Watch Your Ki (Stamina)
In Nioh, your Ki gauge determines whether you can perform actions with William or not. Underneath your life bar, you’ll see a second bar that indicates how much Ki you have left. Be warned that depleting your stamina bar is a lot more punishing than in any Souls game you’ve played; letting it empty out will cause you to become stunned for a while, and you’ll be unable to move. If this happens in the middle of battle, you’ll likely take a lot of damage and die.
The cool thing is, Nioh does give you a chance to recover stamina in the middle of a fight. If you tap the R1 button right after performing a combo, you’ll regain some of the stamina that you just expended. After performing actions, keep an eye on your stamina bar and tap R1 just as it flashes white. If you time it correctly, you’ll be able to activate your Ki Pulse and regain some of your lost stamina.