Nioh 3 Map Guide: Exploration Levels & Collectibles
If you are rushing straight to the red mission marker, you are playing the game wrong and probably wondering why your character is so weak.
Nioh 3 has ditched the linear mission select screen of the past for these massive, open-field historical playgrounds. It is a cool change, but it introduces a new problem: Fog of War. You start every map blind, and unless you understand the new Exploration Level mechanic, you are going to miss half the game.
Here is how to clear the map, find the loot that matters, and stop getting lost in the Warring States.
Understanding Exploration Levels
When you enter a new zone, look at the top right of your map screen. You will see an Exploration Level gauge that goes from 1 to 4.
This isn't just a "completion percentage" for bragging rights. It actually unlocks map features.
Level 1: You wandered around a bit. Congratulations. You get a minor stat buff for that region.
Level 2: This is the big one. Reaching Level 2 clears the Fog of War. Suddenly, you can see the actual topography instead of a gray blob.
Level 3: The game reveals Exploration Spots (Enemy Bases, Lesser Crucibles) on the map. You also usually get a free Samurai Lock or Ninja Lock here.
Level 4: God mode. The map reveals all collectibles. Every chest, Kodama, and secret item is now marked.
My Advice: Do not leave a region until you hit Level 4. The rewards (specifically the skill locks and texts) are too good to pass up. You increase this level by clearing Enemy Bases, beating "Lesser Crucibles" (the mini-gauntlets), and finding collectibles.
The "Valuables" Trap
The map lists a count for "Valuables" in each area. This is misleading.
"Valuables" does not just mean chests. It covers a specific list of high-priority items:
Locks of Hair: Skill points.
Secret Skill Texts: Those passive scrolls I mentioned in my Stats guide.
Memorandums: Items that increase your capacity to equip those skills.
If you have "1/3 Valuables" found, do not stop looking. You are likely leaving a skill point on the table. Standard loot chests do not count toward this number, so don't freak out if you open a box and the number doesn't go up.
The Essential Collectibles Breakdown
The map is littered with icons. Some are cute, some are weird, and some are mandatory if you want to survive.
I have compiled a quick reference guide below so you know what you are looking for.
Secret Paths: The Nurikabe Walls
Eventually, you will hit a dead end that looks suspicious. You might hear a groaning sound or see two eyes on a wall.
This is a Nurikabe. It is a Yokai wall.
Do not attack it immediately. It will crush you. Instead, look at the color of its eyes. You need to perform a Gesture (Emote) in front of it.
Blue Gestures (Friendly)
Yellow Gestures (Neutral)
Red Gestures (Hostile)
You have two chances to guess the "right" type of gesture. It is random, but you can usually rule one out by looking at nearby bloody graves of other players (it will say "Killed by Nurikabe for Friendly behavior," etc.). If you get it right, the wall vanishes peacefully and leaves loot. If you fail twice, you have to fight the wall.
Hot Springs are Checkpoints (Sort of)
If you find a Hot Spring, strip down and get in.
It refills your health, gives you a temporary regeneration buff, and often counts toward the zone's completion percentage. More importantly, using a Hot Spring gives you Yokai Teardrops.
You use these Teardrops to buy high-tier items from the Sudama merchants. It is a weird economy, but bathing pays the bills in ancient Japan.
Use the "Amrita Sensor"
To make this whole process less painful, find an accessory (usually Prayer Beads) that has the "Kodama Sensor" or "Amrita Sensor" stat.
This puts little dots on your compass radar. It saves you from blindly hugging every wall in the game. If you can't find one, unlock the Shin Roku Guardian Spirit later in the game, it has a built-in sensor for collectibles.
