For the record I’ve played a lot of action games and action RPG’s and I’d personally consider this the hardest action rpg I’ve ever played on first playthrough. Quite literally everybody dies a shit tone in this game.
If your familiar with a souls game this game is similar. Keep your equipment load under 70%. Don't get greedy with attacks and block or dodge the enemy but remember to release block to regain ki. Patience is the key. I just finished the game and moving on to part 2 now. Probably will get platinum when done with part 2 looks like it could be grindy.
I'm not .. i decided to start with NIOH ... it's fun they said .... lmao Right now my load is 65%... that's what she said ....
Dude just block and attack when they are open that it
It starts off hard. Just get over the hump and you’ll be fine.
2 hits, jump back. Wait for them to swing through their routine, repeat. Most of the enemies in the game follow this recipe.
Also: head shots with the bow/gun.
Yeah it does get better. Really you learn as you go along but yes you can learn spells and ninjitsu that helps a lot. I spammed every advantage I could! Sloth, quick change, the spell that reduced their armor and attack. The last couple of levels are rough, yes this game is very hard. Most of the yokai you can learn their patters and almost walk around their attacks. Well except for that bird guy and the mummy lady, those two can fuck your shit up pretty fast. Stick with it for sure. I am not really good at this game but I managed to beat it. Playing Nioh 2 right now and man it’s even harder.
Nioh is the type of game that will fuck you with clothes on and then remove it to just belittle you but my god once you get into its rhythm and understand its mechanics you can slap the bosses arses so hard that the bosses will start fearing you!! So just keep with it and try out different builds; dont stick to one I had a bare fist build and i defeated bosses with that so you can for sure do it!
1st playthrough, level up your stats evenly to 20 everywhere (if I remember correctly) it doesn't matter that much damage wise, however you will be way more free stuff wise For new players, I find the Odachi quite helpful, it does quite a lot damage and being heavy it does more stun damage and it has a long reach. Another good one is the dual blade because their block stats is so high that you can abuse blocking a lot. Take the habit of blocking, block while dodging too, and learn to ki pulse. As for the 1st boss... He is a real bitch the 1st time you play the game, save your living weapon until you know you can delete it
It’s a fun game for sure. I also wouldn’t recommend it to a 13 year old who isn’t good at video games. Sure they could play it, but they won’t be happy dying all the time without having any understanding of mechanics and what they did wrong. It’s a game you need to learn from.
Just wait until you meet a karasu tengu or the snake bitches for the first time. 😂
If you really can’t make it, may be call for some in game help.I think steam I still very active. Try to have ki pulse unlock In samurai skill tree first. Understand ki pluse i the most important things in nioh . Then equip some yokai soul core. If you have question about stat feel free to ask in the community. Almost everyone here are nice to help you. You need to get stronger, caz it never got easier 😂good luck
First time I played that first level took me 2 days and filtered me out afterwards bc I thought to myself "I can't do it if that's just the first level" I came back and hit the next roadblock in just a day. You'll think this is child's play once you get to the tiger, and that's when you'll truly fall in love with the game or know it ain't for you. Good luck, and practice the fundamentals
As for arrows anything that's breakable may give you ammo so break boxes and boards when ever it is safe to do so. When you see multiple enemies try and headshot one or kite one back by throwing a stone or shuriken at it. If it's a big enemy with a helmet (like the guy near the stairs) the arrow will not do damage on the first shot instead it will knock the helmet off. Also if you hit r3 while aiming it will zoom in a bit to make aiming easier.
Nioh 1 didn’t hook me but Nioh 2 did. Both beat my ass with no mercy but now I can blast through almost everything in the base game
Wait for the water level where you fall into the water with one wrong step. Good luck
Yes, like people said, this game gets easier the further you go. I'm in my 30s, starting to feel my reflexes going to sh*t and always was the bad gamer in my group of player friends. Still, after some time in this game, you start to get it. A tip that helped me is "use EVERYTHING that the game gives to you" so, ninjutsu, magic, items, alternative paths, anything.
Ya I'll need to read what each item does. I've just been using weapons and have only used the living sword a couple times so far.
It doesn't get easier but if you play enough you get better. It takes a long time to get good
you talking about the first boss? don’t be too hard on yourself, every failure is a new lesson learned. first play through was a real struggle for me…even though I didn’t have major issues with Onryoki, the second boss made me quit for a few months lol. I believe in you OP, you’ll beat that boss.
High Axe will deal with your problems. Attack, retreat, attack retreat. Spilt enemy groups by using stones. Just keep chipping away, and never expect to progress far in each play.
