How to Unlock Skills in Ninja Gaiden 4

What to know

• You earn skill points by progressing through chapters and defeating enemies, which are then spent in the Skill menu.
• There are three main skill categories: General Combat skills, Weapon-Mastery skills, and Defensive Arts.
• Higher-level skills unlock by investing in earlier tiers, while weapon upgrades depend on Weapon EXP.
• Completing side-missions and replaying chapters helps you gather more resources to unlock skills efficiently.

In Ninja Gaiden 4, you’ll collect Skill Points and Weapon EXP as you fight, explore, and complete missions. These are the core resources that allow you to unlock and upgrade skills in the game.

How to unlock skills in Ninja Gaiden 4

Here is a step-by-step guide to unlock skills in Ninja Gaiden 4:

Step #1: Earn Skill Points and Weapon EXP

You gain skill points by defeating enemies, completing side-missions (Requests), and progressing through chapters.

Weapon EXP is earned by using specific weapons in combat. The more you use a weapon, the faster its unique skill tree expands.

Step #2: Open the Skills menu and allocate your points

• Go to Tyran and learn a combat skill
• Spend your points in General and Defensive skills first, since these benefit all weapons.
• Invest Weapon Mastery points into your preferred weapon types once you’re comfortable with their moveset.

Step #3: Prioritise which skills to unlock early

Focus on high-impact skills early in the game to make combat smoother:

• Flying Swallow / Flying Swallow Barrage
• Izuna Drop
• Perfect Block
• Ultimate Guidance

Step #4: Upgrade your weapons and unlock weapon-specific skills

As you progress, new weapons become available — such as Takeminakata, Yatousen, Magatsuhi, Kage-Hiruko, and Dark Dragon Blade.
Each has its own set of skills and techniques that unlock as you gain Weapon EXP. Focus on one or two weapons at a time to avoid spreading resources too thin.

Step #5: Revisit chapters for additional resources

Once you unlock Chapter Select, replay earlier chapters to earn more Ninja Coins, Weapon EXP, and Request rewards.
Increasing difficulty or enabling modifiers during replays grants higher rewards, allowing you to unlock deeper tiers of skills faster.

Step #6: Complete Requests and challenges

Side-missions known as Requests grant bonus Skill Points and Weapon EXP. Completing wave-based challenges and “Tallies” also rewards rare upgrade materials. These are excellent for players aiming to max out their skill trees.

Step #7: Skill trees

The Skill menu can be found under Character → Skills, where you’ll see three main trees:

General Combat Skills

Boost your core combat performance, such as faster combo link-ups, dodging, and block timing.

Weapon Mastery Skills

Unlock new moves tied to each specific weapon type. Each weapon has its own tree that expands as you gain Weapon EXP.

Defensive Arts

Enhance your blocking, dodging, and overall survivability, allowing you to handle tougher encounters.

As you progress through chapters and unlock new weapons, new branches of the skill trees become available.

Common pitfalls to avoid and useful tips

• Don’t spread your Skill Points evenly. Focus on General and Defensive skills first for a balanced foundation.
• Invest in defense early. Skills that enhance blocking or dodging are vital for later boss battles.
• Replay for rewards. Repeating missions at higher risk yields better loot and more Skill Points.
• Accept gradual progression. Some top-tier skills are locked behind late-game challenges or rare materials, so don’t expect full mastery in your first playthrough.

Skill categories and sample techniques

Why unlocking skills matters for your experience

Unlocking and upgrading skills transforms the entire gameplay experience. With new techniques, faster combos, and improved survivability, your character feels progressively more powerful. Weapons gain new animations, alternate finishers, and even transformation-specific bonuses (like the Bloodraven Form). A well-planned skill progression allows you to adapt your playstyle — from swift aggression to calculated precision — across every combat encounter.