In this Nioh 2 Shiftling Skills guide, we will discuss everything there is to know about the Shiftling Skills. We will take a look at how these skills can help you out in Nioh 2. We will also talk about how you would be able to acquire these skills. Let’s get started:
Nioh 2 Shiftling Skills
Let’s take a look at how we can get Shiftling Skills. There is no rocket science in acquiring these skills. You will have to spend the Skill Points in the tree.
You can increase the potency of skill by spending more skill points and leveling it up.
You can unlock the Shiftling Skill Points by using Yokai Shift, Yokai Burst Counters, or Yokai Soul Cores. Other than that, to get Shiftling Skill Points, certain items can be consumed as well.
Let’s take a look at all the skills:
Active Skills
| Name | Effects | Skill point cost | Prerequisite |
| Burst Counter: Brute | It takes one Anima for a devastating attack. It does a lot of Ki damage if the Burst attack of the enemy is successfully interrupted. You can only use this with the Brute type. The command used for this skill is R2 + Square Button. | 1 | Base |
| Burst Counter: Feral | It takes one Anima to dash forward. It leaves an afterimage at the location where you previously were. In this way, you can perform a follow-up attack that does a lot of Ki damage. The Ki damage occurs if your afterimage comes in contact with the burst attack of the enemy. The command needed for this skill is R2 + Square Button. | 1 | Base |
| Burst Counter: Phantom | It takes one Anima to help you against incoming enemy attacks. Provides defense against Burst attack and when you guard against them at the right moment, you would be able to stagger and deal a lot of Ki damage to the enemy. The command used for this skill is: R2 + Square Button | 1 | Base |
| Fang Break | Staggers the enemy by rebelling against the incoming attack. The command used for this skill is: L1 + Triangle Button | 1 | Burst Counter: Brute |
| Shadowstep | You would be able to dodge during a quick attack. | 1 | Burst Counter: Feral |
| Shadowstab | You can use a Quick Attack right after Shadowstep without any delay. | 1 | Shadowstep |
| Blood Moon: Yin | You can press and hold L2 to aim and your weapon readies for an aimed throw. If the aim hits the mark, you will be teleported to your enemy immediately. | 1 | Burst Counter: Phantom |
| Blood Moon: Yang | You can follow a quick attack with a strong attack with this skill. | 0 | Burst Counter: Phantom |
Custom Active Skills
| Name | Effects | Skill Point Cost | Prerequisite |
| Arcana of the dead | Five percent increase in damage and Ki damage because of Active Skills. But all the elemental effects are lost. | 1 | Soul Atrophy I Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom |
| Arcana of Serpents | Gives poison element to specific Active Skills. The Ki Consumption Rate is 1.20 now. | 1 | Special Finesse: Invigorate Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom. |
| Arcana of Vermin | Gives paralysis element to specific Active Skills. The Ki Consumption Rate is 1.20 now. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom |
| Arcana of Fire | Gives Fire element to specific active skills. The Ki Consumption Rate is 1.40 now. | 1 | Fiendish Maw I Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom |
| Arcana of Water | Gives Water Element to specific Active Skills. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Blood Moon: Yang |
| Arcana of Lightning | Gives lightning element to specific active skills. The Ki Consumption Rate is 1.40 now. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Demonic Dexterity I |
| Arcana of Power | Gives Corruption element to specific active skills. The Ki Consumption Rate is 1.40 now. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Soul Atrophy I |
| Raging Strike | Twenty percent increase in damage from specific active skills. The Ki Consumption Rate is 1.10 now. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Demonic Destruction I |
| Ravenous Strike | Your health increases by ten percent of the damage dealt. The Ki Consumption Rate is 1.30 now. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Special Finesse: Recuperate I |
| Desperate Strike | Your health increases by thirty percent of the damage dealt. The Ki Consumption Rate is 1.30 now. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Hasten Awakening I |
| Refulgent Strike | You get more Anrita when you use specific skills to defeat your enemies. The Ki consumption rate is 1.10 now. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Guardian Bond: Aether |
| Mercenary Strike | Ten percent increase in the drop rate of items upon defeating an enemy. The Ki Consumption Rate is 1.30 now. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Enduring Awakening I |
| Murderous Strike | Using specific active skills restores five percent of the maximum health when you take out an enemy. The Ki Consumption Rate is 1.20 with this skill. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Demonic Tenacity I |
| Imperious Strike | Fifty percent increase in Anima gained when hitting an opponent using specific active skills. The Ki Consumption Rate is 1.40 now. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Demonic Ascension I The Dragon’s Echo I |
Passives
| Name | Effects | Skill Point Cost | Prerequisites |
| Demonic Destruction I | Ten percent decrease in the depletion of the Yokai Shift Gauge by 10% when performing attacks in yokai form. | 1 | Fang Break |
