Onimusha: Way of the Sword gives you a lot of different ways to deal with the Genma, but you won’t have enough resources to unlock everything right away. Because of that, picking the right skills early can make a noticeable difference in combat.
Some skills improve your basic sword and bow attacks, while others unlock new ways to defend yourself or make better use of the Oni Gauntlet. I found that a few upgrades stand out much more than the others during the early parts of the game.
In this Onimusha Way of the Sword Best Skills, I’ll go through the best skills to get first in Onimusha: Way of the Sword and explain what each one does and why you should consider prioritizing it.
Onimusha Way of the Sword Best Skills – How to Unlock
The Basic Skills tree focuses mainly on your sword, bow, and core combat abilities. Some useful abilities, such as Issen, are already available when you gain access to the skill tree, but there are several upgrades worth grabbing early.
Blazing State
Blazing State is one of the skills I recommend picking up early because it adds another reward for playing defensively.
After unlocking it, you’ll see a new Blazing Gauge at the bottom-right of the screen. The gauge fills as you successfully parry enemy attacks.
Once the gauge is full, you’ll enter Blazing State. While you’re in this state, your attack damage increases and enemies will drop more Blue Souls.
The extra Blue Souls are particularly useful because they allow you to use your Oni Armaments more often. So, if you’re already getting comfortable with parrying, Blazing State gives you another reason to focus on well-timed defensive play.
Stealth
Stealth is another early skill worth considering, especially if you like approaching enemies from behind.
The Genma can have surprisingly good awareness, which can make sneaking up on them more difficult than you might expect. The Stealth skill makes it easier to get close without immediately alerting nearby enemies.
This gives you more opportunities to perform stealth attacks and remove enemies before a larger fight begins. I find it particularly useful when you want to thin out a group before engaging everyone at once.
Chain Issen
If you like using Issen, Chain Issen should be high on your list.
Issen can already let you take down basic enemies with a well-timed counterattack, but Chain Issen lets you continue that attack against additional enemies.
To perform it, press the light attack button again as your first Issen connects. If you get the timing right, the camera will move toward another nearby enemy and show you an attack prompt.
Follow the prompt and you can chain another Issen into the next enemy.
Once you get comfortable with the timing, Chain Issen can be extremely effective against groups of regular Genma. It turns one successful counter into an opportunity to clear several enemies in quick succession.
Deflect
Deflect gives you another powerful defensive option alongside blocking and parrying.
To use it, hold the block button and press the light attack button just before an enemy’s attack connects. A successful Deflect can parry the incoming attack while also taking a significant amount of stamina away from the enemy.
There’s another useful feature here as well. Deflect can be used against ranged projectiles, allowing you to send them back toward the enemies that fired them.
If you’re already comfortable with the timing, this skill can make certain enemy encounters much easier to control.
Oni Bow Power 1
If you feel like the Oni Bow isn’t doing enough damage early on, Oni Bow Power 1 is a straightforward upgrade to grab.
It significantly improves the bow’s damage, making it easier to eliminate or weaken enemies from a distance before you enter melee combat.
I recommend considering this one if you frequently use the bow to soften up groups. Being able to remove a few enemies before rushing into close-range combat can make some encounters much safer.
Best Special Skills to Get First
The Special Skills tree focuses more heavily on your Oni abilities and the Oni Gauntlet. These skills can introduce new mechanics or make your existing Oni weapons much more effective.
Two Celestials: Combo Strength
The Two Celestials are among the first Oni weapons you’ll obtain, and they remain useful throughout the game.
These dual daggers are particularly useful for collecting Yellow Souls, which restore your health. Because of that, you’ll want to keep them in your arsenal whenever you need some extra healing.
The Combo Strength skill makes them even more useful by adding a timing mechanic to their attacks.
When the Two Celestials flash yellow during a combo, press RB/R1 at the right moment. If you land the timing correctly, the attack will deal more damage and generate additional Yellow Souls.
That means you’re not only hitting harder, but also getting more healing resources from successful attacks.
Handle Bigger Objects
Handle Bigger Objects is a simple skill, but it opens up more options during combat.
After unlocking it, you’ll be able to pick up and throw larger environmental objects, including oil pots and powder kegs, at enemies.
These objects can be used to cause extra damage and create opportunities against groups of unsuspecting Genma.
If you regularly interact with the environment during fights, this is a fun skill to have because it gives you another way to deal with enemies beyond your standard weapons.
Oni Vision: Destructibles
Oni Vision: Destructibles makes your Oni Vision much more useful during combat.
Once unlocked, destructible armor, body parts, and certain environmental objects will be highlighted when you activate Oni Vision.
This becomes especially useful against heavily armored enemies. Instead of simply attacking them and hoping your hits are effective, you can use Oni Vision to identify the vulnerable parts and target them directly.
If you’re having trouble dealing with tougher armored Genma, this skill can make their weak points much easier to recognize.
Oni Vision: Treasures
The other Oni Vision upgrade, Oni Vision: Treasures, is useful for exploration rather than direct combat.
It makes treasures and Hozuki plants easier to spot while using Oni Vision.
That can save you a lot of time when you’re searching areas for upgrade materials and Hozuki charges. Since finding more resources helps you improve your equipment and maintain your healing supplies, this skill can pay off throughout your playthrough.
If you like exploring every area instead of rushing through the main objectives, I’d definitely consider picking this one up.
Which Skills Should You Prioritize?
If you aren’t sure where to spend your first skill points, I’d focus on the skills that directly improve the way you already like to play.
For defensive players, Blazing State, Chain Issen, and Deflect are particularly strong choices. They reward good timing and make the game’s defensive combat mechanics more valuable.
If you rely on ranged attacks, Oni Bow Power 1 is an easy upgrade to justify. Meanwhile, players who enjoy exploring should consider Oni Vision: Treasures, while Oni Vision: Destructibles is more useful for dealing with tougher enemies.
For me, Chain Issen and Blazing State stand out because they work so well with the game’s focus on timing and defensive combat. Once you become comfortable with parries and Issen counters, these skills can make regular encounters much easier to handle.