Soul Cores are special items in Nioh 2. Soul Cores hold remnants of a yokai's power. They are occasionally obtained when defeating yokai, and can be used by attuning them with your Guardian Spirit. Make haste to a shrine and cleanse that which you reap, lest you forfeit the precious spoils of battle.
How to Use Soul Cores
A soul Core freshly procured from a Yokai is tainted with traces of the Yokai Realm and must be purified to remain in this world. Its powers are inscrutable as long as it remains in this impure state. Should you fall in battle, your Guardian Spirit will attempt to retain any impure Soul Cores in your possession at your grave. Losing your life again without the protection of your Guardian Spirit will result in the Soul Cores being lost forever.
Purify and Attune Soul Cores
Praying at a shrine will purify any Soul Cores in your possession. Use the "Manage Soul Cores" menu to attune your Guardian Spirit with a purified Soul Core and grant it the power that lies within.
- Each Soul Core has an Attunement cost, and you can equip several of them depending on your total Attunement Limit.
- Soul Cores unlock Yokai Skills for your Guardian Spirit, and using them will cost Anima.
- Soul Core Rank is a stat that indicates how powerful the Soul core is. The higher the rank, the stronger are its special effects.
Soul Fusion
You can use the Soul Fusion option under the "Manage Soul Cores" at any Shrine. Here you can upgrade you Soul Cores to higher levels using Mortal Soul Cores or two of the same Soul Core. This will allow you to raise the Soul Core Rank of the Soul Core, to a maximum of 9 for common soul cores, 20 if if soul core is divine, and 30 for Ethereals.. This improves the special effects of the Soul Core, but not the Attack and Defense. This will also allow you to transfer inheritable bonuses between soul cores.
Resting Rites
You can use the Resting Rites option to scrap a Soul Cores in exchange for Soul Fragments as well as a chance to receive that yokai's unique smithing material. Obtaining a certain amount of Soul Fragments will increase your Shifting Level, granting you a Skill Point in Shifting.
Soul Match
You can use soul cores at the
Blacksmith to
Soul Match with
Yokai Weapons to increase weapon level or transfer inheritable bonuses (


How to Get Soul Cores
Soul Cores are obtained from Yokai Enemies in the game. They have Special Effects from a random pool of properties, and unlock special Yokai Skills.
To view all the possible special effects of Yokai Soul Cores see Soul Core Special Effect Tables
DLC and New Game Plus changes
If you have the respective DLC for each New Game + cycle, Soul Cores gain several mechanical changes as you progress through them:
- Dream of the Strong: Big Sudama replace certain Sudama during main and twilight missions. This is important because they can be given two items instead of one, and if you give them two Soul Cores, the first one dropped will have it's optional special effects replaced with other, random effects, essentially allowing you to re-roll it's special effects.
- (The Tengu's Disciple) Dream of the Demon: Soul Cores can drop as divine rarity. Divine soul cores can be leveled up to rank 20, further increasing the power of their special effects. New special effects are available to drop on soul cores.
- (The First Samurai) Dream of the Nioh: Soul Cores can drop as Ethereal rarity. Ethereal soul cores can be leveled up to rank 30, further increasing the power of their special effects; however, Ethereal Soul Cores can not have their effects changed by a Big Sudama. In addition, even more special effects can be found on soul cores.
