What is the most fun and efficient way to slay my enemies in Sekiro?
Glad you asked! Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice cuts back on the RPG elements that were intrinsic to FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series and instead focuses on and enhances the combat itself.
The result is one of the finest action games you can play with a variety of abilities, tools, and skills to experiment with.
Below are the best skills for slashing, killing, and ninja-ing your way to victory!
10. Grappling Hook Attack
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Grappling Hook Attack Demonstration
The Grappling Hook Attack allows you to, either by grappling to an enemy or to a point near an enemy, execute two wide slashes once you reach your destination. It is in your best interest to get this ability as soon as you can because it might be, just maybe, incredibly useful against the first boss of the game (WINK, WINK, NUDGE, NUDGE).
Grappling Hook Attack Details:
- Allows you to hurt your enemies after grappling by way of two vicious slashes with your blade.
- Inflicts a decent amount of vitality damage primarily, but it also deals some posture damage.
- One of the first two abilities you can purchase in the Prosthetic Arts tree. It is worth one Skill Point.
What is Deadly About the Grappling Hook Attack:
- Close the distance between you and enemies quickly and deal damage once you arrive.
- The vitality damage inflicted by the Grappling Hook Attack is certainly respectable, and you should take advantage of that. Look to the referenced video to see it wreak havoc on a mini-boss. I do not support cheesing enemies...but you got to do what you gotta do, sometimes.
9. Fang and Blade
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Fang and Blade Demonstration
Fang and Blade allows you to either attack with a prosthetic tool and your blade simultaneously or to have two attacks, instead of one, with certain prosthetic tools. This ability is very useful in dealing vitality and posture damage and giving you more flexibility in combat, so, considering how difficult the game can be in the beginning, it is best to snatch this technique early.
Fang and Blade Details:
- It can be used with the Loaded Axe, Loade Spear, and Mist Raven prosthetic tools.
- Allows you to attack with a prosthetic tool and the blade simultaneously.
- Gives you a follow-up attack to your single prosthetic tool attack.
- Damage and Spirit Emblem cost depends on the tool, and the version of the tool, but it allows you to do more with your deadly weapons, so, no matter what, you are doing more damage than before.
- One of the two skill options after purchasing Chasing Slice in the Prosthetic Arts tree. Fang and Blade costs 2 Skill Points.
What is Deadly About Fang and Blade:
- Use your prosthetic tools twice, so it's literally twice as deadly. Do the math, Einstein.
- Inflict massive posture and vitality damage with the Loaded Axe, even from an early point in the game.
- Each prosthetic art is useful against specific bosses so unlocking the capability to use the Loaded Spear or the Mist Raven twice also makes certain bosses substantially easier.
8. Whirlwind Slash
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Whirlwind Slash Demonstration
Whirlwind slash involves Sekiro hopping off the ground, propelling himself forward a little, and slashing at his enemies twice. It isn’t the strongest attack, but its wide slashes make it ideal for hitting multiple enemies at once. You should definitely purchase this ability early on in the game in order to deal with those handsy crowds.
Whirlwind Slash Details:
- Hop into the air and, while spinning, execute two wide slashes against your enemies.
- Cost zero spirit emblems.
- Inflicts solid vitality damage.
- Is one of the first two options for purchase in the Shinobi Arts Tree, and it only costs 1 Skill Point
What is Deadly About Whirlwind Slash:
- Although it’s posture damage isn’t great, it’s vitality damage is significant.
- It’s great for damaging and pushing away large crowds.
- It doesn’t cost any spirit emblems, so feel free to spin to your heart's content. Like a ballerina.
7. Nightjar Slash Reversal
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Nightjar Slash Reversal Demonstration
Nightjar Slash Reversal, an upgrade of Nightjar Slash, allows you to propel yourself forward a great distance in order to damage your enemies or to damage your enemies as you flip away. It’s a strong attack considering how quick it is and how long it’s range is, so you should get this ability, at least Nightjar Slash, early in order to get a leg up on your enemies.
Nightjar Slash Reversal Details:
- Jump and flip forward to slam your blade down onto a relatively distant enemy. This function is available with the base Nightjar Slash combat art.
- Flip backward after quickly damaging your enemy. This function is only available with the upgraded combat art, Nightjar Slash Reversal. Both skills cost no spirit emblems.
- Its posture damage is decent, but its vitality damage is the real prize.
