Sekiro tips and tricks for beginners and returning experts
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, From Software’s newest unrelenting action game, is out in the wild, and as expected the feudal Japanese settings brings with it a host of new features and mechanics that players will need to get their heads around — fast. Luckily for you, we’ve assembled a handy list of helpful Sekiro tips that will make that journey into the world of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice that little bit easier.
We’ve gathered all of our in-depth Sekiro guide pages over at our in-progress Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice walkthrough and boss guide hub, if you want a deeper look into some of Sekiro’s more difficult to understand mechanics — but for now, here are some easy-to-digest Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice tips that will help you get started, and not feel lost in its harsh world.
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Let’s Play Sekiro Shadows Die Twice: This Is Gonna Hurt
Unlearn what you have learned
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice might be an action game made by the same folks as the Dark Souls series and Bloodborne, but you’re going to need to get used to a slightly different approach than relying on your tried and true Souls instincts of waiting for an opening, attacking and retreating.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice instead will punish you for dipping out, as your enemies will regain their Posture, meaning that it will be harder for you to whittle them down for a critical strike later on. If you instead keep up the offensive pressure, you will find that combat encounters will whizz by a lot faster than you think.
Observe and Attack
If you’re a seasoned Dark Souls Veteran, it can be tempting to slowly approach every situation on foot as and when you encounter them. This time, Sekiro’s more open environments and traversal options often mean there’s more than one way to approach any single situation. For example, if you come across 3 enemies in a relatively small area, why not try to find another area, higher up, to get a lay of the land, and see if there are any alternative approaches in order to separate them out.
In Sekiro you’ll find that the levels have a significant amount of verticality in them, and it’s there for a reason. Exploit the rooftops and ledges with your grapple to gain access to hidden areas, discover ledges to pull off silent attacks and more.
This works especially well when you’re facing off against opponents that have some ranged capabilities: as long as you’re scoping out your surroundings, you should be able to easily find an approach to take them out silently and slip back into the shadows.
Items are significantly more important now
During your adventures in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, you’ll often come across specific items or candies that will improve certain attributes, ranging from increasing your offensive potential to making your footsteps quieter. This isn’t anything new — especially when compared to From Software’s legacy titles — however the potency of these items has now increased.
As a result, if you do get a chance to go into a miniboss equipped with a few buffs ahead of time, do it! The items are there to be burned through and not stockpiled. In the simplest terms: if the item is helpful in that situation then use it. Items’ increased effectiveness means you will definitely see a big jump for a short period of time when using them, and they’ll often be the difference between life and death.
Descend
As described above, you’re going to want to make sure you utilise all of the land available to you. Most of the time you’ll be doing that for scouting, grappling up to higher levels in order to scope out the area — but you will also be able to lay down a devastating attack when jumping off and landing towards an enemy.
This can be a little bit hard to figure out to start with, but it’s easier once the timing clicks. When you have locked on to an enemy and jumped off a ledge above them, their reticule will glow red — here, you’ll want to hit the attack button to lay down a devastating execution attack that will take out most low-level enemies and take off a good chunk of health on Bosses and Minibosses. You’ll only get one change to pull this off, however, as if you whiff the timing, you’ll be at the whims of your enemy’s blade.
Be unseen for as long as possible
While being stealthy might seem an obvious tactic in a game where you’re playing as a Shinobi, it can be easy to fall back into those old Soulsborne habits.
Avoid diving into encounters headfirst with your sword swinging, all buffed up with items thinking you’re invincible. You’ll often find that enemies like to swarm you, and that they can catch you by surprise if found in pockets of the level while exploring. Therefore, it’s best to divide them up a bit. Utilise your crouch, find patches of cover in long grass, or drop from ledges to take them down.
This allows you to kill a lot of low-level enemies with a well-timed stealth attack (again, when the target reticule turns red), and will also allow you to slowly whittle down the pack of enemies to something a little bit more manageable. If you manage to keep this up, you might even be able to get through an entire level unseen. Shadows might die twice, but your enemies only die once.
