Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Bosses Ranked — Easiest to Hardest | Beginners Edition

16 min readMar 19, 2021

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a difficult game, but not as difficult as it is perceived in the zeitgeist, or general public perception. It’s comparison to the Dark Souls series is also a misperception.

1. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Bosses Ranked from Easiest to Hardest | Beginners Edition

What you’re here for!

2. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Game Mechanics and Analysis

Some quick context on how the game plays, as well as my approach.

* SPOILERS AHEAD! *

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Bosses Ranked from Easiest to Hardest | Beginners Edition

Mist Noble — Navigation Puzzle

This is a navigation puzzle boss. Sure it dies quick, but getting to it requires navigating through thick fog, platforming, encountering a Headless, Tokujiro the Glutton, and navigating out and BACK into the arena.

Great Serpent — In Game Event

More of an environmental hazard than a boss, Great Serpent is a a bunch of interactive quicktime events. Moves you forward in the right direction.

Okami Leader Shizu — Navigation Puzzle

When first encountered, you don’t know what is killing you. You try swimming in the lake, and you’re zapped with lightning every time — doesn’t matter how deep into the water you go.

You have to navigate all around the lake to this guy before you take out this environmental hazard, so you can finally go for a swim.

Leader Shigenori Yamauchi — Skill Check Mini Boss

The first easy enemy with 2 health bars you encounter. This is where you learn the 3 combat mechanics of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice: Deflections, trading Counter Attacks, and Relentlessness.

You can brute force through him by spamming attacks — that’s why he’s so easy — but it’s the first of many learning opportunities.

General Naomori Kawarada — Mini Boss

Your first samurai with 2 health bars. The face-stomp jump counter is your friend. Again, the 3 combat mechanics of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice: Deflections, trading Counter Attacks, and Relentlessness.

General Tenzen Yamauchi — Mini Boss

Your first samurai enemy with GOONS. The lesson here is to take out the goons first, because you can’t fight 7 melee and range enemies at once. Suss out the environment, and ninja sneak attack the weak but annoying enemies first to thin out the opposition.

Then you make your move.

Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen — Skill Check Mini Boss

Not only tests your skill with the Mikiri Counter, but ensures you know how to to use the upgrade trees. Again, suss out the arena, sneak like a ninja, thin out the crowd.

General Kuranosuke Matsumoto — Mini Boss

This samurai is surrounded by range shooters. So what to do?

Take your time: take to the roofs and eliminate the range shooters first. When he’s alone, reset the aggro to take out the 1st health bar. Encountering difficulty? No penalty — the save point is right outside.

And face stomp jump counter is again your friend.

Divine Dragon — Environmental Puzzle

The most atmospheric fight in the game! Uses mechanics found nowhere else in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. There’s Phase 1 with the coughing little dragons that for some reason are wiped out with one tree assassination move, don’t know why. Then Phase 2 forces you to fight at range, and the trick is to grapple to the tree with the… lightning? Counterintuitive. But you don’t die, instead it sends you into the sky so you can throw the lightning like Zeus?

And then it gets weirder — because you can’t clash swords with the dragon AT ALL —you just keep getting blown away and dodge the wind attacks for like a minute, then you just wait for it to stop trying to hit you, and more lightning trees spawn.

Armored Warrior — Environmental Puzzle

You’ll notice as the fight goes on that nothing phases this guy: his health doesn’t decrease! And every time you fill the posture bar — which is easy to fill, because you’re a deflection beast by now — all you do is kick bounce him in the face.

You notice the walls are being ripped apart around you and the puzzle is very satisfying to solve.

I don’t know why he screams “Robeeeeert!” as he falls.

Folding Screen Monkeys — Environmental Puzzle

Phenomenal puzzle boss! I spent a good hour in this arena and was very impressed by the mechanics of this fight. I also acknowledge I’m in the minority for this.

I like how each monkey has a puzzle based on it’s sensory abilities, which was quite clever. Still not sure how to herd them to their environmental hazard, but still fun. Not fun was the ghost monkeys that follow you, but I guess you need some kind of time limit mechanic.

The 4th monkey was most interesting.

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil. 3 monkeys.

There’s always been just 3 monkeys! Imagine my surprise when I discovered there’s a 4th INVISIBLE MONKEY?! What?! Your 1st clue at the 4th monkey is when you kill one of the other monkeys, and only 1/4 health bar goes down. Hmm… Your 2nd clue is the random 4th blank screen at the beginning of the arena.

