Stepping into Nioh 3 can feel overwhelming. Between relentless enemies, sprawling map areas, and deep progression systems, it’s easy to waste time or get stuck early. This isn’t a basic tips list — it’s your definitive early progression roadmap. You’ll learn how to efficiently gather skill unlocks, prioritize powerful upgrades, and use hidden systems like Kodama Blessings and Secret Skills to build a strong foundation from the first hour.
1. Power Through Skill Progression: Samurai’s & Ninja’s Locks
What Are Locks and Why They Matter
In Nioh 3, your true progression isn’t just leveling up with Amrita — it comes from Samurai’s Locks and Ninja’s Locks, collectible items you use to unlock powerful combat skills in the Samurai and Ninja trees.
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Each lock grants a skill point for its respective tree.
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These points unlock essential abilities like Deflect and Evade, which dramatically improve survival and combat flow early on.
Where to Find Locks (Valuables)
Locks appear as Valuables on your map. Use the map and toggle view (R2/RT) to highlight them.
Early Lock Sources:
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Large treasure chests: Often guarded or hidden.
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Floating collectibles (Chijiko Spirit Balloons): Shoot them down for locks and sometimes Transformed Arts.
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Guarded corpses: Metallic bodies often contain valuable locks.
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Crucible bosses: These challenging chunks of combat reward multiple locks.
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Side missions & objectives: Extra tasks often drop locks on completion.
✔ Pro-Tip: In the first open fields, treat exploration like a scavenger hunt. Clearing all locks in an area orders your progression and powers you up for tougher encounters ahead.
2. Must-Unlock Skills: Build Your Early Core
Samurai Tree Essentials
Prioritize these early for a smoother start:
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Deflect: Your #1 early investment. A perfectly timed block that negates damage, restores Ki, and empowers your Arts Gauge.
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High & Low Stance unlocks: Give you access to more combat tools beyond the default Mid Stance.
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Flux I & II: Boosts Ki recovery when you pulse and stance swap — key for stamina-intensive fights.
These skills allow you to block dangerous attacks, maintain pressure during combat, and stay fighting longer.
Ninja Tree Must-Haves
If you prefer agility and evasion:
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Evade: Provides a perfect dodge that restores Ki and builds Ninjutsu points.
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Gunpowder Bomb or Caltrops: These are excellent early tools for controlling the battlefield — damage over time or slowing enemies.
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Footstool Jump → Midair Dodge: Unlock aerial mobility that’s huge for dodging and repositioning.
These skills help you avoid damage and maintain flow in combat.
3. Hidden Power Systems: Kodama Blessings & Secret Skills
Kodama: More Than Collectibles
Kodama are small green spirits that boost your early survivability when guided to shrines. Each Kodama you return increases your Elixir capacity (healing item limit), making survival easier.
How to use Kodama:
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Find a Kodama and guide it to the nearest shrine (interact with it near shrines).
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Each one increases the number of Elixirs you can hold and earns Kodama Merit.
Kodama Blessings Explained
At a shrine, you can spend Kodama Merit on Kodama Blessings, permanent buffs until you change them. These include:
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Elixir Drop Rate: More healing items drop from enemies.
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Medicine Efficacy: Elixirs heal more.
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Spirit Force Bonus (Elixir): Boosts Spirit Force gain when using an elixir.
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Increased Damage (Elixir): Boosts damage after using an elixir.
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Decreased Damage Taken (Elixir): Reduces incoming damage after using an elixir.
✔ Pro-Tip: Kodama Blessings can be reshuffled at shrines, so experiment with buffs as you learn enemy patterns.
4. Secret Skills: Unexpected Advantages
Secret Skills are powerful perks that enhance your playstyle. They are unlocked via Secret Skill Texts, which you find in treasure chests or by looting certain spots. Once found, bring the text to a shrine and unlock the skill.
Examples of early valuable Secret Skills:
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Long Stride (Common Skill): Increases dodge distance — great for evasion.
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Sneak Thief (Common Skill): Gives a chance for enemies to drop items after stealth kills.
These can dramatically change early combat by enhancing mobility or rewards.
5. Your First-Hour Roadmap
Here’s a breakdown of how to spend your first 60 minutes effectively:
📍 First 10–30 Minutes
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Complete the tutorial and open your map.
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Prioritize collecting 3–4 Locks (Samurai and Ninja).
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Return to a shrine and spend them on Deflect, Evade, and one utility skill like Gunpowder Bomb or Flux I.
📍 Next 30–60 Minutes
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Locate at least one Kodama and guide it to a shrine.
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Activate the Elixir Drop Rate Kodama Blessing for more healing items.
