New Game Plus in Nioh 3 is the secondary playthrough unlocked after completing the first run of the game. Referred to as Shogun's Journey, this mechanic introduces a new difficulty that allows the player to replay the game from the beginning of the story. While playing on this difficulty, the enemies and rewards will be both enhanced, and will unlock new features and systems unique to NG+. The difficulty level can still be changed from the Map menu during gameplay.
Helpful Links for New Game Plus in Nioh 3
The overall exploration progress will be carried over to the Shogun's Journey, or the New Game in Nioh 3. Below, you can find helpful links to help you find collectibles that you may have missed:
- Kodama: A page featuring all of the Kodama locations in Nioh 3, with information and images on how to find them.
- Sudama: A friendly yokai merchant that accepts Yokai Teardrop in exchange for important Items.
- Scampuss: A friendly yokai that needs to be chased to receive rewards.
- Six Jizo: Statues that grant Jizo merit when prayed to.
- Spirit Veins: A path that can only be traversed with the proper Guardian Spirit.
- Hot Springs: A special location that grants buffs and gives rewards when the player takes a moment to use it.
Nioh 3 New Game Plus Guide
What's New Game Plus in Nioh 3?
New Game Plus, also referred to as Shogun's Journey is a second playthrough of the game that unlocked after completing the final mission of the game. New Game Plus mode presents increased difficulty, better rewards, and new systems to help players face the challenges that await them. After completing the first playthrough, the player will continue from the Eternal Rift, and opening the Menu map will unlock a new feature. Players now have the option to play in Shogun's Journey by selecting the menu on the top middle of the screen. Once selected, the player will confirm if they want to start from the introduction in 1622 CE - Edo, or if they wish to skip the Prologue and begin playing from 1572 CE - Warring States.
If a player chooses to play the introduction, the Shogun's Journey will start from the very first objective, which is the Ceremony. This will require the player to replay the entire mission from the training with Kunimatsu, until the time travel scenario to Hitokoto Slope. The alternative option will allow the player to start from the arrival at Tenryu River with Honda Tadakatsu, which occurs right after the first encounter with Yamagata Masakage.
New Features and Changes in Nioh 3 NG+ Shogun's Journey
During the prologue mission, Ceremony, the player will be faced with a choice between getting +1 Strength or 1 Skill. However, in the Shogun's Journey, this choice will be changed into the outfit for the Guardian Spirit, thus, no longer giving that extra Stats. Once you start playing, you will also find some Bosses to appear in certain Missions to ramp up difficulty. An example of this is Enenra, a boss that is initially encountered in the Bakumatsu period, can now appear during the Crucible Manifested mission. Another change in NG+, is that drops from chests with Secret Skills Texts and other valuables will be replaced with generic loot if you have opened them in the previous difficulty. These chests will still be marked on your map but you will no longer obtain the Valuable once you've acquired it in the previous playthrough.
New Features in Nioh 3 New Game Plus
- Restoration of Enhanced Enemy Bases and Lesser Crucibles: When you start your Shogun's Journey, you will need special items called Sands of Recollection or Scarlet Sands of Despair to restore enhanced versions of these corrupted events. You can get the special items by replaying missions in the Battle Scrolls menu at any shrine.
- Divine Item Rarity and Divine Grace Armor Sets: This is the highest rarity available in the first playthrough for Shogun's Journey. This item rarity comes with a special grace effect. For more information, please see this page.
- Soul Core Transformation: You can now use soul fragments to change the special effects of obtained Soul Cores.
- Sudama Blessing: You can now speak to Sudama and earn Sudama Blessings by spending Ochoko Cups. This allows you to increase drop rate of a selected equipment.
- Level Sync: This is a level-scaling option that allows you to decrease your level when taking battle scroll missions to receive better rewards.
Important Activities and Collectibles in NG+
While most of the collectibles and activities in NG+ remain the same, especially the friendly yokai locations, they are not worth redoing since the drops will not be as important as the first encounter. This includes the Kodama, Chijiko, and Scampuss. Collectibles that drop from other yokais like the Mujina will also be changed to a generic loot. However, despite most of the yokai creatures remaining the same, the Sudama will unlock a new feature, granting blessings that increase drop rate for specific items. This can be activated through any shrine and require spending of Ochoko Cups.
Another activity is to cleanse or restore the enhanced versions of the enemy bases and lesser crucibles. These versions will give better rewards but at the cost of increased difficulty. Redoing these activities will also grant effects like increasing Maximum Spirit Force by 1-3 points and strengthening Guardian Spirits. On the other hand, Crucible Spikes, Crucible Wraiths, and even Masters are also worth redoing for the buffs and a nice loot pool. There's also a chance to acquire rare Soul Cores by defeating the Crucible Wraiths, or even regular versions of these enemies. If you happen to be near these enemies while exploring, consider taking the time to defeat or purify them.
