Nioh 3: How to Beat Takeda Shingen – All Fights

1 week ago 2

Published Feb 6, 2026, 3:01 AM EST

Scott Baird is a contributor with over a decade's experience writing about video games, along with board games and tabletop RPGs. Scott has previously worked for Dexerto, Cracked, Dorkly, and Gamepur.

If there's one thing Japanese anime and video games love to do, it's modernize historical and mythological figures. Want to see a lady version of King Arthur fighting spiky-haired Gilgamesh in the '90s? Japan has you covered.

Nioh 3 is a big fan of taking figures from Chinese and Japanese history and giving them a Jojo's Bizarre Adventure-style makeover, especially by pairing them with supernatural Guardian Spirits, giving them an excuse to wield magic.

This is why Takeda Shingen, a daimyo of the Sengoku period, is sporting demonic powers in Nioh 3. He likely didn't go Super Saiyan and transform into a massive Yokai in real life, but that hasn't stopped the developers of Nioh 3 from letting Takeda Shingen let his hair down in a video game.

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Nioh 3: Takeda Shingen (First Fight) Moves & Attacks

There are two mandatory fights with Takeda Shingen in Nioh 3, as well as an opportunity to face him again as part of a boss rush in the Battle Scrolls.

The first fight with Takeda Shingen is in his human form, where he faces the player with a massive spear and a Guardian Force.

Attack

Description

Response

Spear Strikes	Takeda Shingen performs multiple sweeping hits with his spear	Parry
Crimson Slam	Takeda Shingen's aura glows crimson as he slams his spear into the ground.	Use Burst Break Counter (R2) just as he's about to hit the player.
Impale	Black and yellow dots appear at the tip of his spear as he lunges forward, aiming to run the player through.	Dodge as soon as he commits to a direction. Pull back before doing so if he activates this move in close quarters, then dodge.
Counter	Takeda Shingen holds his fan up, as white lines spin around his body.	DON'T ATTACK! Wait for the animation to play out. If you do attack, he'll get a free counter, which may involve Impale.
Summon Blast	Takeda Shingen stamps his spear into the ground, causing his Guardian Spirit to appear, fly into the air, then slam into the player, exploding into a blast of flame.	Dodge.
Fire Stream	Takeda Shingen swings his spear up from the ground, creating a line of flame blasts that strike up from the ground.	These can be parried, but dodging is safer, as they have a thin AoE.
Wind Blades	Takeda Shingen swings his spear, firing a green blade of wind at the player.	Parry or dodge.
Guardian Blast	Takeda Shingen combines his power with his Guardian Spirit to shoot several balls of wind and flames at the player.	Ninja dodge.

The first Takeda Shingen fight happens within a Crucible, meaning your maximum hit points will be reduced the longer the fight goes on. Make sure to boost your Jizo Statue/Titles as much as possible to reduce negative Crucible effects.

How to Beat Takeda Shingen (First Fight) in Nioh 3

Takeda Shingen is a slow and methodical foe who relies on his brute strength and massive health bar. For this fight, stick to the Samurai stance, as most of his regular attacks can be parried.

Once you've shaved off around 25% of his health, he'll add a fire enchantment to his spear and will start using his Guardian Spirit in battle. Then, when he's dropped to a quarter of his maximum health, he'll add a wind enchantment to his spear, causing it to glow green.

One major advantage the player has in this fight is Takeda Shingen's poor stamina regeneration. It seems the Crucible is affecting him also, as it's very easy to grind down his stamina, leaving him susceptible to critical hits. As such, any items that hasten stamina restoration on the player (like Sacred Water) are helpful here.

Just stick to the Samurai style, learn his spear's attack patterns, and watch out for Impale. The hardest aspect of this fight is his health meter, as it can be a long and grueling affair. When you get the timing down of his parries, he should go down easily.

Nioh 3: Takeda Shingen (Second Fight) Moves & Attacks

You're not done with Takeda Shingen just yet, as you face him again later in the game. This time, he has transformed into a massive four-armed demon, which comes with a massive speed and agility boost, while still retaining his might. When he enters the Yokai Realm, he'll add fire and wind enchantments to his fists.

Attack

Description

Response

Yokai Punches	Takeda Shingen performs several punches in a row.	Dodge behind him.
Yokai Acrobatics	Takeda Shingen jumps to the side, then performs a slam attack.	Ninja dodge
Fire Slam	Takeda Shingen jumps into the air, then slams down on the ground, causing a massive fiery AoE.	Run backwards, Ninja dodging all the way.
Magic Bomb (Yokai Realm)	Takeda Shingen conjures a massive ball of fire and wind magic, which he tosses at the player like a basketball.	Run backwards, then Ninja dodge after he throws the ball.
Crismon Slam	Takeda Shingen's aura flashes crimson as he brings his arms up and then slams them down.	Use Burst Break Counter (R2) when his fists come into contact with the player.
Grab	Takeda Shingen's hands glow with a black-and-yellow aura. He then lunges forward and tries to grab the player.	Rush towards him slightly to his side. He will overshoot the grab, leaving him vulnerable.

The columns in the battle arena are just for show — Takeda Shingen will punch right through them.

How to Beat Takeda Shingen (Second Fight) in Nioh 3

The most striking aspect of the second Takeda Shingen is his agility, as he bounces around like Sonic the Hedgehog in this form. His massive frame and strange attack angles make it hard to tell exactly where his hits are coming from.

As such, the new Ninja style is far better for this battle, as his hits are so hard to parry. Keep relying on your Ninja dodge and try to get behind him as much as possible. Takeda Shingen's massive body in his demon form means that it's easy to focus on back attacks.

While Takeda Shingen's Grab attack deals a ton of damage, it's also one of the slowest and smallest throws in the game, meaning it's one of his weakest moves, as it's so easy to dodge. His Grab has a lengthy recovery animation after he misses, so get ready to dodge his throw and run in for free hits.