In this article, we will outline the best choices for each weapon type in the game. Keep in mind, these do not include bows, rifles, or hand cannons. Those will be detailed in another guide! Check out our strategy guide on which starting weapon to choose if you're new to the game or are looking for a fresh perspective on the weapon types!
Katana
Sohaya Tsurugi
Part of the Tranquil Foundations set, the Sohaya Tsurugi is said to be a tachi forged by the famed swordsmith Miike Denta Mitsuyo of the Chikugo province. It pairs excellently with the Great Good armor set, providing melee damage, ki, and life buffs. This all-rounded set not only makes you take less damage but also gives you a good chance to recover an elixir on every use.
Tokagemaru
Said to be a Yokai blade recorded in the Shinetsu region, this katana boasts a good balance between offense and defense. They’re fairly common and imbued with Corruption, which deals additional ki damage based on your enemy’s corruption resistance. It’s a great weapon to use early game if you’re not sure what type of enemy you’ll be facing, and it scales well with Heart. It often comes with buffs to your base attack (among other bonuses), so it is a good option to start with.
Raikiri
Potentially one of the strongest weapons in late-game, the Raikiri does not sport a good set of bonuses. But what it lacks there, it makes up for it with its special imbue Lightning attribute. This attribute slows enemies down, which is a massive advantage against several enemies in the game. You definitely want to keep an eye out for this weapon.
Haccho Nenbutsu
A famous sword forged by Yukiie of the Katayama-Ichimonji school of swordsmiths from Bizen Province and worn by Saika Magoichi, head of the Saika clan. This sword provides a special buff known as Saika’s Yatagarasu. The buffs for the set are –
2 Items
Life Drain (Bullseye)
3 Items
Dodge Ki Consumption -10%
4 Items
Melee Damage +5%
5 Items
Auto-Target Weak Point
6 Items
Reduced Defense (Ranged Weapon Hit) 50%
7 Items
Untouched Ammo +20.0%
7+ Items
Bullseye Bonus +20.0%
The ideal usage of this set with the Haccho Nenbutsu is to go with four pieces for the life drain bonus on bullseye hits combined with the additional bonuses. It saves a lot of ki from being spent on dodging and melee.
Dual Katana
Weathered Bone & Bleached Twig
Said to be pair of cursed long and short katana, these weapons are your run-of-the-mill standard Yokai weapons. But that doesn’t diminish their usefulness at all. They’re great for imbuing corruption and are an excellent choice for Dual Katana users.
Weathered Bone is similar to the Tokagemaru in that it’s a common Yokai weapon. If you’re using Dual swords, it’s a solid choice.
Seki Dual Uchigatana
Said to be forged by swordsmiths from Seki in the Mine Province, these swords are very good at imbuing status effects quickly. They have an added bonus of reduced ki consumption when used in mid-stance, which is a fantastic thing to have when facing off against enemies that require a steady amount of DPS and status build-up.
Ogo & Nagamei Masamune
The long sword, Ogo, meaning “great river” is said to come from the fact that it was considerably larger before it was whittled down to its current form. Nagamei Masamune, the short sword, was crafted by Goro Masamune. Its name literally means “the Masamune sword with the long inscription”.
While these descriptions don’t really help out all that much, what sets them apart from other weapons is the fact that they are part of the Multitude of Hopes set, along with the Golden Gourd armor set and Tokichiro’s Gourd. The set bonuses are –
2 Items
Auto-Life Recovery (Critical)
3 Items
Cherry Blossom Damage +10%
4 Items
Melee Damage +5%
5 Items
Amrita Earned +12%
6 Items
Increased Attack (Amrita Absorption)
7 Items
Attack Bonus (Amrita Gauge) AAA
7+ Items
Faster Movement Speed (Amrita Absorption)
Even though this pair of katanas is very late in the game, the melee damage buffs and health regen at critical are fantastic bonuses to have. They’re great to be paired with any build as the bonuses apply even if they’re equipped in the background.
Spear
Realmtaker Spear
The blade of this spear bears a Buddhist motif that symbolizes the renunciation of earthly desires and is believed to have “the power to send the slain safely to the afterlife”. While that sounds amazing, its actual in-game benefits are the fact that it is part of the Heroic Raging Bull set, the benefits of which are –
2 Items
Life +150
3 Items
Melee Damage +3.0%
4 Items
Damage Taken -4.0%
5 Items
Auto-Life Recovery (Amrita Absorption)
6 Items
Dispel Ailments (Timely Guard)
6+ Items
Attack Bonus (Stamina) B+
Combined with four armor pieces from the heavy Raging Bull set, your build will have bonuses to life, damage taken, and melee damage, with automatic health regen.
