- What to know
- Requirements for unlocking the Demon of Pride in Nioh 3
- Why the Crayma Tengu Guardian Spirit is mandatory
- Returning to Sengan Waterfall Shrine in Waring States
- How to trigger the Demon of Pride boss fight
- Preparing for the Demon of Pride encounter
- What makes the Demon of Pride unique
- Unlocking the hidden Demon of Pride encounter in Nioh 3
What to know
- The Demon of Pride is a secret optional boss unlocked after a specific main story progression.
- You must defeat Takira Shingan and Great Tengu first.
- The Crayma Tengu Guardian Spirit is required to access the hidden route.
- The entrance is located at Sengan Waterfall Shrine in the Warring States map.
Unlocking the Demon of Pride in Nioh 3 is not something you stumble into by accident. The encounter is deliberately hidden behind story progression, map revisits, and a Guardian Spirit–based traversal mechanic. If you are exploring thoroughly and pushing through late-game bosses, you can trigger this fight organically. However, if you want direct access without missing any steps, you need to follow the progression carefully.
Requirements for unlocking the Demon of Pride in Nioh 3
| Requirement Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Main Story Progression | Clear the Waring States map storyline |
| Required Boss #1 | Defeat Takira Shingan |
| Map Unlock | Heian map becomes accessible |
| Required Boss #2 | Defeat Great Tengu in Heian |
| Key Unlock Item | Crayma Tengu Guardian Spirit |
| Secret Location | Sengan Waterfall Shrine (Waring States) |
| Access Mechanic | Use Guardian Spirit ability to ascend waterfall |
| Difficulty Level | Extremely high, capable of one-shot attacks |
#1 Progressing through the Waring States arc to unlock Heian
Before you can even think about facing the Demon of Pride, you must complete the main arc of the Waring States region. This means defeating Takira Shingan, the final boss of that map. Takira Shingan serves as a progression gate rather than just a narrative milestone. Once defeated, the game unlocks access to the Heian map.
Takira Shingan is a mechanically demanding boss with aggressive combo strings and phase transitions that test your Ki management. Clearing this fight signals that your character is properly scaled for the next region. Without this victory, the hidden chain leading to the Demon of Pride cannot begin.
#2 Defeating Great Tengu in the Heian map
After unlocking Heian, your next required objective is defeating Great Tengu. This boss is essential because it drops the Crayma Tengu Guardian Spirit, which acts as the key to the hidden encounter.
Great Tengu emphasizes aerial mobility, wind-based attacks, and punishing dive strikes. The fight prepares you for what’s ahead because the Demon of Pride shares similar burst-damage potential. Once defeated, you will receive the Crayma Tangu Guardian Spirit automatically as a boss reward.
This Guardian Spirit is not optional for the hidden boss route. If you attempt to access the waterfall path without it, the environment will block you completely.
Why the Crayma Tengu Guardian Spirit is mandatory
The Crayma Tengu Guardian Spirit enables a traversal ability tied to vertical movement. In the Waring States map, a specific environmental barrier reacts only to this Guardian Spirit’s active ability. Without it equipped, the path remains sealed.
The design here mirrors Nioh’s tradition of gating optional content behind ability-based traversal mechanics. This ensures you revisit earlier maps with stronger builds and newly unlocked powers.
Make sure the Guardian Spirit is actively equipped before attempting the hidden route. Simply owning it in your inventory is not enough.
Returning to Sengan Waterfall Shrine in Waring States
With the Crayma Tengu Guardian Spirit secured, you must return to the Waring States region. Fast travel to the Sengan Waterfall Shrine.
From the shrine, move downward along the main path and then veer to the right toward a smaller waterfall section. This location appears decorative at first glance. If you do not have the Guardian Spirit equipped, nothing unusual happens.
However, once you activate the Crayma Tangu Guardian Spirit ability, you can ascend the waterfall vertically. The mechanic works as a temporary lift, granting access to a previously unreachable ledge.
Moving forward from this elevated position will trigger a short transition sequence. Immediately after advancing, the Demon of Pride boss encounter begins.
How to trigger the Demon of Pride boss fight
After getting the above requirements completed, follow the given steps to spawn the Demon of Pride:
Step 1
Fast travel back to the Warring States map and spawn at Sengan Waterfall Shrine.
Step 2
From the shrine, move downward along the path and turn right toward the smaller waterfall.
Step 3
Activate the Guardian Spirit ability to ascend the waterfall.
Step 4
Advance forward on the elevated ledge to trigger the hidden Demon of Pride boss fight.
Preparing for the Demon of Pride encounter
The Demon of Pride is an optional endgame-level boss designed to punish underprepared builds. It features heavy burst damage, wide-area attacks, and combo strings that can eliminate you in a single sequence if your defensive stats are low.
You should enter the fight with optimized armor scaling, upgraded Soul Cores, and a refined Mayo magic setup. Defensive buffs and Ki recovery management are critical because prolonged stamina depletion leaves you vulnerable to its most devastating attacks.
| Preparation Element | Recommended Focus |
|---|---|
| Level Scaling | At or above Heian endgame scaling |
| Armor | High defense with elemental resistance |
| Guardian Spirit Sync | Maximize synergy bonuses |
| Soul Cores | Burst counter–friendly cores |
| Mayo Magic | Defensive buffs and Ki regen support |
| Healing Items | Fully upgraded capacity |
Because this boss is hidden, it is tuned slightly above normal progression difficulty. Expect fast transitions, delayed strike patterns, and aggression that tests reaction timing.
What makes the Demon of Pride unique
The Demon of Pride functions as a skill-check boss. Its move set combines delayed heavy strikes with punishing counters designed to catch panic dodges. The fight emphasizes composure, spacing, and burst counter timing.
Unlike standard story bosses, this encounter rewards mastery over core combat systems. If you have been relying heavily on brute-force damage, you may struggle. If your build is balanced with defensive utility and Ki control, you stand a much better chance.
| Reward Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Unique Loot Drop | Exclusive high-tier weapon or armor piece |
| Rare Soul Core | Demon of Pride–exclusive Soul Core |
| High Experience Yield | Significant progression boost |
| Completion Recognition | Hidden boss cleared status |
The loot quality is typically scaled to reflect late-game rarity tiers, making the fight worthwhile beyond the challenge alone.
If you follow the progression correctly, the path to the Demon of Pride becomes clear. You defeat Takira Shingan, unlock Heian, conquer Great Tangu, secure the Crayma Tangu Guardian Spirit, and return to Singen Waterfall Shrine to ascend the hidden waterfall. The boss fight itself demands preparation, discipline, and a fully optimized build. If you are looking for one of Nioh 3’s toughest optional challenges, this is the encounter that proves your mastery.
