Resurrection in Sekiro is a big part of the game. Unlike Dark Souls, when you die in Sekiro, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the end. Knowing when to revive in Sekiro is an important strategy, and using this ability has its upsides and penalties you have to consider.
When should I resurrect in Sekiro Shadows Die Twice?
After the incident at Ashina, Sekiro finds he has gained “Resurrective Power” from the Divine Heir’s blood. This gives him the ability to revive himself a limited number of times after falling in combat. By using a Resurrection Charge after dying, you can bring Sekiro back to life at half health to once again enter the fray.
You get one Resurrection Charge each time you rest at a Sculptor’s Idol. Additionally, you can build up a second one by killing enemies and performing deathblows. This means at the start of the game you can resurrect a maximum of twice before you have to face death.
Most of the time, you’re going to want to resurrect given the option. Dying will take half of your money and have of the Skill EXP for your current level. You won’t actually lose any Skill Points, but half of any progress to the next one is gone upon death.
This loss of currency and EXP can be mitigated if you’re blessed with Unseen Aid, but since there’s only a max of 30% chance of that happening, you shouldn’t count on it saving you often.
You’ll also have to start from the nearest Sculptor’s Idol when the game reloads after you die. This usually isn’t too terrible of a penalty; there are quite a few idols dotted around Sekiro. However, having to play the same part over and over gets frustrating, which can be bypassed by using resurrection.
Is there a resurrection penalty in Sekiro?
The unfortunate side effect that comes with resurrection in Sekiro is Dragonrot. The more Sekiro brings himself back to life, the more the disease known as Dragonrot will spread through the land. Upon revival, at times you’ll get a notification that you’ve received a “Rot Essence.”
A Rot Essence means a character somewhere in the world has contracted Dragonrot. Each Rot Essence lowers your chance of receiving Unseen Aid, and will also halt any progress in some NPC questlines. Choosing to die instead of reviving when you know a situation is hopeless can prevent Dragonrot from spreading, but there’s no meter or clues on who the disease will affect next or when they’ll contract it.
Sekiro Soulslikes
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Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and the Best of the Soulslikes
It's always exciting to see a new genre emerge. You get that original hit game, the follow-ups and the attempts by other developers to recapture the magic. With the release of Sekiro, let's look back at the landscape of Souslikes so far. -
Demon's Souls
The original that kicked it all off (unless you count King's Field), Demon's Souls went under the radar on the PlayStation 3. Originally, gamers didn't know what to make of it, but anyone who stuck with it got an amazing experience that was unlike anything on the market. -
Dark Souls
By the time a new generation rolled around, From Software had moved from demons to darkness. The Dark Souls trilogy cemented the genre tropes, proving to achieve the popularity that their previous title had only hinted at. Far more than a cult success, these games proved to be influential even outside the genre. -
Bloodborne
Once things started taking off, original Demon's Souls publisher Sony had to get back in the action. Teaming with From, the result was Bloodborne. Taking things was from medieval castles and including firearms for the first time, this was the first hint that this formula was flexible. -
Lords of the Fallen
Developed by Deck13 Interactive and CI Games, Lords of the Fallen takes things in a more Norse direction. Using hammers and axes, you must fight towering gods and demons. After this game's success, the two developers split, with CI working on an upcoming sequel to this Viking Soulslike. -
Nioh
Team Ninja tried their hands at Souslikes with Nioh, a game where you control an Irish Samurai and fight yokai. The game was announced back in 2004 as Oni and changed hands multiple times before release. Originally another PlayStation 4 exclusive for the genre, the game has since come to PC with all its DLC bundled in. -
The Surge
Deck13 took what they learned from Lords of the Fallen and took the Soulslike genre into the future. The Surge has you stomping around in a mech suit fighting uncontrollable robots. Once you destroy an enemy, you can scrap their parts and convert them into weapons for you to use. A sequel is currently set to release in 2o19. -
Ashen
Developed by A44, Ashen puts players into a world without light. Each character is a muted faceless person, adding to the downtrodden vibe of the entire experience. While combat is inspired by Dark Souls, the game also features open-world exploration and novel passive multiplayer encounters. -
Immortal: Unchained
Going even more Norse than Lords of the Fallen, Immortal: Unchained finds you battling the monsters of Ragnarok. Instead of swords and spears, your character uses a mix of technologically advanced firearms to take down each and every mysterious foe. More fast-paced than other soulslikes, you'll need to duck and weave to stay alive. -
Death's Gambit
Pitched as a merger of Souslike and Castlevania, Death's Gambit is also one of the first games to take these concepts into the second dimension. You can choose from seven playable classes as you seek immortality in this labyrinth of death. -
Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption
What if you didn't have to explore a Soulslike? What if you just fought a collection of out of control boss monsters? Then, you'd have Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption. In this game, you start at your strongest and level down as you progress, adding to the challenge.
