Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a game that keeps on giving. Even after a year since its release, From Software has recently added new content to the game that is free for all players. The 1.05 update included costumes for Sekiro to swap between, online elements such as player-made messages, and the new Gauntlet of Strength mode.
The Gauntlet of Strength is an endurance mode that pits players against a series of bosses back to back. Players that beat these Gauntlets can expect new skins and boss Memories. For those interested in the new mode, here are ten things players should know before heading into the Gauntlet of Strength in Sekiro. This article is spoiler-free unless otherwise stated.
10 How To Unlock Every Gauntlet
Some players have had a hard time unlocking each of Sekiro’s new Gauntlet runs. Thankfully, they are rather straightforward to unlock. Here are the requirements for unlocking each of the four Gauntlet runs:
- Divine Heir: Beat Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Any ending will unlock the Divine Heir Gauntlet.
- Shura: Complete the Shura ending of Sekiro.
- Severance: Complete any non-Shura ending in a Sekiro playthrough. Immortal Severence, Purification, and the Return endings all count.
- Mortal Journey: Complete the Divine Heir, Shura, and Severance Gauntlets of Strength.
Note that the Mortal Journey Gauntlet will require the player to beat the game at least twice since players must complete a Shura and non-Shura playthrough to unlock the three prerequisite Gauntlets. Every Gauntlet has rewards for completing them excluding Mortal Journey.
9 Master Deflections
Aggression is the cornerstone of Sekiro’s combat rhythm. Those that have not mastered the game’s combat will need to hone their skills if they wish to complete a Gauntlet. Dying during a Gauntlet run will set players back to the very beginning.
Because of this, mastering deflection windows is paramount to surviving the game’s harder Gauntlets. Practicing is the best way to improve on this front, but players can quickly become aware of deflection windows by completing a Sekiro playthrough without Kuro’s Charm, resulting in every attack dealing chip damage through blocks.
8 Practice Using Reflections Of Strength
Alternatively, players can choose to fight bosses as many times as they please with the new Reflections of Strength introduced in update 1.05. Reflections let players fight their respective boss as many times as the player desires. Utilize these Reflections to memorize enemy moveset or experiment with new strategies. Players will obtain Reflections from any boss they have fought, even if they have not beat them. This is especially handy for newer players or those that have yet to beat the Gauntlet’s new Inner boss variants.
7 Players Refill Resources After Every Boss Kill
Gauntlet runs don’t immediately teleport players to the next arena once players slay a boss, unlike many boss rush mods that have this behavior. Players can rest at a Sculptor’s Idol and configure their character before venturing forth.
In other words, players get to refill their Healing Gourds and Spirit Emblems after every kill. Unlock skills that enhance Spirit Emblem carrying capacity to use Prosthetics more frequently during a fight, and make sure to obtain every Gourd Seed before attempting a Gauntlet. Players are going to need all the healing they can get for some of these Gauntlets.
6 Consumables Are Refunded When A Run Ends
Consumables are already valuable in Sekiro due to their potency. Gauntlet runs take this to another level. Not only are items such as the Ceremonial Tanto and sugars invaluable for combat, but they also get refunded when the run ends. If the player has a small number of Sprit Emblems or sugars, use them anyway! They’ll come back after the run ends regardless of success or failure.
5 Remove Kuro’s Charm Debuff
Many players are going to attempt Gauntlet runs on saves that have completed every ending. Since players will be on a rather far playthrough number, chances are they don’t have Kuro’s Charm in their inventory. Due to how tough these Gauntlet runs can get, players should consider obtaining Kuro’s Charm before attempting these runs for the first time.
For those unaware, completing the game and starting a new playthrough will give players the option of removing Kuro’s Charm from their inventory. While players don’t have the item, blocks only block a percentage of damage instead of 100%, meaning imperfect deflections and blocking itself will get the player killed. This debuff carries over to Gauntlet runs.
4 Jizo Statues Are Invaluable
Before attempting the harder Gauntlets, obtain as many Jizo Statues as possible. These items will grant the player a free node of Resurrection Power when consumed. Since Gauntlet runs refund any used consumables at the end of the run, now is the perfect time to farm and use them.
3 Start With The Divine Heir Gauntlet
Spoilers for the Divine Heir Gauntlet are in this section.
While all four Gauntlets are a massive test of player skill, some are much easier than others. Those looking to start their climb towards killing every boss should start with the Divine Heir Gauntlet. This is a rather short Gauntlet that consists of three early-game bosses.
While that sounds easy, in practice this Gauntlet is rather tough. Players will need to master spacing to beat Oniwa, Prosthetics and aggression to beat Lady Butterfly, and will neat to break old habits if they want to beat tougher augmented Inner Genichiro.
2 Be Wary Of New Attacks
Without spoiling the new bosses themselves, some Gauntlets have an augmented version of some bosses that have the “Inner” prefix to their name. This isn’t a simple health and damage increase; these boss variants have entirely new attacks that can change the overall flow of the fight. Whenever an Inner boss is next, take a breather and be ready to tango against a few new attacks. Other than that, these bosses are functionally the same as their normal counterparts.
1 Exploit Enemy Weaknesses
Most of Sekiro’s bosses have an Achilles heel the player can exploit. These weaknesses carry over to the Gauntlet as well, so take note of what certain enemies are most vulnerable to.
As for more specifics, Lady Butterfly will stop any midair combo if struck by a single Shuriken. Genichiro has a rather low posture gauge that can easily be filled if the player stays aggressive. Guardian Ape’s second phase can be made much easier with the Loaded Spear Prosthetic, ripping the centipede from its neck and dealing massive posture damage. Every Demon of Hatred attack can be parried, and the boss is much easier to counter if players use the Loaded Umbrella Prosthetic.
These are just a few examples of the weaknesses every boss has. Use the Reflections of Strength to experiment with each fight and uncover what a particular boss is weak to.
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