Be careful when you resurrect
Resurrection is a new mechanic in Sekiro that allows you to come back to life after being downed by an enemy, and it’ll come in particularly handy when taking down tough bosses or minibosses.
You can only use this once after you’ve rested, however, which means you shouldn’t just hit the resurrect button immediately after you see it.
It’s better to wait. Immediately after you fall, enemies will disperse slightly, allowing you to get a little bit more breathing room before your counterattack. If you planned out your attack before death, then you will be able to engage the already-depleted enemy again and have the upper hand; or, choose a different approach and attempt to retreat after being downed once. It will also allow you to use a homeward Idol to take you to the nearest rest area if you’re really struggling. Rush into using it, though, and you may well be rushing into a proper «death» — and lose everything.
Check for other paths
If you’re having a particularly hard time with an area or boss, try to check out the other available paths that you could take, as these could lead to a different area that’s slightly more scaled to your abilities. Find a more welcoming spot to take out lower-level foes and you might be able to return with some new, shiny equipment to take that particularly troublesome enemy down.
Additionally, other paths may house NPCs or loot that you will be able to bring back to the Dilapidated Temple, letting you unlock some more of the game’s dark history and secrets. In other words, it’s always worth thoroughly checking out your other options in Sekiro before slamming your head against a brick wall. Remember to take a break, and check out your surroundings.
Don’t be afraid to run
Yes, we know we said try to avoid doing this, but inevitably you’re going to find yourself overstretched, at which point keeping up the pressure on your enemies just isn’t a sensible option. Because Sekiro’s much faster than its Soulsborne precursors, you’ll have plenty more chances to retreat when you need to — and your biggest asset when it comes to legging it will be the Grapple. If you manage to get over to a near grapple point, it’s likely that there will also be another that will allow you to make your getaway quickly, and safely.
There is, also, a fairly high penalty for death in Sekiro, including a mechanic that, without spoiling anything, will make your life even harder the more you die.
If you still want to keep all of your stuff, it’s best that you try to run — it might be hard for the prideful of you out there, but it will certainly help you out in the long run.
Master the basics of Posture
Posture is one of the most important mechanics to understand when it comes to combat in Sekiro. It’s represented by the bar underneath an enemy’s health bar, or the large bar at the top of a boss, and for you it’s at the bottom of the screen. This basically tells you how many more clashes of the sword an enemy can take when you’re both locked in a duel.
This will also help you to understand when to attack, dodge, jump and retreat. Deflecting an enemy attack will also help to break the duelling deadlock. Once an enemy has their posture meter fully filled out, then you will be able to do a critical attack, and kill them in one hit. A lot of Sekiro’s combat relies on an understanding of the posture system and critical attacks, so be sure to get your practice in during the early stages of the game — get the skills right early on, even when you don’t feel you need to, and it’ll pay off down the line.
Parry and Riposte
As explained above, posture has a significant impact on the flow of combat: pressing the defend button right before your enemy’s attack lands will allow you to deflect, and immediately offer you the chance to respond. The riposte will deal some damage to them, but be careful if your enemy has another attack coming up, as you’ll get caught in the followup.
The enemies won’t take your deflections lightly, and more often than not you will come up against an attack string that you will then need to perfectly deflect in order to get your counterattack in. Luckily, the deflect window is pretty forgiving, and you will be deflecting attacks in quick succession in no time. Just be sure to get some practice deflecting over at the Dilapidated Temple against Hanbei the Undying and you will have the timing down and be ready to take on the rest of the game.
Looking for more Sekiro pages like this? First up, the first main Sekiro patch notes for update 1.