Mataza’s Long Spear
Said to be the weapon of choice of Maeda Toshiie, this late-game weapon is part of the Master of Spears set. The buffs for it are –
2 Items
Faster Movement (Enemy Killed) 90%
3 Items
Triple Threat Damage +15%
4 Items
Melee Damage +5%
5 Items
Increased Attack & Defense (Spear) +40
6 Items
Active Skill Ki Consumption -10.0%
7 Items
Thrust Damage +10.7%
7+ Items
Thrust Damage +12.0%
This set with its buffs is every spear fan’s dream. Paired with Mataza’s armor set, this build gets an immense damage buff while reducing your ki consumption and making you move faster, which is a huge bonus for spear users. As if that wasn’t enough, it also imbues fire. How cool is that??
Axe/Hammer
Ippon-Datara’s Hammer
One of the best axe/hammer weapons in the game is Ippon-Datara’s hammer. With the benefit of imbuing corruption, this Yokai weapon is a solid choice for most axe/hammer users. It is said to boast “awesome destructive powers and can beat even the toughest foes to a pulp”, and we can safely say that it lives up to its legend.
Kusarigama
Earthfall Kusarigama
Said to have been crafted from a meteorite found Mount Isurugi, the Earthfall Kusarigama is a purity imbuing weapon. With the Winter Dawn skill, this kusarigama is a powerhouse of DPS.
Black Bamboo Kusarigama
This is an interesting addition to this lineup because you can get this fairly early on in the game. It is one of the first you can find that imbues paralysis, which is an excellent advantage to have. Low and mid-stance quick attacks are very fast with the Kusarigama and are fantastic in building up status effects rapidly.
Odachi
Ippon-Datara’s Odachi
One of the strongest and earliest Yokai weapons, this Odachi boasts a hefty corruption imbuement stat. Useful throughout the game, be it early or late, this weapon will serve you well. Keep in mind to temper it to ensure it remains useful in the long run.
Taro Tachi
Arguably one of the best water-based options in the game, this Odachi will be mighty useful against the multitude of fire-based enemies in the game. It is very reliable, and makes for an incredible self-sustaining build when paired with the Ferryman’s Robes for life drain.
Kamui
The perfect anti-thesis to the previously mentioned Taro Tachi, the Kamui is its fire imbuing counterpart Odachi. This weapon can often be found with extra effects as well, making it a fantastic must-have weapon throughout the game if fire is your choice of element.
Tonfa
White Bone Spirit Tonfa
Said to be made from the bones of a skeleton turned Yokai that once terrorized a small village, this corruption imbuing weapon does wonders against Yokai enemies with its inherent skill Melee Damage vs. Yokai. Paired with the paralysis shuriken ninjutsu, this weapon makes for an incredible build.
Dual Hatchets
Gyosha Hand Axe
Easily the best weapon in the game to consistently imbue purity, The Gyosha Hand Axes are very strong against Yokai enemies. They have a great balance between attack speed and power, making them one of the best weapons in the whole game.
Urn Splitter Hatchets
Part of the Bold and the Boorish set, along with the Oni Shibata armor set, that rewards aggression by strengthening damage and improving ki recovery, the Urn Splitter hatchets are fantastic at letting you hack and slash away endlessly through hordes of enemies. The benefits of the set are –
2 Items
Life +150
3 Items
Damage Taken (Mid-Attack) -10.0%
4 Items
Increased Attack & Defense (Hatchet) +20
5 Items
Damage Taken -4.5%
6 Items
High Attack Damage +7.0%
7 Items
Ki Recovery Speed +20.0%
7+ Items
Ultimate Stamina
Switchglaive
Seething Dragon
The best, most consistent switchglaive in Nioh 2 is the Seething Dragon one with corruption imbuing potential as a Yokai weapon, as well as faster ki recovery with every enemy killed. Switchglaives are best paired with magic, so be sure to make your build accordingly.
That's all for our list on the best main weapons in Nioh 2! We will be outlining the best handheld weapons and their advantages and/or disadvantages in a future guide, so please stay tuned! If you like a weapon that isn't on this list, be sure to leave it in the comments!
Feel free to check out our other guides on our website!
