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Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice | OT | Borne of Souls

#Phonepunk#

Banned
just got the blazing bull mini boss. not been playing for a while with too much stuff happening.

that thing is fucking me up.

Fireworks and running was how I won. But last night I watched a video of someone taking it down using only parry and deflection.

From really knows how to make a boss intimidating
 

JimiNutz

Banned
just got the blazing bull mini boss. not been playing for a while with too much stuff happening.

that thing is fucking me up.

Firecracker that bull to death.
The bull was quite easy but the bosses that come afterwards are causing me untold grief. I haven't had much time to play either and need to try and dedicate some time over the weekend for a long playthrough.
 

Bryank75

Banned
The Sculptor was a Shinobi named Orangutan. Orangutan grew up an orphan in the forests with either a female sibling or another female orphan, Kingfisher. They trained among the tall trees of the forest where a single slip meant death until one day they stumbled upon the grove of the Guardian Ape. Kingfisher was killed by the beast, and Orangutan slew it, driving his odachi through the ape's neck. Without his companion, Orangutan became a contract killer working for the Inner Ministry who sent him to slay Isshin Ashina, but during the course of the battle Orangutan gave in to his bloodlust and Isshin severed his left arm from his body. Defeated, Orangutan was rescued by Isshin and his personal friend, Dogen and was recruited to fight the Inner Ministry that had used him. Orangutan assisted Dogen on combing battlefields for survivors and on one such battlefield Orangutan found a lone orphaned girl searching the killing grounds for food. Orangutan fed her, and she followed him for a time before Dogen adopted her and trained her in the ways of medicine. Soon after, the Shinobi Prosthetic was perfected and Orangutan began fighting the ministry with Isshin in earnest. But as he trained with the tool and developed new ways to kill with it he began to feel the Shura bloodlust build within him again. He left Isshin's Service and moved to the dilapidated temple far outside the castle where he continues to carve the Buddha with the hopes that one day he can drive away the fires of hatred and carve a buddha with a kindly face like the one the Dogen carved for him.

From:
https://sekiroshadowsdietwice.wiki.fextralife.com/Sculptor
 

nightmare-slain

Gold Member
Firecracker prosthetic that you can buy from a merchant hidden atop a cliff early on in the game will help you greatly. I beat him on my 3rd attempt when I realized that simply guarding (don't focus on trying to parry it so much as simply blocking) is enough to negate most of it's damage. It can't really do anything too dangerous to you while you have your sword up.

This particular fight in the game was the moment I 'clicked' , realizing how quickly you can reduce posture when guarding and that pretty much you should never just be standing still without your guard up when you are in a tough fight.
i have the firecrackers. never thought to use them. didn't think this huge blazing bull would be bothered by some firecrackers. i'll give it a shot.

thanks for the tips.
 

Fuz

Banned
So, um
I'm at the end, already tried Genichiro but missing some optional bosses (I saw another friggin' Seven Spears). How do I go back to Ashina Outskirts? Also, Owl didn't appear yet as a boss. WHat's the trigger for it?
 
So, um
I'm at the end, already tried Genichiro but missing some optional bosses (I saw another friggin' Seven Spears). How do I go back to Ashina Outskirts? Also, Owl didn't appear yet as a boss. WHat's the trigger for it?
Owl 2 is tied to one of the additional endings, you're passed the point of no return for enabling him and 2 other mini bosses.

Ashina Outskirts you have to grapple onto a kite on one of the roofs of Ashina Castle. Go to the entrance idol, the one that you also reach after fightign the bull at the beginning of the game, then go to the rooftops to the left, in fact a dying guy should be to the left of the idol to tell you this.
 

Fuz

Banned
Owl 2 is tied to one of the additional endings, you're passed the point of no return for enabling him and 2 other mini bosses.

Ashina Outskirts you have to grapple onto a kite on one of the roofs of Ashina Castle. Go to the entrance idol, the one that you also reach after fightign the bull at the beginning of the game, then go to the rooftops to the left, in fact a dying guy should be to the left of the idol to tell you this.
Can you elaborate on the conditions for Owl to spawn?

Also, I've heard that guy calling me but wasn't able to find him.
 

Danjin44

The nicest person on this forum
Can you elaborate on the conditions for Owl to spawn?

