The Definitive Nioh 2 Weapon Tier List

A game loved by most PS4 and PC players, Nioh 2, is on the chopping for today’s Nioh 2 Weapon tier list. It is an action role-playing game that became quite the rage last year because of its great gameplay. Along with being a multiplayer game, it provides hours and hours of fun and is hard to say no to. This tier list will focus on a crucial part of this game: the weapons. Let’s get started with this tier without wasting more time, shall we?

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Key points

• There are a total of 11 weapon categories in the tier list.
• Each entry has been ranked according to its effectiveness, stats, etc.
• In the top tier, you can find Switchglaive, Kusarigama, Odachi, etc.
• Among the lowest tier, you will find Ranged Weapons, Fist Weapons, etc.

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Summary

We will rank all the entries in a short table below.

S Rank.	A Rank.	B Rank.	C Rank.
Switchglaive	Hatchets	Dual Swords	Ranged Weapons
Odachi	Sword	Spear	Fist Weapons
Kusarigama	Tonfas	Axe

S Tier

First up in our tier list is the S tier. Typically, the S tier contains entities, or things considered the best in a particular category, which is also the case for our S tier in this tier list. This tier will include weapons considered the most effective and preferred weapons when out there in fights and looting on the battlefield. The categories will contain some examples of the weapons, so you know what kind of weapons you need to keep an eye out for. Let’s get started with this tier.

Odachi

The first type of weapon we will discuss is the Odachi. When using the Odachi, it is vital to note that this weapon scales significantly from Strength but can also scale with stamina and heart. Additionally, It has one of the highest damage-per-second ratings in the game and is quite strong against enemies that love to block by demolishing their Ki swiftly.

Average Break	100
Average Block	40

Build

As Odachi’s scale is mostly with Strength, it is key that you do not ignore that trait when playing with this weapon. Of course, the builds are not essentially the best as the game is very diverse in its mechanics and playstyles. This build just allows you to maximize the potential for Odachi’s when using them. The only thing to remember is to level up Strength, mostly with occasional level-ups of Stamina and Heart, so your stats remain well-rounded.

One of the most interesting and unique things about the Odachi is the parry it unlocks, Bolting Boar, which can prove to be quite clutch in most situations. It remains S tier despite being one of the slowest weapons in the game, along with having no melee skill tree characteristics. Some notable Odachi’s in Nioh 2 are listed as follows.

• Futsunomitama
• Great Kunimitsu
• Blood spider Blade
• Kamui

Switchglaive

The next type of weapon we will discuss is the Switchglaive. Switchglaives are basically Scythes but have a bit more combat power than them. In Nioh 2, Switchglaives are one of the best weapons for you if you like to go for the magic route in this game. They scale incredibly well with Magic along with Constitution and Skill. All in all, this weapon is best for mages but is more difficult to master if you’re a beginner.

The unique property of Switchgalive is that it has multiple fighting stances, which increases its versatility. These three stances are Blade, Edge, and Retribution, each with its specific pros and cons. This unique ability allows you to create combos and chain attacks from different stances for a long and effective streak of damage. Additionally, this allows you to counter your slow recharge time and deal a significant amount of damage.

Average Break	70
Average Block	40

Build

Building Switchglaive is a pretty simple task but maybe a little confusing for beginners. The key trait you have to level up is Magic, as this weapon scales the most with that trait. Additionally, you should also occasionally level up Constitution and Skill as it will unlock light armour for you pretty quickly as well. You can ignore stamina here as you will not be using any heavy/medium armor when using this weapon.

Some active skills you should try to obtain are Divine Retribution and Mind’s Edge, and for passives, you should opt for Shadow Strike and Armor Piercer. These abilities are sure to help you win fights with ease once you are used to this weapon’s style.

Some of the notable Switchglaives are listed as follows.

• Seething Dragon
• Terminus Switchglaive
• Sasayuki

Kusarigama

The last weapon we will be talking about in our Nioh 2 Weapon tier list is the Kusarigama. If you don’t know what this weapon looks like, it is basically a crescent axe attached to a rope that you can swing around like Scorpion from Mortal Kombat. In Nioh 2, this weapon scaled the most with Dexterity but also with Skill and strength traits as well. It is a ranged and close combat melee weapon, so in terms of versatility, it definitely stays on top.

