This Nioh 3 Baba Nobuharu Boss Battle Guide details all the tips and tricks you need to defeat Baba Nobuharu in Nioh 3. Baba Nobuharu is an easier boss fight than it first appears. Once you are properly prepared, the battle turns into a safe, controlled routine built around distance, timing, and smart use of Ninjutsu. With the right setup, this boss becomes more about patience than raw combat skill.
Baba Nobuharu Boss Battle Guide – Nioh 3
You will face Baba Nobuharu Boss in the Mirage Fortress Mission at level 39, and you should use Ninja Style with Dual Swords. This boss fight is of High difficulty.
Before facing Baba Nobuharu, it is strongly advised that you fully explore every available region. Completing all collectibles and myths grants permanent bonuses to both attack and defense by 2 points, which greatly reduces how dangerous this fight feels. By the time you finish exploring, you should naturally be around level 50, which is the ideal range for this mission.
If your gear is outdated, spend some time at the blacksmith and craft higher-level weapons and armor. Ninja Style works best here, especially because this boss has a phase where he relies heavily on water-based ranged attacks. Being able to stay back and fight safely makes a big difference. Equip Ninjutsu such as Shuriken, Shrapnel Bombs, and Uncanny Flame so you can apply constant pressure from afar.
Light armor is strongly recommended, as it keeps your weight low and allows faster dodging with less stamina drain. If his grapple attack kills you instantly, treat it as a warning sign that you are underleveled or undergeared and should improve your defenses before trying again.
Extra points in Skill will increase your Ninjutsu damage, while solid investment in Constitution and Heart ensures you have enough health and Ki to survive mistakes.
How to Defeat the Boss
The safest way to fight Baba Nobuharu is to rely mostly on Ninjutsu ranged attacks and only use melee attacks when necessary. Your close-range attacks are mainly there to build up Ninjutsu charges, not to deal major damage. When you run out of Ninjutsu, move in carefully from the front, dodge slightly to the left to get behind him, and land a few fast strikes. After charging your Ninjitsu tools, retreat to a safe distance and unload your Ninjutsu again.
By spending most of the fight outside his reach, the battle stays calm and predictable. You still need to learn his patterns, as he can sometimes swing his tail when you are behind him. Always keep your distance from his grapples and watch out for attacks that glow red, as those are especially dangerous.
At certain moments, the arena will shift into a Yokai Realm state, and Baba Nobuharu will begin using heavy water magic. This phase is where patience matters most. One of his strongest moves floods the entire floor, dealing massive damage, and trying to fight him up close during this is extremely risky.
When this happens, move to the far edge of the arena and focus entirely on ranged attacks. Wait for him to cast his water spells until the realm returns to normal. His only real long-range threat during this phase is a straight-line water attack, which moves slowly and is easy to dodge. This is also a good time to use summoning magic to keep dealing damage without stepping into danger.
Throughout the battle, Baba Nobuharu will switch back and forth between his normal form and the Yokai Realm, but he does not gain new abilities. He has a single health bar, and as long as you stay focused and repeat the same safe strategy, his health will steadily drop. Keep your distance, refill your Ninjutsu through quick melee bursts, and wait out the dangerous phases to defeat Baba Nobuharu.
That is all for this guide. Additional Nioh 3 guides are linked below:
- Nioh 3 Samurai Combat Guide – Tips & Tricks to Master Samurai
- Nioh 3 Ninja Combat Guide – Tips & Tricks to Master Ninja
- Nioh 3 Combat Guide – Mastering Combat Styles, Spirit Skills, More
- Nioh 3 Yamagata Masakage Boss Battle Guide – How to Defeat
- Nioh 3 Jakotsu-baba Boss Battle Guide – How to Defeat
This concludes our Nioh 3 Baba Nobuharu Boss Battle Guide. If you want to add anything to this guide, feel free to use the comments section below.