03 are live. Otherwise, our Sekiro boss guide, boss list and walkthrough hub has everything in one place, including pages on Lady Butterfly, Genichiro Ashina Way of Tomoe, Folding Screen Monkeys, Corrupted Monk, Guardian Ape, Great Shinobi Owl, Emma and Isshin Ashina, True Corrupted Monk, and Divine Dragon. We also have in-depth pages like Sekiro tips and tricks to get you started, Sekiro Skills, skill tree and Esoteric Text locations explained, our deep dive on the Sekiro combat system, Posture, and Perilous Attacks, or details on all Sekiro Prosthetic Tool locations, how to cure Dragonrot and Rot Essence in Sekiro, Gourd Seed locations, a Divine Confetti farm route method, all Treasure Carp Scale locations, all, Prayer Beads locations and all Snap Seed locations, too. And when you’re ready — the how to beat Isshin Sword Saint and an Isshin Sword Saint cheese, plus the many Sekiro endings.
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Check in at the temple
If you make a point of checking out all of the areas you explore, you’ll find plenty of NPCs scattered around the world, who’ll often grant helpful items that you might be able to use throughout the rest of the game.
Some of these are incredibly effective, such as a Mysterious Bell that you will be able to offer up back at the shrine.
There’s no harm in taking a little break, too — or sparring against Hanbei, who will let you hack him to death to practice your Shinobi skills or Prosthetics as you get them. In general, it’s also helpful to exhaust all NPC dialogue before progressing, as you will often find out some helpful tips that may lead to a discovery when exploring areas of the game.
Dip, Dive, Deflect, Dodge
With some enemies in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, you will find a Red Kanji appears above their head during attacks. This indicates that the enemy will soon do an unblockable attack, so you will have to have split-second accuracy when it comes to how you immediately approach them. Luckily, it’s just a case of rock, paper, scissors.
If the enemy is lunging towards you, you’ll want to time a deflection and counter. If the enemy is going in for a grab, you will want to dodge left or right and out of the way.
If the enemy is about to do a sweeping attack, you should jump back and out of harm’s way. Thankfully we’ve found these attacks are usually pretty well telegraphed, and you’ll just need to follow the actions of your enemy and react accordingly. Simple enough — on paper, at least!
10 Must-Know Tips for Mastering ‘Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice’
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a difficult, treacherous game. Even if you think you’re an expert at From Software’s action titles, this one is designed to challenge, confound, and fool you. In other words, it’s the kind of game that requires players to trade pro tips, to outsmart all the obstacles built into the game. We’re here to help. Below are some tips that haven’t surfaced very much elsewhere online. Follow these invaluable guidelines and you’ll be a master shinobi in no time. Or, well, you’ll at least probably die less.
1. Go slow.
Be thorough and deliberate in the way you explore the dense, vertically layered environments of Sekiro.
It can be tempting to rush in order to avoid harder fights and to feel like you’re making progress, but this game likes to hide a lot of important content in out-of-the-way places. So take your time; follow every dead end and explore every building interior. You’ll find a lot of items, from helpful consumables to essentials like new Shinobi tools for your prosthetic arm and Prayer Beads to upgrade your character. There are also side quests hidden around, various NPCs who might have things for you to do, and interesting secrets about the world to share. Pay attention.
2. Know your upgrades.
Sekiro is rather limited in how you upgrade your character, compared to the dizzying list of options found in From Software’s Souls games. Prayer Beads can be exchanged in sets of four for increases in health and posture, while Memories can be exchanged for increases in attack power, which also affects how much posture damage you do to enemies. Memories only come from major boss fights, whereas Prayer Beads can be found by defeating mini bosses, with a limited amount of them available to purchase in some shops and hidden around the game world.
If you’re struggling with a big fight, try to gather more Prayer Beads by taking on any mini bosses you might have skipped. Those upgrades are essential. There are also skill points you earn through combat, which you can invest into various abilities, and money can be used along with raw materials to enhance your prosthetic arm.
3. Don’t neglect your prosthetic arm.
After the tutorial section, your fighter comes equipped with a prosthetic arm that can use a variety of tools. In the heat of combat, it can be easy to forget about your arm, but it provides a huge amount of utility. The Firecracker prosthetic, in particular, can make almost any enemy in the game flinch for at least a moment, and shuriken can kill a lot of smaller animal enemies in one hit. Experiment with them, upgrade them when you can, and see what works against what boss. A lot of them have surprising weaknesses. Be creative.
