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Sekiro – Game Mechanics Guide & FAQ

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a game that developed bt From Software. A third-person, single-player, action-adventure game with RPG elements.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is available now on PC, Xbox One and via digital download or through participating retailers.

Here are a few frequently asked questions about Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

You do not need an internet connection to play Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice; however, an internet connection is required for any updates or patches released for the game.

Players who pre-ordered through participating retailers received a code for a Digital Artbook and Mini Soundtrack, available to download upon the game’s release. You’ll also receive an email from Activision once the content is available. Offer codes are valid until March 21, 2021.

If your pre-order code is missing or damaged, you’ll need to contact the retailer where the game was purchased for additional assistance. Before contacting the retailer, be sure to check the receipt of the game. Often, your pre-order code will be printed on the receipt.

If you received an error message after entering your code, please contact Activision Support for assistance.

When you first launch Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, select New Game to begin playing. If you’ve played previously, you can select Continue to keep playing where you left off, Load Game to play a previously saved game, or New Game to start at the beginning.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has an auto-save feature that periodically saves your progress, indicated by a blue flame in the upper right corner. There is no manual save functionality.

If the game freezes while you’re playing on a console, you should back out to the dashboard, close the game, and then restart from your last save point. In some cases, you may need to restart your console. If the game freezes on PC, you should exit the game and restart from your last save point.

If the game crashes, you’ll need to restart from your last save point.

BASIC MECHANICS

Attacking

The standard Attack is the most basic way to for a Shinobi to engage an opponent. Landing attacks, whether they’re blocked or not, will increase an opponent’s Posture meter. If they do not block, then the attack will inflict both Posture and Vitality damage.

Locking On

Locking on to an enemy is crucial for attacking, defending yourself, or performing other combat actions. To Lock On to an enemy, face your target and then press the right thumbstick to Lock On. You can release an enemy by facing him and pressing the right thumbstick, or you can change the locked on enemy by pressing the right thumbstick in the direction of the enemy you’d like to target.

Deflection and Posture

When facing an enemy, your goal is to break his Posture, or his fighting stance. The main ways to break an enemy’s Posture are to attack him and deflect his attacks by pressing the guard button the moment before a blow lands. In some cases, you may need to deflect multiple attacks in a row before you can land a counterattack. If your enemy’s Posture is broken, he will momentarily become exposed to a Deathblow.

Postures are indicated by a bar above the enemy or below your character. The coloration of the bar expands as Posture gets closer to breaking.

Posture

An enemy’s Vitality is tied to how fast his Posture recovers – the lower the Vitality, the slower the Posture recovery. Some enemies have very fast Posture recovery. In these cases, the optimal way to defeat them is to first focus on reducing their Vitality then focus on breaking their Posture.

Counter-slash Attacking

Deflecting not only keeps you from being harmed by an attack, it also damages your enemy’s Posture and can create an opportunity to perform a counter attack on the enemy. After you successfully Deflect an incoming enemy attack, quickly attack to execute a Counter-slash. A master Shinobi will use a combination of attacks, deflections, and counter-slashes to damage Posture and quickly dispatch enemies.

Shinobi Deathblows

The Wolf’s finishing moves are called Shinobi Deathblows. The opportunity to deliver a Deathblow can be achieved by continuously attacking an enemy to break his Posture or by deflecting an incoming attack that causes the enemy to stagger. You will know a Deathblow is available when you see a red marker on your opponent’s body.

Deathblow

Press the Attack button near a Posture-broken or unaware enemy to unleash a Deathblow. Deathblows can only be performed for a limited window, so attack quickly.

Some more powerful enemies require multiple Deathblows to be defeated. The number of Deathblows required to kill an enemy is indicated by red markers above the enemy’s Vitality bar.

Safety Roll

Just as it is with your enemies, you also have Posture that you need to maintain and defend. Enemy attacks that land can leave you vulnerable to more attacks. If your Posture is broken or you find yourself downed by an enemy, quickly press the jump or Step Dodge buttons to perform a Safety Roll, which allows you to get on your feet and minimize your vulnerability.

Safety Roll can be especially useful when you’re low on Vitality or facing multiple enemies.

