Team Ninja has deployed the comprehensive Nioh 3 Update 1.04.00 (v1.04.00), a substantial patch that addresses a vast array of community feedback and lingering technical issues. The update, released on March 11, 2026, is headlined by sweeping balance adjustments across nearly every weapon class, the addition of free milestone celebration armor, and significant improvements to multiplayer rewards and high-level equipment drop rates, fundamentally refining the endgame and cooperative experience.
Core Enhancements and Quality-of-Life Improvements
The update introduces several system-wide enhancements designed to streamline the player experience. Most notably, players can now receive the “Million Thunder Warrior Armor” and “Million Thunder Shinobi Garb” for free, commemorating the sales milestones of one million copies for Nioh 3 and ten million for the series overall. This celebratory content adds both aesthetic flair and potent stat bonuses for dedicated players.
Reward Structure and Progression Tweaks
Addressing long-standing community requests, the patch significantly boosts the amount of Glory earned upon clearing missions in multiplayer. This change incentivizes cooperative play and makes farming for specific rewards from the Hidden Teahouse more efficient. Furthermore, following the completion of the “Shogun’s Journey,” there is now an increased chance for equipment with higher + values to drop, providing a more rewarding endgame grind for min-maxers seeking the perfect gear.
Inventory and Crafting Upgrades
Several quality-of-life tweaks target inventory management and the forging system. The patch reduces the material cost for “Soul Matching” equipment that has surpassed a player’s current maximum +value, easing the resource burden of upgrading top-tier gear. The blacksmith’s “Item Forging” menu now features an exclamation mark (!) on tabs containing newly craftable items, preventing players from overlooking new recipes. Additionally, the holding cap for some smithing materials has been increased, reducing frequent trips to the storehouse.
Interface and Accessibility Refinements
New System Settings and Menu Functionality
A suite of new system settings grants players greater control. Users can now disable the automatic replenishment of usable items, a boon for those who prefer manual management. Equipment with rare special effect icons will automatically be locked upon acquisition, preventing accidental dismantling or selling of prized loot. The interface for “Soul Offering” and “Equipment Offering” has been updated to allow toggling the confirmation of “Received Items.” Crucially, players can now return from the main menu directly from the Battle Scroll or Mission Yokai Realm, eliminating unnecessary loading steps.
The map interface has been improved to display appearance conditions for icons that previously lacked this text. The reward screen for “Battle Scrolls” now allows players to view detailed set bonus information for equipment drops. Visibility for Soul Cores set in the Onmyo Box has been enhanced, and the character model during outfit configuration now appears brighter for better customization.
Comprehensive Weapon Balancing and Bug Fixes
The heart of Update 1.04 lies in its meticulous rebalancing and correction of bugs for every weapon type. These changes aim to create a more fluid, responsive, and fair combat experience.
Samurai Weapons Adjustments
Katana, Dual Swords, and Odachi
For the Katana, fixes address issues with the “Sōmaki” skill not applying buffs during Ki Pulse and problems with the “Oboro” and “Mizu Kage” parries. The Dual Swords receive corrections for bugs preventing Skill usage after a dodge attack and issues with the “Frost Wind” and “Falling Leaf Sword” skills. Odachi users will find the “Shōchō” skill now properly allows Ki Pulses, and the “Snow Moon Flower” skill correctly applies weapon attributes.
Spear, Axe, Fists, and Switchglaive
Spear techniques like “Sōtai Hen” and “Un’ei” have been fixed to properly continue their skill grind state. The Axe’s “Rock Hammer” skill has been adjusted to hit more reliably, and several bugs with the “Spinning Slide” and its follow-up attacks have been resolved. Fists received adjustments to make aerial finishing blows more consistent and fixed a bug where high-stance strong attacks could erroneously consume all Ki. The Switchglaive sees usability improvements for skills like “Tenpen Sai” and “Tenpen Hō,” alongside fixes to its ultimate skills “Tenpen Ryōgen” and “Tenpen Dotō,” which now properly possess guard properties and can be used during Living Weapon.