Also, I've heard that guy calling me but wasn't able to find him.
After beating the first Owl you need to eavesdrop on Kuro, you can do that buy hugging wall some where near him but he wont see you. then eavesdrop on Isshin and then talk to Emma. After than go to old grave Idol she is standing bedside two graves there and talk to her and after go to Sculptor and eavesdrop on conversation between Emma and Sculptor and talk to Emma until she gives you bell that you use to go to Hirata Estate but this time with different enemies.
 
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#Phonepunk#

Banned
Shinobi Owl is crazy but i can see myself beating him. quite the epic fight up there with Genichiro.

i have killed
the headless guy in the water at Ashina Castle. that was a really cool boss fight, even if it was super easy! that thing underwater looked so eerie. i love the way the underwater play works out. really cool to find a treasure chest down there.
 

kevin_trinh

Member
The Sculptor was a Shinobi named Orangutan. Orangutan grew up an orphan in the forests with either a female sibling or another female orphan, Kingfisher. They trained among the tall trees of the forest where a single slip meant death until one day they stumbled upon the grove of the Guardian Ape. Kingfisher was killed by the beast, and Orangutan slew it, driving his odachi through the ape's neck. Without his companion, Orangutan became a contract killer working for the Inner Ministry who sent him to slay Isshin Ashina, but during the course of the battle Orangutan gave in to his bloodlust and Isshin severed his left arm from his body. Defeated, Orangutan was rescued by Isshin and his personal friend, Dogen and was recruited to fight the Inner Ministry that had used him. Orangutan assisted Dogen on combing battlefields for survivors and on one such battlefield Orangutan found a lone orphaned girl searching the killing grounds for food. Orangutan fed her, and she followed him for a time before Dogen adopted her and trained her in the ways of medicine. Soon after, the Shinobi Prosthetic was perfected and Orangutan began fighting the ministry with Isshin in earnest. But as he trained with the tool and developed new ways to kill with it he began to feel the Shura bloodlust build within him again. He left Isshin's Service and moved to the dilapidated temple far outside the castle where he continues to carve the Buddha with the hopes that one day he can drive away the fires of hatred and carve a buddha with a kindly face like the one the Dogen carved for him.

From:
https://sekiroshadowsdietwice.wiki.fextralife.com/Sculptor
still doesn't explain how the fk he turn into a demon
 

iorek21

Member
I think I don't like this game, maybe I'm just too used to the SoulsBorne style and haven't adapted yet, but I really think that Sekiro is a step down from what they did before.

Back in DS/BB, you had a lot of options to tackle challenges, change weapons, take of your armor to improve rolling, summons, etc.

But in Sekiro you got none of those, and to worsen things, it seems that some bosses/elite enemies require parrying and timing to break posture, it's kind of frustrating and limited, considering that we've had more freedom in the past.

As if this wasn't enough there seems to be an Elite Enemy at every corner, some of them you can't stealth to take away their first health bar( others are quite troublesome even with one).

At least for me, these excessive Elite Enemies spoil the fun, I feel that I'm progressing the game, but not getting really better at it; I defeat bosses, but it doesn't seem to be because of my skill, but rather because of some lucky moment (I feel like I can fight the same Elites that I already defeated and I wouldn't be able to easily kill them again).

I'm actually sad to think that this game ain't for me, but there it is...
 

Grinchy

Banned
I'm actually sad to think that this game ain't for me, but there it is...
hahaha I felt almost exactly the same at first. I posted about it a few times in here. I was just not feeling it at first. One of the worst parts for me was the game telling me to press the deflect button the moment an enemy attack lands. I had to ignore that and start pressing it way earlier. Then I got that timing and rhythm down and started liking the game way more.

But even outside of that, I just didn't know if I liked the posture-based combat. I have come around to like it quite a bit, though now that I'm in the very late-game phase and almost done, there are definitely times when I just don't quite feel like spending 30+ minutes dying over and over again to learn an enemy and attempt to execute their fight perfectly.
 

kevin_trinh

Member
There is old lady NPC you meet with the guy with mask and she says where do you think all hated of war goes to? Also says how she petty us and the Sculptor.
I’m talking about the lore’s logic. There is nothing like the Old blood in this game, somehow he still become a demon, it a plot hole
 

Danjin44

The nicest person on this forum
I’m talking about the lore’s logic. There is nothing like the Old blood in this game, somehow he still become a demon, it a plot hole
Do you remember the reason why Isshin had to cut off Sculpture’s arm? He was getting consumed by haterd and killing back when he was Shinobi and in Shura ending you see how MC also starting turning in to demon and you even see his arm was on fire just like Demon of hatred. If you are looking for scientific exploration why he turns in to demon, then you might not get it here. Sekiro’s story vey mythological, kind of like princess mononoke movie.

