Nioh: How to Use a Kusarigama Build

Kusarigama Build – Nioh

The Kusarigama is one of Nioh’s more interesting weapons. It provides a small, curved blade (not unlike a sickle) on a chain that has a blunt weight on the other end. Unlike the other weapons which rely on thrusts and regular cuts, this weapon is swung in large arcs for rapid combos directly in front of you or sweeping combos that keep surrounding enemies at bay. While it does take some getting used to thanks to its unconventional nature, it’s a great weapon for those who want to manage Ki (which acts as your stamina) and keep enemies off balance.

Before getting into skills and builds, it’s necessary to understand what the Kusarigama offers you. Like all weapons in Nioh, it can be used in three stances – High, Mid, and Low. High and Low are extremely similar, with Mid being a strong go-to for a majority of your time. Let’s break them down.

Low – This is your defensive stance. Combos are rapid and tight, revolving around William (that’s you), swinging the blade in tight circles parallel to his sides to deal damage to enemies who are directly in front of you. Damage output is lower here, but that’s in exchange for higher defense.

Mid – Attacks with the Kusarigama in this stance are stronger than in Low and cover a larger area. You can regain Ki while guarding and moving, which is very useful when up against groups of enemies. Even with it’s wider swings, this stance fares well in tight corridors. Skills for Mid revolve around the use of the blunt weight at the end of the chain to pull enemies in and keep them down.

High – High provides the strongest attacks but performs similarly to how the Low stance works. Swings are parallel to William’s body, but they reach further in front of him and behind him allowing him to deal with groups if necessary, though the sides are still open for attack. Many of the skills in this area are sickle versions of the Mid skills, such as the pull and the combo finishers. Combos are faster in this stance than in Low, making them deadlier, but they also eat up much more Ki.

In essence, the chain of the Kusarigama allows for the player to have a continuous attack effect that other weapons don’t have in Nioh. Since they require constant swinging, your combos are much shorter and less threatening to groups in general. This weapon overcomes that thanks to its chain and the utility of both ends. Now that we have a general understanding of the weapon, let’s take a look at armor and stats. 

Kusarigama – Stats and Armor

Kusarigama Build

As described before, the Kusarigama covers a wide range with incredible speed and lengthy combos. In order to make the best use of that, though, you’ll definitely need to outfit William accordingly. The Kusarigama in Nioh is not a heavy weapon and therefore isn’t very useful for a heavy build thanks to the different use of stats.  The main stats for the Kusarigama are:

• Dexterity
• Skill
• Heart

Dexterity is the primary stat for the Kusarigama and it also affects your Ninjutsu, making the Kusarigama the perfect weapon for Ninja builds as you can kill two birds (your weapon and the number of ninja tricks you can carry) with one stone. The issue with this stat is that it doesn’t do much else for you outside of boosting these parameters. You’ll sometimes get a decent Ki bonus, but not enough to warrant focusing solely on this stat.

Heart is your second major stat for the Kusarigama. It increases your Ki, allowing you to fight for far longer before having to back off, and increases your Life as well. Heart also boosts the power of your swords and bows. If you happen to have a sword as your secondary then this will definitely be a nice bonus.

Skill is the second stat that actually can boost the power of Kusarigama. However, its main purpose is to boost the special effects of weapons and armor as well as increase the power of dual swords and guns. Both guns and dual swords are great supplemental weapons for the Kusarigama. They rely on similar stats so you don’t need to spread your Amrita too thin, and their range and method of attack help to cover weaknesses of the chain and sickle. Dual swords are fast and close, and can easily break down an opponent, they’re also good at covering your sides and have a block/attack skill that can help in tight corners. Guns are powerful and can help whittle down a crowd before you jump into the fray. They’re loud, so they’ll attract attention, but taking out a strategic foe in one blast before going into battle is great.

As for armor, you’re going to want to rely on light options, with the Ninja sets being among the best. Ninja armor has bonuses that help manage Ki usage, using less for attacks and allowing for excellent mobility. When combined with the Kusarigama which already uses little Ki, you’re set for a swift build capable of steady attacking and maneuverability. Medium armor is okay if you feel that you absolutely need the extra protection, but heavy armor should be avoided. It eats up a lot of your Ki, and the Kusarigama isn’t very good when you’re only allowed a few swings. It’s lack of brute power compared to the likes of an axe or heavy sword, makes it a poor match for bulky gear.

Kusarigama Skills

Kusarigama Build

In order to make the most of the Kusarigama in Nioh, you’re going to want to invest in skills that promote combos, Ki management, and enemy control. As we mentioned before, the Kusarigama is good at managing groups, but that means you’ll find yourself in the middle of enemies often which can be dangerous. The stats needed to buff the Kusarigama prevent the player from really building Life and defense unless they’re willing to grind in order to over level. For many, that’s not an option, so ensuring that you can keep on the offensive and/or escape easily is important.

Here are some Kurasigama specific skills that can get you on the right path early on when using a Kusarigama build:

Living Water (Heaven, Man, and Earth) – The three versions of this skill apply to High, Mid, and Low stances, so you should invest in all three. They allow you to use Ki Pulse even as you dodge which is very important. Normally dodging during combat cancels your opportunity to regain Ki in Nioh, and that leaves you gasping for air and open for a takedown.

Waterfall – This mid-stance skill parries enemy attacks and pushes them backwards. Parries aren’t automatically available in Nioh, so this is a must have. The fact that it pushes enemies back a great distance helps to create distance, giving you time to regain Ki and prepare yourself.

Masterful Guard – If you time your block perfectly, the enemy will be knocked off balance allowing you to go in for the kill.

Shadow Strike – All three of these upgrades increase the amount of damage you do from behind. Since you’re not a strength or health build, you’ll want to rely on being sneaky quite a bit, and this helps that approach with added damage.

Whirlwind Kick – I cannot stress enough how useful this attack is, and you can basically spam it if you have great Ki management. It stumbles your opponent and can break guards. It also can interrupt attacks. It’s great against armored enemies who like to guard, and is a useful skill to breaking down enemy Ki. This leaves them open for brutal, high-damage attacks.

Serpent Strike and Black Vines – These are High and Mid versions of basically the same attack. The only difference is Serpent Strike uses the sickle part of the Kusarigama and does a bit more damage. Both attacks pull the enemy towards you, forcing them to their knees. Do note that if you use the Kusarigama against a very large or powerful enemy, you’ll be pulled towards them instead (which can still have its uses).

Shooting Star and Waxed Crescent – These are the Kusarigama’s mystic arts. The first one applies to the weight (meaning it’s better for those who prefer Mid stance), and the other applies to the sickle (better for High). Both reduce the amount of Ki used.

Outside of skill specifically for the weapon, you should take a look at the best Samurai skills as well as the best Ninja skills.

With a focus on these skills, the stats mentioned before, and an understanding of how the Kusarigama works, you’ll be able to make a master build in Nioh.

For more help with Nioh, check out our wiki.