Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice FAQ#

Core Combat Questions#

Sekiro’s combat breaks from the Souls formula in one fundamental way: deflecting comes before dodging. Here are direct answers to the combat questions that confuse new players most.

Why do I keep getting hit when I dodge-roll?#

In Souls games, rolls come with generous invincibility frames. In Sekiro, the step dodge and roll have almost no i-frames at all. Against bladed attacks, the correct answer is to block head-on rather than roll away. The old Souls habit of “if you can’t beat it, roll” will get you killed here. When you run into an enemy group you can’t push through, use the grappling hook to disengage and pick them off one by one instead of brawling your way through the crowd with rolls.

What’s the difference between a perfect block and a normal block?#

The deflect window is quite forgiving — friendlier than many fighting games. Read the sparks and listen for the sound: big sparks plus a crisp ring means you deflected. Even if your timing is off, a normal block will still save your life, so one mistake doesn’t cost you most of your health bar the way it does in a Souls game.

What types of perilous attacks are there, and how do I answer them?#

The Mikiri Counter against thrusts is one of the most rewarding techniques in the game: a successful counter not only avoids the hit but deals heavy posture damage to the enemy. The best place to drill all three perilous responses endlessly is against Immortal Hanbei at the Dilapidated Temple.

How do I follow up when an enemy’s posture is broken?#

The yellow diamond markers above an enemy’s health bar show how many Deathblows are needed. Once you break their posture or empty their health, get close and press attack to execute them. Regular enemies have one life and go down to a direct assassination, elites usually have two, and most bosses two or three.

Resurrection and Dragonrot#

How does Resurrection recharge?#

After you die and spend a Resurrection charge, you need to kill enemies to refill it. Resting at a Sculptor’s Idol (the checkpoint) also resets your resurrection count each time. Keep in mind that Resurrection has a cap: without kills to build it back up, you can’t revive on the spot. So don’t burn your charge the instant you die — weigh whether that revival is worth spending.

What is Dragonrot? Does it affect progress?#

Repeated deaths spread Dragonrot among the NPCs, and while they are coughing they stop progressing their side quests at Sculptor’s Idols. Dragonrot does not affect the main story or the endings — it only pauses certain side quests. Using a Dragon’s Blood Droplet at a Sculptor’s Idol cures all Dragonrot and restores the NPCs’ condition. If you’ve died a lot and worry about missing side content, one droplet at an idol clears the slate.

Do you lose money when you die?#

Yes. Half of the sen you’re carrying — whatever hasn’t been stored in purses — is lost on death. The counter is to hand your gold to merchants in exchange for coin purses (a carryable item); money inside a purse is safe and never shrinks. When you’re holding a lot of sen, convert it into purses promptly.

Spirit Emblems and the Shinobi Prosthetic#

What’s the Spirit Emblem cap, and how do I restock?#

The Spirit Emblem cap is 20 (it can be raised through Prayer Beads and related collectibles — the cap grows as you gather more items in the game). Every use of a prosthetic tool or combat art costs Spirit Emblems. There are three ways to restock: buying them with sen at Sculptor’s Idols, picking up Spirit Emblems scattered across the map, and merchants with unlimited stock. When emblems run dry, falling back to pure swordplay is the wise choice — Sekiro’s combat is always about the blade first, items second.

Should I upgrade every prosthetic tool?#

Not every one is worth the investment. Upgrades consume Scrap Iron, Scrap Magnetite, and special materials, all of which are limited. Prioritize these:

Why do my Spirit Emblems never seem to last?#

Because you’re leaning on items instead of the blade. Sekiro’s posture system rewards closing distance and trading blows, not kiting with gadgets. Treat Spirit Emblems as tools for breaking stalemates — interrupts, scares, shield breaks — not your main source of damage. Save them for the elites and bosses that truly need them, and clear regular enemies with stealth assassinations and Deathblows instead.

Stealth and Exploration#

What triggers an assassination?#

Approach an enemy who hasn’t spotted you from behind and press attack to trigger an assassination — one hit, instant kill. The mid-air assassination from a high drop requires unlocking the Air Deathblow skill first. Get close before you’re spotted and a prompt appears on screen; that’s when a stealth kill is safest. Tall grass hides your silhouette, and the grappling hook lets you drop in on top of large groups of enemies from above.

What is the Grappling Hook for in combat?#

The grapple is more than a travel tool. Against mobile bosses like Gyoubu Masataka Oniwa, when he rides off to open up distance, grapple to his side and follow with an air attack to snap the pace of the fight right back to you. In any fight, the hook is also a way to escape an encirclement and quickly return to high ground to reset the engagement.

Which hidden areas are must-visits?#

Difficulty and Progression#

Does Sekiro have difficulty options?#

There is no traditional difficulty selection — this is a game where “the harder it gets, the stronger you become.” Its difficulty curve is more linear than the Souls series’: your technical growth (Mikiri Counters, deflects, Lightning Reversals) translates directly into combat power. Stuck on a boss? Go collect Prayer Beads to raise your max health and Gourd Seeds to add healing charges first, then come back — it gets noticeably easier.

How long does it take to beat?#

A first playthrough focused on the main story runs about 20 to 40 hours for an average player; going for full collection, all endings, and multiple playthroughs takes you past 60 hours. The four endings (Immortality Severed, Purification, Return, and Shura) each require different side-quest steps and items, so completing them all takes planning across playthroughs.

Can I skip the mini-bosses?#

Not recommended. Mini-bosses drop Prayer Beads (every four beads raise your max health), so skipping them directly undermines your survivability. Most mini-bosses can be softened by stealth-killing their first life bar first, then settling the fight head-on — the difficulty drops sharply. Clearing out every elite is a key investment in your margin for error in the later fights.

Platforms and Buying Advice#

Which platforms is it available on?#

Sekiro released on PC (Steam), PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. There are no language concerns beyond the official Chinese support — menus and subtitles support both Simplified and Traditional Chinese. The game is a pure single-player experience, does not rely on an internet connection, and has no features that require being online.

Which edition should I buy?#

Sekiro has no paid add-ons that affect in-game numbers, and on the DLC front FromSoftware never released an additional story expansion for it. After the game is finished, the post-game content comes mainly from challenge play, the Gauntlets of Strength, and boss rematches through Reflections of Strength.