Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Tips for Combat

Sekiro Tips for Combat

Always fight enemies 1-on-1

In Sekiro, even the lowliest of enemies can prove challenging if they come at you as a group. As a general tip, always try to reduce the number of surrounding enemies using stealth kills as much as you can so that you can fight the tougher enemies alone.

Base strategies around guarding and deflecting

Fight cautiously

Attacking recklessly will almost always result in death. In Sekiro, it is better to learn to punish the mistakes of your opponent than making them yourself. Practice guarding or deflecting your enemy’s attacks before retaliating with one or two strikes and then waiting for your opponent to strike again. This is the basis of combat in Sekiro, even against stronger enemies.

When an opponent blocks your attack, stop and wait for them to retaliate. You won’t be able to land any hits against even the weakest of enemies if they are guarding.

Waiting for your turn to attack

Though Sekiro is an action game, its combat mechanics make it feel similar to a turn-based game. Take time to study your opponents’ actions and pinpoint the best opportunities to counterattack.

Breaking the enemy’s Posture

Deflecting attacks to break the opponent’s posture

A well-timed guard during an enemy’s attack lets you deflect and considerably weaken the enemy’s posture while maintaining your own.

Counterattack after deflecting attacks

Attacking immediately after a successful deflection allows you to significantly damage the enemy’s posture.

How Posture damage accumulates in enemies

Important tips for a smooth battle

The most distinctive combat feature in Sekiro is breaking your enemy’s posture before finishing them off with a Shinobi Deathblow. This is the only reliable way to defeat all foes encountered, including normal enemies, mini bosses, and bosses.

Ways to break a boss’ Posture

How to Avoid Attacks when your own Posture Breaks

When you lose posture, you can perform a Rolling Advance to evade enemy attacks, including those of bosses.

Using Mikiri Counter

Mikiri Counter allows you to punish thrust attacks by performing a well-timed forward step, which can lead to the enemy’s posture gauge being tremendously filled. This is very effective against enemies like spearmen who frequently do thrust attacks.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Recommended Article List