The Sekiro Lightning Reversal is one of the hardest moves to pull off in the game and, yet, it’s crucial to defeating several enemies, including Genichiro, Way of Tomoe and his lightning attacks and lightning arrows. If you’re looking for a way to easily counter lightning in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and perform a lightning reverse then we’ll guide you through it below.
Where to find the Sekiro Lightning Reversal skill
Although you can find a scroll which details the Lightning Reversal skill in the same room as the Ashina Elite fight in Ashina Castle, this is actually something you don’t need to learn, nor do you need to put skill points towards. You’ll simply be able to counter lightning at any time, which is nice.
How to counter lightning in Sekiro
First, let’s go through how the game describes it, as that contextualizes it in some detail, and provides clues as to when you should use it, which is just as important as how to use Lightning Reversal:
- Lightning Reversal – Lightning surges through the bodies of those with their feet on the ground, instantly paralyzing them.
A secret technique exists to catch lightning in one’s blade while in mid-air and send it back. This is known as Lightning Reversal.
When hit by a lightning attack in mid-air, press [the attack button] before landing on the ground.
As with many things in From Software’s epic, actually pulling off a Sekiro Lightning Reversal is a matter of timing. The first thing you need to be aware of is where you are in relation to your opponent. The closer you are to them, the quicker the lightning will hit, which is no good. You have to maintain a distance of around five feet and, crucially, be in the air when you’re hit by lightning.
If you get hit by a lightning attack while your feet are on the ground, you won’t be able to counter at all and you’ll be instantly Shocked.
Instead, what you need to do is discover the pattern or tell which will tip you off as to when a lightning attack is about to take place. For many enemies it’s different but, for the Way of Tomoe fight, for example, Genichiro takes a subtle step back before unleashing a lightning arrow.
Once you see it, jump in the air and let yourself get hit. You then need to mash the attack button while you’re still in mid-air and it’ll fire lightning right back at your target. A yellow symbol will appear above your foe’s (shocked) head to confirm the Lightning Reversal has worked.
It’s not an easy skill, and the timing is often extremely tough to nail, but don’t be disheartened. You can test the skill (and its timing) out on the Undying warrior near the Dilapidated Temple once you’ve found the scroll in Ashina Castle too.