Your 3rd and final clue is environmental when you go through the water fall, and books, you see the steps following you. Aha! It’s the rare eureka moment in a From Software title.

Subsequent NG+ runs are easy as you rip them all apart within minutes.

Great Coloured Carp — In Game Event

I had to consult the Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice wiki to get to this location. I kept trying to get here from the lake and Shicimen Warrior arena… I didn’t know there’s a secret grappling point above the entrance building rooftop.

And finding the Great Coloured Carp body at the Guardian Ape arena? How? Did it jump UP and OUT of the lake as it was dying from gastro into the… real world? What?

Long Arm Centipede Giraffe — Skill Check Mini Boss

My favourite skill check boss! This is where you learn you can spam deflect with taps, and it mixes things up with a face stomp jump counter.

Very satisfying fight!

Long Arm Centipede Sen-Un — Mini Boss

Similar to Long Arm Centipede Giraffe, but with goons who throw fire. Simply take out the goons in the roof beams, and practice your deflection.

Shichimen Warrior — Special Item Event

These are an end-game mini boss. It’s located where you can encounter it early on in the game, but it’s next to impossible to defeat and will force you to go Nope!

The fight itself isn’t mechanically difficult — it just requires rare/late game items called Divine Confetti (attack) and Pacifying Agent (defense), patiently waiting for you to come back to it later.

Tokujiro the Glutton — Mini Boss

Encountered in the fog, at this stage of the game you already know what’s up — take out the goons (monkeys in this instance) — reduce aggro, take out the first health bar, match deflection, counter attack, and relentless aggression.

Shigekichi of the Red Guard — Mini Boss

The highest form of this boss type — take out the goons — reduce aggro, take out the first health bar, match deflection, counter attack, and relentless aggression.

Technically can be stripped of armor with the spear prosthetic (Aside: How? That’s not how spears work), but I never know what the armor does.

Sakura Bull of the Palace — Mini Boss

Fun part 2 version of the Raging Bull fight. Forces you to be aggressive in your attacks.

Lone Shadow Vilehand — Skill Check Mini Boss

The skill check here isn’t to fight 2 Lone Shadows. The skill check is to use Puppet Ninjutsu so the other Lone Shadow helps you in the fight.

Lone Shadow Longswordsman — Mini Boss

You first Lone Shadow encounter, and the first time you take advantage of the environment to remove a health bar. The dialogue options are confusing that they’re there but no matter — you’ll learn perilous thrust attacks come in the form of a swift kick to the face too.

Lone Shadow Masanaga the Spear-Bearer — Mini Boss

Only slightly more difficult than the other Lone Shadow fights because he summons dogs from OUT OF THE FIRE!!

Snake Eyes Shirahagi — Mini Boss

I suggest you fight this boss AFTER Guardian Ape. The arena and enemy placement changes to show that rampage that took place!

You can either take out the goons, then reduce aggro etc. OR you can sneak up on Snake Eyes Shirahagi for that 1st health bar, and fight her in the little blocked off corridor.

Forces you to fight with a ranged weapon opponent with punishing grabs.

Snake Eyes Shirafuji — Mini Boss

Like her counterpart, Snake Eyes Shirafuji is fought in a small arena, and you have to watch out for the range weapon and a punishing grab attack. The arena is pretty tense too as other snipers take pot shots at you.

Difficult and frustrating for beginners for sure.

Headless — Special Item Event

Yet another optional end game mini boss. Higher up in the list than Shicimen Warrior because of 2 reasons:

The underwater variant is annoying, and fighting underwater sucks
The disappear and sneak up behind you to pull the anal-soul bead out of your butthole move…

To summarise: no matter how badass you are, you’re powerless against it. It anal rapes you, and you can’t fight back. It literally terrifies you to death.

Seven Ashina Spears — Shikibu Toshikatsu Yamauchi — Mini Boss

My first boss I used to practice the fighting mechanics with! Practice face stomp jump dodge for the sweeps, practice Mikiri Counter for the thrusts, practice deflects until the opening is presented.

Frustrating in beginning, but great fun!

Ashina Elite — Jinsuke Saze — Skill Check Mini Boss

One of my favourite skill check bosses — you can only pass if you have your deflections downpat. Get that right and you’re prepared for the rest fo the game: sword glint, deflect! Sword glint, deflect! Sword glint, deflect! Boom, 1st health bar!