Average Break	55
Average Block	40

Build

When it comes to building the Kusarigama, it is pretty basic. Just stick to leveling up Dexterity as this weapon scales very well with this trait. However, don’t only stick to leveling up Dexterity but also level up Skill and Strength traits as well to unlock armor for your character as well. Consequently, it is important to note that you will be using light armor with this weapon, so successfully landing combos are essential for an advantageous duel.

Concerning the active and passive, you should build on weapons of this category are listed as follows. Some of the active skills you should go for are Whirlwind and Tankle Strike I and II. Secondly, the passives you should opt for are Shadow Strike and Armor Piercer. Lastly, do remember to their full advantage!

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A Tier

Continuing our tier list, the next tier that we are going to have a look at is the A tier. Normally, this tier contains the entities that are decent but not the ideal ones; better among the good but not the best. This is also the case in our Nioh 2 weapons tier list as well as. The weapons listed here are more good for playing most of the time than not. However, they vary in terms of difficulty and versatility in relation to the S-tier weapons. Let’s start with the discussion of this tier.

Tonfas

The first weapon we will have a look at in our A tier of this tier list is the Tonfas. I am sure most of you know what the Tonfas look like, but in case you don’t, they look like batons with an additional angle to swing them by. When it comes to Nioh 2, these are definitely a decent weapon because they scale extremely well with the Courage Stat. In addition to Courage, the Tonfas also scale with Constitution and Dexterity.

Tonfas are one of the weapons I always go for because of their versatility with my play style. It has the ability to deplete the enemy’s Ki extremely quickly through its high attack speed. Consequently, it provides a lot of Ki to the user so they can block effectively against enemy attacks as well. The following text will discuss a very successful build for the weapon in Nioh 2.

Average Break	67
Average Block	58

Build

The Tonfas are a very beginner-friendly weapon, so it is quite simple to build them to utilize their maximum potential. I would recommend you always play with the mid-stance if you don’t know the game mechanics that well. In addition to that, be sure to level up your Courage skill primarily with occasional points going towards Dexterity and Constitution as well as other perks.

As far as the skills are concerned, build the following passive and active skills for ideal use. For the active skills when using the Tonfas, you should go for Demon Dance: Man, Pulverize Man, and either Dragon Slayer for power attack to Impenetrability for known downs. And lastly, for the passives, you should opt for Shadow Strike and Relentless whenever building Tonfas.

Some notable Tonfas that I thought should be included in our Nioh 2 complete edition weapon tier list are listed as follows,

• Royal Tonfa
• Vajra Tonfa
• Seventh Sword Tonfa

Sword

The next weapon we will be discussing in our Nioh 2 weapons tier list is Swords. Swords are a pretty well-known weapon as they are in almost every war movie ever. In Nioh 2, Swords are the most versatile weapons in the game because they can be built in numerous ways. Additionally, they have access to most skills in the game. However, a thing to note about the Swords is that this game has two types.

The first type has a long curved blade icon which scales better with Skill and a little bit with Strength. Consequently, the second type looks more like a normal sword and scales equally with both of those traits. Aside from these aspects of the sword, you can potentially build it for a ranged type as well, which is quite good too.

Despite having all those pros, its biggest con is its usability early game. This reason alone is why Swords are in the A tier rather than the S tier because they are very outmatched early games. The skills and items that ultimately build the weapon are not available until a very late stage in the game, which can be pretty hard to play around with for beginners.

Average Break	50
Average Block	35

Build

Building the Swords is completely up to you because, as I mentioned above, they are very versatile. However, I will explain a little bit about how to generally build this weapon if you have little to no experience with using them. With the Swords, the recommended stance is the mid-stance. Additionally, for active skills, you should build Kick and the Backwave Series for optimal combos. Lastly, for the passive skills, you should go for “First Rule of Thrusting” and Shadow Strike to get the best use out of your weapon.

Listed below are some of the best swords that are currently in the game.

• Tokagemaru
• Blossomed Blade
• Kenmyoren

Hatchets

The final weapon in our A tier of this Nioh 2 weapons tier list is the Hatchets. Hatchets resemble axes in appearance but have a little more distinction as a weapon rather than a tool. Hatchets are extremely similar to dual swords in both appearance and attack speed; however, not do the same damage. While hatchets dish out low damage compared to dual swords, they offer the availability of ranged attacks.

