Takeda Shingen is a boss in Nioh 3, and I will tell you how to defeat him exclusively in ninja mode. If he seems like a formidable opponent to you, he is not. Victory will be quick, but you need to prepare properly. I also recommend reviewing the material on how to defeat Yamagata Masakage 2nd Encounter.

Takeda Shingen first fight Nioh 3 – best ninja preparation

To begin with, you should have no more than 30% equipment weight so that you can move quickly. Next, you must transfer all your skill points to intellect. Then, you can optionally learn Fire Shuriken, but you should already have learned Evade if you play as a ninja all the time. That’s all the preparation you need to win.

You may have noticed that Takeda Shingen deflects all the projectiles you throw at him, and ninjutsu attacks do little damage. The boss has a lot of elemental defense. The only useful item in this battle is the Fire Shuriken. Even if this throw is blocked, the boss still has an igniter that will explode after a few seconds. Depending on where your shuriken hits, the boss will take more or less damage.

Use Fire Shuriken periodically during the fight to deal additional damage to the enemy. I also sometimes use Uncanny Bolt, although it does little damage, but it regenerates for free thanks to the Evade skill, so it won’t be superfluous.

How to beat Takeda Shingen Nioh 3 – dodge and counterattack strategy

Your main task in this battle, which will bring you victory, is to counterattack. Don’t be the first to attack. Wait for Takeda Shingen to attack you. Keep your distance. To close it, the boss will run towards you and often use a heavy landing jump. This is the perfect opportunity to quickly dodge and counterattack your opponent. To inflict more damage, I use a combination of a jump and a heavy strike.

After landing, the boss freezes in this position for a moment, so you can launch your attack. Quite often, it hits the enemy in the back, so you inflict a lot of damage. Repeat this pattern constantly. Wait for a convenient attack from your opponent, dodge, and then counterattack. After my attack, I can deliver 2-3 light blows or immediately jump back to a safe distance. If you get carried away with the attack, you will definitely take damage from your opponent. It is better to act cautiously.

Takeda Shingen spear attack guide – how to dodge safely

Sometimes Takeda Shingen uses another type of attack, striking you with a spear. The situation here is almost identical. You also need to dodge. After that, act at your own discretion. Sometimes you can counterattack, as the boss also freezes for a short period, but this period is much shorter than in the previous attack.

Therefore, in some cases, you may take damage from the boss. It is safer to simply move away to a distance and wait for the right moment. But if you don’t want to prolong the fight and the course of events seems too boring, you can try to attack. Just don’t forget that after your attack, you must immediately retreat to avoid taking damage.

Takeda Shingen fire to wind phase Nioh 3 – first fight strategy

Also, keep an eye on Takeda Shingen’s stamina level. At some point, your attacks will force him to use up all his stamina, and if you are close enough, you can rush in to deliver a heavy attack to your opponent and finish it off with the powerful combo you used before. In this unhurried mode, you will easily reach the point where the boss has about 60% health left. At this point, he will begin to change his element from fire to wind. It is a little more difficult to dodge wind attacks, as the boss strikes from a distance more often.

Therefore, as soon as he starts changing his element, activate your ultimate ability and deal as much damage to the enemy as possible. I’m not making anything up at this point, I’m just relentlessly spamming this powerful and easy combo that deals a lot of damage to the boss.

Depending on how much damage you inflict on your opponent during your ultimate ability, your battle may end quickly or continue for some time. At the end of the battle, you use the same tactics as at the beginning of the battle. Proceed with caution, wait for the right moment, dodge, and counterattack. The boss moves slowly, so you will definitely be able to notice his attacks in time and dodge them. In this mode, you will end the battle with a victory.