Nioh 2 PSA: Don’t Pick The Bird Guardian Spirit–Here’s Why

When starting Nioh 2, your Guardian Spirit selection represents one of the most impactful early game decisions that will shape your combat approach for hours to come. These ethereal companions determine your transformation capabilities when activating Yokai Shift, providing temporary power boosts and unique attack patterns.

Yokai Shift serves as Nioh 2’s evolution of the Living Weapon mechanic from the first game, allowing you to temporarily assume a powerful Yokai form with distinct advantages. Each Guardian Spirit corresponds to one of three transformation types: Feral, Brute, and Phantom, each offering different dodge mechanics, attack patterns, and special abilities.

During the introductory tutorial sequence, you’ll choose between three initial Guardian Spirits: Ame-no-Mitori the avian spirit (Feral form), Makami the wolf spirit (Brute form), or Kagewani the shark spirit (Phantom form). This decision creates your foundation for Yokai combat throughout the early game progression.

The core issue with selecting Ame-no-Mitori lies in early game form duplication. After completing the opening stage and defeating the first major boss encounter, you automatically receive Masaru the monkey spirit—which also provides the Feral Yokai transformation. This creates immediate redundancy in your available tools.

By choosing Ame-no-Mitori initially, you effectively limit yourself to only two distinct Yokai forms during the critical early hours, whereas selecting either Makami or Kagewani would grant access to all three transformation types immediately. This limitation becomes particularly noticeable during boss fights where having multiple Yokai options provides tactical advantages.

Many new players underestimate how long they’ll be restricted to this limited selection. The Feral form specialization persists for approximately the first three main missions or 5-10 hours of gameplay, depending on exploration and side content completion.

This early restriction prevents experimentation with different combat approaches and limits your ability to adapt to various enemy types that may be more vulnerable to specific Yokai forms. The lack of versatility can create frustrating situations against certain bosses or in challenging encounters.

Makami the wolf spirit offers the Brute form, characterized by powerful, slower attacks that can break through enemy guards and interrupt their actions. This form excels against aggressive opponents who constantly pressure you, providing excellent trading potential and stagger capabilities.

Kagewani the shark spirit provides the Phantom form, which features precise, timing-based attacks and superior counter-attack opportunities. This transformation works well for players who prefer methodical combat and punishing enemy openings.

While Ame-no-Mitori does provide legitimate benefits—including enhanced Ki Recovery Speed, increased Running Speed, and Lightning Damage bonuses—these advantages must be weighed against the strategic limitation of form diversity. The lightning damage specialization can be powerful but requires specific build investment to maximize.

The Feral form’s primary strength lies in its exceptional mobility and rapid evasion capabilities, making it ideal for hit-and-run tactics. However, having two Feral spirits doesn’t significantly enhance these benefits compared to gaining access to entirely different combat approaches.

For optimal early game progression, consider your preferred combat rhythm and tactical preferences. Aggressive players who favor overwhelming offense may find Makami’s Brute form more suitable, while tactical players who prefer calculated engagements might prefer Kagewani’s Phantom form.

Advanced players should note that while Ame-no-Mitori creates early limitations, it can be strategically valuable for specialized lightning builds in mid-to-late game. The key is understanding this represents a delayed gratification approach versus immediate versatility.

Your Guardian Spirit choice impacts not just your Yokai transformations but also your available combat tools and ability to adapt to different challenges. Having multiple forms available early allows you to experiment and discover which approach best suits your playstyle.

Remember that Nioh 2 eventually provides access to all Guardian Spirits, but the initial selection determines your available options during the challenging early learning phase when versatility matters most for overcoming initial difficulty hurdles.

No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » Nioh 2 PSA: Don’t Pick The Bird Guardian Spirit–Here’s Why Strategic Guardian Spirit selection guide for Nioh 2 beginners to maximize early game versatility