Learn to counter Honda's devastating Spear Dash, Shinka Summon, and Ki Blast in Nioh 3. This guide breaks down his attacks and offers strategies to defeat him.
Alright, let's talk about Honda's moveset. He's got some tricky stuff, but once you know what to look for, you'll be able to handle him. Think of this as your cheat sheet for dealing with his signature attacks.
Spear Dash: This is Honda's go-to for closing the distance super fast. You'll see his spear glow right before he lunges forward. It's got serious range, so don't get caught flat-footed. The key here is to recognize that sparkle and either dodge or roll out of the way. Once he misses, he's open for a punish, so be ready!
Shinka Summon: Honda can call upon his Guardian Spirit for a small area attack right in front of him. The nasty part is this leaves a purple status effect on you that makes your Ki cost way higher. If you get hit, your best bet is to just let it wear off. However, if you see him doing this and he's not healing (more on that in a sec), you can actually get behind him quickly to stay safe.
Shinka Heal: This is another summon move, but this time he brings out Shinka to give himself a regeneration effect. And trust me, this regen is no joke because Honda has a ton of HP. You'll know he's about to do it because he'll clutch his chest. This is your cue: get right up next to him and attack like crazy to interrupt it. If you don't, you're looking at a much longer fight.
Boulder Throw: This is pretty much Honda's only real long-range attack. You might have seen it before when you were grabbing that crystal. He uses his spear to scoop up a chunk of earth and hurls it at you. It's super easy to dodge to the side or even just block. It only really hurts if you're not paying attention.
Ki Blast: Last but not least, we have another area attack, and this one is pretty obvious. Honda gathers up Ki all around him, then slams his spear down for a big blast. Even if you block it, you'll still take some damage. The good news is that after he does this, he's left pretty drained of Ki, so rush him down! You can usually get in an easy grapple or a final blow.
Congrats on beating one of the tougher fights in the game! Enjoy your well deserved loot!
A Meeting on the Other Shore
September 1600, Honnoji Temple, Yamashiro Province
PROLOGUE: I sense a monstrous snarl of Ki energy around Honnoji Temple... The people living nearby have yet go be harmed, but will you go there and investigate? This power... surely it cannot be...?
Sir Anjin, be on your guard.
And here, ladies and gentlemen, is the OTHER "Hardest Boss Battle of the Game". This one is even more unique, as it features Oda and his Lady, joined together again, all for you...
Objective: Duel with Nobunaga and Princess Noh
Once again, let's memoralize this event in the fashion to which we have become accustomed:
(-NOTE-) I have a video of me taking these guys out. This is much more of a "legit" method than the other one, but it does involve baiting out Oda away from Yuki and taking him out first.
BOSS ENCOUNTER: YUKI-ONNA & ODA NOBUNAGA
This battle ranks right up there with the last one. Oda is the fast and aggressive one here, so the general idea of this battle is to separate him away from Yuki. This is... a bit easier said than done. At times Yuki will be complacent with this baiting tactic and walk slowly towards us while Oda runs off and engages. Then again, she may just sprint towards you. Whatever you do, don't try to engage both of them at once. Divide and conquer is the name of the game here.
Once you get Oda separated, buff up and counter after his attacks. You can do the same Guardian Summon trick as above as well, or any of the other "cheese" tactics, really. Fighting Oda away from Yuki in such a big area is honestly a bit easier than taking on the two warriors abo
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