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.
