The Right Mindset for Sekiro
Rule #1: Sekiro is NOT Dark Souls. If you approach Sekiro like Dark Souls — dodge, hit, dodge — you will die constantly.
Sekiro requires you to hold your ground and deflect rather than retreat. Every enemy attack is an opportunity to deflect and build their posture bar. Running away wastes those opportunities.
Deflect: The Most Important Skill
How to Deflect
Press L1/LB (Guard) at the precise moment an enemy's attack is about to connect. When timed correctly:
- Sparks fly and you hear a sharp "CLANG"
- The enemy's posture builds much faster than from a standard block
- Your own posture takes almost no damage
Deflect vs. Block
| Deflect (perfect timing) | Block (hold guard) | |
|---|---|---|
| Your posture | Nearly zero damage | Increases rapidly |
| Enemy posture | Large increase | Minimal increase |
| Damage received | Zero | Zero (but your posture breaks quickly) |
| Result | Enemy briefly staggers | You are pushed back |
Deflect Tips
- Press earlier than you think — the deflect window is wider than most players expect. Press when the enemy starts the swing, not when the weapon is about to land
- Tap; don't hold — release the button fully and tap it again. Holding guard and tapping simultaneously does not register a deflect
- Listen to the rhythm — every enemy combo has a distinct beat. Learn it, and you can deflect the entire chain
- Practice with Hanbei — the training NPC at Dilapidated Temple lets you practice deflecting all attack types for free, with no death penalty
Posture System: The Core Strategy
How to Break Enemy Posture Quickly
- Chain deflects — the fastest and most reliable method
- Attack between combos — land 2–3 strikes when the enemy pauses
- Lower HP first — enemies with lower HP regenerate posture more slowly. Against high-HP bosses, whittle them down before focusing posture
- Prosthetic tools — Firecracker and Flame Vent both deal meaningful posture damage
When to Focus HP vs. Posture?
- Standard enemies: Two or three deflects → Deathblow (posture-focused)
- Mini-bosses: Mix both — reduce HP to roughly 50%, then focus posture
- Main bosses: Reduce HP first → posture regenerates slower → chain deflects → Deathblow
Perilous Attacks (危): 3 Types and How to Counter Them
When you see the red 危 symbol, you must react with the correct input:
1. Thrust
- Identify: Enemy draws their weapon back, preparing a straight lunge
- Counter: Mikiri Counter — press Dodge while moving toward the enemy (forward + dodge)
- Result: You stomp on the weapon tip, dealing enormous posture damage
- Key: Move toward them, never sideways or backward
2. Sweep
- Identify: Enemy performs a low horizontal sweep with a limb or weapon
- Counter: Jump → press Jump again in mid-air = aerial kick to the head
- Result: Significant posture damage plus a follow-up attack opportunity
- Key: After the aerial kick, land one or two strikes before touching the ground
3. Grab
- Identify: Enemy opens their arms and moves slowly toward you
- Counter: Dodge sideways — not backward
- Result: If grabbed, you lose a large portion of your HP
- Key: Sidestep, never back-pedal — backward dodges can still be caught
Prosthetic Arm: 10 Tools and How to Use Them
Essential tools for beginners:
Loaded Shuriken
- Staggers airborne or leaping enemies
- Closes the gap when enemies try to create distance
- Upgrade path: Phantom Kunai → throws multiple simultaneously
Firecracker
- Stuns virtually every boss for 1–2 seconds
- Exceptionally effective against beast-type bosses (Guardian Ape, Blazing Bull)
- Upgrade path: Long Spark → extends stun duration
- How to use: Fire → land 2–3 strikes → back off before the stun ends
Flame Vent
- Deals double damage against Red-Eyed enemies
- Throw Oil first → Flame Vent → damage is doubled
- Most effective bosses: Chained Ogre, Demon of Hatred
Loaded Axe
- Breaks wooden shields carried by samurai enemies instantly
- High posture damage
- Slow but powerful
Loaded Umbrella
- Absolute defense — blocks every attack type, including Perilous Attacks
- Counter attack: Projected Force → reflects damage back
- Excellent against Headless (Terror resistance)