4. Grind if you have to.
Prayer Beads and Memories can’t be easily ground out, as they require beating bosses to get, but skill points and money sure can.
If you get stuck and you think something in your ability tree might help you, don’t hesitate to go back to earlier areas and do a few rounds of the local baddies to get some experience. Spending your time grinding can feel tedious, but it helps, and if you’re stuck any advantage can be worth pursuing.
5. Try to master the Mikiri Counter.
One of the earliest abilities you can acquire in the game is the absolutely essential Mikiri Counter, which lets you counter thrust attacks by dodging directly into them. It makes fighting a lot of mini bosses a lot easier. I’m terrible at it, as it involves mortal courage in the face of really tough enemies. But maybe you’ll be better! Don’t forget to practice with your ally at the Dilapidated Temple, though in a lot of real fights the timing is trickier.
6. Don’t forget what you are; play dirty.
Multiple times in the game, characters will scoff and mock you upon realizing you’re a shinobi, a ninja, a master of stealth and dirty tactics.
Well, make it work for you—and use stealth and dirty tactics. Sneak up on enemies, use the high ground, and generally don’t be ashamed to use any dirty trick you come up with to pick off enemies and get the jump on boss fights. This is a hard game. Don’t worry about playing fair.
7. If you get stuck, go somewhere else.
There are a lot of tough fights in this game, especially early on. But fortunately there are also a fair amount of branching paths. If you get stuck in one area, go to another one, push as far as you can. Sometimes you’ll find abilities or upgrades that will help in the other area, and sometimes you’ll just get some perspective and space on a tough fight. Either way, distance makes the heart grow … uh, murderier? That saying doesn’t really work for this game, but still.
8. Don’t fear the flurry.
A lot of enemies have a multiple-strike flurry attack that can look incredibly terrifying. Your first instinct, as a player, is inevitably going to be to avoid this attack at all costs.
But don’t do that. Instead, learn to parry this move, and the fight will get a lot easier. Fast multistrike combos like this are a godsend for getting an enemy’s posture damage up, especially if you’re having a tough time. For fast attacks, just tapping the block button repeatedly will often get you at least a couple of deflects, and that’s better than nothing. Some enemies really rely on these moves, and by confronting them head-on they become trivial.
9. Invest small sums of money into Spirit Emblems.
Remember that you can always buy Spirit Emblems, the consumable items that power your prosthetic arm’s abilities, from any save point (Idol) in the game. Early on, they’re incredibly cheap, like 10 sen a piece. If I end up at a save point with less than 100 sen at any point, whether just after dying or what, I always spend it all on Spirit Emblems. That way I’m getting a few extra every run, which adds up. Running out of Spirit Emblems when you need them is frustrating, so be sure to stock up.
10. Interrupt perilous attacks.
Some attacks can’t be parried or defended against in a traditional way, forcing you to dodge or take some other drastic actions. Sekiro calls these perilous attacks, and they’re marked by a sound effect and the appearance of a red kanji symbol over the enemy before they strike. What the game doesn’t tell you, though, is that a lot of these moves can be interrupted with a careful sword strike. If you see an opponent attempt a perilous move, and you’re feeling daring, just slash at them right before they go for it. There’s a legitimate chance that you might not only stop the move, but buy a moment to get in a few extra hits while you’re at it. Any advantage helps, after all.
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7 tips for passing Sekiro Shadows Die Twice
March 26, 2019
Likbez
Games
These tricks will make the new game from the authors of Dark Souls a little easier.
What is Sekiro Shadows Die Twice
Sekiro Shadows Die Twice is a third person action game for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. The player takes on the role of a shinobi warrior who must protect the heir of an ancient family.
The project was developed by the authors of Dark Souls, but Sekiro is very different from the soulsborne games. So, the main character here knows how to attract himself to surfaces with a cat hook and sneak up on enemies unnoticed. nine0003 steampowered.com
And instead of stamina, Sekiro’s combat system uses the stamina parameter — its depletion allows you to deal a fatal blow to the enemy.
