Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice: Complete Beginner's Guide

Getting Started in Sekiro

You begin as Wolf, a shinobi with a grappling hook arm and a katana. The game opens in Ashina Outskirts where you'll learn movement, stealth backstabs, and basic combat. Your first real test is General Naomori Kawarada, a miniboss that teaches deflecting. Do not skip him — he's a perfect tutorial fight. After him, General Tenzen Yamauchi introduces sweep attacks (jump and press attack mid-air for a Mortal Blade). Defeat them both before moving further.

Your critical early resource is the Gourd Seed, which upgrades your Healing Gourd capacity when given to Emma at Dilapidated Temple. Find every seed you can. Similarly, Prayer Beads increase Vitality — each group of four makes a meaningful difference in survivability. The Sculptor at the Temple upgrades your prosthetic tools using Scrap Iron and Memory items.

Core Mechanics to Master

The Deflect is everything. Hold L1/LB to guard; tap it precisely as an attack lands to deflect. A successful deflect makes a distinct clang sound and fills the enemy's Posture bar. Failing to deflect builds YOUR Posture, which can result in Posture Break and an instant death. Practice deflecting on basic soldiers before attempting it on bosses.

The Mikiri Counter handles thrust attacks — the most common boss special move. When you see the red Kanji symbol and the enemy telegraphs a thrust, press forward + attack to stomp on their blade. It deals massive Posture damage. The jump attack counters sweeps — jump over the sweep and press attack at the apex to deal Posture damage. Learn these two counters and most bosses become manageable.

Best Early Skills to Unlock

Unlock Mikiri Counter first — it's in the Shinobi Arts tree and transforms your boss performance immediately. Next, get Whirlwind Slash (a sweep-deflect follow-up), then Suppress Presence (reduces enemy detection range). Later, Shadowrush and Shadowfall add powerful combat arts. For prosthetics, upgrade the Loaded Shuriken early — it interrupts flying enemies and is useful throughout the game.

Essential Tips

1. Stay close. Sekiro rewards aggression. Backing away gives enemies time to recover Posture. Keep attacking and deflecting.
2. Learn the red symbols. Red Kanji = dangerous attack. Thrust = Mikiri Counter. Sweep = Jump. Grab = sideways dodge.
3. Use stealth before every fight. Backstabbing mini-bosses removes one of their health bars before the fight begins.
4. Rest strategically. Resting at Sculptor's Idols respawns enemies but fills your Healing Gourd. Do it before hard fights, not after winning an area.
5. The Eavesdrop mechanic. Listen to NPC conversations after major events for hints, lore, and quest triggers.
6. Pacifying Agent counters Terror buildup from Headless and Shichimen Warrior enemies — stock up before those fights.
7. Lazulite Shuriken and Lapis Lazuli upgrades are endgame power spikes — save your Lapis for weapons you'll actually use.

First Major Boss: Lady Butterfly

Lady Butterfly in Hirata Estate is many players' first serious wall. She's fast, she throws shurikens, and in Phase 2 she summons illusion soldiers. The key: deflect her shurikens (yes, they're deflectable) and use the Loaded Shuriken to interrupt her aerial spinning attacks. In Phase 2, kill the illusion soldiers quickly with the Snap Seeds item (find them in the area before her) — they remove the illusions instantly. Stay aggressive, deflect her melee chains, and hit her with combat arts on her recovery frames.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is Sekiro harder than Elden Ring?
A: Sekiro is harder in boss encounters because there's no build optimization or co-op to help. Elden Ring gives you more tools to overcome difficulty. Sekiro forces you to get better.

Q: Do I need to play Dark Souls before Sekiro?
A: No. Sekiro is mechanically different enough that Souls experience doesn't directly transfer. Start fresh.

Q: How do I beat Genichiro?
A: Deflect his arrow volleys, use Mikiri Counter on his thrusts, and jump-attack his sweeps. Phase 2 adds lightning attacks — deflect them back at him by jumping and pressing attack as they hit you.

Q: Can I play Sekiro with a keyboard?
A: Technically yes, but a controller is strongly recommended. The timing-based deflect system is much easier with analog triggers.

Q: What's the best ending?
A: The Purification ending (one of three good endings) is considered the most complete story conclusion and involves the most optional content.