Nioh 3 splits its arsenal evenly between two combat styles: seven weapon types for the Samurai and seven for the Ninja. Because you can swap between both styles during gameplay — and eventually equip two weapons per style — choosing the right combination matters more than picking a single favorite. The good news is that stat synergy is relatively forgiving during the first difficulty cycle, so you have room to experiment without crippling your build.
Quick answer: The strongest all-around pairing is Spear (Samurai) + Tonfa (Ninja). Two of their three scaling stats overlap, and Constitution boosts both weapons while also increasing your health pool. The Spear provides reach and crowd control; the Tonfa shreds Ki and chains rapid combos at close range.
How weapon combos work in Nioh 3
Early on, you pick one weapon for each style. As you progress, the game unlocks a second weapon slot for both Samurai and Ninja forms, letting you carry four melee weapons total. Around the midpoint of the campaign, a remodel feature becomes available that lets you change which stats scale a weapon's damage. That means you can force two weapons that normally rely on different attributes to share the same scaling, though the original stat spread still supports each weapon's intended playstyle to some degree.
Because of remodeling, almost any combination is viable in endgame. During the first playthrough, though, pairing weapons that naturally share scaling stats will give you the smoothest power curve without spreading your levels too thin. A practical early-game approach is to level all stats evenly to around 25–30 before specializing, which keeps every weapon type functional while you figure out what clicks.
Best Samurai weapons and what to pair them with
| Tier | Weapon | Strengths |
|---|---|---|
| S | Spear | Long reach, crowd control, balanced speed and damage, strong skill tree (Spear Flourish staggers on Ki Pulse) |
| S | Sword | Easy to learn, mobile, solid middle-ground stats |
| A | Dual Swords | Fast and aggressive, low Ki cost per swing, good parry options in mid stance |
| A | Odachi | Massive single-hit damage, effective sweeps against groups, devastating in high stance |
| A | Switchglaive | Good range and versatility, complex but rewarding once mastered |
| B | Axe | High raw damage, very slow, weak defensively |
| B | Cestus | Mobile but low impact; better suited to Ninja-style play |
The Spear is the standout Samurai weapon because it has no real weaknesses. Its reach keeps you safe, its skill tree includes powerful stagger tools, and it handles both single targets and groups well. Pairing it with a faster secondary like the Sword or Dual Swords covers the Spear's slower recovery windows. The classic Samurai loadout of Katana + Spear remains popular for good reason — the Sword's mobility complements the Spear's range, and both weapons are straightforward to learn.
If you prefer heavy damage, the Odachi pairs well with Dual Swords. The Odachi punishes hard when enemies are vulnerable, while Dual Swords let you stay aggressive during windows where committing to a slow overhead swing would get you killed. Ki management is critical with the Odachi, so look for passive effects on gear that boost Ki recovery or reduce consumption. The Switchglaive + Katana combination is another favorite for players who want range and stance variety without sacrificing a reliable fallback option.
Top Odachi martial arts: Moonlit Snow, Retrograde Flow, Bolting Boar, Crashing Waves, Thunderbolt.
Top Dual Swords martial arts: Punish the Proud, Earthrender, Spinning Dragon, Windstorm, Sign of the Cross.
Top Spear martial arts: Spear Bash, Flying Monkey, Cull the Herd, Rising Dragon, Triple Threat.
Best Ninja weapons and what to pair them with
| Tier | Weapon | Strengths |
|---|---|---|
| S | Tonfa | Rapid combos, excellent Ki damage, can deflect attacks, highly evasive |
| S | Splitstaff | Sustained pressure on single and multiple targets, strong offensive flow |
| A | Kusarigama | Range and close-quarters flexibility, great AoE mob clearing |
| A | Dual Ninja Swords | Fast and aggressive, rewards stamina management and evasion |
| A | Ninja Sword | Balanced speed and damage, rewards backstabs, easiest Ninja weapon to learn |
| B | Hatchets | Throwable for ranged damage, excellent mobility, high-risk/high-reward |
| B | Talons | Speedy claw attacks, strong aerial combos, lower per-hit damage |
The Tonfa is widely regarded as the best Ninja weapon because it turns the style's natural agility into a relentless offensive machine. Each hit comes out fast, stagger builds quickly, and the Tonfa is one of the few Ninja weapons that can deflect incoming attacks. Invest early in the Impenetrability skill for blocking utility, and work toward Prescience for maximum defensive coverage. Wear armor that boosts toughness and physical resistance, because the Tonfa's short range means you will take hits.
