Parrying in Nioh 3 isn't available from the start. Unlike blocking and dodging, which you can do immediately, the game's primary parry mechanic — officially called Deflect — is a skill you need to purchase from the Martial Arts menu. It's entirely possible to play through the whole game without ever unlocking it, so grabbing it early is worth the effort.
Quick answer: Open the Martial Arts/Ninjutsu menu, go to the Samurai skill tree, and unlock Deflect for 1 Samurai's Lock. While in Samurai Style, tap the block button (L1 on PlayStation) right before an enemy attack lands to parry it.
How to unlock Deflect in Nioh 3
Deflect sits in the Samurai branch of the Martial Arts/Ninjutsu skill tree. You won't have access to this menu during the opening tutorial area. Keep progressing through the first zone until you defeat Yamagata Masakage; the open world opens up shortly after that fight, and you'll start earning Samurai's Locks.
Samurai's Locks drop from several activities: completing quests, opening chests, raising a region's Exploration Level, and chasing down Scampusses (the cat-like creatures you can pet). You only need a single Samurai's Lock to buy Deflect. Once purchased, select the Samurai icon in the menu and confirm the Deflect option on the right side of the tree.
From that point on, any time you're fighting in Samurai Style, tapping the block button just before an incoming strike connects will trigger a Deflect. A successful parry completely negates the damage of that attack, restores a portion of your own Ki, and heavily drains the enemy's Ki. Once an enemy's Ki bar empties, they stagger, leaving them open to a devastating finishing blow.
The timing is relatively forgiving compared to parry windows in other action RPGs. You want to press the button roughly 300 to 600 milliseconds before the hit actually lands — about half a second or less. If you mistime it, you'll still perform a regular block, so there's a built-in safety net.
Burst Break — countering red attacks
Burst Break is a separate, contextual parry that works against unblockable attacks. When an enemy glows red, they're winding up a powerful move that can't be blocked normally. Pressing R2 (or RT on Xbox controllers) during that red flash will counter the attack, completely negate the damage, and rip a massive chunk out of the enemy's Ki — often staggering them outright.
Burst Break is available from the very beginning of the game, before you even unlock Deflect. However, there's an important control quirk. By default, the Burst Break button is the same input used to swap between Samurai and Ninja styles. That means every time you Burst Break, you'll also switch styles, which can be disorienting mid-fight.
To fix this, open the System menu, navigate to Controls, and turn on Style Shift & Burst Break Separation. With this enabled, pressing R2/RT will only trigger the Burst Break without forcing a style swap. You can still switch styles manually by holding the button instead.
Later in the game, Guardian Spirit Skills can also function as a Burst Break. Activate your Guardian Spirit Skill (L1 + X or L1 + Y on a gamepad by default) right as an enemy glows red to counter their attack the same way.
Burst Break is powerful but limited in scope. It only activates during those specific red-glow windows, so it doesn't replace standard Deflect for general combat.
Parrying as a Ninja in Nioh 3
Ninja Style cannot use the Samurai's Deflect skill. The two combat styles are intentionally asymmetric: Samurai is built around poise, stance-switching, and timed blocks, while Ninja emphasizes speed, repositioning, and attacking from behind. That said, Ninja players aren't locked out of parrying entirely — they just access it through different skills tied to specific weapons and the Ninja skill tree itself.
The Ninja tree's direct equivalent of Deflect is Evade. Instead of timing a block, you time a dodge. Hitting the dodge button at the precise moment before an enemy attack connects performs a perfect dodge that restores Ki, functioning as the Ninja's version of a parry. With certain Ninjutsu techniques, a successful Evade can even teleport you behind the enemy, setting up back attacks for massive damage.
Several weapon-specific skills also give Ninja players parry-like options:
- Impenetrability (Tonfa tree) allows perfect blocking while wielding Tonfas, working almost identically to the Samurai Deflect.
- Opportunist (Talons tree) lets you block an attack and immediately follow up with a counter-punch.
- Haze (Ninja Swords tree) redirects an enemy's attack.
- Spinning Gale (Dual Blades tree) blocks an incoming strike and kicks the enemy away.
- Tile Shaker (Hatchets tree) blocks and redirects the enemy, delivering a quick slash to their backside.
- Masterful Guard (Kusarigama tree) perfectly blocks attacks and knocks enemies off-balance.
Some of these behave like a standard Deflect, while others reposition the enemy or set up counterattack opportunities. Impenetrability on Tonfas and Tile Shaker on Hatchets are the closest one-to-one replacements if you want a traditional parry feel while staying in Ninja Style.
Practical tips for learning the timing
The Deflect and Burst Break windows in Nioh 3 are noticeably more generous than parry windows in many comparable games. You don't need to press the button at the exact frame of impact. Pressing it slightly early — roughly half a second before the hit lands — is the sweet spot for most attacks.
Each enemy and boss has different attack animations with unique windups, so memorizing specific timings is part of the process. Expect to take a few hits while learning a new boss's patterns. The forgiving window means that once you've seen an attack two or three times, you'll likely nail the parry consistently.
For Burst Break specifically, watch for the red energy surrounding the enemy. Wait until the attack is about to connect, then press R2/RT. The visual cue is deliberately obvious, making it more about patience than reaction speed — don't panic-press the button the instant you see red.
Parrying in Nioh 3 rewards aggressive, face-to-face combat by draining enemy Ki and recovering your own, creating openings that dodging alone doesn't provide. Whether you're running Samurai with Deflect, Ninja with Evade and weapon-specific counters, or relying on Burst Break for those big red attacks, unlocking and practicing these skills early will make the toughest yokai encounters far more manageable.