Ninja Weapons Overhaul
Staff, Kusarigama, and Splitstaff
The Staff (Shikomizue) had a bug fixed where light attacks would continue instead of triggering a specific skill. The Kusarigama’s skills “Yaegaki,” “Jakōjin,” and “Ashikase” have had their excessive Ki consumption reduced. The Splitstaff (Senpukon) received critical fixes, including one that prevented the “Kinshi” ultimate skill from canceling into the “Saiha” skill, and another that allowed skills like “Kōryūha” to be canceled without Ki cost for free damage.
Ninja Blade, Claws, and Hatchets
The Ninja Blade (Shinobigatana) saw fixes for aerial skill combos and input issues. Claws (Tekkōkagi) had parry functionality restored after a deflection and fixed incorrect buff applications. Hatchets had a bug patched where the “Tile Crusher” skill could incorrectly perform a grapple counter on grab attacks.
Critical Bug Fixes Across Missions and Systems
Beyond weapons, the patch tackles numerous progression-halting and gameplay-disrupting bugs. A rare issue preventing the use of Leylines has been fixed. Ninjutsu skills like “Thorn Cat Transformation” and “Earth Escape” now correctly reflect Ninjutsu Power. In multiplayer, Kodama summoned via “Summoner’s Talisman” will now properly heal other players.
Enemy and Boss Encounter Corrections
Significant fixes target boss behaviors. An issue where bosses could persistently target a single player has been adjusted. The camera during lock-on for the “Onryōki” has been improved for better visibility. Bugs affecting the “Nurikabe,” “Bloody Slasher,” “Shigurui,” and the trio of “Gōganki,” “Bōshitsuki,” and “Shūshinki” have been resolved, ensuring fairer and more predictable fights. The “Biwa MokuMoku” will no longer incorrectly summon Sukebi from Benevolent Graves.
Mission and Scroll Progression Patches
Multiple story missions and scrolls have received fixes. In “The Burning Spirit Tree in the Ice Capital,” reducing “Minamoto no Yoritomo’s” Ki to zero via damage over time will no longer soft-lock the mission. Issues in “The Battle of Futamata Castle” and “Invading Like Fire” that could make Hattori Hanzō disappear have been corrected. Several Twilight Missions, including “Seeking the Strong Flame,” “Inquiring of the Old Medicine,” and “The Calamity That Comes to Lake Hamana,” have had potential progression blockers removed.
Equipment and Set Bonus Rectifications
A major fix addresses a bug where some Samurai armor pieces incorrectly had Ninja-exclusive special effects; these have been replaced with the proper Samurai counterparts. The set bonus “Grudge Covering the World” has been corrected so its effects for health recovery and Spirit Power consumption trigger properly. The “Peacemaker’s Leader” 6-piece set bonus now correctly activates its “Reflection Alteration (Ninja)” effect.
Platform-Specific Fixes and Features
PlayStation 5
The primary fix for PS5 resolves an issue where accumulated Glory for clans during the Territory Battle was not being added correctly.
Steam (PC)
The PC version receives several unique enhancements. Stick input recognition for subtle movements has been improved. A new feature allows copying appearance setting codes to the clipboard. Certain cutscenes previously locked to 30 FPS now support 60 FPS depending on settings. New system settings let players toggle the HUD display for close-range weapon switching buttons. The game will now pause if a controller is disconnected during a pausable scene.
Key bug fixes for PC include resolving graphical noise at specific resolutions, correcting controller input loss when the window is inactive, fixing Xbox controller recognition on some setups, and ensuring the Anisotropic Filtering setting applies correctly instead of being stuck at x4. Issues with mouse control in the “Equipment Offering” screen and controller vibration during keyboard/mouse use have also been addressed.
This extensive update demonstrates Team Ninja’s ongoing commitment to polishing the Nioh 3 experience, directly responding to player data and reports to create a more balanced, rewarding, and technically sound action RPG. The adjustments to weapon balance and endgame drop rates are poised to reinvigorate the community’s engagement, encouraging both new build experimentation and continued mastery of the game’s deep combat systems, ensuring the journey through Japan’s dark fantasy history remains as sharp and satisfying as the blades wielded within it.