Pairing the Tonfa with the Kusarigama is one of the most popular Ninja loadouts. The Kusarigama covers the Tonfa's lack of range, excels at clearing groups of enemies with wide sweeping attacks, and synergizes well with Ninjutsu. Its main drawback is terrible blocking — one or two absorbed hits will drain most of your Ki — so treat it as a pure evasion weapon. The Tonfa + Kusarigama pairing lets you dominate at close range and punish from a distance without ever needing to block.
For players who enjoy aerial combat and flashy play, Hatchets + Dual Ninja Swords is a strong, fun-focused combo. Hatchets have outstanding mobility and can be thrown for ranged poke, while Dual Ninja Swords chain fast ground combos. The Ninja Sword, on its own, is the most beginner-friendly option and pairs well with almost anything because of its balanced stat spread.
Top Tonfa martial arts: Demon Dance, Pulverize, Sacred Fire, Impenetrability, Wasp Sting.
Top Kusarigama martial arts: Pollard, Foot Sweep, Whirlwind Kick, Tangle Strike, Leaping Strike.
Top Ninja Sword martial arts: Kurama Sword Dance, Izuna Drop, Wagon Kick, Cloudrunner Blade, Kite Cross.
Best cross-style combo: Spear + Tonfa
When you factor in both Samurai and Ninja weapon slots, the Spear + Tonfa pairing stands out as the strongest overall combination. Two of their three scaling stats are shared, and the third — Constitution — scales both weapons while also increasing your HP. The Spear handles mid-to-long range encounters and group fights in Samurai stance, while the Tonfa dominates close-quarters brawls and Ki-break opportunities in Ninja stance.
This combo also covers the slash-versus-blunt damage split that matters against different enemy types. Blunt weapons like the Tonfa deal more Ki damage to human enemies, while the Spear's slashing attacks are effective against yokai. Keeping one of each damage type in your loadout means you always have the right tool for the situation.
Other popular cross-style pairings
| Samurai weapon | Ninja weapon | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Katana | Kusarigama | Classic and reliable; Sword handles bosses, Kusa clears mobs |
| Axe + Katana | Tonfa + Kusarigama | Full four-weapon loadout covering every range and damage type |
| Switchglaive | Hatchets | Switchglaive for stationary burst damage, Hatchets for mobility and ranged poke |
| Dual Swords | Kusarigama | Pure speed; Duals for single-target aggression, Kusa for AoE |
| Odachi | Ninja Sword | Heavy and light contrast; Odachi for punish windows, Ninja Sword for sustained pressure |
Stat synergy tips for the first playthrough
Stat synergy between your Samurai and Ninja weapons has a marginal effect on damage during the first difficulty cycle. Unless you are obsessive about min-maxing, the difference between optimized and unoptimized scaling is small enough that you should prioritize fun over numbers. A good rule of thumb is to level all stats evenly to 25–30 before committing to a focused build in endgame.
Once the remodel system unlocks roughly halfway through the campaign, you can change a weapon's reference stats to match your other weapons. For example, if your Sword scales with Heart, Strength, and Intelligence, you can remodel Dual Swords to match those same stats. The remodeled scaling won't be quite as efficient as the weapon's natural stats, but it opens up combinations that would otherwise require awkward stat splits.
The Ninja style does not use stances, which means some Samurai-focused players find it less engaging. If you plan to spend most of your time in Samurai form, pick a Ninja weapon that complements your Samurai loadout's weaknesses — typically range or speed — rather than trying to optimize the Ninja side independently. The Ninja form still shines in specific encounters, particularly bosses, where staying behind the target and dealing fast chip damage is more effective than trading blows head-on.
Nioh 3's weapon system rewards experimentation more than rigid optimization. The remodel feature, dual weapon slots per style, and relatively flat early-game scaling all push you toward trying new combinations rather than locking into one loadout forever. Start with Spear and Tonfa if you want the safest, most versatile foundation, then branch out as you unlock more skill trees and find weapons with stats that catch your eye.