- It has a long range and is very quick to use.
- Nightjar Slash can be purchased for two Skill Points after purchasing Grappling Hook Attack in the Prosthetic Arts Tree.
- Nightjar Slash Reversal can be purchased after purchasing Nightjar Slash for 3 Skill Points.
What is Deadly About Nightjar Slash Reversal:
- Its vitality damage is significant.
- It is very quick to use and its range is long, so you can close in on your enemies quickly while dealing damage.
- It costs no spirit emblems to use so make like a gymnast and start flipping!
6. Praying Strikes - Exorcism
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Praying Strikes - Exorcism Demonstration
Praying Stikes - Exorcism, an upgrade of Praying Strikes, involves striking enemies three times with your fists to inflict massive posture damage. Quick, powerful, and with no spirit emblem cost attached, you need to get this ability immediately after finding the Senpou Esoteric Text in Senpou Temple.
Once you have reached that point in the game, enemy health bars are meaty, and you need to start dishing out some serious posture damage - Praying Strikes helps level out the playing field.
Praying Strikes - Exorcism Details:
- Praying Strikes involves punching your enemies twice, whereas Praying Strikes - Exorcism includes three punches.
- There is little vitality damage inflicted, but its posture damage is not a joke. Seriously, stop laughing.
- It costs no spirit emblems, is quick to use, and staggers enemies with each hit.
- Praying Strikes is the first ability of the Temple Arts tree and can be purchased for 2 skill points.
- Praying Strikes - Exorcism can be purchased after Praying Strike for 3 skill points.
What is Deadly About Praying Strikes - Exorcism:
- Rack up your enemies posture bar with this quick combat art.
- It staggers enemies with each swift punch, allowing you to destroy their posture.
- It costs no spirit emblems, so it’s clobberin’ time.
5. Empowered Mortal Draw
An attack skill related to the story, Empowered Mortal Draw, an upgrade of Mortal Draw, is an extremely powerful combat art. With two large slashes with the Mortal Blade, you inflict massive vitality and posture damage. Once you receive the Mortal Blade, you won’t be able to help but destroy your foes with this powerful attack.
Empowered Mortal Draw Details:
- With the Mortal Blade, slay your enemies with two giant, red slashes.
- Inflict massive vitality and posture damage.
- It is slow to use, but it’s wide and long slashes give it great range in all directions.
- Both versions of Mortal Draw cost three spirits emblems to use, but it can be used if you do not have any left. The attack will just have less range and power if you do not have the three spirit emblems.
- Mortal Draw can not be obtained via a skill tree, but rather you obtain the combat art once you possess the Mortal Blade.
- Empowered Mortal Draw can be purchased for 5 Skill Points in the Mushin Arts Tree and gives the ability more damage and range than Mortal Draw.
What is Deadly About Empowered Mortal Draw:
- It does an insane amount of damage.
- It is the ultimate weapon for crowd control: you can literally cut down your number of enemies from 4 to 0 in a single slash from your Mortal Blade.
- It has a large range, especially when charged, so you don’t have to worry about not hitting your target when they back up from you. If they’re smart, they’ll at least try.
4. Dragon Flash
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Dragon Flash Demonstration
While only involving a single slash, Dragon Flash is extremely powerful, versatile, and useful. The combat art can be charged to send out a shockwave with an incredible range in addition to a more powerful initial slash. You can only acquire this ability after defeating a specific boss in a particular ending to the game, but, boy, it’s worth it due to its incredible power.
Dragon Flash Details:
- Destroy your enemies with one powerful slash. Charge the attack in order to inflict even more damage and add a shockwave to the attack.
- Inflicts massive vitality and posture damage, especially the charged attack.
- The shockwave has incredible range. Feel free to snipe your enemies with it, just like in Call of Duty. With this ability, it’s like the exact same game!
- Without charging the attack, Dragon Flash is decently quick and can stagger your enemies. Therefore, you can be flexible with this ability in relation to speed and power.
- It costs two spirit emblems to use, regardless of whether you charge the attack or not.
- It cannot be obtained via a skill tree but instead is obtained by defeating a specific boss in the Break the Iron Code ending.
What is Deadly About Dragon Flash:
- It has massive damage, especially when you charge the attack and hit an enemy with a powerful slash and a devastating shockwave.
- The shockwave for this combat art gives it insane range, allowing you to deal serious damage before your enemies get too close.
