Yamanba | Nioh 2 Wiki

Yamanba
Enemy Type	Yokai
Weakness	Lightning Paralysis
Resistances	Corruption
Immune	--
Special Drop	Yamanba Soul Core

Yamanba is an Enemy in Nioh 2. Yamanba, also known as Onibaba, are yokai with the form of an old woman. This Yokai is quite agile and uses its knives to attack from both close and long-range.

Enemy Description

• Yamanba, also known as Onibaba, are yokai with the form of an old woman. They live in areas far removed from prying eyes and prey on travelers who are unlucky enough to pass by. Legend has it that Yamanba masquerade as kind old ladies and offer food and lodging to the unwary, before killing them in their sleep with a sharpened kitchen knife. It is believed that Yamanba were originally old women who were left to die in the mountains by their families in order to have fewer mouths to feed.
• Many travelers tell tales of having narrowly escaped Yamanba after hearing the sound of her knives being sharpened in the night. Upon realizing her quarry is attempting to flee, Yamanba is said to pursue them with horrifying speed. The survivors of these tales claim to have been saved from certain death by some kind of benevolent god. Those who lack any conviction that they will be saved by divine providence would do best to avoid Yamanba's clutches at all costs.

Yamanba Locations & Drops

• Found in Main Mission: 
  • The Hidden Monsters of Okehazama
  • The Mysterious One Night Castle
  • A Way Out
• Found in Sub Mission:
  • The Fire God's Magatama
  • An End to Seclusion
  • The Viper and the Butterfly
  • Learning a Lesson
  • The Shrine of Oaths
  • The Tiger Approaches
  • Abduction
  • The Burning Sky
  • Scattered Fragments
  • The Roaming Artisan
  • The Bravest of the Brave
• Drops Lock of Grey Hair
• Drops Yamanba Soul Core
• Occasionally drops Smithing Text: Weathered Bone & Bleached Twig
• Occasionally drops Smithing Text: Yamanba's Knives

Combat Information

• Even with erratic attacks, Yamanbas are capable of quickly depleting health or Ki (when blocking). It is best to engage one in such a fight when the enemy can be killed quickly; either when its health is low enough for a killing blow or if a sufficiently powerful skill can render it staggered for a while (horn breaks, Ki depleting, etc.)
• It can buff itself with increased attack when it has both knives in hand. It can also throw one of the knives, and deals a significant amount of damage.
• Despite being easy to stagger and vulnerable to horn breaking like some horned yokai (Yoki, Enki, etc.), they tend to pounce back whenever they are attacked. Having ranged combat alternatives, distance-closing moves, or outright cornering them can make defeating them significantly easier.

Notes & Trivia

• Kanji: Yomikata - Lore description.
• Memories - “Did you really think killing me was going to shut me up? Hee hee hee!”