Nioh 3 is not quite as simple as others Soul-like game. In addition to its combat system that makes heavy use of technical combos, it also has a more complex switching system that more closely resembles a Diablo-style ARPG. While each weapon may roll with different modifiers, they all have one thing in common: all weapons in Nioh 3 affected by the Familiarity System.
Weapon Familiarity is very easy to overlook, but even so, it's an important mechanic that everyone should take advantage of. Here's how it works and why you should care.
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What does weapon familiarity do in Nioh 3?
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Increases the stats and damage your weapons deal
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Unlocks Crucible Arts (if any)
The more you use a weapon, the more familiar your character becomes with them. This causes you to take more damage with a familiar weapon, and if you also happen to have maxed out your familiarity with a weapon that has a Crucible Art on itthat skill will become available to you as well, even if you use other weapons of the same type.
By maxing out your familiarity with a weapon, you're essentially extending its durability by letting it keep up with higher-level gear. Of course, your equipment will still eventually be overshadowed by better items, but if you have the resources, you can use the Eternal Rift Blacksmith's Soul Match service to level up your weapon. It will still retain its familiarity level, giving it an edge over other gear.
How to increase familiarity in Nioh 3
Unlike Amrita, you don't have to defeat opponents to become familiar. All you have to do is deal damage with your weapon. If you want to max out your familiarity with something as quickly as possiblethen it's a matter of choosing your favorite punching bag and fighting them until you're satisfied.
This is best done against bossespreferably ones you can fight repeatedly, like Jakotsu-Baba. To fight a quest boss you've already beaten once, go to any shrine and then select the Battle Scroll option. From there, select the mission you want to replay and then make your way back to the boss arena. Instead of beating the boss as usual, fight them until just before their health bar runs out, then reset the fight by dying to them.
When you become fully familiar with a weapon that has a Crucible Art, you can find the newly unlocked Crucible Art in the Customize Martial Arts/Ninjutsu menu.
