What Abilities To Get First in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice?

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is chock full of abilities that enable you to slice and dice your way through your enemies. There are multiple trees you can unlock throughout the campaign, each with their own potent abilities, but there are many in the first two trees that are absolutely essential. If you are getting your butt kicked (admit it, you are), then these 5 abilities should help you dish out some revenge. 

Mikiri Counter (Get First)

Not only deadly, but the Mikiri Counter is also embarrassing for your opponent. 

Overview:

This ability in the Shinobi Arts Tree is ESSENTIAL to your success in the game. When an enemy thrusts their weapon forward, and a red symbol appears over their head, the Mikiri Counter allows you to dodge towards them, step on their blade, and deal devastating damage. Not only does the Mikiri Counter ability open up some great opportunities for dealing serious damage, but it also gives you a safe response to those unblockable thrust attacks, which can be very difficult to avoid otherwise. 

Why You Should get Mikiri Counter Early:

Why make the game harder on yourself? Difficult enemies and bosses can be trivialized with the Mikiri Counter, and it can also be challenging to avoid thrust attacks without it. FromSoftware has a bad habit of implementing thrust attacks that track you in inexplicable ways, so get this ability early and start countering as soon as possible!. 

Grappling Hook Attack (Get Second)

With the grapple, soar across rooftops and attack your enemies. 

Overview:

Other than making you feel freaking awesome, the Grappling Hook Attack is extremely practical and useful. First, the grapple attack allows you to close the gap between you and certain bosses while simultaneously inflicting some decent damage. Second, it’s effective against any enemy that can be grappled to in one way or another, giving you more flexibility in combat.

Why You Should Get Grappling Hook Attack Early:

One of the very first bosses you face in Sekiro you can grapple to, and this attack allows you to deal some damage when, without the ability, you usually would not have been able to. As well, this ability is the first in a very useful path through the Prosthetic Arts Tree, leading to two other abilities on this list!

Emma’s Medicine: Potency (Get Third)

Heal faster, faster, FASTER! HE'S COMING! HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DRINK?

Overview:

Yes, this ability is not as exciting or groundbreaking as the others on this list, but it is extremely important. Look, you are going to get hurt, a lot, and, especially at the beginning of the game when you haven’t had a chance to upgrade your healing gourd capacity, you need to make them count. We want to make sure that when you get put down, you get back up, and we can only do that if you increase the amount of health your gourds restore. 

Why You Should Get Emma’s Medicine: Potency Early:

At the beginning of the game, you can only use your gourd once before you have to return to a shrine for a refill. Considering how difficult the game can be, especially at the start, you want to make that single heal count. This should be an easy ability to get if you already bought the Grappling Hook Attack ability, so go ahead and get it right now. Go ahead. I’ll wait. 

Nightjar Slash (Get Fourth)

This is the moment when you realize that all your Naruto flips in bedroom have finally amounted to something. 

Overview:

The Nightjar Slash is one of the best abilities in the game, even when taking into account the other trees with other abilities you can unlock. This ability allows you to quickly close the distance between you and your opponent, and it also can briefly stagger many basic enemies. Graceful and deadly, the Nightjar Slash is exactly what you need to live out all your ninja dreams. 

Why You Should Get Nightjar Slash Early:

It is a great ability for closing in on enemies quickly, staggering them, and dealing some damage. After getting the Grappling Hook Attack ability, you can immediately purchase this combat art. Get it and flip your way to success. 

Fang and Blade (Get Fifth) 

Fang and Blade gives you even more opportunities to use the devastating prothetic axe. 

Overview:

Fang and Blade gives you a follow-up attack to your prosthetic axe that deals some serious health/posture damage and is uninterruptible. This can help you deliver the final blow during a fight or help you fill that posture bar on the most difficult enemies. Plus, this ability can also apply to the Loaded Spear and the Mist Raven that you obtain later in the game. 

Why You Should Get Fang and Blade Early:

Considering that the axe is one of the first prosthetic tools you receive, unlocking a second attack with it gives you more opportunities and flexibility in combat. As well, racking up a tough enemy’s posture bar can be a chore at the beginning of the game, so it’s a good idea to get this early, so you have a specific method for damaging your enemies posture. 

So, if you are ready to stop dying and start winning, get to a shrine and start spending your experience points on these abilities. I promise they will all help you git gud! 

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