Soul Cores List of Nioh 2
Enemy | Effects [Base Rank/Rank 9/Rank20/Rank 30] |
![]() Gaki Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Chomp Anima Cost 3, Att Cost 4 |
![]() Enki Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Monkey Dance Anima Cost 5, Att Cost 5 |
![]() Yoki Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Fiendish Frenzy Anima Cost 6, Att Cost 7 |
![]() Gozuki Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Brutal Charge Anima Cost 8, Att Cost 9 |
![]() Mezuki Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Razing Edge Anima Cost 8, Att Cost 9 |
![]() Ippon-Datara Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: One-legged Fury Anima Cost 6, Att Cost 7 |
![]() Infernal Oni-bi Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Fiery Reinforcement Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 4 |
![]() Kappa Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Indestructible Shell Anima Cost 6, Att Cost 4 |
![]() Nurikabe Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Wall or Nothing Anima Cost 2, Att Cost 8 |
![]() Mujina Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: -- Anima Cost --, Att Cost 4 |
![]() Enenra Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Fire Twister Anima Cost 6, Att Cost 9 |
![]() Nure-Onna Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Petrifying Gaze Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 4 |
![]() Aberrant Soldier Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Fire Arm Anima Cost 3, Att Cost 4 |
![]() Toxic Slime Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Vile Venom Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 5 |
![]() Yatsu-no-Kami Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Impaling Doom Anima Cost 8, Att Cost 10 |
![]() Yamanba Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Sharp Old Hag Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 6 |
![]() One-Eyed Oni Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Spinning Top Anima Cost 6, Att Cost 7 |
![]() Karasu Tengu Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Tengu Tactics Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 9 |
![]() Waira Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Wormhole Anima Cost 5, Att Cost 8 |
![]() Karakasa Umbrella Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Rain of Terror Anima Cost 3, Att Cost 4 |
![]() Lesser Umi-bozu Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Spitball Anima Cost 3, Att Cost 5 |
![]() Skeleton Warrior Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Skeleton Bowman Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 6 |
![]() Kamaitachi Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Rising Winds Anima Cost 7, Att Cost 10 |
![]() Koroka Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Where There's Smoke Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 7 |
![]() Dweller Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Dark Digger Anima Cost 3, Att Cost 5 |
![]() Rokurokubi Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Whiplash Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 6 |
![]() Onryoki Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Ball of Hatred Anima Cost 6, Att Cost 8 |
![]() Mitsume Yazura Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Corrupted Breath Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 7 |
![]() Biwa Boku-boku Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: -- Anima Cost --, Att Cost 4 |
![]() Tatarimokke Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Spectral Swarm Anima Cost 5, Att Cost 9 |
![]() Flying Bolt Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Tangle Cotton Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 6 |
![]() Namahage Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Whipper Snapper Anima Cost 5, Att Cost 7 |
![]() Tesso Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Offensive Odor Anima Cost 3, Att Cost 5 |
![]() Ubume Core Soul |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Ubume's Cry Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 4 |
![]() Onyudo Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Slaphappy Anima Cost 5, Att Cost 6 |
![]() Gyuki Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Lockjaw Anima Cost 7, Att Cost 10 |
![]() Wheelmonk Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Wheel of Flames Anima Cost 5, Att Cost 4 |
![]() Kasha Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Hellfire Wheel Anima Cost 8, Att Cost 10 |
![]() Ryomen Sukuna Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Fire and Ice Anima Cost 8, Att Cost 10 |
![]() Daidara Bocchi Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Mountain Sweeper Anima Cost 6, Att Cost 10 |
![]() Shuten Doji Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Fiery Draft Anima Cost 5, Att Cost 11 |
![]() Magatsu Warrior Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Magatsu Muscle Anima Cost 6, Att Cost 9 |
![]() Lady Osakabe Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Tentacle Storm Anima Cost 7, Att Cost 10 |
![]() Otakemaru Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Sanmyo Storm Anima Cost 10, Att Cost 11 |
![]() Kodama Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Go Nuts Anima Cost 3, Att Cost 3 |
![]() Scampuss Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Scampush Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 2 |
