Loaded Spear & Upgrades
The Loaded Spear is a versatile Prosthetic Tool in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice that offers a unique blend of reach, damage, and utility, making it a valuable asset for players looking to diversify their combat options. This tool allows You to perform a thrusting attack with their prosthetic arm, capable of dealing significant damage and staggering opponents. Its extended reach is particularly useful for engaging enemies at a safer distance or for punishing foes who are recovering from an attack. The Loaded Spear can also be used to pull enemies closer, a mechanic that can be exploited to control the battlefield or to interrupt enemy actions. Its effectiveness is amplified through various upgrades, which unlock new attack patterns and enhance its core properties, making it a formidable weapon against a wide range of enemies encountered throughout the game, from the Ashina Depths to the Serpent Shrine.
Upgrading the Loaded Spear requires specific crafting materials such as Iron Chunks and Gunpowder, which can be obtained through exploration and defeating enemies. The upgrade tree for the Loaded Spear offers several distinct paths, each providing significant advantages. One notable upgrade path enhances the spear's thrusting attack, increasing its damage and posture damage output, making it more effective at breaking enemy guards. Another crucial upgrade path introduces the ability to perform a sweeping attack with the spear, allowing for crowd control and the ability to hit multiple enemies simultaneously. Furthermore, some upgrades imbue the Loaded Spear with a "pull" mechanic, allowing You to yank enemies towards them, interrupting their attacks or setting them up for follow-up combos. This pull ability is especially useful against larger enemies or those who tend to keep their distance, allowing You to maintain offensive pressure.
The strategic deployment of the Loaded Spear, especially when upgraded, can drastically alter the dynamics of combat. For instance, using the spear's reach to interrupt an enemy's charge attack from afar, or using the pull mechanic to bring a ranged attacker into melee range, can provide significant advantages. The sweeping attack upgrade is invaluable for dealing with groups of enemies, allowing You to manage multiple threats effectively. Players who invest in the Loaded Spear and its upgrades will find it to be a highly adaptable tool that can be used for initiating combat, controlling enemy positioning, and dealing substantial damage. Its versatility makes it a valuable asset throughout the game, from the early encounters in the Ashina Outskirts to the more challenging boss fights in the later stages of the game, such as those found in the Senpou Temple, Mt. Kongo.