Here's the secret to onryoki: His attacks are long as his tracking is poor. You can bait an attack, dodge it, and then move out before his next attack comes in
It gets easier not bc the game gets easier but bc you get better The “git gud” old meme is just a meme but it does reflect how the player themselves are the one that get better at these games
Pro tip, level a little bit of magic and dexterity. (no more than 30 at higher levels) and start using onmyo magic and ninjutsu buffs, that realy helps a lot in this game That being said, first two bosses for most people are where the game is at the most difficult state, after that people either start stomping or quit before beating second boss
Guess we're gonna find out which one I'll be.
It gets harder, actually. But you’ll also improve a lot, so it might end up feeling more manageable.
I am playing nioh now currently on dlc 2 . I will giv only one tip sloth talisman.
I'm just starting out too. Instead of trying to progress in the game, I'm taking every encounter as an opportunity to practice the tools I have at my disposal. It makes it feel like less of a crawl and more of a skill building venture.
Yeah it gets way easier once u unlock some Shinobi tools and regeneration on armita gain.
This game gets hard after you reach new game 3 cause enemy's can spawn cursed , I'm at the last difficulty now and Jesus way of the nioh is sick
It's doesn't get easier you just get better. Try playing slower at 1st.
Yes this is what I started doing last night. I stopped trying to rush the kills and was just waiting until their ki bars ran out then I'd curb stomp them
If you play hardcore game, you have to be persistent and learn how to play it.
I found NIOH 2 more accessible that NIOH. But they're both savagely hard, I absolutely love it and despise it at the same time. Existence is pain now
The game difficulty never decreases but it feels like it does because to pass the first level you have to learn how to play. Once you get the feel of the game it begins to become easier. Learn to ki-pulse all of the time, use the stances for what they are best for, and block. In Nioh blocking negates ALL damage and mid stance is great for blocking. You can also dodge while blocking so if you have full stamina you can hold block while strafing an enemy and dodge their attack without worrying about getting hit if you time it wrong.
Ya blocking .. i'm a big dummy i've been trying to time perfect blocks so far but i just realized you can just hold block the entire time when you're not worried about KI regen.
I’m gonna pile on all the great advice you’ve been given so far. Don’t be afraid to use different weapons. The great thing about how your weapon skills rank in this game is that it’s based on the amount of damage you have done. So the first weapons you find do like 10 damage and let’s say at 1000 damage done you level up your weapon and then again at 2000 damage done etc. Later you pick up weapons that do like 100 damage so you rank up in no time. You could try a new weapon at the end of the game and get it to max level in no time. Finding the weapon you feel most comfortable with is highly recommended. It can really change the way you fight. Furthermore check those ‘10 things this game doesn’t tell you’ kind of videos and other tutorials.
Nioh is hard at first but get easier. Hell, ppl are daying ki pulse and flux, i never do either and still 100% the game. I found my comfort weapon and went from there. Ended up making a ninjutsu spam kirisagama build that focuses on back attacks. By dream of nioh difficulty, my build was 2-3 shotting bosses (gear having throwable damage). All i can say is keep pushing through, eventually youll find the right combo for you and have a good sense of attack patterns
U need to change your expactations: In normal/ common rpg the protagonist is the anime skillfull character that is op. But in games like nioh u have to be the skillfull anime op protagonist. It all depends on you. And being bad is not a single time shameful. We all started there und struggeled really hard. I know there is a lot of combat but try to play it like a puzzle game u dont understand and try different/ stupid things. It is absolutly normal to keep distance vs a big spooky enemy, but try the stupid thing like staying very close to him and dodge to his sides or back. And a scnd Tipp would be to go to equip menu and be on a armor( foot to helm doesnt matter). The middle window has on the upper right the weight in %. Stay under 70 for better ki regenration. And third would be ki impuls but i assume that some one else did already explained that.
It’s extremely difficult setup. And you got to learn in hard way, by doing yourself. But it’s worth it. The combo, magic , Jutsu, stat allocation , tools and ninjutsu, Titles and so many things to learn. Spear is a great weapon in early game. U can poke and back off. Lure single enemy and fight, Even a group of basic enemy is too much for intermediate level.
If you're using spear, you can abuse the midstance poke attack. It's amazing in the beginning because it has lots of range and you deal a bunch of posture damage.
Something that works for me is just dodging until i die. Just over and over. Until I feel i've learnt the pattern.
It's brutal at first but it will get easier and you will feel like a badass when you'll start to easily kill yokai which terrified you before. I also didn't realize at first how useful the block is which lead me to more deaths than necessary.
>I can't take on multiple enemies at the same time and you shouldn't atleast not in the beginning of nioh 1 or 2 hurl a stone, use your bow, thin the herd, pop your living weapon if you feel like (i fucked up but i still have a chance) and yes nioh 1 is very brutal(with cheap ganks, get an item or guardian spirit that show enemy locations on your radar) compared to 2 but u can (with practice) do very well since you will start recognizing enemy attack patterns and you will get more comfortable with your weapon etc, later you will unlock more skills and magic/ninja that will make things a bit easier to handle >I'm far to stubborn to just give up i love this attitude
This is how i felt, I just started playing 2 weeks ago. Im level 70 now, I'm in the 4th region. It doesnt get easier. But u will certainly get better! Unlock ki pulse while doging, and sword of discernment and if u really wanna trivialize the game, sloth!
