Bosses

Master every boss fight in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Our guide details strategies, weaknesses, and phases for all major bosses and mini-bosses to help you achieve victory.

Stats / Weaknesses:

• Posture Damage: Generally more effective against humanoid bosses due to their guarding. Achieved through deflecting attacks and countering Perilous Attacks.
• Vitality Damage: More effective against bestial bosses. Lowering Vitality also reduces posture regeneration.
• Deflection: Key to building Posture damage.
• Dodging: Necessary for attacks that cannot be deflected.
• Perilous Attacks: Countering these deals significant Posture damage.
• Blocking: Deals moderate posture damage to the defender; forcing bosses to block can slowly build damage.

Phases:

1. Bosses have one or more red markers next to their Vitality bar, indicating the number of Deathblows required.
2. Each Deathblow marker must be removed by depleting the boss's Posture or Vitality.
3. Boss Vitality and Posture are fully restored between Deathblows.
4. Some bosses gain new moves or abilities after each Deathblow.
5. A final Finisher Deathblow is required after the last marker is removed.

Strategy:

• Focus on Posture damage for most humanoid bosses.
• Learn to deflect and counter Perilous Attacks effectively.
• Dodge attacks that cannot be deflected using Step Dodge, Jumps, or the Grappling Hook.
• Lowering a boss's Vitality can aid in Posture damage by reducing regeneration.
• Boss arenas are often sealed by a mist; quitting the game allows you to restart the fight after resting at an Idol.
• Mini-bosses function similarly but do not require the final Finisher Deathblow and may be escapable or skippable.