Nioh has been updated with the PvP mode Team Ninja promised back in January

Nioh fans may have forgotten this was coming, but Team Ninja didn't.

Nioh has been updated to version 1.16, enacting a stack of balance adjustments and bug fixes - and introducing one major new feature.

The proper PvP mode promised for Nioh back before release has arrived, pretty much in time for renewed interest in the challenging action RPG thanks to the recent release of the Defiant Honour DLC.

You'll notice you can choose between "skill" and "strength" options when starting a PvP match. "Strength" just means duking it out the way Nioh players have done to date. "Skill" is the one you want if you plan to participate in the new PvP mode.

You can't use your PvE build in Nioh's new Skill PvP mode, so familiarise yourself with the different equipment abilities, stats and shortcuts before you dive in.

In the spirit of competition, Crest boons, Passive skills, Prestige titles, and Mystic Arts are disabled, and although all Guardian Spirit protections will be active, its spirit level will be normalised.

Full patch notes for Nioh version 1.16 can be found below, courtesy of the Nioh Reddit.

Nioh update 1.16 - full patch notes

Added a new feature to PVP battles: "Battles of Skill"
In these battles, you forego your current setup and instead fight using different equipment abilities, stats, and shortcuts. Furthermore, Crest boons, Passive skills, Prestige titles, and Mystic Arts are disabled.
• Your Guardian Spirit's level will also be changed to a set value, but all Guardian Spirit protections will be active.
• All changes are temporary, and are only applied during a PVP battle.
• When searching for a PVP battle, you can now select between "Skill" (for Battles of Skill) or "Strength".
• "Battles of Strength" are the same as PVP battles up until now (you use your own equipment as normal).

Adjustments
• Raised the level cap from 500 to 550 after reaching the Way of the Wise.
• Greatly increased the amount of Amrita received for completing missions in the Way of the Wise.
• Greatly increased the amount of Amrita received from enemies appearing in missions level 500 or higher in the Way of the Wise.
• Players are now able to evade immediately as they get up.
• Shortened the amount of time needed for a max charge of the Sword skill "Iai Quickdraw."
• Adjusted the timing and hit box of the Dual Sword skill "Sign of the Cross."
• Improved the hit box when using an uncharged "Sign of the Cross."
• Increased the amount of Ki used by a fully charged "Sign of the Cross" (PVP only).
• Enlarged the visual effect of the shockwave produced by the Odachi skill "Groundquake," and enlarged the hit box to match.
• Changed the strike portion of "Groundquake" so that it knocks the opponent down and increased the Ki damage of the shockwave while decreasing its HP damage (PVP only).
• Increased the amount of Ki used by the "Groundquake" (PVP only).
• Shortened the down time of an opponent knocked down by the Tonfa's "Grapple".
• Decreased the Ki damage caused by the Tonfa's follow-up attack after getting deflected (PVP only).
• Decreased the duration of the effect from Enku's Guardian Spirit protection "Nullify Damage (Dash Attacks)" (PVP only).
• Increased the amount of Glory earned from a loss or a draw in a PVP battle.

Bug fixes
• Fixed a bug in which attacks would not hit Yamata-no-Orochi in "The Demon King Revealed" during Online Multiplayer.
• Fixed a bug in which characters would sometimes sink into the ground in areas above ground in "Scion of Virtue."
• Fixed a bug in which running out of Ki when charging one of the following skills would lock up the controls until the skill was fully charged, even if you let go of the button. Affected skills:
  • The Sword skill "Iai Quickdraw"
  • The Dual Sword skill "Sign of the Cross"
  • The Odachi skill "Imperative Strike"
• Fixed a bug in which quickly using a Tonfa step-attack would occasionally result in the attack not hitting.
• Fixed a bug in which you would be returned to your original stance even if you changed stances when using the Tonfa skills "Demon Dance: Heaven" or "Demon Dance: Earth."
• Fixed a bug in which "Pulverize: Earth" would not trigger after the Tonfa skill "Demon Dance: Earth" even if you input the additional command.
• Fixed a bug in which you would not lose Ki when a low-stance strong attack with Tonfa was quickly deflected.
• Fixed a bug in which the hit box was not properly set for the falling Bare-Fisted attack.
• Fixed a bug in which Suzaku's Guardian Spirit protection, "Auto-charge Amrita Gauge (Critical)", continued to be active even after switching to another Guardian Spirit.
• Fixed a bug in which Suzaku's Guardian Spirit protection, "Auto-charge Amrita Gauge (Critical)", would not trigger even if the proper conditions were met.
• Fixed a bug in which Narikama Tanuki's Guardian Spirit protection, "Auto Life Recovery (Critical)", would not trigger even if the proper conditions were met.
• Fixed a bug in which the icons for some of the Spirit Stones received as mission rewards did not display properly.
• Fixed a bug in which new Transformations that are added to the Trade menu by completing missions would not be added if the missions were not completed on the Way of the Samurai difficulty.
• Fixed a bug in which your lock-on would not properly switch back and forth in 2 vs 2 PVP battles.
• Fixed other various bugs.