The commercially successful prequel-sequel to 2017's Nioh, the "Soulslike" title from Team Ninja has players exploring a dark fantasy setting inspired by Japanese folklore. As players create their own Yokai spirit and fight their way through the game, they'll have to consider which armor is best to use.
Armor in Nioh 2 comes in the forms of light, medium, and heavy armor. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, while also protecting against different types of damage. Armor sets also have a set bonus, which will give players unique bonuses and abilities, some of which are unique to that armor set. With all this in mind, it's best to know what armor sets players should be on the hunt for.
Updated November 17, 2022, by Jason Van Duine: Being an open-world adventure game, there is plenty of armor to be found in Nioh 2. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages that can be tailored to any gamer's playstyle. With plenty of unique effects and abilities that come with collecting an entire armor set, it's no surprise that some armor sets in Nioh 2 are more powerful and effective than others. Ultimately, the best armor in Nioh 2 will not only protect them from enemies but will also give them an edge in combat.
13 Red Demon Armor
The individual pieces of Red Demon armor don't offer much damage protection, but the many effects offered by the armor's set bonus make up for this. The Red Demon is a set of light armor. It requires a constitution of 13 and a strength of 14, and only protects slightly from physical damage.
Normally, this would make the set unremarkable, that is until the set bonus is considered. The set bonus greatly increases Ki recovery speed as well as spearfall and melee damage, while also decreasing Ki consumption.
How to Find the Red Demon Armor
The smithing text for the Red Demon Armor can be found from Lady Osakabe in the Gold Castle, Shuten Doji in the Mausoleum of Evil, or Daidara Bocchi in the main mission "The High-Spirited Demon".
12 Arrowsbane
The Arrowsbane armor set is a powerful and effective heavy armor set. Collecting all of the Arrowsbane armor pieces creates the Dragon God's Sacred Treasure, a set bonus with plenty of advantages. One of the best features is the Stalwart effect, which here applies to bullets and arrows. With this effect, it becomes easier for players to avoid ranged attacks.
This armor set also gives players a Bullseye Bonus, allowing an increase in damage done by ranged weapons. In general, the Arrowsbane armor helps increase damage taken and significantly reduces the amount of damage taken, especially by ranged attacks.
How to Find the Arrowsbane Armor
The Arrowsbane armor can be crafted using its smithing text, which is dropped by William during the "Blue-eyed Samurai" main mission.
11 Kingo's Armor
Kingo's armor can be found early on by players, either after completing the "Two Faces of Hospitality" or "High-Spirited Demon" side quests. As a medium armor set, it's quite capable considering how early it can be acquired.
The armor mostly protects against physical damage and requires a constitution of 13 and a strength of 14 to be used. Its set bonus is The Crossed Sickles, which increases the damage of Final Blows while also reducing the damage done to the player.
How to Find Kingo's Armor
The smithing text for Kingo's armor can be found from either Tokichiro in the main mission "The Two Faces of Hospitality" or from Daidara Bocchi in the main mission "The High-Spirited Demon".
10 Master Swordsman Set
Players looking to specialize in heavy armor should look towards the Master Swordsman armor. With a stamina of 14 and a strength of 16, players can equip this armor set. The set protects against physical damage, and all pieces except the Master Swordsman's Crown protect against both lightning and paralysis.
It also comes with the bonus called A Master Swordsman's Power which, among other things, increases the player's Life, Skill Ki consumption, and offers a bonus for players wielding dual swords.
How to Find the Master Swordsman Armor
The smithing text for the Master Swordsman armor can be found from Ashikaga Yoshiteru in the training mission "Master of the Dual Blades".
9 Hyabusa
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Despite being a light armor set, the Hyabusa armor can be highly effective. The Dragon Ninja set bonus gives players a number of powerful effects, including unlimited shuriken, extended dodge invulnerability, and even the True Dragon Sword, which increases Ki recovery and damage when using the Dragon Sword or Falcon Claws.
The Hyabusa armor also generally increases melee damage that players can inflict. In particular, the Empowered Ninjutsu effect gives players a melee damage multiplier while also replenishing the Ninjutsu item used.
How to Find the Hyabusa Armor
The smithing text for the Hyabusa armor, as well as the Dragon Sword and Falcon Claws, is dropped by Ren Hyabusa, who players will encounter in the "Dragon Clan" sub-mission. The armor and weapons can also be crafted. The Hyabusa armor can be crafted with 2 iron platelets, 2 leather cords, 3 lacquers, and 1 fox spirit's pelt. The Dragon Sword can be crafted with 3 tamahaganes, 1 wood, 2 lacquers, and 1 divine robe scrap. The Falcon Claws can be crafted with 3 ingots, 2 lacquers, 1 ominous bird's beak, and 1 waira claw.
8 Obsidian Armor
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The Obsidian armor set not only looks cool, but it's also an effective set of heavy armor. It requires strength and stamina of 10 to be worn. Each piece helps protect the player a little from lightning and fire damage, but the armor's real strength is against physical damage.