Actually, that’s not quite true — some players step dodge instead, which is a bit of a missed opportunity.

Ashina Elite — Ujinari Mizuo — Mini Boss

The counterpart fight but on steroids! And he is so desperate to save his people too, poor guy what an awesome fight.

Genichiro Ashina

The true first gate keeper to the 2nd Act of the game, and a wonderful fight.

You have to read the tells — the glint of the sword, the posture position before a sweep, the jump into the triple arrows. You have to learn all the moves.

And again, the 3 combat principles in this game:

Deflect, and Dodge Perilous Attacks
Counter Attack
Relentlessness

Guardian Ape

The most intimidating fight of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but also the most misrepresented. Again, the 3 principles the game is teaching you how to play:

Deflect, and Dodge Perilous Attacks
Counter Attack
Relentlessness

All the moves are telegraphed and easy to manage. The shit throwing and farts are hilarious, and do nothing. Be relentless! Be ruthless! Chase after the Guardian Ape! It runs away scared of you!

The 2nd phase is even simpler: deflect until it does the big overhead slam — so get in free hits. It sweeps? Jump over it for more free hits. The terror roar is easy to dodge — even go behind it, the range is smaller.

Headless Ape

Phase 1 is like Phase 2 of Guardian Ape — it’s easy. You’ve got this.

The 2nd Phase brings it’s girlfriend along — that’s cool, she’s afraid of firecrackers. No firecrackers? Take her out first — plenty of room in the arena.

Corrupted Monk

A sample of what’s to come with the True Corrupted Monk.

Some of the moves can catch you off guard, and deflect is your friend. Some of the moves have a bigger hit box than what you see, so heads up for that.

True Corrupted Monk

This is probably the prettiest fight in the game. I can also be the most frustrating, if you get caught up in a stagger state.

Still, I love dance fights. Like Dancer of the Boreal Valley, I just love the flowing movements and different rhythms and beats! Again, deflect is your friend. Be good at it!

2nd Phase is easy — when the fog rolls in, jump up into the trees for an assassination opportunity.

3rd Phase is the same as the first, but with Terror status in bug vomit.

Gyoubu Masataka Oniwa — Gatekeeper Boss

There’s no clever way to fight this boss. Simply whack him 2–3 times when you can, and don’t get greedy. Deflect purposefully, and when he sags that’s he’s stagger and is open for punishment. Again, relentless is your friend.

Remember, there’s only one Aha! Eureka! moment in this game, and that’s with the Folding Screen Monkeys.

Seven Ashina Spears — Shume Masaji Oniwa — Mini Boss

Difficult because he has a samurai friend with him — but only if you approach this normally. You can either go for a sneak attack when you eat sneaky candy, or a Puppet Ninja Move on the fallen rifleman, or samurai.

Blazing Bull — Skill Check Mini Boss

Difficult for beginners only because — and I can’t stress this enough — there’s no clever Aha! Eureka! moment in this fight. There’s no method or technique — just relentlessly chasing it to turn it into steak.

The environment does nothing — the towers, the ledge you can stand on, all of it distracts you from what you have to do: whack it. And of course, deflect its headbutts. That’s it.

Juzou the Drunkard — Skill Check Mini Boss

Difficult for beginners only because — and I can’t stress this enough — there’s no clever Aha! Eureka! moment in this fight. You can’t sneak up on him from the walkway path. Direct confrontation will get you killed. Direct confrontation will also get your optional NPC killed.

The strategy is to take out the goons, reset aggro, take out the 1st health bar, get your NPC friend to help.

Chained Ogre — Skill Check Mini Boss

This is the most difficult fight in the game for most players. Legit serious. I wrote a whole article on Chained Ogre — statistically, it kills 1 in 3 players enthusiasm to experience the rest of the game. It’s that difficult!

I always get comments like: “Uh duh Jak this was super easy for me.”

No. You lack understanding of Survivorship Bias and Attribution Bias.

Lady Butterfly

A very tricky fight for beginners, but one that emphasises the 3 combat mechanics:

Deflect, and Dodge Perilous Attacks
Counter Attack
Relentlessness

Shurikens are also your friend, when she’s up in the air.

