The latest installment in the hit ‘Nioh‘ series has no shortage of overpowered yokai and impossible-to-beat boss monsters. One of the most notorious ones remains the Otoroshi. A massive yokai boss, the players encounter it during the Heian Befouled main quest in the Sagano Region.
You will come across it during the Black Feather Sanctuary sub-quest, where it could be found guarding one of three barriers that you will need to purify. But while its massive size might be intimidating, once you learn its attack patterns, it becomes pretty predictable. Here’s how to do it.
Keep Your Distance And Attack Otoroshi Without Stopping
The real challenge of facing the Otoroshi comes when it stands up and gains access to ice-based movesets and attacks. But when you first encounter it, it remains on all fours and drags itself with its massive arms. The attacks themselves aren’t too complex, basically being wide swipes, ground slams, and two dangerous grab moves.
The latter two deal huge amounts of damage, so you shouldn’t let them connect. One of the best ways to do that is to stay behind it. Ninja style helps you do that with the Mist, letting players change their position quickly after each hit. All you need to do is aim for the base of the spine for backstab damage.
Samurai players, on the other hand, should focus on deflecting the melee attacks with the readable wind-ups. As for the grab attacks, both of them can be dodged by simply sprinting or rolling to the sides. The dashing grab is the hardest to avoid, so dodging sideways as the Otoroshi charges becomes the only option.
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The boss is wide open after these grabs, so that’s the moment you would need to pull a full combo. All you need to do is watch out for the Burst Attack when Otoroshi’s eyes glow red, and both arms pull back for a clap. You need to time a Burst Break to counter them and shatter their stance. Nekomata and Guhin are the best Guardian spirits for this move.
How To Counter Otoroshi Attacks In ‘Nioh 3’?
Once enough Ki damage is dealt, Otoroshi enters the Dark Realm and stands on two legs. It becomes faster and adds kicks, stomps, and ice club combos to its arsenal. Equip water-resistant talismans before entering this phase if possible.
The biggest threat is the Double Ice Club Combo. Otoroshi vanishes, reappears with two ice clubs, and unleashes a series of slams and spins. Do not try to trade hits here. Back off and wait for the combo to finish, then punish during recovery.
Otoroshi’s major weakness is its belly. When it fires spirit projectiles from its stomach in a wide arc, the belly glows and becomes vulnerable. Hit it with ranged Ninjutsu like Shurikens or kunai from an angle to avoid the projectiles. Breaking the belly instantly staggers the boss and opens a massive damage window.
Recommended Setup And Rewards After Getting Rewards
Fire damage is Otoroshi’s elemental weakness. Equip the Kongojishi Guardian Spirit for fire damage output and bring fire-based Ninjutsu. The Yamabiko Soul Core in the Yang slot reduces Ki usage for melee attacks, and Mezuki in the Yin slot adds shockwaves to strong attacks.
Ninja Style is the recommended approach for this fight. Its speed makes it easier to reposition behind Otoroshi and hit the belly weakness during the Dark Realm phase. Use Yokai Banisher and Evil-Dispelling Evade to purify Yokai Realms that slow Ki recovery.
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Defeating Otoroshi rewards the Shinto Priest Set and Great Hachiryo Set. The recommended mission level is 69, but reaching around level 90 equipment through Heian exploration makes the fight significantly more comfortable.
