Guide by James Billcliffe Guides Editor
Published on
Sekiro’s skill system is FromSoftware’s deepest yet, with certain powerful abilities changing up the way you tackle engagements with almost every foe. Here are our picks of the best skills in Sekiro that we’ve used so far.
You gain skill points by gaining experience from defeating enemies. You lose half of your experience when you die, but once you fill the bar and gain a skill point it’s yours to keep.
This means that skill points are precious, and you want to get the most out of each one.
If you've got a few Skill Points burning a hole in the pocket of your shinobi shozoku, but have settled on a set-up that you like it might be wise to hold onto them. Completing the Dancing Dragon Mask out of the Mask Fragments you find throughout the world lets you trade Skill Points for attack boosts, which could really give you the edge in the late game.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Best Skills
- Whirlwind Slash
One of the first combat art skills that you can acquire is Whirlwind Slash, a swirling sword strike that deals damage to enemies even if they’re guarding.
Even though it’s the first skill on the tree, don’t be fooled, it’s one of the best pick-ups you can make. Not only does it have good reach and hit multiple enemies, but the damage it deals through guard makes it one of - if not the - cheesiest moves in the game.
It’s incredible at whittling down mini-bosses who block all of your hits and finishing off enemies with a sliver of health left - an invaluable tool in your arsenal.
- Mikiri Counter
Anything that lets you deal with attacks that are usually unblockable is very powerful, which makes Mikiri Counter an essential pick-up.
This lets you turn enemies’ unblockable thrusts against them to deal big posture damage. It’s finicky to pull off, but can turn the tide of battle quickly when used correctly.
- Chasing Slice
Chasing Slice is most commonly used in conjunction with your Loaded Shuriken to close a lot of distance quickly.
A quick shuriken throw can be used to interrupt an enemy’s combo, then you can Chasing Slice to retaliate and punish their opening.
- Fang and Blade
Fang and Blade let you play like you're a mini-boss yourself. It adds a second powerful attack to your Shinobi Axe which tends to break through enemies' guards and is uninterruptible. An uninterruptible attack is awesome for trading health with foes that are just about to go down - especially mini-bosses or fast enemies that you want to finish sooner rather than later
It’s also a great weapon for dealing heavy posture damage to tough boss enemies.
- Suppress Presence
While you’re moving around in Sekiro, things are a lot easier without every Tom, Dick, and Harry running over to cave your head in at every opportunity.
This isn’t going to turn you into a ghost, but really helps to isolate groups of enemies and take them out without aggroing the whole group.
- Breath of Life: Light
Often, Sekiro can turn into a bit of a war of attrition as you finally succumb to chip damage between checkpoints.
The Breath of Life: Light skill returns a chunk of vitality to your health bar when you perform a deathblow. Yep, health back when you kill enemies, when you stealth them, when you break their posture, everything - it’s great.
Not only is this great during basic areas, but the small boost you get between rounds against enemies with multiple health bars can prove invaluable.
- Emma’s Medicine: Potency
This one's a total must. Simply put, it increases the amount of health that your Healing Gourd returns.
Given the scarcity of Gourd Seeds, it’s important to get the most out of each life-extending swig.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice guides
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice walkthroughs
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice walkthrough Part 1 - Yamauchi, General Naomori Kawarada
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice walkthrough Part 2 - Chained Ogre
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice walkthrough Part 3 - Find the Flame vent, Shinobi Axe and fight General Tenzen Yamauchi
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice walkthrough Part 4 - Find the Shinobi Firecracker and fight the horse-rider
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Part 5 - How to reach Ashina Castle
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Part 6 – finishing the Hirata Estate
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Part 7 – Ashina Reservoir
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice part 8 - Senpou Temple, Long-Armed Centipede Sen'un
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Walkthrough Part 9 - Ashina Castle Upper Tower
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Part 10 – Where to find Lord Isshin
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Part 11 – Ashina Depths and Hidden Forest
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Part 12 – Mibu Village, Corrupted Monk Spirit, Screen Monkeys
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Part 13 – Sunken Valley, Gun Fort and Bodhisattva Valley
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Part 14 – Owl and Fountainhead Monk Cheese
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Part 15 – Finding a Persimmon and collecting the Frozen Tears
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Part 16 – Mibu Manor, Fountainhead Pot Noble and Dragon
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Part 17 – Clean up and Isshin Sword Saint Cheese
- Sekrio: Shadows Die Twice - best ending guide
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice skills and combat
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - top combat tips
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - best skills
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Boss guide
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice crafting and items
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - how to remove Rot Essence and cure the Dragonrot
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - crafting and upgrade materials guide
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Gourd Seeds and Prayer Beads locations
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Treasure Carp Scales Guide
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Mask Fragment Guide
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - where to find more Divine Confetti and Snapseeds
