The Sudama Soul Core is one of the more confusing items to obtain in Nioh 3. Unlike virtually every other Soul Core in the game, it doesn't drop from defeating an enemy in combat. Instead, you get it by spending Yokai Teardrops at a Sudama Merchant's Exchange shop — a process the game never clearly explains.
Quick answer: Exchange Yokai Teardrops (not Gold) at any Sudama Merchant's "Exchange" tab. The Eternal Rift Sudama gives a random chance per exchange, while overworld Sudama merchants guarantee a single drop once you buy out their entire Exchange inventory.
Sudama Soul Core Stats and Onmyo Magic
The Sudama Soul Core is classified as a Rare Soul Core with a base Attack enhancement of 39 and Defense of 40. Its two fixed special effects are Life Drain (Lightning Damage) B-, which requires Enhancement Level 6, and Gold Earned +3.5%, which requires Enhancement Level 7. The Life Drain effect restores health whenever you deal lightning damage, making it a natural fit for lightning-focused builds.
Where the Sudama Soul Core really shines is in its Onmyo Magic. Placed in the Yang position, it grants Summoning Seal: Sudama ×6, which summons a Sudama that fires lightning bolts at enemies. Placed in the Yin position, it provides Thunderstorm Shot Talisman ×8 — a mid-range offensive spell that launches multiple lightning strikes. The Thunderstorm Shot Talisman is particularly effective against large bosses in the early game, since bigger targets absorb more of the individual bolts per cast.
How to Get the Sudama Soul Core from the Eternal Rift
Sudama are the small, purple-skinned creatures with skull masks that function as merchants throughout Nioh 3. The most accessible one sits inside the Eternal Rift, the hub area that opens after you defeat Jakotsu-Baba in the Crucible during the first main mission.
Every Sudama Merchant has three tabs in its shop interface. Buy uses Gold, Exchange uses Yokai Teardrops, and Sell lets you offload items for Gold. Only the Exchange tab can produce a Sudama Soul Core. Spending Gold — no matter how much — will never yield one.
Each time you purchase something from the Eternal Rift Sudama's Exchange tab using Yokai Teardrops, there is a random chance a Sudama Soul Core drops alongside the item you bought. The drop is not guaranteed on every transaction, so you may need to make several exchanges before one appears. Once a Sudama Soul Core has dropped at least once from this merchant, it permanently appears in the Exchange shop as a purchasable item. Yellow rarity versions cost 3 Yokai Teardrops each, and Common rarity versions cost 2. Stock is limited but restocks regularly.
How to Get the Sudama Soul Core from Overworld Merchants
Sudama Merchants scattered across the overworld maps work differently. Each one has a small, finite selection of items in its Exchange tab — and these items never restock. When you buy out every single item in that Sudama's Exchange inventory, a Sudama Soul Core drops with a 100% guarantee. This is a one-time reward per overworld Sudama, so you can collect multiple cores by visiting different merchants across the map.
A common mistake is using the Buy tab (Gold) instead of the Exchange tab (Yokai Teardrops). If you've been buying items with Gold and wondering why no Soul Core appeared, that's the reason. The distinction between Buy and Exchange is easy to overlook, and the game does nothing to flag it.
Where to Farm Yokai Teardrops
Since Yokai Teardrops are the only currency that matters for obtaining Sudama Soul Cores, keeping a steady supply is important. You earn them through several activities:
- Defeating Kappa — the golden-shelled yokai that appear near water sources
- Discovering Hot Springs scattered across the overworld
- Capturing Scampus — the cat-like creatures found in various locations
- Defeating bosses and completing missions
Kappa are the most reliable repeatable source early on, since they respawn and tend to drop Teardrops consistently.
Yang vs. Yin — Which Position to Use
The choice between Yang and Yin depends on your playstyle. In the Yang position, the Summoning Seal calls a Sudama that casts lightning bolts at your target. It's a hands-off damage source that works well during boss fights where you need breathing room. However, the summon itself doesn't deal massive damage and is more of a supplementary tool.
In the Yin position, the Thunderstorm Shot Talisman gives you direct control over a potent lightning spell. Each cast fires several lightning bolts at mid range, and the spell is especially punishing against large, slow-moving bosses that absorb all the hits. With 8 charges that replenish every time you pray at a Shrine, it's one of the strongest early-game offensive Onmyo Magic options available.
For most players pushing through the early and mid game, the Yin position with Thunderstorm Shot is the stronger pick. It provides reliable burst damage on demand and can trivialize certain boss encounters. The Yang summon has niche utility — some players equip it while exploring to passively generate random item drops like Spirit Stones and Ochoko Cups, then swap to a combat-oriented Soul Core before engaging enemies.
Managing Soul Cores at Shrines
Once you have a Sudama Soul Core, you need to purify it at a Shrine before equipping it. Pray at any Shrine and select "Manage Soul Core" to open the Onmyo Box menu. From there, you can slot the core into either the Yang or Yin position. Keep in mind that unpurified Soul Cores are lost if you die before reaching a Shrine, along with any accumulated Amrita — though you can recover them by touching your grave if you have a Guardian Spirit active.
Soul Cores come in different rarity tiers and levels, both of which affect the strength of their special effects. Higher-rarity Sudama Soul Cores from the Eternal Rift merchant (Yellow vs. Common) will have better scaling on Life Drain and Gold Earned bonuses, so it's worth picking up the Yellow versions when they appear in stock.
The Sudama Soul Core is easy to miss entirely if you don't know to look for it, but it's one of the most accessible sources of strong Onmyo Magic in Nioh 3's opening hours. A few Yokai Teardrop exchanges at the Eternal Rift merchant is all it takes to unlock Thunderstorm Shot and start melting bosses with lightning.