Stealth: You're a Ninja — Use It
Aerial Deathblow
- Grapple to a high position → drop down onto an enemy → instant kill
- Can remove one of a mini-boss's Deathblow marks before combat begins
Backstab
- Approach from behind → Deathblow
- Use wall hugging, tall grass, and grapple hooks to close the distance unseen
General Stealth Strategy
- Scout from above (grapple to rooftops or tree branches)
- Identify enemy patrol routes
- Eliminate enemies one at a time from the outer edge working inward
- Boss rooms: Stealth Deathblow to remove one mark → fight normally for the rest
Boss Guide: 5 Hardest Encounters
1. Lady Butterfly (Early Game)
Many players quit Sekiro at this boss. Here is how to beat her:
- Phase 1: Deflect → strike twice → deflect → repeat. When she leaps onto the silk threads → throw Shuriken → she falls → free hits
- Phase 2: She summons illusions → run in a circle; the illusions transform into homing butterflies → dodge them
- Key item: Snap Seeds break illusions instantly (you can find 3 in Hirata Estate)
- Mindset: Stay aggressive. Give her space and she chains long combo strings
2. Genichiro Ashina (Mid-Game — "The Wall")
This boss is a skill test to determine whether you truly understand Sekiro's mechanics:
- Phases 1 and 2: Deflect his entire combo chain. Genichiro has a clear, learnable rhythm. Master it → chain deflects → posture break → Deathblow
- Thrust attacks: Mikiri Counter → massive posture damage
- Jump attack: Dodge sideways → punish during landing
- Phase 3 (Lightning): When he channels lightning → jump as the bolt is about to hit → press attack mid-air = Lightning Reversal → enormous damage and stun
- Key takeaway: If Genichiro takes 50+ attempts, that is normal. When you finally beat him, you have genuinely mastered Sekiro
3. Guardian Ape
- Phase 1: Do NOT deflect — dodge instead. Firecracker → hit his rear → dodge → repeat
- Phase 2 (headless): NOW deflect. His pattern is clearer than Phase 1. When he lets out a scream (Terror buildup) → run away immediately or use the Loaded Umbrella
- Spear tool: After deflecting a long combo → use Loaded Spear → pull out the centipede → massive damage
4. Owl (Father) — Optional Boss
- Second-hardest boss in the game. No shortcuts.
- Deflect + Mikiri Counter + patience
- When Owl throws a shuriken followed by a sword slash: Deflect the shuriken → Jump over the slash
- When Owl throws an anti-healing smoke bomb → exit the smoke area immediately
- Don't overextend: Strike once or twice, then back off and wait for the next clear opening
5. Isshin, the Sword Saint — Final Boss
Four phases; the hardest boss in the game:
- Genichiro (Phase 0): Attack fast and aggressively — kill him in under 30 seconds
- Isshin Phase 1 (Katana): Deflect combo → two strikes. Mikiri all thrust attacks. Ichimonji Double → dodge sideways → punish during recovery
- Isshin Phase 2 (Spear): The hardest phase. Long reach, extended combos. Mikiri spear thrusts is the key. Firecracker → free hits. Jump over sweeps → aerial kick
- Isshin Phase 3 (Lightning): Easier than Phase 2. Bait his lightning attacks → jump → Lightning Reversal → heavy damage and stun. Repeat until the fight ends.
"Hesitation is defeat." — Isshin himself says it. Players who play passively and only defend will see their posture bar shatter first. Always press the attack.
General Tips
- Explore everywhere — Gourd Seeds (additional healing charges) and Prayer Beads (HP and posture increases) are hidden throughout every area
- Prioritize Attack Power upgrades from boss Memory items over skill point investments
- Death does not ruin you — Dragonrot accumulates but does not meaningfully affect gameplay. Cure it with Dragon's Blood Droplets
- Swim — many secret areas are underwater, and most players never discover them
- Eavesdrop — listening in on enemy conversations often reveals boss weaknesses
Conclusion
Sekiro demands real skill — no build, no level grinding, and no summons will carry you through. Only you, your blade, and the patience to learn. But once you have mastered deflect, every fight becomes a beautifully choreographed duel.
Be patient. Keep learning. And remember: "Hesitation is defeat."