Recommended Activities and Collectibles you can participate in at NG+:
- Enemy Bases (Enhanced versions for better rewards)
- Lesser Crucibles (Enhanced versions for better rewards)
- Crucible Spikes
- Masters
- Crucible Wraiths
New Shrine Features in Nioh 3 NG+
Soul Core Transformation Mechanics
Soul Core Transformation in Nioh 3 is a new feature that lets you modify the effects of your Soul Cores by spending Soul Fragments. You can do this at any shrine, then choose Manage Soul Cores, and then Soul Core Transformation. This menu opens up to a list of all your Soul Cores, and choosing one item will show you the list of possible outcome. This list will feature up to 5 new effects that you can get, but if you don't like the current selection, you have the option to refresh the list by spending Soul Fragments.
Farming Yasakani Magatama Treasure
A Yasakani Magatama, is a type of accessory that can be equipped on both 
Samurai and 
Ninja Styles, and is considered a treasure for its rarity. This item drops randomly, but there's a farming system that you can use. To start, you need to reach the Bakumatsu and defeat Tokugawa Yoshinobu. The NG+ version of this boss is guaranteed to drop both styles of the Yaakani Magatama. Afterwards, you also unlock the option to spend your Ochoko Cups for Sudama Blessing, which increases your drop rate for a chosen style of Yasakani Magatama.
Sudama Blessings for Item Drop Rate
Sudama Blessings is a feature unlocked in NG+, which allows you to spend your Ochoko Cups to increase the drop rate for specific items. To access this feature, go to any shrine, then choose Blessing, and then Sudama Blessing. This will open a menu showing the current Item Drop rate, as well as the cost to increase drop rate for specific equipment and accessory pieces. This includes Melee and ranged weapons, any armor slots, and accessories.
What Carries Over to NG+
- Exploration Level: Your exploration level and the bonuses you've acquired will automatically apply once you start the NG+ playthrough. This includes fast travel to previously unlocked Shrines. However, you still need to progress missions or complete events to unlock access to areas past the Crucible Manifested mission. This includes shrines that are unlocked after capturing an enemy base or lesser crucibles. Available areas at the start are the following: Tenryu River, Tokaido, and the crucible area in Hamamatsu.
- Some Battle Scroll Missions: Some missions that were previously unlocked are immediately available, such as the training missions for Warrior, Ninja, and Onmyo. However, the rewards for these missions will change.
- Equipment: You will carry over all of your equipment to the next playthrough. This includes Weapons, Armor, Accessories, and Soul Cores.
- Character Loadout: All of your equipped Skills, Weapon Skills, and Guardian Spirits will be carried over to Shogun's Journey.
- Myths Progress: Some completed myths will be recorded as you start the new playthrough. This includes Kodama Seeker and A Fierce Flame if you have previously completed these.
- Amrita: Your current Amrita will be carried over in the harder difficulty.
What Does Not Carry Over to NG+
- Missions: You need to unlock them again as you explore in Shogun's Journey mode. Completing a main mission will automatically add it to the Battle Scrolls.
- Bodhisattva Statues: You have to pray at these statues again to unlock them.
- NPC-related Myths: Some Myths that you acquire from NPCs, like Fated Land and Abundant Evil needs to be completed again. However, all Blacksmith services will stay the same when you switch to Shogun's Journey.
Nioh 3 NG+ Missions Checklist
Main Missions NG+
These missions are automatically available upon starting Shogun's Journey:
- The Hamamatsu Incident or Ceremony if the player starts from the Introduction/Prologue
- Crucible Manifested
- Mirage Fortress
- A Fiery Invasion
- Tiger's Cause
Myth Missions NG+
These Myths are automatically marked completed at the start of Shogun's Journey, if you have completed them in the previous playthrough:
Side Missions in NG+
These missions are automatically available upon starting Shogun's Journey, if you have acquired them in the past:
- Basic Controls
- Expanded Controls
- Training Ground
- Princess Tsubaki
- Takeda's Four Heavenly Kings
- The Apparition of Ryotan Temple
- The Demon of the Haunting Caves
- The Demon's Regimen
- The Way of the Warrior: Novice
- The Way of the Warrior: Adept
- The Way of the Warrior: Veteran
- The Way of the Ninja: Novice
- The Way of the Ninja: Adept
- The Way of the Ninja: Veteran
- The Way of Onmyo: Novice
- The Way of Onmyo: Adept
- The Way of Onmyo: Veteran
Unlocked Shrines in NG+
Tenryu River (3 Shrines)
Tokaido (4 Shrines)
AnonymousDo certain enemy based and lesser crucibles indefinitely get restored? It seems like doing them is a Sisyphean task.
Looks like the only things worth doing in NG+ apart from the mandatory missions are the Lesser Crucibles (The powerup stacks with the previous NG cycle) and Masters (Smithing text farming). Everything else isn't really worth the effort.
Skipping tutorial in NG+ disabled my guardian spirit
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