This is how Co-op actually works

[BadDudesaBomBa]

Okay, I know the game's been out for years now, and most people are probably aware of this, but I, for one, just started playing recently, and before I bought the game, I had a difficult time trying to figure out how exactly co-op works, because every video and thread on the subject I've found was kinda vague and indirect..

So here's how you can play co-op.

There are 2 different co-op modes:

Option 1. You can invite your friend to play missions with you, using Ochoko cups and a shrine. You make an offering (1 ochoko cup) at a shrine, and your friend can join you IF they already beat the mission you're on. THIS WILL NOT WORK, UNLESS YOUR FRIEND ALREADY BEAT THE MISSION. This mode is basically the same as when you use a soapstone in Dark Souls. Your friend will arrive in your world as a 'visitor', and they will stay until either them or you die. They can loot, collect amrita, use items etc.

Option 2. You can use a Torii gate to basically set up a lobby, where your friend can join. You can access any mission you unlocked (not beat, just unlocked) and you can play through it together. What's great about this is that NEITHER OF YOU HAS TO HAVE BEATEN THE MISSION BEFORE, and what's even greater is that BY BEATING THE MISSION TOGETHER, YOU BOTH PROGRESS IN THE MAIN CAMPAIGN and unlock further missions. So essentially, *this is the true co-op experience*
The downside is that you can't use checkpoints in missions like this, which means that you have to beat the level in one go, BUT you don't fail and disconnect immediately when you die. When one of you gets downed, the other has a certain amount of time to revive them. There is a gauge in the upper left corner that indicates how much time you have to revive a downed player. This is a set amount of time that becomes shorter every time someone is knocked out, but it can be filled up again by using shrines. ( As mentioned above, in this mode shrines DO NOT function as checkpoints)

Important notes:
-You have to beat the first mission ("Isle of demons" after the prologue) to unlock the Torii gate and Torii gate co-op mode.
- There are some sub missions that you can only complete alone, or only in one of the co-op modes. When you select a mission on the world map, in the upper right corner of its description you will see a shrine (co-op mode 1) a Torii gate (co-op mode 2) or both. These indicate in which co-op modes is the mission accessible. If neither a Torii gate or shrine are present, that means that you can only do this mission solo.
- Ochoko cups are usually dropped by revenants (other players dead avatars, reanimated and controlled by the AI. Pretty neat, huh?)
- Summoned visitors can accompany you throughout the entirety of a mission. I.e. they will never disappear just because you enter a boss area or other special area.
- There is no invasion mechanic like in Dark Souls, so no-one can ♥♥♥♥ up your playthrough ^_^

So, in a nutshell, this is what you can expect in terms of multiplayer in this game. Overall I would say it's a big improvement over how multiplayer worked in DS. Constant invasions were the reason I stopped playing DS 3, and in this game I don't have to worry about them. I think it's also really great that you can progress together without having to re-do certain sections.

I hope this helps new players, and if you're a veteran and you think I forgot to mention something, by all means, leave a comment.

EDIT: Nioh 2 Co-op works more or less the same. In Nioh 2 if you both die during a co-op mission and choose NOT TO restart but continue from your last checkpoint, you have to pay a large penalty in Amrita. So either try to finish the mission without the both of you dying, or if you do die, restart the mission. Or try to spend your amrita at the checkpoint so you won't lose it.

[⭕TheSodaman]

Thank you for this explanation. Posting so I can find it again in my own post history and reference it if the question is asked in the future (and I am still around.)

[Cinderon]

Thanks, just got this for my wife & I to play together. This helps alot.

[Noeat]

one more thing:
turn your game ONLINE on map or shrine
why, when u dont wanna play coop and when there arent invasion?
because Revenants - those red graves, where u can summon Revenant of that fallen character, fight with him and from his body can drop his gear, or weapon..
when u switch your game to online, then u will see in game graves of other ppl who die there.. and u can then summon their Revenants and drop gear from them..

dont worry, its not that OP as it sounds..
every mission have max level of item.. even when Revenant have higher level item, it will be lowered down to max cap of said mission
NG have even max tier of gear.. if that revenant have higher tier, it will be lowered down to cap for mission and your NG cycle

then u can get only what u can normally drop
but its more comfortable when u try farm one type of gear / set / specific weapon / whatever

then even when u dont wish play coop, switch your game to online

[Sephiroth]

good guide but you know in ds3 you could turn off online mode...youre not forced to have online on, also dont you have to be embered as well?

[BadDudesaBomBa]

Originally posted by Sephiroth:

good guide but you know in ds3 you could turn off online mode...youre not forced to have online on, also dont you have to be embered as well?

Right, it's still impossible to play co-op because of the invasions.

[EBRaelPDK]

Thanks for the post! I am on my first playthrough in NIOH and as a matter of fact I just today discovered this game on sale ...lol after so many years and OMG I love this game! I did not play dark souls games but I have played Lords of the Fallen on ps and the surge firstly on xbox twice and now again on pc and I think I can consider myself growing Souls-like genre lover! Kinf regards. EBRaelPDK

[EBRaelPDK]

Got a list now of souls like games to buy and beat! Wish me luck!

[Rescue Toaster]

Any idea if enemies become more difficult in cooperative mode?

[BadDudesaBomBa]

Originally posted by Rescue Toaster:

Any idea if enemies become more difficult in cooperative mode?

Yes, there are more enemies and their health is higher too if you play co-op.

[Rescue Toaster]

Originally posted by BadDudesaBomBa:

Originally posted by Rescue Toaster:

Any idea if enemies become more difficult in cooperative mode?

Yes, there are more enemies and their health is higher too if you play co-op.

Awesome -- thanks for the response! Planning on helping a buddy get through the last 1/4th of Nioh so we can move onto Nioh 2!

[Huggles the Cat]

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