Hatchets are inferior in a lot of ways to some of the other weapons in the game but are still a weapon worthy of the A tier just because of their great crowd control. It offers great mobility and ranged attacks to be great when you are against multiple enemies. While using this weapon, you also have the opportunity to attack when you evade or perform most defensive acts, which allows you always to do damage.

Average Break	55
Average Block	55

Build

Building these hatchets is quite similar to building the Switchglaive, as discussed above, with a little bit of difference in their scaling. Therefore, the key trait you should always upgrade for this weapon is the Skill trait. In addition to Skill, you should also level up Constitution every now and then for the availability of decent light armor. Leveling up Courage will also help you in some cases as well.

When it comes to the active and passive skills, you should opt for the following. For your active skills, you should build Piercing Hurl Series and Tile Shaker more often than not. However, when it comes to the Passive skills, you should always go for Shadow Strike and Passage to the Afterlife, which is good when you have Hatchets equipped.

Last but not least, the following are some of the notable hatchets in the game.

• Demon Horde Hatchets
• Hero’s Hatchets
• Urn Splitter Hatchets

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B Tier

Next up on this Nioh 2 best weapon tier list is, of course, the B tier. Usually, the B tier contains the average or slightly above average rated entities of a certain category. This is also the case in this tier list of ours as this tier will contain the weapon deemed to be average in comparison to the weapons discussed above.

Despite being B-tier weapons, I cannot discredit their ability to be absolutely demolishing weapons when it comes to a Master of their use. So, without further delay, let’s start the B tier.

Axe

The first weapon we will discuss in the B tier of our is Axe. Axes are mostly used as lumber tools, but in the case of Nioh 2 and most video games, this is also quite a deadly weapon.

In our case of this tier list, Axes aren’t considered the best weapon when concerning beginners; however, this weapon can be quite deadly in the hands of a master. I don’t fancy this weapon, but if you find any of the following features appealing, this might be the weapon for you!

The most important feature of the Axe is its speed. When viewed in relation to other weapons, this is one of the slowest ones in the game! Additionally, it is not a great damage per the second weapon either, but each hit does dish out a significant amount of damage. In addition to all that, it has the most damaging ability among all melee weapons discussed in this Nioh 2 weapon tier list 2023; Lumberjack.

Average Break	130
Average Block	30

Build

Unlike most of the other melee weapons we have discussed in our tier list, Axe is quite complicated to build. They are significantly weaker early game as well. They do scale the best with stamina, but it is important to note that balancing them out is key for the early game.

In addition to stamina, you should also level up Strength as well because you will need to tank a lot of incoming damage. Lastly, the recommended stance for using this particular weapon is High.

When considering which skills to build, you should follow the following instructions for optimal efficiency. For active skills, you should always go for Titanic Strength, Heaven and Earth, and the Mad Spinner series. But for the passive skills, you should always opt for Shadow Strike or Relentless for the best damage output. I have listed some of the best axes that are currently in the game, so do keep an eye out for them.

• Swordsmith’s Hammer
• Shuten Doji’s Club
• Gojinka Hammer
• Evil-Crusher Hammer

Dual Swords

Let us continue the B tier of our Nioh 2 best weapon tier list with the next weapon, Dual Swords. Dual Swords are a well-known weapon throughout history because of their ability to do insane amounts of damage at the expense of a poor defense.

However, in the case of Nioh 2, these weapons are the perfect average weapon for any user, new or experienced. If you are a beginner, don’t worry, as these weapons are extremely easy to use.

In Nioh 2, Dual Swords are one of the most versatile weapons in the game, with many different styles to play them with. However, it is important to note that these weapons are effective only at very close range, which is why it is in the B tier. Consequently, this weapon also provides you with several abilities that help you in achieving the minimum distance so you can deal as much damage as you possibly can.

Average Break	55
Average Block	60

Build

Building the Dual Swords mostly depends on how you try to use them, but the one I will discuss is the default and basic one. The key trait you want to level up is the Skill trait, as these weapons scale the most with this trait.

Additionally, this weapon also scales quite well but not as much with the Heart and Strength traits as well. Furthermore, if you want to add little juice to your armor, leveling up Constitution is a viable option too.

Finally, let us move on to the details about the skills of this particular weapon. The skills are similar to most melee weapons, so you should follow these instructions. For active skills, I suggest you build Windstorm, God of Wind, or the Sign of Cross series. For the passive skills, you should opt for either Armor Piercer or Defense Arts. Listed below are some of the best Dual Swords in Nioh 2.