![]() Maelstrom Oni-bi Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Fiery Reinforcement Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 4 |
![]() Thunderstorm Oni-bi Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Fiery Reinforcement Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 4 |
![]() Mortal Soul Core |
Perform Soul Fusion with this to strengthen another Soul Core. |
The Tengu's Disciple Soul Cores |
|
![]() Uminyudo Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Bloodbath Anima Cost 9, Att Cost 10 |
![]() Seto Taisho Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Stalwart Shield Anima Cost 7, Att Cost 5 |
![]() Bakegani Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Cutting Stream Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 4 |
![]() Kiryoki Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Hunter's Harvest Anima Cost 5, Att Cost 6 |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Thundering Cry Anima Cost 8, Att Cost 9 |
|
![]() Nuppeppo Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Fleshy Fury Anima Cost 6, Att Cost 5 |
Darkness in the Capitol Soul Cores |
|
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Foxfire Anima Cost 3, Att Cost 4 |
|
![]() Maelstrom Fox Spirit Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Foxfire Anima Cost 3, Att Cost 4 |
![]() Thunderstorm Fox Spirit Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Foxfire Anima Cost 3, Att Cost 4 |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Murky Fog Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 6 |
|
![]() Yasha Soul Core |
Effect: |
Effect: |
|
![]() Giant Toad Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Amphibian Ritual Anima Cost 7, Att Cost 8 |
![]() Lightning Gods of Yomi Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Quick as Lightning Anima Cost 7, Att Cost 9 |
![]() Hellish Hag Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Rend and Tear Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 6 |
![]() White Tiger Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Immaculate Beam Anima Cost 7, Att Cost 8 |
![]() Underworld Soldier Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Hell's Harvest Anima Cost 5, Att Cost 6 |
The First Samurai Soul Cores |
|
![]() Konaki-Jiji Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Hard-Headed Anima Cost 5, Att Cost 5 |
![]() Tate Eboshi Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Delirious Assault Anima Cost 8, Att Cost 9 |
![]() Fuki Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Wind Blast Anima Cost 6, Att Cost 6 |
![]() Harinobo Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Pinwheel Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 5 |
![]() Itsumade Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Dark Detonation Anima Cost 8, Att Cost 7 |
![]() Kinki Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Metal Crusher Anima Cost 7, Att Cost 6 |
![]() Ancient Nyotengu Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Dance of the Tengu Anima Cost 7, Att Cost 8 |
![]() Ongyoki Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Out of Sight Anima Cost 4, Att Cost 6 |
![]() Suiki Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Maelstrom Anima Cost 5, Att Cost 6 |
![]() Nightmare Bringer Soul Core |
Effect: ![]() Effect: ![]() Yokai Skill: Sanmyo Storm Anima Cost 10, Att Cost 10 |
- Anonymous
Do you have to get or have all the soul cores for the trophy? Cause I sold several of them.
- Anonymous
Is there a list of the rollable special effects on the soul cores? I've been looking and they're all a copy/paste from what Polygon posted in their article. Again I'm looking for the rollable and inheritable.
- Anonymous
SHUTTEN DOJI soul core kamaitachi soul core daidara soul core lady osakabe soul core otakemaru soul core this soul core not in list
- Anonymous
Do you need to match the type of soul core to the proper feral/brute/phantom guardian spirit? I don’t see any difference but they are color coded.
- Anonymous
Hi, is there a way to rehear soul cores voice lines? Or you just hear it once and that's it
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
Fyi there is a bug, having all soul cores doesnt unlock the trophy sometimes....not sure if theres a fix
- Anonymous
How do the transferable abilities work with souls cores? It seems to be based on level whether they will transfer when used as a material but I'm looking for the rules around this. Anyone know?
Do we know if the levels of soul cores affect their damage output? The cores are the only pieces of loot I tend to care about, but lack of clarity means I tend to...just leave them alone for now.
- Anonymous
I'm not seeing a whole lot for Onmyo mains, well maybe if we get a bit creative.
- Anonymous
I hate the fact that u can't increase max lvl of the soul core but only the rank wich is really annoying if u find a roll that u like particurally
- Anonymous
It's possible for a boss to not drop a spirit core it seems, rip Tatarimokke ):
- Anonymous
I added the information for Kasha Soul Core at max Soul Core Rank if that isn't how this table wants the Soul Core projected please edit
- Anonymous
I keep losing soul Cores because Masaru will auto grave recovery and not bring Cores with him :( worst guardian spirit
- Anonymous
The cores´ bonuses are only avaliable per Guardian Spirit or are all bonuses available? Sorry if it is bad written.
0
+10
-1