Nioh 3, being a Soulslike at heart, throws players into all sorts of encounters against powerful, near-unstoppable enemies. These boss fights are often major turning points in the plot, and beating them is mandatory to drive the story forward.
One of the earliest major challengers players will fight is Jakotsu-Baba, the final boss of the first Crucible and the last great fight in the game’s demo. She is a tough one and very unpredictable, but not impossible to beat.
So, here’s how you should go about it.
Defeating Jakotsu-Baba in Nioh 3
Jakotsu-Baba is a formidable demonic boss that sports several weapons, two of which are the snakes on her back, alongside her massive stick.
Her attacks alternate between using the big red snake and the white frosted one, with the boss performing a special move to “activate” the frost snake, as the red is her default one.
The red snake does a lot more damage and hits much harder, but is generally a lot slower, whereas the frost one has quick and sweeping attacks that do less damage per hit but can still hurt you. The stick is slow and normal, and even if she does delay it a bit, quite easy to defend against.
With this in mind, your best bet would be to utilize the Samurai form at a Low Stance, prioritizing counterattacks and deflection over dodging and the relentless onslaught that the Ninja would be better fit for.
This is because every single thing Jakotsu-Baba throws at you can easily be deflected, and even if it isn’t, it doesn’t do that much Ki damage (which you can still make up for with Ki pulses once you do start attacking).
For example, she often throws the red snake straight at you in a thrusting sort of way, which you can block and not try to deflect (the red snake is fairly easy to just block and ignore). With the frost snake, Jakotsu-Baba goes 1-2 slowly in two sweeping attacks and then 1-2 quickly in shorter-ranged strikes. These four attacks follow a patterned rhythm, which you can easily memorize and deflect, charging up your arts gauge and using it to land counterattacks.
She also has a Burst Attack (when she lights up red, cannot be deflected) that is easily countered by a stance shift. She lifts up her stick, strikes once, then again, and then charges up with a Burst Attack. Simply shift stance as soon as the stick starts going down, and you’ll have landed a great counter and opened her up for a lot of damage.
By aiming to block the red snake, deflect the frost one, and break every Burst Attack she does, you’ll frequently leave Jakotsu-Baba staggered or winded, allowing you to land a few hits every now and again.
This is a slow, methodical approach to beating the boss, and since you’ll have to rely on your Samurai stance, then respecig at the shrine just before her arena is a solid strategy. Pour everything into Strength, Heart, and Constitution, and watch Jakotsu-Baba suffer tremendous damage from any weapon you use.
I opted for the Crimson General Set, Odachi, Bow, and all, which offered me lots of poise and defense while simultaneously providing tremendous damage on my melee attacks. Speaking of which, you should also totally cover yourself in the most potent, high-defense equipment you have to ensure she does not do damage, even if her attacks somehow connect.
You’ll have to dance with her, essentially, deflecting and getting a hit or two in before going back on the defense.
Rinse and repeat many times (and it did take me many times), and you’ll eventually get her.
Oh, and in her Yokai form, don’t fret. She doesn’t do many things differently, and the strategy above applies to the entire fight.
The post How to beat Jakotsu-Baba in Nioh 3 appeared first on Destructoid.
Goalentines 2026 is live in Rocket League, and there are plenty of rewards to win as part of the event.
The season of love seems to be already active as Epic has introduced some unique drops you can earn. To get the rewards, you’ll need to complete specific tasks. This guide will provide you with all the information required for you to complete the event.
Table of contents
How to get the Rocket League Goalentines 2026 rewards
There are eight free rewards to earn as part of the Goalentines 2026 event. The table below has all the requirements and rewards on offer. Sticking true to the theme, it’s recommended to play in the Doubles playlist.
| Task | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Get a High Five in Online Matches | Hearty Party Animated Decal (Gold) |
| Get a Low Five in Online Matches | Hearty Party Animated Decal |
| Hit the ball 70 times in any Doubles playlist | Teddy Bear Topper |
| Get 7 Assists in any Doubles playlist | Cupid’s Heart Player Banner |
| Get 28 Shots on Goal in any Doubles playlist | Cupid’s Shot Player Banner |
| Get 20 Goals or Saves in any Duel playlist | Heartbreaker Player Title |
| Play 14 Matches in any Doubles playlist | Heartline Rocket Boost |
| Get 40 Goals in any Doubles playlist | Cupid’s Bullseye Goal Explosion |
| Win 10 Online Matches in any playlist | One XP Level skip (repeatable) |
How to get Goalentines Gift Drops in Rocket League
You can earn Goalentines Gift Drops for free while the event is live. These drops are dropped at random as you complete games in Rocket League. The results don’t matter; all you need to do is just complete the matches. The Drops, along with all the event rewards, are available until Feb. 16.
The post All Rocket League Goalentines 2026 rewards and how to get them appeared first on Destructoid.
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