Nioh 3 seems to have an interminable parade of bosses to battle, scattered across its open world. Not only will you have to contend with the unskippable main bosses, but you will also stumble upon optional and secret bosses, Formidable Enemies, and Masters, all of whom are distinguishable from regular enemies by being named when observing their health bar.
This Nioh 3 guide is an exhaustive list of every boss to be beaten in the game, their locations and eras, along with some basic tactics to do so. Note that you will encounter some bosses in multiple distinct eras and locations, but their attacks and your counter tactics will usually remain the same, with a few exceptions such as Hattori Hanzo.
| BOSS | ERA | LOCATION | TACTICS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggrieved Warrior | 1572 CE – Warring States | Hamamatsu Hill | Guard, Parry, Dodge |
| All-Seeing Mage | 1190 CE – Heian | Kamo Village | Guard, Dodge |
| Anayama Nobutada | 1572 CE – Warring States | Futamata | Guard, Dodge |
| Baba Nobuharu | 1572 CE – Warring States | Futamata | Guard, Parry, Dodge |
| Blood-Spurting Ogin | 1572 CE – Warring States | Hamamatsu Hill | Guard, Dodge |
| Bloodedge Demon | Not confined to one location, and will appear in different places over time. | Not confined to one location, and will appear in different places over time. | Is resistant to everything, Guard, Dodge |
| Cavern Ascetic | 1572 CE – Warring States | Maisaka | Guard, Dodge |
| Death Veil | 1622 CE Final Battle of Edo | Edo Castle | Dodge, Use Cover |
| Demon of Envy | 1190 CE – Heian | Hachijo | Guard, Dodge |
| Demon of Obsession | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Nijo Castle | Guard, Parry, Dodge |
| Demon of Pride | 1572 CE – Warring States | Iinoya | Dodge, Maintain Distance, Guard |
| Demon Slayer | 1190 CE – Heian | Hachijo | Dodge, Guard |
| Enenra | 1190 CE – Heian 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Kamo Village, Shirakawa | Dodge, Maintain Distance |
| Enki | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Shichijo | Guard |
| Fuma Kotaro | 1572 CE – Warring States | Iinoya | Guard, Parry |
| Gaki | 1572 CE – Warring States 1190 CE – Heian | Multiple locations | Guard |
| Gaki Chief | 1572 CE – Warring States | Tokaido | Dodge |
| Great Tengu | 1190 CE – Heian | Mount Kurama | Dodge |
| Green Shadow’s Blade | 1572 CE – Warring States | Tokaido | Guard, Parry, Dodge |
| Hattori Hanzo | 1572 CE – Warring States 1622 CE – Edo 1622 CE – Edo | Futamata, Eternal Rift, Eternal Rift for a second time | Guard, Parry, Dodge |
| Hijikata Toshizo | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Kiyomizu, Shinsengumi: Best of Five | Guard, Parry |
| Hino-Enma | 1572 CE – Warring States | Maisaka | Guard, Dodge |
| Hiruko | 247 CE – Antiquity 1622 CE – Final Battle of Edo | Antiquity, Edo Castle | Dodge, Maintain Distance |
| Honda Tadakatsu | 1572 CE – Warring States | Hamamatsu | Dodge, Guard |
| Ibaraki Doji | 1190 CE – Heian 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Hachijo, Sealed in the Stone Urn | Guard, Parry |
| Ippon-Datara | 1572 CE – Warring States | Futamata | Maintain Distance |
| Ishakawa Goemon | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Shirakawa | Dodge, Guard |
| Ito Ittosai | 1572 CE – Warring States | Futamata | Guard, Dodge |
| Jakotsu-Baba | 1572 CE – Warring States 1864 CE – Bakumatsu 1622 CE – Final Battle of Edo | Hamamatsu Crucible, Kiyomizu, Edo Castle | Dodge, Maintain Distance |
| Joro-Gumo | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Shirakawa, Drawn to Yokai Incense | Dodge, Maintain Distance |
| Kajiwara Kagetoki | 1190 CE – Heian 1190 CE – Heian | Rokuhara, Beneath a Pure White Flag | Dodge, Maintain Distance from summon, Guard, Parry |
| Kamaitachi | 1572 CE – Warring States 1572 CE – Warring States 1190 CE – Heian 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Maisaka, Groans of the Valley, Rokuhara Crucible, Gion as a chest | Guard, Parry, Maintain Distance |
| Karasu Tengu | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Shichijo | Dodge |
| Kasha | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu 1622 CE – Final Battle of Edo | Shimabara, Edo Castle | Dodge, Maintain Distance |
| Kondo Isami | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Kiyomizu, Shinsengumi: Best of Five | Guard, Parry |
| Kosaka Masanobu | 1572 CE – Warring States 1572 CE – Warring States | Mikatagahara Crucible, Takeda’s Four Kings | Guard |
| Kusanagi | 247 CE – Antiquity | Antiquity | Dodge |
| Kyokotsu | 1572 CE – Warring States 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Futamata, Kiyomizu | Maintain Distance, Dodge |
| Magatsu Warrior | 1572 CE – Warring States 1572 CE – Warring States 1572 CE – Warring States | Iinoya, Mikatagahara, Horie’s Fleeting Petals | Maintain Distance, Dodge |