| Dragon Vein I | Three percent increase in the rate at which you gain Anima. | 1 | Imperious Strike Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom |
| Hasten Awakening I | Ten percent increase in the rate of your Yokai Weapon Sentience gain. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Arcana of Fire |
| Enduring Awakening I | Ten percent increase in the duration of the Awakened state of your Yokai Weapon. | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Arcana of Water | |
| Dark Vitality I | Ten percent increase in the amount of recovered health while in the Dark Realm. | 1 | Dark Discipline I |
| The Dragon’s Echo I | Five percent increase in the Anima spent to perform a Yokai Ability. The anima type should match the type of your Guardian Spirit. | 1 | Absorb Yokai Realm I |
| Guardian Bond: Aether | Ten percent increase in the duration of a Scampuss accompanying you. | 1 | The Yokai Within I |
| Sudama Friend I | Five percent increase in chances of getting a valuable item from a Sudama. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Guardian Bond: Shadow I |
| Curative Cores I | Upon getting a Soul Core, 40% of your health is restored. | 1 | Special Finesse: Recuperate I Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom |
| Earth Vein I | An increase of ½ in your maximum Anima. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom. Special Finesse: Refresh I |
| Guardian Bond: Aether | An element chosen by your guardian spirit is coupled with the shockwave that is produced when activating Yokai Shift. | 1 | Special Finesse: Refresh I |
| Demonic Discipline I | Seven percent increase in the duration of Yokai Shift. | 1 | Burst Counter: Feral |
| Silver Lining I | Increase of 5 for Luck while you are in the Dark Realm. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom The Dark Within I |
| Guardian Bond: Light I | Five percent increase in the damage dealt by Guardian Spirit Skills. | 1 | Blood Moon: Yang Fiendish Maw I |
| Demonic Tenacity I | Ten percent decrease in the depletion of the Yokai Shift Gauge when you take damage in yokai form. | 1 | Burst Counter: Brute |
| Demonic Defense I | Twenty percent decrease in the depletion of the Yokai Shift Gauge when you are guarding in yokai form. | 1 | Blood Moon: Yin |
| Demonic Dexterity I | Ten percent decrease in the depletion of the Yokai Shift Gauge when you are dodging in yokai form. | 1 | Burst Counter: Feral |
| Dark Discipline I | Fourteen percent increase in the duration of the Yokai Shift while you are in the Dark Realm. | 1 | Demonic Discipline I Dark Acumen I |
| Guardian Bond: Shadow I | Five percent decrease in the depletion of the Yokai Shift Gauge while you are using a Guardian Spirit Skill in yokai form. | 1 | Demonic Dexterity I |
| Soul Atrophy I | Three percent decrease in the enemy’s max Ki when using Yokai Abilities. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Arcana of Serpents Arcana of Water |
| Quelling Requiem I | Three percent increase in the drop rate of Soul Cores. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Demonic Acumen I |
| Demonic Acumen I | Five percent increase in the drop rate of items when you are in Yokai Shift. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Arcana of Lightning |
| Demonic Ascension I | Five percent increase in the amount of Amrita earned while you are in Yokai Shift. | 1 | Demonic Discipline I |
| Dark Ascension I | Three percent increase in the amount of Amrita earned while in the Dark Realm. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Dark Discipline I |
| The Dark Within I | Fifteen percent decrease in the penalty to your Ki recovery speed when you are in in the Dark Realm. | 1 | The Yokai Within I |
| Dark Acumen I | Two percent increase in the drop rate of items when you are in the Dark Realm. | 1 | Burst Counter: Feral |
| Fiendish Maw I | Twenty percent of your health is restored when you grapple with an enemy successfully while in Yokai Shift. | 1 | Burst Counter: Brute |
| The Yokai Within I | Fifteen percent decrease in the penalty to your Ki recovery speed while in the Yokai Realm. | 1 | Devour Yokai Realm I |
| Special Finesse: Refresh I | Your ki is restored by forty percent when you successfully perform a Burst Counter. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Arcana of Lightning |
| Special Finesse: Recuperate I | Twenty percent of your health is restored when you successfully perform a Burst Counter and your health is dangerously low. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Arcana of Fire Murderous Strike |
| Special Finesse: Focus | Increases the damage dealt by your next Yokai Ability when you successfully perform a Burst Courtier. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Special Finesse: Refresh I |
| Special Finesse: Invigorate | Increases your Ki recovery speed when you successfully perform a Burst Counter. | 1 | Burst Counter: Phantom |
| Devour Yokai Realm I | Your Anima is increased by 1.2 upon purifying the Yokai Realm along with a perfectly timed Ki Pulse, recovering the maximum amount of ki possible. | 1 | Base |
| Absorb Yokai Realm I | Your Anima is increased by 0.7 as it enables you to use a Yokai Ability while in the Yokai Realm to purify it. | 1 | Devour Yokai Realm I |
| Feline Friend I | Ten percent increase in the duration of you being accompanied by a Scampuss. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Guardian Bond: Light I |
| Leechkin I | Your health is restored by three percent upon damaging an enemy with a Yokai Ability. | 1 | Needs a specific amount of Astral Wisdom Arcana of Vermin |
