What to know
- New skills come from Skill Books, not automatic leveling
- Skill Books must be confirmed at a Shrine before use
- Learned skills still require manual activation
- Skill Capacity limits how many abilities you can equip
In Nioh 3, character growth is not only about stats and gear. Many of the most powerful and specialized combat abilities are locked behind Skill Books, which the game treats as discoveries rather than rewards. Because the process involves multiple systems—loot, shrines, and skill menus—it’s easy to think a skill is unlocked when it actually isn’t usable yet.
This guide explains exactly how new skills are obtained, learned, and activated, and why each step matters.
How new skills are found in Nioh 3
Unlike passive abilities gained through leveling, new active skills are tied to Skill Books. These books are physical items found primarily in chests during missions. They are often placed slightly off the main path, rewarding exploration rather than boss completion.
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Skill discovery | Skill Book found in a chest |
| Skill confirmation | Pray at a Shrine to unlock text |
| Skill learning | Skill added to your available pool |
| Skill activation | Manually equipped using capacity points |
When you open a chest containing a Skill Book, the game does not immediately grant you the ability. Instead, it flags the book as unread, meaning the skill is still inaccessible until you take the next step.
Unlocking skill by praying at a Shrine is mandatory
After acquiring a Skill Book, you must pray at a nearby Shrine. This step is non-optional and serves as the “learning” phase.
Praying at the Shrine:
- Reveals the Secret Skills Text
- Converts the Skill Book into a learned skill
- Updates your skill database
If you skip this step, the skill will not appear in your management menu, even though you physically own the book. This design reinforces shrines as more than checkpoints—they are progression gates.
Learning versus activating a skill
One of the most common points of confusion is assuming that learning a skill automatically equips it. In Nioh 3, learning and activating are separate actions.
Once the skill text is revealed at the Shrine, the skill becomes available, but it remains inactive by default.
You must:
- Open the Skill Management Menu
- Locate the newly unlocked skill
- Activate it manually
Until this is done, the skill will never trigger in combat.
Understanding skill capacity and costs
Every skill has a capacity cost, and your character has a limited skill capacity pool. This prevents players from equipping everything at once and forces deliberate build choices.
| Skill factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Capacity cost | How many points the skill consumes |
| Total capacity | Maximum skills you can equip |
| Over capacity | Skill cannot be activated |
If your capacity is full, you must deactivate another skill before equipping a new one. This system encourages specialization rather than stacking.
Where to check your skill limits
Inside the skill menu, you can see:
- Total available capacity
- Current capacity usage
- Individual skill costs
This interface is the only place where you can confirm whether a skill is active and usable in combat.
Why this skill system is good for beginners
Nioh 3’s skill system rewards awareness and intent, not just loot collection. Finding a Skill Book is only the beginning. The full loop—loot, shrine confirmation, and manual activation—ensures that players actively engage with their build instead of passively accumulating power.
As the game progresses, missing a Shrine prayer or forgetting to equip a skill can dramatically affect performance, especially against bosses balanced around advanced movesets.
Common mistakes that prevent skills from working in Nioh 3
| Mistake | Result |
|---|---|
| Not praying at a Shrine | Skill remains locked |
| Forgetting to activate skill | No combat effect |
| Ignoring capacity limits | Skill cannot be equipped |
| Assuming auto-equip | Skill never triggers |
Getting new skills in Nioh 3 is a multi-step process by design. Skill Books reward exploration, Shrines confirm mastery, and capacity limits enforce thoughtful builds. Once you understand that skills must be found, learned, and equipped, the system becomes clear—and mastering it unlocks the full depth of the game’s combat.