| Mezuki | 1572 CE – Warring States 1864 CE – Bakumatsu 1864 CE – Bakumatsu 1622 CE – Final Battle of Edo | Tokaido, Shijo, Ryoma’s, Bequeathment, Lesser Crucible | Maintain Distance |
| Minamoto no Yoritomo | 1190 CE – Heian | Palace Grounds | Dodge, Guard |
| Minamoto no Yoshitsune | 1190 CE – Heian 1190 CE – Heian | Mount Kurama, Beneath a Pure White Flag | Dodge, Maintain Distance, Guard |
| Nagakura Shinpachi | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Nijo Castle, Shinsengumi: Best of Five | Dodge, Guard |
| Naito Masatoyo | 1572 CE – Warring States 1572 CE – Warring States | Futamata Road, Takeda’s Four Kings | Guard, Maintain Distance |
| Nasu no Yoichi | 1190 CE – Heian 1190 CE – Heian | Nishiichi, Beneath a Pure White Flag | Use Cover, Maintain Distance, Guard |
| Ninja Yoki | 1572 CE – Warring States 1572 CE – Warring States 1572 CE – Warring States 1572 CE – Warring States 1190 CE – Heian | Hamamatsu Hill, Iinoya, Mikatagahara, Those Who Live in the Shadows, The Box’s Guardian | Guard, Parry, Dodge |
| Nuppeppo | 1572 CE – Warring States | Headaches | Guard, Parry |
| Nuribotoke | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu 1622 CE – Final Battle of Edo | Sanjo, Edo Castle | Dodge |
| Okita Soji | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Mibu, Shinsengumi: Best of Five | Dodge, Maintain Distance |
| One-eyed Oni | 1190 CE – Heian 1190 CE – Heian 1190 CE – Heian 1572 CE – Warring States | Nishiichi, Mount Kurama, Kamo Village, Mikatagahara | Guard |
| Onmoraki | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Kiyomizu | Maintain Distance |
| Onryoki | 1572 CE – Warring States 1190 CE – Heian 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Lake Sanaru, Sagano, Kyoto Imperial Palace | Maintain Distance, Guard |
| Otazu no Kata | 1572 CE – Warring States | Hamamatsu | Guard, Parry, Dodge |
| Otoroshi | 1190 CE – Heian | Sagano | Maintain Distance |
| Raiju | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Bakumatsu | Guard, Parry, Dodge |
| Red Kappa | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Shijo | Dodge, Maintain Distance |
| Ryomen Sukuna | 1572 CE – Warring States 1190 CE – Heian 1190 CE – Heian | Iinoya, The Mystery of Rajomon, Seeking Spirit Stones | Dodge, Guard |
| Saito Fuku | 1622 CE – Edo | Eternal Rift | Dodge, Guard |
| Saito Hajime | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Shinsengumi: Best of Five | Dodge, Guard |
| Sawamura Yasusuke | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Shijo | Dodge, Guard |
| Shinran | 1190 CE – Heian | Awawa no Tsuji | Guard, Dodge |
| Shinsengumi Member Hattori Takeo | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Shichijo | Guard, Dodge, Maintain Distance |
| Shishido Kagetoshi | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Kyoto Imperial Castle | Guard, Dodge, Maintain Distance |
| Sugitani Zenjubo | 1572 CE – Warring States | Lake Sanaru | Dodge, Guard |
| Taigen Sessai | 1572 CE – Warring States | Lake Hamana | Maintain Distance, Guard |
| Takahashi Deishu | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Nijo Castle | Dodge, Guard, Maintain Distance |
| Takashima Shuhan | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Kyoto Imperial Castle | Dodge, Maintain Distance |
| Takasugi Shinsaku | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Shimabara | Dodge |
| Takeda Shingen | 1572 CE – Warring States 1572 CE – Warring States 1572 CE – Warring States | Mikatagahara, Saigagake, Takeda’s Four Kings | Guard, Parry, Dodge, Maintain Distance |
| Tokugawa Kunimatsu | 1622 CE – Edo 1622 CE – Return to Edo | Edo Castle, Edo Castle for a second time | Expect defeat in first encounter, Maintain Distance, Dodge |
| Tokugawa Yoshinobu | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Kyoto Imperial Palace Crucible | Guard, Dodge, Maintain Distance |
| Tomoe Gozen | 1190 CE – Heian 1190 CE – Heian | Kamo Village, Beneath a Pure White Flag | Guard, Parry, Dodge |
| Tsurara-Onna | 1190 CE – Heian | Sagano | Dodge |
| Usui Sadamitsu | 1190 CE – Heian | Rokuhara | Guard, Dodge |
| Waira | 1190 CE – Heian | Sagano | Guard, Dodge |
| Yagyu Munenori | 1622 CE – Edo 1622 CE – Edo | Eternal Rift, Eternal Rift for a second time | Dodge, Maintain Distance, Guard, Parry |
| Yamagata Masakage | 1572 CE – Warring States 1572 CE – Warring States | Hitokoto Slope, Mikatagahara | Dodge |
| Yamainu | 1864 CE – Bakumatsu | Shichijo | Dodge, Guard, Parry |
| Yasha | 1190 CE – Heian | Funaokayama | Maintain Distance |
| Yoki | 1572 CE – Warring States | Hamamatsu | Dodge, Guard |
Those are all 81 known bosses in Nioh 3 with the eras and locations they are encountered in, as well as the recommended tactics to defeat them.