• Kanehira Sword & Nightingale
• Beardcutter & Hobbler
• Chi-Azamara

Spear

The last weapon of this tier is the Spear. The Spear is notorious for being responsible for being the tool used a lot to fish and kill anyone with little to no difficulty. Along with that, it is one of the most simple weapons or tools to build compared to all the other melee weapons. In Nioh 2, it is a similar weapon that is quite deadly with a bit of range to do damage as well (the longest average range in the game).

When concerning the gameplay in Nioh 2, these weapons do offer quite a lot of range for a melee weapon but not the most damage; still above average though. However, like all things, this weapon has a very major weakness. Against opponents that can’t be staggered, it is basically useless. Consequently, it is very good against entities that can be staggered by unleashing a major amount of damage through lethal combos.

Average Break	70
Average Block	45

Build

Building the spears is quite a simple task when it comes to building weapons in Nioh 2. All you have to focus on is two skill traits, Constitution and Strength. Spears scale massively with Constitution, so priority is given to this specific trait. And as far as Strength is concerned, spears work best with medium armor, so level up Strength to maximize defense. Lastly, the stance you want to use is High for effective gameplay.

Finally, the skills you want to build are listed as follows. When it comes to active skills, you should always go for Spearfall and spear flourish as they are the most effective skills with this weapon. Furthermore, when concerning the passive skills, you should opt for the following, First Rule of Thrusting and Shadow Strike. Before we conclude this weapons discussion, I have listed some notable weapons below.

• Wooden Spear ( for maximum ki damage at the expense of melee damage)
• Vermillion Spear
• Sakon’s Spear
• Swan Spear

C tier

Finally, the last tier we will be discussing in our is here. In this C tier, we will be discussing the worst-ranked weapons in the form of two categories. Now, this does not mean that these weapons are necessarily bad, but that they have very few masterful users. I don’t like using any of them, but you may find them perfect for your style. So, without further ado, let us start with the last tier of this tier list.

Ranged Weapons

The first category of the C tier is the “Ranged Weapons” category. As the name suggests, this category focuses on many non-melee weapons in Nioh 2. In Nioh 2, there are 3 purely ranged weapons that are listed below. Keep in mind these weapons are built mostly the same, so I will not be going into much detail about the build of these weapons.

Average Break	90
Average Block	0

• Bow
• Rifles
• Hand Cannons

Build

This little formula should help you understand the DPS of these weapons; Bows>Rifles>Hand Cannon. This is also the rule for the fire rate of these weapons, with their only difference being skills and passives.

Dexterity, Strength, and Heart with some constitution are the basic builds for these weapons. Unfortunately, I cannot list a default build for any of these weapons as none exist. These weapons depend massively on the user’s play style.

I recommend you experiment around and look for a build that best suits you and your needs!

Fist Weapons

The last weapon category we will be discussing in this C tier. These weapons are purely for the pacifistic player in Nioh 2 as these weapons range from Gauntlets to Gloves in appearance. They have many different uses and build into the game, but we will only be focusing on the most basic ones. The problem with fists is the range and the lack of defense.

Average Break	60
Average Block	65

Build

Building fists is quite a simple task in Nioh 2. Just focus on leveling up Strength as the fists scale the best with that. However, you should also pay attention to the Heart and Dexterity trait as it is quite important in the balanced stats part of the game. As far as the skills are concerned, you should always build Limitless, Fist of Reckoning, Spinning, and Kick Cycle as they are considered the best Fist skills.

Comparison Table

Weapons	Tier	Average Break	Average Block
Switchglaive	S	70	40
Odachi	S	100	40
Kusarigama	S	55	40
Hatchets	A	55	55
Sword	A	50	35
Tonfas	A	67	58
Dual Swords	B	55	60
Spear	B	70	45
Axe	B	130	30
Ranged Weapons	C	90	0
Fist Weapons	C	60	65

Ending Note

Well, that does it for this Nioh 2 weapon tier list for now. This tier list did require a bit of research from various sources, but I did try to provide as much of a brief but descriptive explanation of the best weapons in Nioh 2. Do let me know what you thought of this tier list in the comments, or just say hi. Lastly, thank you for reading this tier list, and I hope you found this tier list helpful.

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