How to play Sekiro Shadows Die Twice
1. Use the vertical environment
Run away from overpowered opponents on rooftops, attack enemies from high places, pull yourself to ledges with a grappling hook. The verticality of the levels gives a tactical advantage.
2. Don’t rely on habits from Dark Souls
Sekiro is similar to previous From Software games in many ways, but differs from them in its combat system.
In open combat, aggressive behavior is encouraged here, and in all other cases, secretive. If you behave the same way as in Dark Souls, then it will be almost impossible to win battles.
steampowered.com
3. Periodically return to the temple
There you can relax, upgrade your skills and learn more about the plot. And most importantly, the immortal warrior Hanbei lives in the temple, with whom the hero can practice in combat. If you have discovered a new ability, then it makes sense to try it on Hanbei first. nine0003
4. Use stealth wherever you can
Enemies in Sekiro often move in groups, and fighting them in the open is a bad idea. It is much better to lure them one by one to a secluded place (using ceramic shards, for example) and kill them with one blow.
Sneak attack also works on some bosses — immediately removes one bar of health.
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5. Accept defeat
Sekiro is different from Dark Souls, but it’s not lighter in the slightest.
No matter how talented a gamer you are, you will have to die often. nine0003
Defeat is one of the integral parts of video games in general and From Software projects in particular. Therefore, treat it as just one of the components of the gameplay.
6. Explore the locations
The levels in Sekiro are branched and extensive. The most interesting thing you can find on them is the characters. Some reveal the location of bosses and useful items, others can sell the necessary items, and others share plot information.
steampowered.com
7. Know when to parry, block or dodge
The basis of Sekiro’s combat system is the durability bar, which is shared by both the enemy and the player. When the enemy’s stamina is depleted, it becomes possible to deal a fatal blow to him.
The most effective way to achieve this is to parry the enemy’s blows by pressing the block button at the moment when his weapon is about to touch the main character.
Some attacks cannot be blocked or parried.
Before such blows, a red hieroglyph appears above the opponent’s head. To avoid them, you need to either jump away, or dodge, or counterattack. nine0003 steampowered.com
What are the system requirements for Sekiro Shadows Die Twice
Minimum system requirements
- Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 10 64-bit.
- 4 GB RAM.
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 or AMD Radeon HD 7950.
- At least 25 GB of free space.
steampowered.com
Recommended system requirements
- Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 10 64-bit.
- Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD Ryzen 5 1400.
- 8 GB RAM.
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX 570.
- At least 25 GB of free space.
Buy Sekiro Shadows Die Twice for PC →
Buy Sekiro Shadows Die Twice for Xbox One →
Buy Sekiro Shadows Die Twice for PlayStation 4 →
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Shadows Die Twice. Game Tips
Even
if you are familiar with past games
developers from From Software, you don’t care
you will hardly be ready for the tests in
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Changes in mechanics,
new gaming features, as well as emphasis
for stealth — veterans of Dark Souls and Bloodborne
will still learn to play again
in a relentless new adventure from
developers. However, we will help you
on the difficult path of revenge. In this article,
dedicated to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, we will tell
everything you need to know about the game first
turn. Below will be a list
tips for Sekiro. nine0003
We
collected and arranged for you the most,
in our opinion, important for survival
Sekiro tips. They will help you
better understand the game, especially if
you are newbie. You will know why you need
stealth, how to parry attacks as well
why it is important to know the weak points of enemies.
B
Sekiro focuses on stealth
If you have played other From games
Software, you probably think that their new
the project is the same action movie as Dark
souls. However, the game has a full
stealth system: you can hide in
tall grass, hiding behind a wall for
silent attack, and kill enemies
from the back with one blow. nine0003
Take out enemies one at a time without making a fuss
Other
In other words, you can and should hide. We
We recommend that you always try to pass
secretly (when possible). As
at least, you will thin out the crowds of opponents
before an open fight. Believe —
fight alone with numerous
Enemies in Sekiro are very, very difficult.
That’s why stealth should be yours
first option.
Zone
the hero’s Hit Box is wider than you think
The main character looks small
compared to most enemies in the game.
