One of the best tools in your arsenal in Nioh 3 is the Guardian Spirits. Not only will Guardian Spirits allow you to use Spirit Veins to access new areas, but you can also use them in battle to inflict massive amounts of damage.
Each Guardian Spirit can activate a different type of Spirit Vein, and will also come with its own unique abilities for use in battle. In this guide, we’re breaking down every Guardian Spirit in Nioh 3 and how to use them.
‘Compatible Guardian Spirit required’ Spirit Veins explained – Nioh 3
Spirit Veins are spots where you can use Guardian Spirit skills to access new areas that often hide valuable items or enemies for your collection and completion. Most Spirit Veins can be interacted with and activated like any other NPC or chest in the game, but if you’re unable, that’s because you do not possess the correct Guardian Spirit.
You can use Shrines to change your equipped Guardian Spirit, but this only affects which spirit’s skills you use in battle, it does not change which spirit you use at a Spirit Vein. If you have unlocked the correct Guardian Spirit, then the Spirit Vein will always be available. If you do not possess the compatible Guardian Spirit, all you can do is progress through the game.
Guardian Spirits are unlocked when select story bosses are defeated, and therefore cannot be missed. If you find a Spirit Vein with a lock icon on the map, then you will simply have to return when you find the correct Guardian Spirit. When you do find the right one, the map icon will unlock and be highlighted by an exclamation mark.
All Guardian Spirits in Nioh 3
Some Guardian Spirits can only be used in either Samurai or Ninja style, and others have two versions that are accessible. You can find all of them listed below. Note that your Guardian Spirits will gain more power as you destroy Crucible Spikes, and these stats reflect the spirits after you destroy all 42 Crucible Spikes.
Samurai-style Guardian Spirits
Every Guardian Spirit you can unlock and equip in Samurai-style.
Kusanagi Lv.1
A good starter spirit that will reduce Fire damage and boost Ki recovery.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Heaven’s Fire
- Skill 2: Nagi Blade
Enhancement bonus
Guhin Lv.1
A well-balanced spirit with emphasis on close-range melee combat.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Eight-Handed Blade
- Skill 2: Tree Slicer
Enhancement bonus
Shin-Roku Lv.2
A Lightning element spirit that will reduce the amount of Lightning damage you take.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Thunderous Kick
- Skill 2: Divine Thunder
Enhancement bonus
Narikama Tanuki Lv.4
A defensive spirit that boosts the Water damage you deal.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Boiling Counter
- Skill 2: Great Tanuki Slam
Enhancement bonus
Kongojishi Lv.5
Another well-balanced Wind spirit.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Gale Claws
- Skill 2: Devastation Shot
Enhancement bonus
Oh Lv.6
A Wind spirit that increases your Item Drop Rate and protects your Amrita.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Cutting Wings
- Skill 2: Gusting Crosswind
Enhancement bonus
Golden Shachi Lv.8
This spirit will increase the amount of Gold you earn and Melee damage dealt in the Yokai Realm.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Golden Current
- Skill 2: Twin Waves
Enhancement bonus
Kusanagi Lv.9
Kusanagi again, but with new combat skills and effects.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Kindled Edge
- Skill 2: Blazing Whip
Enhancement bonus
Murakumo Lv.10
The highest level spirit you can use in Samurai-style which gives you bonus Amrita and makes Living Artifact slightly better.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Crackling Steel
- Skill 2: Lightning Squall
Enhancement bonus
Ninja-style Guardian Spirits
Every Guardian Spirit you can unlock and equip in Ninja-style.
Kusanagi Lv.1
A Water version of Kusanagi.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Heaven’s Drops
- Skill 2: Turbulent Waters
Enhancement bonus
Nekomata Lv.1
Nekomata increases Ninjutsu Ki damage and Final Blow/Grapple damage, making him a ninja’s best friend.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Thunderclaw Kick
- Skill 2: Electrified Kunai
Enhancement bonus
Enko Lv.2
Increases the amount of damage over time enemies take from Fire.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Hellfire Maul
- Skill 2: Blazing Claw
Enhancement bonus
Kongojishi Lv.5
More Fire damage, more Melee damage, more Life — everything a Ninja could want.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Inferno Rush
- Skill 2: Mountain Render
Enhancement bonus
Kurama Tengu Lv.5
Reduces the amount of Wind damage you take and increases the amount of Elemental damage you deal.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Kurama’s Slicer
- Skill 2: Kurama’s Tempest
Enhancement bonus
Shami-choro Lv.8
A very helpful spirit that comes with Faster Movement, Faster Ki Recovery, Auto Life Recovery… It doesn’t get much better than that.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Strings of Light
- Skill 2: Thunderous Performance
Enhancement bonus
Kusanagi Lv.9
Kusanagi gets a second incarnation in the Ninja-style, too, with plenty of damage and Amrita bonuses.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Tidal Cleaver
- Skill 2: Water Volley
Enhancement bonus
Murakumo Lv.10
The Ninja-style’s highest-level spirit is a Wind version of Murakumo with Life Drain, in addition to the Living Artifact Durability it also has in Samurai-style.
Combat skills
- Skill 1: Gale Slicer
- Skill 2: Wild Whirlwind
Enhancement bonus
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