Jakotsu-baba Boss Guide

Jakotsu-baba is the first Crucible boss you will encounter in Nioh 3 and can be found at the end of The Hamamatsu Incident quest. This is an extremely difficult boss that is sure to test all of the combat knowledge you have collected so far. If you're having trouble beating Jakotsu-baba, you will find everything you need to take him down in this NIoh 3 boss guide.

• Jakotsu-baba Location
• Jakotsu-baba Moves
• How to Beat Jakotsu-baba
• Jakotsu-baba Rewards

Jakotsu-baba Location

Jakotsu-baba is the final challenge you will face in The Hamamatsu Incident quest. This quest sees you travelling through Hamamatsu Castle Town, which has been overtaken by the Crucible. You will have to make your way all the way through the town until you reach the castle, where you will face off against Jakotsu-baba.

Jakotsu-baba Moves

Jakotsu-baba is an incredibly fast and punishing boss that wields two snakes as its main weapons. One snake channels fire, and the other channels ice. They can both perform swiping and smashing moves that cover a massive area and can also deal poison damage. Here are the moves you can expect to see from Jakotsu-baba on the battlefield:

Fire Snake Swipe

During this move, Jakotsu-baba will pull the fire snake back for a second or so before releasing it in a massive side-swipe that covers a large portion of the battlefield. If you're not far away enough before the move releases, stay calm and dodge at the moment it connects with you to avoid this strike. Hopefully, though, you have enough time to put some distance between you while the move is charging up.

Burst Break

Like all bosses or formidable foes in Nioh 3, Jakotsu-baba is also susceptible to Burst Breaks. Whenever you see the boss enveloped in a red glow, head in there and switch styles to interrupt it and create a window where you can attack without worrying about retaliation. This window closes quickly, though, so keep your wits about you.

Fire Snake Slam

When Jakotsu-baba raises the fire snake up into the air for a couple of seconds, you can expect it to slam back down on the ground with extreme force. This move has a great reach, so make sure you dodge perfectly or put enough distance between you while the snake is still in the air.

Fire Snake Bite

In addition to the massive slam move that the fire snake performs, it can also do a softer version. This still hits hard but doesn't deal quite as much damage. Like the slam, the snake still raises up into the air before striking, giving you a visual indication of what's to come.

Ghost Faces

If you get far enough away from the boss, it will release a group of floating ghost faces that head your way on the battlefield. There are a lot of these, but they move quite slowly, giving you a decent amount of time to get out of their way.

Fire Breath

The fire-snake can release a wave of fire over the battlefield. This covers most of the arena, so make your way as far to the edge as you can to avoid the flames.

Staff Slam

When playing close to the boss, it will start attacking with its staff. There is one move in particular where Jakotsu-baba lifts up its staff and slams it back down again. This happens quite fast, so there isn't a lot of time to react. You will have to keep a keen eye on the staff when you're in close quarters so you have time to dodge out of the way. This is a good time to use the Cicada Shell Ninjitsu, if you have it.

Ice Snake Swipe

At some point in the battle, Jokotsu-baba will switch from using the fire snake to using the ice snake. When this happens, you will have to learn all of the ice snake moves, as well. Thankfully, though, you won't have to deal with the fire snake any more, as the boss uses one at a time.

One ice snake move is a large sweeping strike. It still has a massive reach, so time your dodge accordingly. The snake will rise up into the air before sweeping, so you have a small indication of when it will happen. This sweep can be chained four times, with a one-second break between each two swipes. It can be difficult to dodge, so making your way around to the back of the boss is a decent option here.

Ice Snake Strike

The ice snake has a striking move just like the fire snake does, but this one is much faster. Watch closely as the fire snake comes forward and the ice-snake retreats over Jakotsu-baba's shoulder before striking. That's your cue to get out of the way.

Ice Snake Slam

The ice snake can be slammed down on the ground to deal incredible damage. Watch out for the snake head as it rises up in the air before coming back down and dodge to the side. Since the move has such a long reach, going sideways instead of backwards is a better way to escape the strike.

How to Beat Jakotsu-baba

Jakotsu-baba is an incredibly strong foe, and the best way to beat him will depend on what playstyle you prefer to use. Nioh 3 offers you two different forms that you can switch between whenever you want. These forms are Samurai and Ninja.

If you prefer playing as a Samurai, you will want to focus more on blocking as well as dodging, although blocking the snake attacks can still be tricky. If you're playing as the Ninja, using the Cicada Shell Ninjitsu just before getting hit allows you to teleport behind the enemy and land some backstab damage.

This tactic is best used with the Staff Slam attack. If you put enough distance between you, it gives you time to refocus as Jakotsu-baba shambles its way back toward you. It doesn't happen every time, but there is a good chance that the boss will perform a staff slam once he gets close enough. This is the easiest one to use Cicada Shell with. The skill does have a cooldown, though, so you can't rely solely on that throughout the entire fight.

This battle will also introduce another new feature—the Dark Realm. At some points throughout the fight, a dark shadow will envelop the battlefield. While in the Dark Realm, your foe is empowered while your Ki is debuffed. The fight will become more dangerous at this point, but the best way to escape the Dark Realm is to apply a lot of pressure to the boss. Spirit Force also helps you escape the Dark Realm faster.

Jakotsu-baba Rewards

Most of the rewards you will get upon the completion of this fight will be random, but you can expect a few things for sure. You will get a Ninja's Locks giving you one more Ninja Point, a Jakotsu-baba Soul Core. You can also expect around 15 pieces of epic weapons, armor, and other items.