Alright — so you went to Soul Match your weapon in Nioh 3, tried to bump it from +1… and suddenly it jumped to +4 with a dramatic “Your equipment was greatly enhanced” message.
You probably froze for a second.
Is this a Nioh 3 Soul Match bug? Did the game just ignore your material count? Is something broken with Enhance +Value? Why did your +1 turn into +4 in Nioh 3? And how did you get a greatly enhanced message in Nioh 3 without spending extra resources?
Good news: you didn’t break anything.
This isn’t a Soul Match bug in Nioh 3, and it’s not a glitch with Azure Soul Cores or gold costs. When your +1 jumps to +4 during Soul Matching, that “Your equipment was greatly enhanced” popup is part of Nioh 3’s intended bonus +Value enhancement mechanic. It can feel random, especially if you don’t have enough materials for a normal +4 upgrade, but the system only charges you for the +1 attempt.
Nioh 3 Soul Match “Greatly Enhanced” Explained
If your +1 Soul Match turns into +3 or +4 in Nioh 3, it’s not a glitch. It’s an intended bonus +Value enhancement mechanic built into the Soul Matching system.
When you go to:
Blacksmith → Soul Match → Enhance +Value
Each upgrade attempt has a small random chance to trigger a bonus roll.
When that happens, the game boosts your weapon by multiple +levels instead of just one.
That’s what triggers the:
“Your equipment was greatly enhanced.”
popup.
It’s basically a lucky proc — a hidden RNG bonus that hands you extra levels for the price of the original upgrade.
Players often assume it’s a Nioh 3 Soul Match bug, or think the game ignored Azure Soul Cores or gold costs. But it doesn’t. The system only charges you for the upgrade you selected.
The extra +levels are applied for free when the bonus triggers.
So if your +1 jumped to +4 in Nioh 3, you didn’t break the system — you just hit the bonus enhancement roll.
Why Did It Jump to +4 If I Don’t Have Enough Materials?
This is the part that throws everyone off, especially if you think you just triggered a Nioh 3 Soul Match bug.
You are not paying for +4.
You’re only paying the cost shown for +1 when using Soul Match → Enhance +Value in Nioh 3. If the bonus triggers, the extra +levels are applied for free as part of the built-in Nioh 3 bonus +Value enhancement mechanic.
So even if you don’t have enough gold or Azure Soul Cores for a normal +4 upgrade, it doesn’t matter — because you didn’t manually select +4 during your Nioh 3 Soul Match. The system only checks whether you can afford the +1 attempt.
When the “Your equipment was greatly enhanced” message appears in Nioh 3, it means the Soul Matching system rolled a bonus and handed it to you. It’s not ignoring materials, and it’s not bugged — it’s an intended random upgrade bonus.
Is This a Soul Match Bug in Nioh 3?
No.
Multiple players across Reddit and community discussions have confirmed the same behavior. The “Greatly Enhanced” message is intentional and tied specifically to the Enhance +Value option.
This is working exactly as designed.
If it’s happened twice to you already? That’s just solid luck.
Can You Trigger the +4 Enhancement On Purpose?
Right now, there’s no confirmed way to force the +4 Soul Match enhancement in Nioh 3.
A lot of players who experienced the “Your equipment was greatly enhanced” message have tried to reverse-engineer the system. The idea was simple: if this isn’t a Nioh 3 Soul Match bug, then maybe there’s a hidden trigger behind the bonus +Value enhancement.
Players have tested things like:
- High familiarity
- Higher rarity gear
- Matching weapon types
- Different difficulty tiers
- Late-game upgrades
Some even suspected Luck might affect the Soul Match bonus roll in Nioh 3.
So far, there’s no clear evidence that any of those increase the chance of a +3 or +4 jump during Enhance +Value.
It appears to be straight RNG.
In other words, the Nioh 3 Soul Match greatly enhanced mechanic behaves like a hidden crit roll for your weapon upgrades. Sometimes you hit it. Most of the time you don’t.
There’s no setup, no trick, and no guaranteed method — just a random bonus baked into the Soul Matching system.
Should You Plan Around It?
Nope.
Treat it as a bonus, not a strategy.
If you’re upgrading gear progression-wise, assume you’re getting +1 every time. If you hit a +3 or +4 jump, that’s just free value and saved materials.
It’s nice when it happens — but don’t build your resource planning around it.
The Bottom Line
If your Soul Match in Nioh 3 suddenly jumped from +1 to +4 and showed the “Your equipment was greatly enhanced” message, here’s what you need to know:
It’s not a bug.
It’s not a glitch.
It’s not tied to hidden material requirements.
It’s not the game ignoring your Azure Soul Cores or gold costs.
It’s a built-in bonus +Value upgrade mechanic inside the Nioh 3 Soul Matching system.
The +4 jump during Enhance +Value is simply a random bonus roll. When it triggers, the system upgrades your weapon beyond the +1 you selected — without charging you extra materials. That’s why it feels suspicious at first, especially if you didn’t have enough resources for a normal +4 Soul Match.
But there’s no hidden trick and no Soul Match bug in Nioh 3.
You just got lucky.
And honestly? In a game as brutal as Nioh 3, where every upgrade costs time, gold, and Azure Soul Cores, you’ll absolutely take that win.