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Check Secret Skills you’ve found and equip them via the shrine’s Skill Management menu.
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Practice key tools (Deflect and Evade) against common enemies; these skills transform your early combat flow.
✔ Pro-Tip: You can respec your skills at any shrine, so experiment without fear.
6. Practical Tips for Early Success
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Explore thoroughly: Valuables are often off the beaten path, and collecting them early pays off later.
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Use Kodama to maximize survivability: Get that extra Elixir slot early — it matters.
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Balance offense and defense: Unlock skills that help you stay alive and deal damage.
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Respec early: Try different builds by reallocating locks until you find your playstyle.
❓ Nioh 3 Early Progression – FAQ
What should I focus on first in Nioh 3’s early game?
Your top priority in the early game is unlocking core defensive skills and stabilizing your resource economy. Focus on collecting Samurai’s Locks and Ninja’s Locks to unlock Deflect (Samurai) and Evade (Ninja) as soon as possible, then activate Kodama Blessings to improve Elixir drops and survivability.
What are Samurai’s Locks and Ninja’s Locks in Nioh 3?
Samurai’s Locks and Ninja’s Locks are progression items used to unlock skills in their respective skill trees. Unlike Amrita levels, these Locks directly unlock new mechanics and abilities, making them the most important power progression items in the early game.
Where can I find Samurai’s & Ninja’s Locks early?
Early Locks are commonly found in:
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Large treasure chests
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Chijiko spirit balloons (shoot them down)
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Guarded corpses and mini-boss encounters
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Crucible boss rooms
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Side missions and Kodama rewards
Use the map’s Valuables filter to track Locks efficiently.
What are the best early Samurai skills to unlock?
The strongest early Samurai skills are:
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Deflect – Perfectly timed block that restores Ki and fills the Arts Gauge
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High Stance & Low Stance – Unlock full weapon versatility
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Flux I & II – Massive Ki recovery when stance-switching during Ki Pulse
These skills form the backbone of sustainable, aggressive combat.
What are the best early Ninja skills to unlock?
For Ninja, prioritize:
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Evade – Perfect dodge that restores Ki and generates Ninjutsu points
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Gunpowder Bomb or Caltrops – Early crowd control and damage-over-time
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Midair Dodge (after Footstool Jump) – Essential for aerial safety and mobility
These skills enable hit-and-run tactics and safe boss engagement.
How do Kodama Blessings work in Nioh 3?
Kodama Blessings are shrine buffs unlocked by returning lost Kodama to shrines. You earn Kodama Merit, which can be spent on blessings that provide persistent bonuses such as increased Elixir drop rate, healing effectiveness, or Yokai ability damage.
Which Kodama Blessing should I choose first?
The best first Kodama Blessing is Elixir Drop Rate (Medicine). It dramatically increases healing item drops, reducing early-game difficulty and allowing more aggressive play. After that, Medicine Efficacy and Yokai Ability Damage are strong secondary options.
Can I reset or respec skills in Nioh 3?
Yes. Skill respecs are free and can be done at any shrine from the skill acquisition menu. This encourages experimentation and lets you adapt your build without penalty as you learn new systems.
What are Secret Skills and are they worth using early?
Secret Skills are powerful passive effects unlocked through Secret Skill Texts found in the world. They are equipped separately from normal skills and provide strong bonuses such as increased healing or damage reduction. Using even one early Secret Skill can significantly improve survivability.
Is Nioh 3 better played as Samurai or Ninja early on?
The strongest approach early is a hybrid playstyle. Use the Ninja’s speed and tools to safely drain enemy Ki, then switch to Samurai for high-damage finishers. The game is designed around style-switching, not specialization.
What’s the biggest beginner mistake in Nioh 3?
The most common mistake is rushing main objectives while ignoring exploration. Skipping Locks, Kodama, and side encounters makes the game far harder than intended. Fully clearing early zones dramatically smooths progression.
Conclusion
With the systems and priorities above, you’ll turn Nioh 3’s early game from intimidating to manageable. Focusing on Samurai’s & Ninja’s Locks, unlocking key combat skills, and using Kodama Blessings and Secret Skills pays dividends early and sets you up for success throughout your journey.
Start strong, adapt quickly, and enjoy the satisfaction of mastering one of 2026’s most challenging action RPGs!
👉 Next recommended reads:
- Team Ninja – Nioh 3 Official News & Demo Info – Official announcements, demo details, and bonus info.
- Nioh 3 on Steam – Full game page with pre-order options and system requirements.
- Reddit – r/Nioh – Community discussion, tips, demo experiences, and launch strategies.
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