Say you love a good Soulslike, and you've heard great things about Squad Ninja's Nioh two. Say that you've booted up the game, quickly realized that its difficulty and depth are no joke, and yous've gotten slaughtered more than a few times. What'southward a gamer to do? You lot could surrender... just kidding, y'all would never do that.

Fortunately, though Nioh two is definitely a hardcore feel full of overlapping systems, yous can nevertheless come out on top - y'all just need to acquire to take reward of all of your options. The game provides a surprising level of flexibility in its gear and stat systems, which allows you to create a character that suits your play style. Here are but a few of the best builds for the different weapon types in the game.

7 Dual Swords - Agile H2o Swordsman

A screenshot from Nioh 2, showing a character with the Water Swordsman build rushing towards a cyclops enemy

For a solid early-game build, attempt using dual swords as your weapon and focusing on your Skill, Heart, and Dexterity stats. This build lends itself to an agile, defensive play style - you lot'll bound in quickly to attack enemies, and then contrivance away to avoid their blows.

Raising your Center stat volition allow you to aggrandize your Ki energy, which governs your deportment. With more Ki, you can assault and dodge more consistently. This build gets its name from the Water Sword skill, which when equipped allows you to attack enemies multiple times in quick succession - perfect for this speed-focused build.

half dozen Kusarigama - Endgame Hero

An image from Nioh 2, showing a character weilding a kusarigama against a demon

On the other hand, if yous're looking for a powerful build to tackle Nioh 2's wealth of endgame content, you tin use the kusarigama as your weapon and focus on your Dexterity, Magic, and Stamina stats. This build offers flexibility in terms of equipping different buffs and weapon abilities, and allows yous to balance both up-close melee prowess and powerful ranged attacks.

1 detail thing to focus on in this build is reducing your projectile damage through equipping skills and specific weapon sets; this will let y'all to keep your distance from enemies without opening yourself upward their ranged attacks.

5 Switchglaive - Omnyo Mage

A screenshot from Nioh 2, showing a character weilding a switchglaive against human enemies in a forest

For players who desire to focus on buffs and debuffs in gild to outfox their foes, the Omnyo Mage build with the switchglaive weapon is a good option. You'll really want to focus on your Magic stat for this build, which will allow you access to the full suite of offensive and defensive magic.

In add-on, yous'll want to equip the Omnyo Mage armor ready, likewise equally any accessory that focuses on Omnyo magic. Finally, y'all'll demand to equip every bit many elemental harm boosts as possible in order to become the full issue out of the build.

4 Spear - OP Tank

A screenshot from Nioh 2, showing a character wielding a spear against a demonic enemy in a dark forest

This is a build that volition let you to tank tons of damage. Equip the spear equally your master weapon, and every bit your main stats invest in Constitution - which will boost your damage output, as spears' efficacy is directly tied to this stat, Magic, and Center.

You'll besides want to equip the Tornado skill, which sends out a shockwave and then allows you to follow up with some quick attacks for extra damage. Finally, you'll want to add life increases and elemental resistances onto your armor, which volition help yous to power through any damage you lot receive.

3 Dual Swords - Master Swordsman

A character from Nioh 2 guards against an enemy with dual swords

If you're looking for a dual sword build to carry you through the endgame, this is a great pick. Information technology gets its name from the Main Swordsman heavy armor set, which is challenging to go far both New Game and New Game+ but which provides a swell deal of stat boosts. Y'all'll want to equip this fix, and you'll also want to use skills that allow you lot to recover more quickly and withstand more harm over fourth dimension.

Finally, you lot'll demand to equip skills on your accessories that allow yous to bargain more damage to enemies who are inflicted with paralysis - this gives you lot an extra choice in dealing with foes.

2 Fists - Dragon Ninja

Menu description of the Falcon Claws in Nioh 2

Of course, rather than focusing on buffs or status furnishings, sometimes you just desire a build that will output ridiculous amounts of harm. In that example, a build merely using your fists is the way to go. This particular build requires that you invest heavily in the Strength stat, and equip the Hayabusha armor prepare, which will boost your life and attack power.

You'll also need to equip the Limitless skill, which allows you to use all of your Ki energy to score one huge, powerful assault. This can output thousands on thousands of impairment, and so this is the build to use if you like seeing big numbers.

1 Bow & Katana - Active Archery

A screenshot from Nioh 2, showing a character drawing back their bow

Finally, if you're looking for a more than defensive build, this bow-and-katana combination volition be right up your alley. You'll want to invest in your Heart, Skill, and Constitution stats - Heart and Skill will build up your strength for the weapons, while Constitution will allow yous to wear lite armor, which will assist you to contrivance enemies chop-chop.

Next, equip the Haccho Nenbutsu katana for its bonuses, particularly its ability to reduce Ki energy consumption for melee attacks. Finally, yous'll need bonuses that volition boost your speed with the bow - this build asks you to switch betwixt melee and projectile attacks, so you lot'll need to be able to move fast when drawing your ranged weapon.

NEXT: Nioh 2: Everything You Need To Know Most Character Creation Codes