Combat Arts

Combat Arts are greater attack moves your Shinobi can use to augment his combos. Combat Arts must be equipped in order to use them, and some will cost Spirit Emblems with each use. Combat Arts include powerful, acrobatic sword attacks and swift, relentless sword attacks.

Skills

As you progress and gain experience through gameplay, you’ll have the option to apply Skills to your Shinobi through one of three Skill Trees: Shinobi Arts, Ashina Arts, and Prosthetic Arts.

Once acquired, these Latent Skills are always present and don’t require activation to use. Skills include reduced visual or audible detection while in stealth, Vitality or Posture recovery, increased healing effects from recovery items, and improved item drop rates from defeated enemies.

Ninjutsu

Ninjutsu are elaborate, higher-cost combat techniques that are available in exchange for Spirit Emblems after performing a Backstab Deathblow. These tend to be powerful initiation tools, for example one allows you turn your enemy’s spraying blood into a smokescreen.

Healing Gourds

The mysterious Healing Gourd is granted to Wolf by the Divine Heir very early in the game.

The Healing Gourd can be added to your Quick Items within the Equipment Menu, allowing you to regain a certain amount of health upon use. The Healing Gourd refills upon resting at a Sculptor’s Idol, and its maximum uses per rest can be increased by giving Gourd Seeds to Emma. Once the Shinobi Prosthetic is acquired, Emma can be found standing just outside the entrance of the Sculptor’s Dilapidated Temple.

Pellets

Pellets can be found and purchased as you explore Ashina. While you can also add Pellets to your Quick Items within the Equipment Menu, Pellets offer a smaller amount of Vitality restoration.

Resurrection

If you are defeated by an enemy, you may see the option to return from the dead by selecting Resurrection. Resurrections cost one charge of Resurrective Power. One charge can only be restored when resting at a Sculptor’s Idol. Additional Resurrective Power charges are restored gradually by defeating enemies.

After using Resurrection once, it cannot be used again until enough life has been taken. Performing a Deathblow on a powerful enemy (whether this kills the enemy or not) or killing several weaker enemies is usually enough to make Resurrection available once again.

Resurrection

Unseen Aid

When one dies without resurrecting, it will result in the loss of experience and sen coins. However, there is a relatively low chance of receiving Unseen Aid, which allows you to keep all of your experience and sen.

If Wolf dies enough times, a sickness known as Dragonrot will begin to afflict the characters he has interacted with, affecting the Wolf’s interactions with them. There may also be story consequences when Dragonrot is inflicted on certain characters.

Sculptor’s Idols

After meeting with the Sculptor in the Dilapidated Temple, you will find your first of many Sculptor’s Idols, which provide several functions.

Sculptor's Idols

Initially, a Sculptor’s Idol is a place of rest. Commune with the Sculptor’s Idol to completely replenish your Vitality and restore one Resurrective Power charge. Communing will also add to your Spirit Emblems as well as any other consumable items in your Quick Items.

After discovering a second Sculptor’s Idol, you’ll gain the ability to fast travel to other Sculptor’s Idol locations you’ve encountered and activated by communing with them.

As you continue to progress through your mission, you’ll begin collecting Prayer Beads. When enough Prayer Beads are collected in your Inventory, they can be consumed to upgrade your maximum Vitality and Posture.

Additionally, once a skill point is earned, talking to the Sculptor will grant the Shinobi Esoteric Text, which allows Wolf to spend these skill points on new skills. There are a number of Esoteric Texts that can be found in the game.

Grappling

Aside from replacing Wolf’s severed left arm, the Shinobi Prosthetic comes with a Grappling Hook, giving you access to higher ground and other spots that would be otherwise unreachable.

As you make your way through Ashina, you’ll begin to see circular markers on grapple points. Once a grapple point becomes within reach, the symbol will turn green, indicating you can grapple to it.

Resurrection

Prosthetic Tools

While on your mission you will find Shinobi Tools, which can be given to the Sculptor to fit them to your Shinobi Prosthetic. A variety of Prosthetic Tools can be found in the world, and each has situations that make them very useful.  For example, the Loaded Axe allows you to break enemy shields. Using Prosthetic Tools costs Spirit Emblems.

You can equip up to three Prosthetic Tools within the Equipment Menu.

Equipment Menu

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