Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is 2019’s Game Of The Year for numerous reasons, including its combat. Fast, fluid, and dynamic, Sekiro’s combat requires skill and strategy to overcome many of the game’s bosses and enemies. One of the key elements of the game is the Combat Arts system, which lets you perform powerful and unique moves to take down your enemies. From quick and agile attacks to powerful overhead strikes, each Combat Art has its own strengths and weaknesses that you must learn to use effectively.
Sekiro’s Combat Arts are divided into different Skill Trees, and each Combat Art is designed to be effective in different scenarios. Whether you’re a seasoned player looking to master new moves or a newcomer trying to overcome a skill check, these Combat Arts will surely make your journey around Ashina more bearable and easier.
10 Ashina Cross
Ashina Cross is a Combat Art that allows you to charge forward and unleash a powerful slash attack that deals high damage to enemies. It’s a useful move for closing the distance and catching enemies off guard, but it also leaves you vulnerable to counterattacks if you miss or don’t manage to stagger your target.
This Combat Art costs 2 Spirit Emblems and is better used right after dodging an attack as it deals decent Posture damage. The Ashina Cross is optimal against enemies that are already staggered or have low Posture, and it can be effective in finishing off weakened opponents.
9 Dragon Flash
This Combat Art unleashes powerful shockwaves and deals massive damage to enemies in front of you. Incredibly devastating, Dragon Flash is best used against enemies that are standing still or are in the middle of an attack animation. Try to avoid using this Combat Art against fast-moving targets, as the long wind up may cause you to miss and become open for counter-attacks.
Dragon Flash requires Spirit Emblems to use, so it’s not a move you’ll want to rely on too heavily unless you have a good supply of Emblems. You can unlock Dragon Flash after defeating the final boss, Sword Saint Isshin.
8 Floating Passage
Floating Passage is a flurry of sword strikes that deals high damage and can quickly break an enemy’s Posture. It is fast and flashy, and it forces your enemies to be on the defensive while you dish out multiple sword strikes. Floating Passage deals some chip damage even when blocked, so it is best used against enemies with low Posture or who are already staggered. On the surface, it looks like it is a spammable Combat Art, but it can be interrupted by enemies if you are not careful.
You can unlock this Combat Art by purchasing the Floating Passage Text from Pot Noble Harunaga in Hirata Estate.
7 Senpou Leaping Kicks
Senpou Leaping Kicks is a series of acrobatic kicks that deal Posture damage, while also allowing you to maneuver and avoid incoming attacks. You must spend 3 Skill Points to unlock this skill, which can be found under the Temple Arts Skill Tree.
Senpou Leaping Kicks work best against enemies who have a high Posture since it can quickly fill up their Posture meter, allowing you to deal a Deathblow attack. This Combat Art can also be used to jump over enemies, making it useful for escaping tricky combat situations.
6 Nightjar Slash
Nightjar Slash is one of the moves used against you by the Nightjar Ninjas. This Combat Move is agile and quick, allowing you to shorten the distance between you and the enemy. Be mindful when fighting Nightjar Ninjas, as they can also do this and close the gap between you. Depending on your situation, you can use this Combat Art to put more pressure on your enemy, or you can use its Reversal version to quickly dart away from incoming attacks.
It’s best used against enemies with low Posture or who are staggered, as it can quickly finish off weakened opponents. Enemies with low Posture gets easily punished by Nightjar Slash, allowing you to deal a quick Deathblow attack if timed perfectly.
5 Whirlwind Slash
One of the earliest Combat Art you’ll use, Whirlwind Slash only requires 1 Skill Point to unlock. A spinning attack that damages enemies around the area, Whirlwind Slash deals out almost the same attack damage as a thrust attack from Kusabimaru. It has a considerably weak attack, but it is extremely effective for crowd control.
While Whirlwind Slash provides you enough space for no emblem cost, be careful when using this too much, as it may open you up for attacks and leave you vulnerable.
4 High Monk
High Monk is a fantastic upgrade to the already deadly Senpou Leaping Kicks. Instead of just simply jumping over sweep attacks, use High Monk to deal an immense amount of Posture damage. What’s more amazing with this Combat Art is you can use it to transition into Lightning Reversal and deal massive damage while your enemy is stunned.
It is also a great way to dodge incoming attacks and reposition yourself in a fight. Just be careful when using this to dodge; its long animation may land you in a deadly spot where you don’t want to be in.
3 Mortal Draw
Mortal Draw has one of the best lore of all the Combat Arts, with Sekiro being blessed with immortality by Kuro. Hence, he is one of the few who can wield the Mortal Blade, and Mortal Draw lets you do just that. It has the highest raw damage out of all the Combat Arts, and its Empowered Mortal Draw upgrade extends its range, allowing you to somehow use this Combat Art for crowd control.
While it requires 3 Spirit Emblems to use, it can quickly deal a lot of damage to almost every enemy and can easily fill up their Posture meter. While it has a strong damage output, Mortal Draw is blockable, but it still provides chip damage when blocked, so you have to be precise when using this Combat Art.
2 Shadowfall
Unlockable under the Mushin Arts Skill Tree, Shadowfall requires 6 Skill Points and 2 Spirit Emblems to use. Its powerful thrust attack is unblockable, and it allows you to perform a jump where you can either add more slashes to the combo or use a Prosthetic Art for follow-up damage.
It can be considered the opposite of High Monk, as Shadowfall deals more Vitality damage than Posture damage. If you prefer to deal more damage directly to Vitality, Shadowfall is definitely worth spending Spirit Emblems on.
1 Ichimonji: Double
Posture is one of the most amazing combat mechanics added by FromSoftware in Sekiro, and Ichimonji demonstrates how quickly you can defeat opponents if you master the Posture mechanic. Ichimonji: Double may be difficult to execute in the beginning of the game, but as you get better at the game’s overall mechanics, this Combat Art will definitely make things easier. It allows you to deal enormous amounts of Posture damage while recovering your Posture as well, making it extremely useful in long fights, such as mini-boss battles and boss fights.
Ichimonji: Double can be obtained fairly early in the game and does not fall off during the late-game, making it a fantastic choice for multiple playthroughs. While it requires some skill and timing to use effectively, Ichimonji: Double can be a game-changing move that can make even the toughest battles much easier.