- The ability to choose whether or not to charge the attack makes it flexible, which helps you in a game full of unpredictable opponents.
3. Shadowfall
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Shadowfall Demonstration
Shadowfall is an upgraded version of the shadowrush combat art, which included a swift, unblockable dash towards an enemy from a great distance. The Shadowfall ability includes this but also gives you the ability to, for the cost of two spirit emblems, vault off of your opponent and slash at them as you descend.
Shadowrush itself is one of the last abilities you can purchase in the Shinobi Arts tree, so, even though it might take you a while to get this ability, it will be all worth it when you purchase Shadowfall after obtaining the Mushin Esoteric Text.
Shadowfall Details:
- Dash forward and pierce your enemies only to soon vault off of them and slash at them as you descend.
- The dash attack is, for the most part, unblockable and so deals solid vitality damage. It also has significant range, allowing you to close in on your enemies quickly and does not cost any spirit emblems.
- Vaulting off your enemies costs two spirit emblems but inflicts serious vitality and posture damage while staggering your enemies.
- Shadowrush can be obtained as one of the last abilities of the Shinobi Arts tree for six skill points.
- Shadowfall can be obtained as one of the last abilities of the Mushin Arts tree for six skill points, as well.
What is Deadly About Shadowfall:
- The long thrust forward allows you to close in on your enemies quickly and is unblockable, inflicting significant vitality damage.
- Vaulting off of your enemy and into the air inflicts some serious posture damage and spinning your blade on your way down inflicts a decent amount of posture and vitality damage.
- The dash itself does not cost any spirit emblems which gives some flexibility in its usage. After all, it is a rather famous dilemma: to vault or not to vault? That is the question.
2. High Monk
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice High Monk Demonstration
High Monk includes the barrage of kicks and punches that Senpou Leaping Kicks has but adds two sword swings to the mix. The flipping and jumping nature of the attack makes it difficult for enemies to hit you while you are inflicting serious damage to their posture bar.
Although it is the final ability of the Temple Arts tree, it should be a priority of yours the minute you get the Senpou Esoteric Text.
High Monk Details:
- Leap, kick, punch, and slash your way over and around your enemies, staggering them while punching up their posture bar.
- Its vitality damage is not impressive, but its posture damage is something to admire.
- Not only an attack, but you can also use High Monk as a dodge since the beginning of the combat art involves you jumping high into the air.
- It does not cost any spirit emblems to use.
- You must first purchase Senpou Leaping Kicks, which costs 3 Skill Points in the Temple Arts Tree.
- High Monk is the last ability in the Temple Arts Tree and costs 4 skill points.
What is Deadly About High Monk:
- It does an insane amount of posture damage, opening your enemies up for a deathblow.
- It continually staggers your enemies as you attack.
- It tracks your enemies meaning they can’t escape your flurry of kicks.
- It has incredible range, allowing you to close in on your enemies quickly.
- It can be used as a dodge that quickly leads into a vicious series of attacks.
1. Ichimonji Double
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Ichimonji Double Demonstration
Ichimonji Double, an upgrade of Ichimonji, involves slamming enemies with your sword twice instead of just the once. Quite simply the most powerful combat art in the game, Ichimonji Double inflicts massive vitality damage and even more posture damage while also allowing you to recover your own posture with each strike.
Ichimonji itself is the first ability that can be purchased after unlocking the Ashina Arts tree with the Ashina Esoteric Text, so you should purchase this as soon as possible in order to make the game much easier on yourself.
Ichimonji Double Details:
- Hold your blade over your head only to slam it down onto your enemies twice, dealing massive vitality and posture damage.
- You recover your own posture for each time you strike your opponent.
- It is has a long wind-up, but it is quick to attack. If you time it right, you can stagger your enemies right before they attack themselves.
- It costs no spirit emblems.
- Ichimonji can be purchased for two Skill Points as the first ability in the Ashina Arts tree.
- Ichimonji Double, a little farther down the tree, can be purchased for three Skill Points.
What is Deadly About Ichimonji Double:
- It inflicts massive vitality and posture damage, ending fights quicker than you can say, “Wow, that was quick.”
- It staggers enemies with each strike, making them vulnerable for more and more punishment.
- You recover your own posture each time you attack, enabling your assault to be endless.
- Although slow to start, the attack itself is actually quite quick. Use this to your advantage to interrupt your opponent’s attacks.
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