I'm actually sad to think that this game ain't for me, but there it is...
I was like that when first play the game but then the combat just clicked with me and I absolutely fell in love with it and currently Sekiro has my favourite combat system in FromSoftware game. I honestly I’m kind of got little addicted to it, I’m also finished my 3rd playthrough but I’m already thinking about to do 4th playthrough for the final ending.
 
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kevin_trinh

Member
I
Do you remember the reason why Isshin had to cut off Sculpture’s arm? He was getting consumed by haterd and killing back when he was Shinobi and in Shura ending you see how MC also starting turning in to demon and you even see his arm was on fire just like Demon of hatred. If you are looking for scientific exploration why he turns in to demon, then you might not get it here. Sekiro’s story vey mythological, kind of like princess mononoke movie.
its plot hole, unless they explain it in the next DLC
 
I’m talking about the lore’s logic. There is nothing like the Old blood in this game, somehow he still become a demon, it a plot hole
Actually the "Shura" is talked about a bunch in the game and what creates a "Shura". You become a demon in the bad ending, the "Shura" ending. Sculptor was also "Shura." The game compares Wolf and the Sculpture several times in dialogue from certain characters, and even in one of the endings, the normal, Wolf becomes the new Sculptor. Emma talks about how her blade isn't for killing but protection, then says except a demon and shrugs it off. If you eas drop on her and Sculptor at a certain time, they're talking about Emma killing him and Sculptor wants Wolf to do instead of forcing Emma to (I think, something along those lines, only listened to it once), and of course in the Shura ending Emma takes her blade against you.

Anyway, between lore, optional dialogue, and endings you learn about the Shura and the Flames of Hatred in the game to get an understanding on what's going on and what the Sculptor is and how he became that.
 

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
i killed the dragon and now im back at the tutorial boss fight. The Dragon didn't have a trophy. Which was weird. The monkies had a trophy
I'm wondering if this is it.

Sekiro is like the Ninja Scroll of video games. A classic that could possibly never be outdone. (Maybe with a sequel though. Those Ninja Scroll films after the original failed to be better)
 

JohannCK

Member
Firecracker prosthetic that you can buy from a merchant hidden atop a cliff early on in the game will help you greatly.
I have to say that the location of that guy is pretty daft, what with you having to find a specific grapple spot. I ended up getting the firecrackers from the guy after MY NAME IS and didn’t find that specific vendor until WAY later, when someone told me about him.
 

kevin_trinh

Member
Actually the "Shura" is talked about a bunch in the game and what creates a "Shura". You become a demon in the bad ending, the "Shura" ending. Sculptor was also "Shura." The game compares Wolf and the Sculpture several times in dialogue from certain characters, and even in one of the endings, the normal, Wolf becomes the new Sculptor. Emma talks about how her blade isn't for killing but protection, then says except a demon and shrugs it off. If you eas drop on her and Sculptor at a certain time, they're talking about Emma killing him and Sculptor wants Wolf to do instead of forcing Emma to (I think, something along those lines, only listened to it once), and of course in the Shura ending Emma takes her blade against you.

Anyway, between lore, optional dialogue, and endings you learn about the Shura and the Flames of Hatred in the game to get an understanding on what's going on and what the Sculptor is and how he became that.
U miss all the point, the only thing i want to know is HOW he turn into a demon. Being consume by hatred is not solid enough, there is no evidence in this game saying a man can turn into a demon by himself.
 
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Don Julio

Member
Shinobi Owl is crazy but i can see myself beating him. quite the epic fight up there with Genichiro.

i have killed
the headless guy in the water at Ashina Castle. that was a really cool boss fight, even if it was super easy! that thing underwater looked so eerie. i love the way the underwater play works out. really cool to find a treasure chest down there.
Once you learn their moves some of the bosses are really easy. I beat Owl on like my 4th try
 

JohannCK

Member
U miss all the point, the only thing i want to know is HOW he turn into a demon. Being consume by hatred is not solid enough, there is no evidence in this game saying a man can turn into a demon by himself.
In Japanese they call him a shura which is a pretty standard trope in this sort of setting (unfortunately the wikipedia article doesn’t have much for it in this context). In Japanese they just go “he’s a shura” and players go “oh okay sure”. I don’t think it’d be quite possible to translate that sort of thing to English. It’s just a thing.
 
