Skill Points are the primary currency for character progression in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, earned by accumulating experience. These points are spent at Sculptor's Idols to unlock new Skills and Combat Arts, significantly enhancing Sekiro's combat capabilities and allowing for a customized playstyle.
Earning Skill Points
Skill Points are awarded as Sekiro gains experience (XP). XP is primarily obtained by defeating enemies and bosses. The amount of XP varies depending on the enemy's strength and the player's current progress. Resting at a Sculptor's Idol allows Sekiro to access the Skill Tree and spend his accumulated Skill Points.
The Skill Tree and Its Branches
Sekiro's skills are divided into several trees, each offering unique abilities:
- Shinobi Arts: Focuses on core combat techniques, improving Sekiro's offensive prowess with new attack strings and evasive maneuvers.
- Ashina Arts: Emphasizes defensive capabilities, including enhanced deflection, posture recovery, and counter-attacks.
- Temple Arts: Provides skills related to mobility, stealth, and utility, such as improved grappling hook usage or enhanced stealth takedowns.
- Prosthetic Arts: These skills are unlocked through the frequent use of specific Prosthetic Tools, enhancing their effectiveness or reducing their Spirit Emblem cost.
Unlocking Skills
To unlock a skill, Sekiro must possess the required number of Skill Points and have unlocked the preceding skill in its respective tree. Some advanced skills may also require specific items or progression milestones.
Combat Arts
Combat Arts are powerful special moves that consume Spirit Emblems to perform. You can equip one Combat Art at a time at a Sculptor's Idol. These arts offer devastating attacks or unique tactical advantages, such as the Ichimonji for posture damage or the Whirlwind Slash for crowd control.
Experience and Progression
The loop of fighting, earning XP, and spending Skill Points is central to Sekiro's character development. Strategically choosing which skills to unlock can significantly alter your approach to combat, allowing you to tailor Sekiro's abilities to your preferred playstyle and overcome the game's increasingly difficult challenges.