The set bonus included with this set is called Samurai from Dark Lands, and it greatly increases the rage duration. It can also increase Life by 100, as well as increase melee damage inflicted and reduce the damage taken.
How to Find the Obsidian Armor
The smithing text for the Obsidian armor can be found during the sub-mission "A Formal Match". It can also be obtained by killing an Obsidian warrior.
7 Flying Kato
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The Flying Kato armor, a set of light armor, has one of the highest damage sets players can find in Nioh 2. With a heavy focus on Ninjutsu power, Flying Kato's armor set bonus Master of Illusion grants a damage bonus of AAA- for Ninjutsu power. This actually will apply to every attack, whether it's melee, ranged, or even Onmyo magic.
Unfortunately, blocking is riskier with the Flying Kato set, though it also becomes more powerful in the endgame. Here, the skill cap for Skill and Dexterity gets raised, and players gain the Transform Bonus effect as well as strong Ethereal Grace options.
How to Get the Flying Kato Armor
The smithing text for the Flying Kato armor is dropped by Kato Danzo in the Dojo mission "Way of the Ninja: Veteran".
6 Warrior of the West
Both the Warrior of the West and the Warrior of the East are great armor sets; it's ultimately up to the player depending on whether they prefer medium or heavy armor. The Warrior of the West is the medium armor set, which primarily protects against physical damage, but also helps a bit with lightning damage.
It also has an effective set bonus, which mostly helps increase the amount of damage players can do. The constitution and strength required to wear the armor fluctuate, with some pieces only requiring 6 and 7 respectively, while others require 13 and 15 respectively. This inconsistency keeps the Warrior of the West armor from ranking higher.
How to Find the Warrior of the West Armor
The smithing text for the Warrior of the West armor can be found from Daidara Bocchi in the main mission "The High-Spirited Demon".
5 Sohaya Armor
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Similar to an armor given away on the PS5 version of the game, the Sohaya armor is a powerful and effective set of medium armor. It only requires a constitution and strength of 9 to be worn. The armor's specialty is protecting against both physical and poison damage, with each piece protecting against both equally.
What makes the Sohaya armor stand out from other armor sets is the fact that it not only has a set bonus, but each individual piece also has a bonus. Most of the bonuses from each piece protect the player against damage. The set bonus, Yokai Annihilator, protects greatly against Yokai damage as well as helps with stealth and Life drain.
How to Find the Sohaya Armor
The smithing text for the Sohaya armor can be found by killing a Sohaya warrior.
4 Oni Shibata Armor
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A heavy armor set to be worn later in the game, the Oni Shibata armor is great for hatchet users. Each piece protects greatly against physical damage, as well as also protecting against fire damage.
The set is made for experienced players, requiring a stamina of 14 and a strength of 15. Its bonus, The Bold and the Boorish, greatly increases damage done by a hatchet. It also increases the player's Life, high attack damage, and Ki recovery speed while decreasing damage taken.
How to Find the Oni Shibata Armor
The smithing text for the Oni Shibata armor can be found from Shibata Katsuie in the main mission "Ruin Draws Near".
3 Tatenashi Armor
Of all of the heavy armor sets in the game, the Tatenashi set is one of the best. It requires a stamina of 12 and a strength of 11 to be used and protects against both physical and fire damage. The set bonus is titled The God of War Looks Down, and it mostly helps reduce the damage inflicted on the player.
This includes both projectile and elemental damage. With all five items, players will also get the Ultimate Stamina special effect, which allows players to rank AA for agility and toughness.
How to Find the Tatenashi Armor
The smithing text for the Tatenashi armor can be found from Takeda Shingen in the sub-mission "The Fallen Star".
2 Warrior of the East
While the Warrior of the West armor was mentioned earlier, its cousin from the east blows it out of the water, becoming the best heavy armor set in the game. With a stamina requirement of 11 and a strength requirement of 11, the armor protects against physical and lightning damage as well as paralysis.
The set bonus for the Warrior of the East increases the damage players can do and also allows the player to have two mystic arts active on a specific weapon.
How to Find the Warrior of the East Armor
The smithing text for the Warrior of the East armor can be found from Honda Tadakatsu in the sub-mission "Horns on Head, Dragonfly in Hand".
1 Shrine Maiden's/Shinto Priest's Armor
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Even though the Shrine Maiden's armor (Shinto Priest for male armor) can be used about midway through the game, it's arguably one of the strongest in the game. It can protect and physical and lightning damage, while also having a massive defense special effect and a smaller but still effective toughness effect.
Though the armor only requires a constitution and strength of 6 to be used. The set bonus, Servant of the Gods, helps defend against Yokai damage and lets players restore health from Yokai puddles. Similar to the Yoriki armor, a few of the individual pieces from the Shrine Maiden's armor also have fixed bonuses. The gown, sleeves, and hakama will all individually help protect the player from Yokai damage.
How to Find the Shrine Maiden's Armor
The smithing text for the Shrine Maiden's armor can be found by defeating the boss Yatsu-no-Kami.
Nioh 2 is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Microsoft Windows.