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Danjin44

The nicest person on this forum
In Japanese they call him a shura which is a pretty standard trope in this sort of setting (unfortunately the wikipedia article doesn’t have much for it in this context). In Japanese they just go “he’s a shura” and players go “oh okay sure”. I don’t think it’d be quite possible to translate that sort of thing to English. It’s just a thing.
I defeated him again and when use memory to increase attack power, in discribtion says: it’s someone that failed to become Shura and instead of becoming vessel for flames it he became a demon.
 
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Danjin44

The nicest person on this forum
U miss all the point, the only thing i want to know is HOW he turn into a demon. Being consume by hatred is not solid enough, there is no evidence in this game saying a man can turn into a demon by himself.
Like I said before, if you are looking for scientific answer of how he became a that way you just not gonna get it. Might as well ask how can a giant snake exists in that world.
 
Heh, I was expecting to have an infuriating time trying to beat the Armored Warrior guy. Ended up killing him on my second try after breaking his posture for the third time and then him basically spelling out what I'm supposed to do lol
 
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kevin_trinh

Member
Like I said before, if you are looking for scientific answer of how he became a that way you just not gonna get it. Might as well ask how can a giant snake exists in that world.
You compare 2 different things. The Great Serpent is the God of the land, it existed by the lore, same as the Great One in BB. Compare to the Sculptor, which does not use any rejuvenating waters - the only way to become monster so far, become a demon is a false logic. Even the Shura thing is not explained cleary in the game. We do not know it just a name or you need to go through some ritual to become one.

Its a big plot hole here. And there is another one

The only way to hurt Kuro is the Mortal Blade, so how he give Wolf his blood in the 1st memory?
 
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Psychostar

Member
Are there 2 snakes in the game?

I dispatched 1 snake by using the kite to get to the area you can jump down and kill him , however if I return to the cave where I found the dried fruit, that snake is still very much alive
 
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Are there 2 snakes in the game?

I dispatched 1 snake by using the kite to get to the area you can jump down and kill him , however if I return to the cave where I found the dried fruit, that snake is still very much alive
Yes, the snake in the cave also doesn't have a damaged eye.
 

Psychostar

Member
Yes, the snake in the cave also doesn't have a damaged eye.
:p I don't suppose we can kill or harm this one too? I feel like I may have missed something with it during my playthrough as to get behind the snake for the dried fruit, I had taken damage and fortunately was not knocked off the platform, allowing me to charge forward.
Never quite figured out what the squirming monkey was for in that room but I am guessing now that it has something to do with the puppeteer skill? :)
 
:p I don't suppose we can kill or harm this one too? I feel like I may have missed something with it during my playthrough as to get behind the snake for the dried fruit, I had taken damage and fortunately was not knocked off the platform, allowing me to charge forward.
Never quite figured out what the squirming monkey was for in that room but I am guessing now that it has something to do with the puppeteer skill? :)
Yeah, you use the puppet on the monkey to distract the snake so you can pass.
 
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nightmare-slain

Gold Member
i beat the blazing bull! took about 4 tries though.

the next area is confusing. at the bridge where the woman is sitting i went left, defeated the big dude with the bell, and then through the creepy cave place until i used a lift up to sempou (?) temple. i'm not sure i wanted to go any further right now!

so i went back to where the woman was. i know there's a mini boss up the top of the stairs. i went right and was climbing the roofs but those dudes messed me up. i'll explore it all properly later.
 

Graciaus

Member
I tried 41 times to take down Guardian Ape last night...

I wasn't successful.... almost threw a controller..
Any of the non swordsman bosses I struggled with at first. If you really cant beat it there are plenty of strategies on YouTube that would help. Do you at least make it past the first phase?
 

#Phonepunk#

Banned
i beat the blazing bull! took about 4 tries though.

the next area is confusing. at the bridge where the woman is sitting i went left, defeated the big dude with the bell, and then through the creepy cave place until i used a lift up to sempou (?) temple. i'm not sure i wanted to go any further right now!

so i went back to where the woman was. i know there's a mini boss up the top of the stairs. i went right and was climbing the roofs but those dudes messed me up. i'll explore it all properly later.