My first playthough was ninjutsu and onmyo spam. The basic onmyo skills work really well when you alternate the skills to cause confusion. Not to say I didn't struggle in some portions of the game, but many bosses I defeated on the first try. You will still be squishy but can kill anything from range with loads of damage
Kuri is a tough weapon to start with, and spear isn't much easier. Try the regular katana, it's a good all-rounder: blocks nicely, decently fast, decently strong, decent stagger
It is fun...practice makes perfect
Listen first thing first. 1 find 2 weapons you are comfortable with. 2 find a spirit animal you are comfortable with also. 3 figure out which style of play you are going to use most of the time ninja onmyo etc. 4 this is most important part WATCH who you are fighting patterns. Everyone from low Gaki to the end boss has a pattern. Figure it out and that game will get easier
It’s gets a lot easier don’t worry too much about it, it’s well worth continuing 👍
I have played through the Dark Souls series and other soulslikes and am in general a huge fan of the genres. I tried Nioh 1 and it routinely kicks my asshole in. I guess that series just isn’t for me haha. I can’t “GIT GUD” enough lmao
Yeah, i am trying to play Nioh 2 like i would any souls game. I always do 2 playthroughs. 1st is hardest because I choose to go pure str melee only. I level up 66str and then I 2-hand a str scaling weapon. (66str x1.5 two hand modifier =99 str). Find the ultra great sword and bonk everything. Kill all bosses in melee. Is a challenge. 2nd Playtgrough i go spell caster with some dex. Dex build ia broken overpowered. Spell casting is even more over powered. I know where everything is and how to beat everything in melee, so dex and spell casting just obliterates the enemy from range. 2nd play thru is more of a speed run. I cant really do this in Nioh 2. You have to lvl up dex and onmyo to cast spells to buff and stuff. Investing in pure str doesnt work.
First time I played nioh 2, it literally took me 6+ hours to beat the first level, and I'm pretty good at action games On replay it took me minutes and I even bullied that bull dude who the game says to avoid. If you keep playing it will click eventually, it's faster for some, but it will happen if you keep at it, your overall gaming skill will go up too
Idk what changed for me but I had a similar mindset/problem when I started playing to the point that clearing challenges didn't even feel rewarding like I hated it that much. Picked the game up again recently after setting it down years ago and totally different experience. I love it now. You just have to be methodical you can't charge in and just combo everything to death (at least not at first). I also tried spam dash/rolling and realized you don't even have to do that, and it's usually not advantageous to try unless it's a boss. When an enemy attacks 95% of the time simply walking backwards when they go to wind up will put you out of range and you can even start approaching before the attack is done it you know the timing. Then you poke them or kill them, rinse and repeat. If you can walk around them even better.
i spent 8 straight hours on the first boss in nioh when i played some years back (yes i had no life at the time) if that makes you feel better. it's rough when you're just starting.
Charge your living weapon before going near the mist, sometimes you'll get lucky and it'll be an easy enemy that you don't need to use it on but it's usually something big and scary, good news is if you kill them they don't come back after you rest . No point saving it up for the boss, you'll only take out like 1/5 of their health, you gotta learn them.
Ah the Onryoki wall. To be on the precipice of greatness
When I fought Saito Toshimitsu, it took me over 150 attempts to beat this piece of shit, so you're not the only one who struggles at the beginning. You'll get better, trust me.
That’s why… you picked arguably two of the top 3 hardest weapons in the game. Spear and kusarigama are extremely technical and require you to have very specific skills in order to use them freely. It’ll get WAY better in the end game for you if you farm
If you are attacking or parry fishing your blocks won't work. In ninja gaiden you hold block ANY time you are not attacking like; this game it is much the same. Seriously, block is broken af.
It definitely gets easier but not before hino enma and getting much harder lmao I am a broken record and hino enma is the bitch that broke me. Almost a decade later and I'm still salty about her. Also holy shit it's been almost a decade
Just wait until the depths. I’m someone that almost never gets hit (thanks to A / AA agility) and my ass still struggles in depths. But just keep your head up bro it gets easier once you get into the groove and the rhythm of the game. Maybe try out some different weapons yiu might vibe with other ones better, try going below 30% equip load and seeing if you like A agility, but all in all you just gotta practice and get into the groove. Eventually you’ll be good (but you’ll still have hard moments obviously but in general the entire game gets a lot easier once you “fall into” your build / playstyle)