Home
Guides
Nioh 3
Nioh 3 Blacksmith: Crafting Weapons and Upgrading Them

Nioh 3 Blacksmith: Crafting Weapons and Upgrading Them

Alexandre Jollier February 6, 2026 at 5:20 PM

In brief

Find out how to master the blacksmith in Nioh 3 to craft and upgrade your weapons. From gathering materials to using Soul Match, this guide walks you step by step through progressing and facing ever more powerful enemies.

In Nioh 3, crafting weapons and upgrading them is an important step to master in order to progress smoothly through the game. The blacksmith plays a central role by allowing players to forge new weapons and upgrade them. This article will explain everything you need to know on the subject!

Nioh 3 Blacksmith: Crafting weapons and upgrading them

The blacksmith's role

The blacksmith is a central character that you'll meet right at the start of the adventure in Nioh 3. You need to find him quickly in order to face increasingly powerful enemies.

The Fox-Masked Blacksmith, the first one you'll meet, is found at the Eternal Rift, the game's main hub. He'll allow you to forge new weapons as well as upgrade those you already own, provided of course that you have the materials.

Nioh 3 Blacksmith: Crafting weapons and upgrading them

How to forge weapons

After finishing the tutorial, you'll be able to freely explore the first regions of the map. You need to head west of Hamamatsu to access a dungeon and defeat the boss that will let you enter the castle to continue the story.

To create weapons, you need materials that you can obtain by dismantling armor and equipment you no longer wish to use. Remember to break down any equipment you have no use for in order to recover resources, and search the different areas of the map for hidden materials.

Once you have enough raw materials, go back to the blacksmith. The forging process is accessible to everyone: select the Forge option, then select the weapon you want to forge; make sure you have all the required materials before confirming the crafting.

Nioh 3 Blacksmith: Crafting weapons and upgrading them

Upgrading your weapons

After exploring the Eternal Rift, talk to the blacksmith again; she'll send you to the Sanaru Lake shrine, which will trigger a quest. Go to Maisaka, and take the paths heading north.

Once at Sanaru Lake, follow the path to the left until you come across a Scampuss: this little companion will show you the way. You should pet it and follow it, as it will lead you to the vicinity of the Shrine.

Inside, pick up the Magatama of Kagutsuchi and return to the blacksmith to complete the quest and unlock the ability to upgrade a weapon.

Once the upgrade ability is unlocked, you can access the Soul Match option, which lets you upgrade your weapons using components. Here's how it works:

Choose the weapon you want to upgrade. Make sure you have, just as with weapon forging, all the required materials.

The Soul Extraction option will let you dismantle excess equipment to recover upgrade materials.

Which aspect of blacksmithing do you find most important in Nioh 3?

Frequently asked questions

Where can you find the blacksmith in Nioh 3?

The Fox-Masked Blacksmith is located at the Everlasting Rift, the game's main hub. You'll meet him right from the start of your adventure and can return to him at any time to forge or upgrade your weapons.

How do you get the materials needed to forge a weapon?

You can obtain materials by dismantling any equipment you no longer need, as well as by exploring the different areas of the map in search of hidden resources.

What are the steps to upgrade a weapon?

You must first unlock this function by completing the Sanaru Lake quest and bringing the Kagutsuchi Magatama back to the blacksmith. Once unlocked, use the Soul Match option by selecting your weapon and the available upgrade components.

What is Soul Extraction used for?

Soul Extraction lets you dismantle surplus gear to recover upgrade materials, helping you optimize the management of your resources.

Key takeaways

The Fox-Masked Blacksmith at the Everlasting Rift is your central contact for forging and upgrading weapons.
Dismantle all unneeded equipment to recover materials essential for crafting.
Complete the Sanaru Lake quest to unlock the Soul Match function and upgrade your weapons.
Soul Extraction lets you recycle surplus gear to obtain upgrade components.