The game opens up vastly after the bull. Exploring around the castle gate you can go to a bunch of places.
 

Mega Man

Member
Any of the non swordsman bosses I struggled with at first. If you really cant beat it there are plenty of strategies on YouTube that would help. Do you at least make it past the first phase?
Yeah the first phase isn't too bad... Second phase grabs a stick, shoves it up my backside, turns it slightly, then jiggles it around a bit for good measure. Then it proceeds to remove it slowly (STILL TURNED MIND YOU), only to leave it in half-way for the next go around...
 
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Skyr

Member
I tried 41 times to take down Guardian Ape last night...

I wasn't successful.... almost threw a controller..

I actually broke one of my DS4 controllers in half during that fight.

I beat him easy now tho. It all came down to learning the patterns for me.
 

Graciaus

Member
Yeah the first phase isn't too bad... Second phase grabs a stick, shoves it up my backside, turns it slightly, then jiggles it around a bit for good measure. Then it proceeds to remove it slowly (STILL TURNED MIND YOU), only to leave it in half-way for the next go around...
The 2nd phase is a lot easier imo.
Once you learn the scream attack pattern it's easy to avoid. The jump slash you just jump over. Parry a few of his sword swings then he will do an overhead downward slash. If you parry that he will be stunned. Either attack him or use your spear pull attack for big damage. If he does a bunch of quick spinning swings either parry or back up if you aren't confident. You can use a divine confetti for more damage.
 
I tried 41 times to take down Guardian Ape last night...

I wasn't successful.... almost threw a controller..

"almost"? I admire your restraint.

In addition to the $60 initial purchase, this game will likely cost me 3 controllers and a monitor replacement before it's all over. Plus maybe a few $10 copays for metatarsal fractures and some drywall repair in the living room. Gaming ain't cheap...
 

wzy

Member
Yeah the first phase isn't too bad... Second phase grabs a stick, shoves it up my backside, turns it slightly, then jiggles it around a bit for good measure. Then it proceeds to remove it slowly (STILL TURNED MIND YOU), only to leave it in half-way for the next go around...

There's a specific combination of prosthetics that will totally trivialize that fight. In order from least to most spoiler-y:
Shinobi Fireworks are extremely effective against all animals, including the Ape. Will stun him for a good while if you need to heal or use Pacifying Agents.
Loaded Umbrella (any version) will completely nullify his scream attack. It's also handy for parrying his weird, a-rhythmic attacks since it gives you a wider window.
Loaded Spear (thrust version) will rip out the centipede briefly, dealing massive posture damage. Use it after parrying his vertical collapsing sword attack.
 

#Phonepunk#

Banned
yo Great Shinobi Owl is tearing me up lol.

its such a great boss fight tho. all his attacks make sense, and by now i have died so many times that i can see, very soon after i make a mistake, what i have done wrong, and what i could have done right. some of his attacks even have long build ups that make it easy to dodge and hit back. it's just a matter of me getting it right on time.

any particular strats for his 2nd phase?
 

Danjin44

The nicest person on this forum
yo Great Shinobi Owl is tearing me up lol.

its such a great boss fight tho. all his attacks make sense, and by now i have died so many times that i can see, very soon after i make a mistake, what i have done wrong, and what i could have done right. some of his attacks even have long build ups that make it easy to dodge and hit back. it's just a matter of me getting it right on time.

any particular strats for his 2nd phase?
This basically 90% of my death in Sekiro. I sometimes do very stupid mistakes and read the moves wrong like jumping when a boss does thrust attack.
 
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#Phonepunk#

Banned
feeling sooo good right now. tonight i defeated the mini boss Masanaga The Spear-Bearer to earn a 4th bead to extend the health bar and i beat the Owl. at first i was using the Mortal Blade like i did in the previous fight, but it was eating all my Spirit Emblems. i realized it would just eat all of them and decided to try fighting without relying on that, to try dodging and blocking and seeing how long i could last with regular attacks jumps and dodges. soon i started learning the rhythms, the drum patterns of his hits, how his several attacks play out. after switching back to this style it only took me one more try before he was defeated. so glad he does not have a third phase hahah (he says as the Owl creeps back to life and kills him in one hit)
 
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