Hey it’s me the loot goblin. I too am full of everything in Nioh 3, and it honestly took me too long to figure how the best way to handle all the equipment I was getting. So I thought I’d try and help others not waste hours, and write down my method. Before you ask, yes, I said method. Nioh 3 doesn’t necessarily -need- to make you think about loot in this way, you can certainly ignore the majority of its systems and just equip the highest number/sell everything else. But I enjoy the options it gives you, so I’m going to use them! Here’s what to do with your loot in Nioh 3, depending on what stage you are at (and I will update as I progress through the game, or as DLCs release).
You effectively have five ways to deal with weapons in Nioh 3, these are:
- Disassemble
- Offer at a shrine
- Sell
- Keep
- Soul extract (unlocked after first blacksmith quest)
The question is which, and when. Honestly… it depends on what you’re focused on, but, for me a clear priority can be developed. The way I like to go about this, is collecting enough equipment first that I have a substantial amount to go through. Doing this every time you get to a new shrine will take forever, but having a little sort when you hit a good amount takes much less time. I myself wait until I’ve hit a good 500 in my inventory before I go through them. Seems to strike a good balance between actually playing the game, and upgrading my equipment. I do swap out a weapon once I hit max familiarity however, just to keep learning new crucible skills or so can I offer them for more tasty amrita. If you’re more of a visual learner check out the flowchart, but read the steps as well, and hopefully it all makes sense.
1. Equip the Best Equipment, Update Equipment Sets
Before selling, disassembling, or otherwise destroying the equipment, it’s wise to actually equip the best. I go through any equipment sets I currently have, and equip anything that’s a better fit. Or use the auto-optimise that’s now present! Either way, choose what equipment you want, and make sure it’s locked. Or you’ll lose it when you “sell all”. Also, remember to unlock anything you no longer want to use, so you can actually get rid of it.
2. Disassemble Equipment With the Hammer Icon on Abilities
Certain equipment has an affix (the random abilities on each bit of equipment), with a hammer icon next to the category. These abilities can be gained as a “material essence”, if you disassemble the equipment. These can be stored, and will (at some point) be able to be used to apply that ability to any equipment you want. For example, I could take the melee damage increase from a fair of gloves and apply it to another, more suitable pair. Essentially building a custom piece of equipment.
The way I usually do this, is to go through the equipment list and just scan for the hammer icon next to abilities, if there is, I favourite the item. I can then go to the blacksmith, and there’s a tab for specifically favourited items. I can then disassemble them all quickly, without worrying about doing it to another item accidentally.
3. Soul Extract Anything with +value
Bear in mind this is unlocked after the first blacksmith quest, if you don’t have the option yet, just keep the +value equipment
Certain equipment may have a +1, +2, so on… next to the level of the equipment. This makes it especially valuable, and means that when you soul extract the equipment, you gain azure ore instead of the basic yellow ore. This means you can use those azure ore via the soul match option, to make any equipment you want into something with a +value! As such you want to soul extract any +value items you find instead of disposing them another way.
4. Keep Starred Weapons and Crucible Weapons You Can’t Use Yet
Crucible weapons (the ones with a red flame icon next to them), are a special type of weapon you only find in a crucible, and each has a “crucible ability”. You can learn these permanently by raising the familiarity of the weapon to max (by using it). So, if you have any with abilities you want to learn, keep them so you can do so! Get those locked and in the storehouse. Also, use the lowest rarity you can find to learn the ability, because these have a lower max familiarity – and as such you master the weapon quicker. If the ability is unlocked however, go ahead and get rid of the crucible weapons too.
Starred weapons, I am not sure have a use yet. The stars mean that the affix that is starred is *particularly* strong. Meaning it has a higher roll or stat than it usually would. I keep all these, at least while they seem pretty rare. Later in the game, they could potentially be used in forging. For example, if you increase the level, add a +value, and other stats… I could see the endgame builds requiring you to get lucky with a star affix.
5. Offer Familiar Weapons at Shrines
Offering equipment at a shrine gives you amrita, and potentially some bonus items. But if you’re familiar with a weapon (and the more familiar the better), you get bonus amrita! I’m unsure if this translates to more bonus items as well, but regardless I like to offer these more familiar weapons. Armour doesn’t have any familiarity so you don’t need to bother checking these.
6. Leftover Equipment. Dispose in Bulk, Rotate the Method
Now you’ve been through and taken out any special bits of equipment, you can finally get rid of all that horrible waste. The ways in which you can do this are:
- Disassemble
- Sell
- Offer
- Soul extract (once unlocked)
Simply go to your chosen method, select all, and if you’ve followed the previous steps anything you want to keep should be locked. You’ll only get rid of what you don’t need, and your inventory shall be free! Free to collect more delicious loot. I would suggest rotating which method you use, partially because then you have any resources you need easily on hand, but also because certain titles are obtained by doing a certain amount of selling, offering, etc… so you want to work on each of them as you play.