Therefore, one might think that it is easy
dodge attacks.
But this is often not the case.
You should always take care of
extra distance between you
and enemy when the last one starts
swing the weapon.
nine0003
Looking at the screen with a little hero, you
surely decide that this attack will
won’t hurt. However, the next second
Sekiro takes damage even though the weapon
flies at some distance from
character models. In other words, worth
or always completely evade
attack, or parry with a sword. Not
rely on chance and always keep
situation under control.
Not
confuse jump with dodge
Sekiro significantly improves on the old
Dark Souls formula including dedicated button
jump. One Armed Wolf can jump
and jump from high places by pressing
buttons «cross» / A. Initial pulse
most players — randomly
jump around an opponent in the air, and
do not carefully circle around him on
earth.
nine0003
Jumping
may look beautiful, but they are not
become a substitute for evasion.
A bunch of
once in the game you will get hit by a sword
opponent by jumping over him.
Remember this procedure for
any combat situation: parry first,
then block, then jump.
Parry
— key to survival
Yes,
Sekiro now has a parry mechanic
titled «Reflection». Reflect
your opponent’s attack, and then swipe
quick sword strike. It’s not only
guaranteed to remove most
health, but will also reset the bar
enemy endurance. nine0003
Mastering the perfect reflection is essential for survival
Index
stun is very important in Sekiro: Shadows Die
Twice, because with the stun you
can easily deal with most
bosses in the game. Learn to parry
racks and blocks from the very beginning of the game,
and soon you will reap the fruits of your learning.
Don’t Forget Endurance
Stamina works differently in the game,
than in Dark Souls, and it’s easy to forget about your own
stamina in an attempt to quickly
stun the enemy with blows.
However, such
hasty action will only make you
vulnerable to counterattack. nine0003
Our advice to you in combat: do not apply more
two consecutive attacks in a row, outside
depending on the opponent. For most
Enemies will not be difficult to hold on
you counterattack — im easy enough
deflect your blows to your character
tired.
Sekiro has a pause button
Go to inventory to pause the game
Finally
From Software games now have a button
pauses! When you enter the inventory menu
in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, play automatically
is suspended. Therefore, during
examining the contents of a travel bag
you don’t have to worry what’s on you
suddenly attack. study calmly
skills and read item descriptions. nine0003
Not
forget to collect money
B
«Sekiro» does not have a separate button for
picking up items from fallen enemies.
Instead, you need to hold down the «square»
/ X in any area of the game, and then everything
nearby items will be attracted to pockets
wolf.
Pro
this mechanic is easy to forget, but remember
this tip: always hold down the «square»
/ X after the battle. You never know,
what items or how many coins you
missed, but they lie somewhere
nearby.
Check
offering chest
Regularly check the chest for offerings
Area
Ruined Temple in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
serves as the main area of the game. There is
offering chest — it stands near
character Hanbei the Immortal. We advise
periodically check this chest: in
it occasionally appears random
things.
Beware
red kanji
If you see this sign, get out of the way immediately
When
you are fighting your opponent in Sekiro, next to
The wolf will sometimes flash red
Kanji (Japanese character). beware
this symbol, if it appears — it
means that your enemy is preparing to strike
an attack that cannot be blocked or
parry. In other words, get ready
to dodge or jump as soon as
see this symbol.
nine0003
Rack
and health are interconnected
B
this is not explained in the game, but the combat
stance and health are linked in the game. How
the lower your health level, the more
damage you take while in a stance,
even during a successful parry.
Also your stance bar is restored
much slower when you have little
health.
C
bosses the same. Fighting these
special enemies in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, you
find yourself applying much more
damage in the stance when performing a perfect
reflection. In addition, their rate
racks will also recover
much slower if their health
almost at zero. nine0003
Mimo
you can just run through most of the bosses
It is not necessary to fight all the bosses in the game
Large
the number of bosses in Sekiro is not just
optional — you can not touch them at all
or return when you level up.
Exploring the ruins of Japan, you will come across
many strong bosses, but by most
you can run if you’re not in the mood
fight.
