Compared to your typical action role-playing game, Nioh 3 is way more complex. Each of the weapons available in the game has extensive movesets that require multiple button combinations to accommodate the huge Martial Arts loadout that has now become typical for the series.
While Nioh 3 streamlines the complexity of its predecessor's controls and button combinations, it adds unexpected mechanical challenges that make it difficult to consistently unleash Martial Arts set to specific motion and button combinations.
Complete The Shogun's Preparation: change this setting ASAP to improve combat flow and ultimately make fighting enemies more enjoyable.
Change the Controls to Type B ASAP
Nioh 3 comes with six control scheme options, which move some of the game's core combat actions between different buttons. While the Type A control scheme generally works well (though you may need some time to adjust if you're coming straight from Nioh 2) I have found in my over 50 hours with the game not to be the best for one specific reason: the difficulty to use some Martial Arts consistently.
As opposed to the first two entries in the series, Nioh 3 assigns quite a few critical Martial Arts in both Samurai and Ninja style to forward + button and back + button combinations, leaving the L1 /LB + button combination free for Guardian Spirit skills.
These button combinations make using specific Martial Arts really unreliable. While the forward + button combination is a little more reliable, I have had a lot of trouble using the back + button Martial Arts consistently, forcing me to buffer the input behind a regular attack string.
Needless to say, this forces a playstyle that is not good for certain weapons. Take the Ninja Style Hatchets, for example: assigned to the back + heavy attack slot is the Dragonfly Martial Art, which is incredibly useful from a distance, but far riskier to use close to the enemy, a positioning the Type A controls essentially forced me into.
If you, like me, are having trouble with these Martial Arts button combinations, switch the Control Type to B. This control scheme restores the L1/LB + button combination for Martial Arts from previous entries in the series, switching the Guardian Skill button combos to L1/LB + up and L1/LB + down on the directional pad.
The difference, you will soon notice, will be night and day, no matter your weapon of choice. In my case, I was able to use the Samurai Dual Swords counterattack Punish the Proud Martial Art previously assigned to back + heavy attack much more consistently. Aerial combat in Ninja Style was also significantly improved, as aerial Martial Arts became more reliable with more consistent execution.
Change You Guardian Skills Button Combination, Too!
Having Guardian Skills assigned to directional buttons, however, can be cumbersome. As they are an essential part of both Samurai and Ninja styles' toolkit, you will want better access to them in the heat of battle, so you should consider assigning them to another button combination.
After playing around with different button configurations, I assigned the two Guardian Skills to the R1 and R2 buttons. This way, I have access to every Martial Arts for my weapons and the two Guardian Skills on the right side of my pad, making for a more intuitive control scheme.
This concludes our The Shogun's Preparation guide, where we go over some of the best Nioh 3 settings for the best experience. For more help, visit our Nioh 3: Complete Walkthrough and Guides Hub.
Guide based on a full playthrough conducted in the Steam 1.02 version. Screenshots captured from the same version.
Last updated: February 9
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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