- What to know
- What Groundquake Lightning does in combat
- How to unlock Groundquake Lightning through the mission chain
- Best martial arts setup for a strong Odachi build
- How to structure your Odachi combat flow
- Why Groundquake Lightning stands out among Odachi skills
- Building a dominant lightning Odachi setup
- Mastering Groundquake Lightning in your Odachi build
What to know
- Groundquake Lightning is a high-damage Odachi Samurai martial art with lightning AOE burst.
- It is unlocked through a mission chain starting at Shichijo Gambling Den.
- The skill requires prior Odachi tree progression, including Groundquake.
- The best Odachi builds focus on Ki control, stance flow, and elemental burst synergy.
Groundquake Lightning has quickly become one of the most talked-about Odachi martial arts among players in Nioh 3 experimenting with high burst elemental setups. If you prefer a heavy-hitting weapon that controls space and punishes overextensions, this skill fits naturally into your rotation. Below, you’ll find its confirmed unlock path, mechanical breakdown, and the most effective martial arts pairing for a competitive Odachi build.
What Groundquake Lightning does in combat
Groundquake Lightning is an advanced Samurai-style martial art for the Odachi. When activated, your character channels lightning through the blade before driving it into the ground, releasing a circular lightning shockwave that damages all nearby enemies.
The move is widely considered a high burst AOE finisher. Community testing and gameplay demonstrations show that its strengths include strong elemental application, wide crowd coverage, and solid posture pressure. However, it carries a noticeable recovery window, meaning improper timing can leave you exposed against aggressive enemies.
Mechanically, the move functions as a lightning-enhanced evolution of the base Groundquake skill. You must unlock the base art before the Lightning variant becomes accessible in your Odachi skill progression.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Weapon Type | Odachi |
| Skill Tree | Samurai Style – Odachi Branch |
| Damage Type | Physical + Lightning Elemental |
| Attack Type | Area-of-Effect Slam |
| Best Use | Crowd control and burst finishers |
| Risk Level | Moderate (long recovery) |
| Unlock Method | Mission reward after defeating Nagakura |
How to unlock Groundquake Lightning through the mission chain
Although some martial arts in Nioh 3 unlock purely through skill investment, Groundquake Lightning requires mission completion tied to an NPC questline. Gameplay documentation and recorded walkthroughs confirm the following acquisition path.
Mission location context
The unlock chain begins at Shichijo Gambling Den, a social hub-style location where you speak to a designated NPC to initiate the mission. The quest then transitions to Ruins of Your Cast, a combat-heavy area culminating in a boss encounter. The final unlock occurs after defeating Nagakura, who serves as the mission’s primary gatekeeper.
Step-by-step unlock guide
Step 1
Travel to Shichijo Gambling Den and speak to the mission-giving character to activate the Odachi-related quest.
Step 2
Follow the NPC to the first combat location and clear all enemies. This phase introduces standard mob resistance and prepares you for the final segment.
Step 3
After speaking to the NPC again, open your map and select Ruins of Your Cast as your next destination.
Step 4
Progress through the ruins, open the required gate, and defeat all enemies inside.
Step 5
Defeat Nagakura, the key target of the mission. Upon victory, Groundquake Lightning unlocks automatically in your Odachi martial arts list.
Once unlocked, you can equip it via the Skill Management menu under the Odachi branch. Ensure that Groundquake is already obtained, as it remains a prerequisite in the progression structure.
Best martial arts setup for a strong Odachi build
A powerful Odachi setup revolves around stance flow, Ki efficiency, and burst windows. Groundquake Lightning performs best when integrated into a balanced rotation rather than used as a standalone opener.
Core Odachi martial arts synergy
| Martial Art | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| Groundquake Lightning | High AOE burst and elemental application |
| Ground Sweeper | Excellent crowd pressure and stagger potential |
| Moonlit Snow Charge | Flexible combo extension with forward momentum |
| Sunset Breeze: Earth | Smooth stance transition for pressure continuity |
| Frost Moon: Heaven | Helps restore Ki mid-combo |
Community consensus highlights Moonlit Snow Charge as one of the most efficient combo extenders, while Frost Moon: Heaven supports sustained offense through Ki recovery. When combined with Flux and stance transitions, you can maintain pressure long enough to safely deploy Groundquake Lightning as a finisher.
How to structure your Odachi combat flow
Effective Odachi play depends on timing rather than speed. If you are fighting a single elite enemy, begin in High Stance to maximize raw damage scaling. After landing heavy strikes, rotate into Frost Moon: Heaven to restore Ki before committing to Groundquake Lightning during a punish window.
In multi-enemy scenarios, shift into Low Stance to maintain mobility and weave Ground Sweeper into crowd control. Once enemies are clustered or staggered, transition into High Stance and execute Groundquake Lightning to capitalize on grouped targets.
Elemental optimization also matters. Players leaning into this art benefit from equipment that boosts Lightning Damage, Shock Accumulation, and Ki Recovery Speed, allowing more frequent elemental procs and sustained offense.
Rewards from the unlock mission
| Reward | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Groundquake Lightning | Martial Art | Automatically unlocked after defeating Nagakura |
| Samurai Points | Progression Currency | Used to expand Odachi skill tree |
| Standard Mission Loot | Equipment & Materials | Varies by difficulty and modifiers |
The skill itself is the primary incentive, but the mission also contributes valuable Samurai progression currency.
Why Groundquake Lightning stands out among Odachi skills
Groundquake Lightning is frequently described by players as one of the better AOE martial arts in the current Odachi lineup due to its burst radius and elemental synergy. While it is not the safest skill in neutral play, its payoff during stagger windows makes it ideal for structured offense. If you prefer deliberate, heavy weapon gameplay that rewards spacing and timing, this skill enhances the Odachi’s identity rather than changing it.
Building a dominant lightning Odachi setup
A lightning-focused Odachi build emphasizes elemental shock uptime. Once Shock is applied, enemies suffer reduced mobility and pressure control, allowing easier follow-ups. If you tailor your gear toward lightning bonuses and Ki sustain, Groundquake Lightning becomes more than a finisher—it becomes a tempo-resetting tool that dictates engagement flow.
For best results, integrate stance switching, maintain Ki discipline, and deploy the skill only during confirmed punish windows.
Mastering Groundquake Lightning in your Odachi build
Groundquake Lightning rewards patience and smart positioning. Once unlocked through the Sinju Gambling Den mission chain and the defeat of Nagakura, it becomes a defining part of high-level Odachi play. If you build around Ki control and elemental synergy, you’ll find it to be one of the most satisfying burst tools in Nioh 3’s Samurai arsenal.
