Mastering Jakotsu-baba in Nioh 3: Your Guide to Conquering the First Crucible

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Jakotsu-baba is the first major boss in Nioh 3, following the prologue’s Yamagata Masakage. As expected for a first real boss in any soulslike, Jakotsu-baba presents a significant challenge.

Not only is Jakotsu-baba tough on his own, but he resides in the Crucible—a nightmarish realm where any damage you take also reduces your maximum health. This makes an already difficult fight a true test of your skills, as every hit you take sets you back even further. But don’t worry; after some trial and error against Jakotsu-baba, I’ve picked up a few strategies to make this encounter more manageable.

You must defeat Jakotsu-baba at the end of the Hamamatsu Castle Crucible to continue the story and access later areas. Here’s my advice on preparation and how to counter Jakotsu-baba’s attacks.

Before you engage Jakotsu-baba, there are a few essential tips and items to gather:

With your preparations complete, it’s time to take on Jakotsu-baba. This boss has a limited set of attacks, but since you’re in the Crucible, avoiding damage is crucial to prevent your max health from dropping.

Don’t forget to utilize your Living Artifact mode. This temporary supercharged state allows you to deal bonus damage and significantly chips away at Jakotsu-baba’s health, even without major upgrades. Plus, you won’t lose HP; instead, getting hit will only shorten the duration of this state. Similarly, make use of your Guardian’s abilities. The Samurai’s Guhin Guardian skill, a rapid series of attacks, is particularly effective against Jakotsu-baba.

Here are Jakotsu-baba’s key attacks and how to counter them:

After you take down Jakotsu-baba, you’ll unlock his Soul Core and move on to the next chapter, soon gaining access to another Guardian Spirit, Spirit Veins, and the Titles/Prestige system.