Great Shinobi Owl

One of the sneakiest fights in the game, considering you’re fighting the guy who trained you. Very few openings are available — you’ll have to be very patient to get in whacks where you can.

Endurance fight, and a battle of attrition.

Isshin Ashina

One of the best fights in the game, hands down! Will take you a while to learn his moves, but once you do it’s a hell of a fight!

Oh yeah and bonus you fight Emma as Phase 1 —she will effortlessly kick your ass and flip you onto your back. Hint: diagonal forward step dodging into double head bonks is your friend.

Owl (Father)

In my opinion the most hectic fight in the game! The moves are punishing and varying, and you have to pull out all the stops for this fight. You gotta bring everything you learnt into this fight.

Some of his moves are tricky — and combos change halfway depending on how you reacted.

Also, you know how he punishes you when you thrust with an epic Mikiri Counter? Why is our own Mikiri Counter just a small stomp and is so lame? I felt like that would’ve been as awesome upgrade to Mikiri Counter!

Isshin, The Sword Saint

This is it! The big one! Everything you learnt, everything you worked for — culminates in this final fight.

4 phases and health bars makes this a MONSTER endurance fight! Lot’s of moves to learn and counter.

You think it’s a big fight — and it is — but it’s a fight you don’t do in one session. Don’t stay up all night for it. Sleep on it. Don’t rush the process. Learn the moves for Genichiro — Way of Tomoe. Then Isshin — Sword Only. Getting frustrated? Turn the game off!

Revisit it another day. When he shoots you with a pistol, and swings lightning at you, it’s fun as hell! What are you rage throwing your controller for?

Demon of Hatred

Crazy people legit complain about this optional boss — because up until this point in the game, you’re always deflecting. And now you have to dodge roll instead, Dark Souls style?! The nerve of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice!

Me? I think of Demon of Hatred as an Easter Egg for fans of the previous games!

3 massive health bars, AoE fire attacks, it’s an endurance fight for sure. Painful, and annoying. Right up there with Darkeater Midir from Dark Souls 3. Not particularly fun for me.

Watch Demon of Hatred’s crotch jiggle every time you whack it. Funny! For the first 5 minutes…

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Game Mechanics and Analysis

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a difficult game, but not really. I’ve already unpacked that in this article here, go check it out.

Difficulty in Video Games

The frustration and difficulty actually comes from a single conflicting ideology: What the game expects you to do, versus how you expect the game to play.

A lot of players come into Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice expecting a Dark Souls or Bloodborne game. Dodging and rolling and stuff. Yet it’s neither of those games, even if they’re from the same game developer.

It’s closer in gameplay to God of War (2018), Horizon Zero Dawn and Middle Earth: Shadow of War. In other words it’s not an RPG — it’s an Action Adventure.

For example: there’s platforming, focused weapon use, de-emphasis on character attributes, loading screens hidden in traversal, etc.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Combat Analysis

Here’s how the combat is supposed to be played out in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice:

Attack the enemy until they deflect — it looks like bright orange sparks. Deflect their counter attack, and continue attacking.
If there is a perilous attack: Mikiri Counter, Jump Foot Stomp or Step Dodge.
Attack without hesitation — only step back when you need to heal.

That’s all there is to it.

The gameplay is about the unrelenting clashing swords — that’s why there’s no stamina stat. Occasionally mix it up with prosthetic tools for funsies.

If you understand this is how the game is Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is easy and fun.

Still, many players don’t quite grasp the intent of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

For example, many players complain that they can’t play the game how THEY want to play the game i.e. as a spell caster, the way they would with Dark Souls. Why? You don’t complain you can’t play as a spell caster in God of War (2018).

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is Not as Clever as You Think it is

From Software games don’t emphasise player “Aha! Eureka!” moments. For Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice this only occurs in one puzzle: The Folding Screen Monkeys. There are no such moments in Bloodborne, and in Dark Souls 3 it’s with the plunge on Ancient Wyvern (even then, you get a ton of clues on the ground for it).

Fans of From Software games enjoy their apophenia. They enjoy lore and theories and finding patterns where they are none. It’s pretty fun!

But it’s apophenia nonetheless.

Conclusion

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a fun game. I’d recommend playing it. It’s like a modern Ninja Gaiden Black, with a touch of Tenchu.

And I’m okay with that!

But I don’t think it’ll occupy the same place in pop culture that Dark Souls did. I think it’ll be forgotten to video game history.