Creatures of Nioh: Part 1

Nioh is a souls-like game set in Japan in the 1600s. Since I've been posting an Enemies of Bloodborne series (which will be linked below), I figured i'd do one for Nioh too to give it some love. Enjoy!

*These creatures/enemies are in no particular order and there may be some spoilers. You have been warned*

Dweller:

Dwellers were former miners who have been turned into Yokai by the foul vapour emanating from the mines. They were the objects of pure terror from many of the miners who still worked. Their grotesquely disfigured bodies and features are the stuff nightmares are made of.
Many dwellers weild pickaxes. These pickaxes are the last reminders of their humanity. If disarmed, they will abandon their pretense to humanity, crawling around on all fours Juon the grudge style.
These creatures will most likely be the first Yokai you come across. There will be more horrors to come of course, but that doesn't make these creatures any less demonic.

Fiend:

Fiends are the typical looking Japanese Demon or Oni. They are pretty tough as well though they become standard towards the end of the game. They are humans turned fiends through the power of Amirita. They become muscular, horned monstrosities who dwell in the mountains, but have come inland during the war.
Legends say that the power of Amirita is a dual edged sword. If used improperly, it can transform the wielder into these creatures. A fiend is far stronger than a human, but devoid of rationality, they can only follow their instincts to attack any who happen across their path.

Onryoki:

The Onryoki is the first boss in the main game and i'm sure it's been the bane of many a new player's life. But really he's not too bad. After all, you'll end up fighting at least 8 during the campaign iirc.
The Onryoki is an enormous red Demon, born from the collection of distressed and vengeful spirits. The spirits appear to be emanating from its very being and horrendous voices emit from the creature. It has giant iron ball attached to its hands via chain. It will swing around wildly trying to crush anything in sight. After the chains are broken, it will begin to throw the balls around instead, causing massive damage if the connect.
The two horns on its head emit a weird glow. It is said that horns represent the source of power for an Oni, meaning they lose their strength if their horns are damaged. This is true for all enemies with glowing horns in Nioh.

Ninja:

I know, Ninjas aren't what you typically think of when you say the word creature but screw it, i'm counting them anyway.
These fast and nimble warriors can be a big pain to fight in the early game, however once you learn their attacks and are more accustomed to the game as a whole, they become a lot easier to deal with. They can use bows, rifles and cannons, but typically use a katana/dual katanas with an array of ninjitsu weapons such as shurikens.
Ninjas will often hide in bushes, around corners or hang from the ceiling. As they wear all black, they blend into the environment well and are very easy to miss.

The Obsidian Samurai:

Based on the real life Yaskue (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasuke), The Obsidian Samurai was a former slave, who travelled to Japan in a slave cargo ship. He was presented to Oda Nobunaga who decided to have him serve him. Reports suggest that he was the first ever Black Samurai in Japan.
In Nioh he is a boss. He is working as the bodyguard to Edward Kelley who seeks to revive Lord Oda Nobunaga. Yasuke, of course wants to say his master revived and will do anything to see this happen.
Equipped with an axe, katana and lightning bear spirit, Yasuke is a damn good challenge, and one that definitely feels rewarding when you finally best him.

Onyudo:

Boy oh boy did I hate these to begin with.
The Onyudo are yokai that take the form of a gigantic monk and are said to be former novices who were unable to fully leave the lay world behind and broke the vows of their temple. They appear to collect the skulls of the people they kill, hanging them from their robes like a string of prayer beads.
Their tongues are their main weapon. It's incredibly long, and will be imbued with an element (be that fire, water, wind etc.). If you aren't careful it will probably kill you in 2-3 hits.
Your best bet will be to rush behind them, get a few attacks in and rush out, before repeating. To be honest though I never got very comfortable with fighting them.

Nue:

The Nue is a creature form Japanese mythology. It has the face of a monkey, the body of a tiger and the tail of a snake. It's essential a Japanese chimera. Oh, did i mention it can also spin like sonic and summon lighting strikes on command? This ability has earned it the alternate name of Raiju. The Thunder Beast. Its fanged mouth terrorises its prey with an eerie cry. Nue is wreathed in dark smoke, making it difficult to discern its overall appearance.
One legend states that a fearsome cry heralded the appearance of a Nue over the royal palace in Kyoto every night, draining the young emperor of vitality. No medicine could cure him, but after the samurai Minamoto Yorimasa was felled the Nue with an arrow, the emperor recovered at once. Yorimasa was bestowed with a beautiful sword called Shishi-Oh, King of lions, as a reward.

Sentry:

Sentries are stone warriors that have been imbued with the power of a spirit stone (filled with amirita). They are carved in the image of a samurai and when in a crowd full of other statues, it is easy for them to blend in and surprise you. entries move slowly, but a single blow from their massive swords can be fatal. They are also very hard to destroy, being made of stone. It is not clear exactly how they are triggered into action or how to stop them, so the safest course of action is to give them a wide berth.
Blocking will be effective, and you should attempt to get behind them as soon as possible. As long as you're behind them, they can't really touch you.

Giant Toad:

The Giant Toad if fucking badass! He is a Yokai in the form of and enormous toad. Much larger than a human, the toad wields a large pear, as well as a pipe, which he smokes during the fight, before blowing yokai-vapour out of his mouth and onto the battlefield. Legends say that toads, which are long loved, are particularly capable of attaining consciousness and turning yokai, but there are other theories as well.
This guy also used to be human. He is the father of Hattori Hanzo (your companion). Feared as Oni-Hanzo for his ability to lead the Iga Clan, he forced those who would succeed him to undergo harsh training. It seems this devotion to the future of his clan bound itself to this world, and transformed into the form of a Giant Toad to continue training his successors.

Wheelmonk/Wanyudo:

The wanyudo (aka wheelmonks) is a wheel-like yokai with a face. Wreathed in flames and scowling hideously as they roll around, the face resembles a visitor from another world, and has long struck terror onto the hearts of those who witness them. Wreathed in flames and scowling hideously as they roll around, the face resembles a visitor from another world, and has long struck terror onto the hearts of those who witness them.
Various folklore depict the Wanyudo as the condemned soul of the tyrannical Daimyo, who, in life, was known for having his victims drawn on the back of an oxcart. He is said to guard the gates of Hell, and to wander back and forth along the road between this world and the underworld, scaring townsfolk as he passes and stealing the souls of anyone who gets too close in order to bring them to Hell with him.
I'd say they're one of he most hated enemies in Nioh, though I actually got quite comfortable with fighting them after a while.

Part 2 will be coming soon most likely. In the mean time, check out my Enemies of Bloodborne series I've been doing.

Enemies of Bloodborne:

Part 1: https://imgur.com/gallery/baHOoLk (Central Yharnam)
Part 2: https://imgur.com/gallery/sfVDNLt (Cathedral Ward)
Part 3: https://imgur.com/gallery/AHiHval (Old Yharnam)
Part 4: https://imgur.com/gallery/vkSknLD (Hemwick Charnel Lane)
Part 5: https://imgur.com/gallery/MgmXKGm (Forbidden Woods)
Part 6: https://imgur.com/gallery/L9KoMoX (Byrgenwerth)