All Bosses: No R1 Attacks!
The 'All Bosses: No R1 Attacks!' challenge in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is an extreme test of skill, pushing players to master every facet of combat without relying on the most basic attack. This self-imposed restriction forces a deep understanding of deflection, posture breaking, prosthetic tools, and combat arts.
Successfully completing this challenge requires a complete paradigm shift in how one approaches combat. Instead of chipping away at enemy Vitality with standard attacks, the focus shifts entirely to breaking an opponent's Posture through perfect deflections and strategic use of other mechanics. This means every encounter becomes a meticulously choreographed dance of parries and dodges.
Key strategies for the 'No R1 Attacks!' challenge:
- Masterful Deflection: Perfect deflection is no longer just a tool for opening up enemies; it is the primary means of dealing with all attacks. Learning the precise timing for every enemy is paramount.
- Posture Break Focus: The goal is to fill the enemy's Posture gauge as quickly as possible. This involves sustained, perfectly timed deflections and exploiting any openings with non-R1 attacks.
- Strategic Prosthetic Tool Usage: Prosthetic Tools become indispensable. The Firecrackers can stun bosses for critical posture damage, the Loaded Axe can break guards, and the Shuriken can interrupt certain attacks.
- Combat Art Specialization: Combat Arts that deal high posture damage or offer quick bursts of offense are essential. Arts like Ichimonji or Ichimonji: Double are excellent for this purpose.
- Mikiri Counter Mastery: Perilous thrust attacks must be countered with the Mikiri Counter, which deals significant posture damage.
- Jump Kick for Sweeps: Perilous sweep attacks must be avoided by jumping and then kicking off the enemy's head, dealing posture damage.
- Patience and Observation: This challenge demands extreme patience. Rushing will lead to mistakes and likely death. Careful observation of enemy patterns is crucial.
Bosses that are particularly challenging under this restriction include those with rapid attack chains, unpredictable patterns, or those that rely heavily on Vitality damage. Each boss must be approached as a unique puzzle, requiring a tailored strategy that maximizes posture damage without using the basic R1 attack.