Sekiro is full of new things when you keep playing, and one thing that players get very exhausted doing is grinding for Experience. There are a lot of Skills to get and not enough time to get them all, so all I can really say is keep grinding and you will eventually get there, just don’t give up. As you progress, you will find more and more skills to level up, but don’t let that stop you from playing the game. The more you play, the better you will get at the game and the easier time you will have actually getting the Experience you need. Here are all the Skill trees and what each of them has in store for you once you get all the Skills within them. There are SPOILERS in this article so keep that in mind when reading it.
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How many Skill Trees are there?
There are a total of 5 Skill Trees that you must get and finish to get the trophy. If you are wondering about some really good ways to farm for Experience, then go to this article and read about the best places to farm for Experience: https://gamevoyagers.com/the-best-way-to-farm-skill-points-in-sekiro-shadows-die-twice/.
Honestly, grinding for Experience is not hard, it is just time-consuming once you actually figure a good spot for it. In total, you have to get 127 Skill Points to get every single Skill in the game so it is not something that you can just do overnight. I didn’t get the Skill trophy until the very end of my fourth playthrough so if you are going to do it in your first or second run, then you will be in for a long ride because, in my fourth playthrough, it was still a grind. I’ll give you props if you can do it earlier though.
What do Skills improve?
Skills are helpful moves and upgrades that improve your overall gameplay experience. There are many different types of skills to get like Combat Arts (red), Latent Skills (yellow), and Shinobi Martial Arts (blue). Every Skill that you get will help either with having a better move set, improving items and weapons that you have or just letting you counter and block certain moves. All you have to do is make sure you have the right amount of Skill Points to unlock each one. It is a slow process, but once you are finished, you will be very happy you did it.
Also, every Skill Tree you unlock, there will be a specific order you can unlock each Skill, so you can’t go for the more expensive ones first because they will be locked for you. All you have to do is just keep playing and eventually, you will unlock every single one. The more you play, the more Experience you will receive. Here are the five Skill Trees and what Skills they can give in each one.
Shinobi Arts – Skill Tree
The Shinobi Skill Tree in Sekiro focuses on stealth tactics, and will be the predominant Skill Tree for players who prefer to avoid direct confrontation, and would rather remain in the shadows killing in one strike. However, because Stealth is likely to play less of a role during Boss encounters, players should also invest in other Skill Trees as well. This is the Skill Tree everyone basically starts with, and it will probably be the first one you fully get. Make sure you are being wise with your deaths so you don’t lose too much Experience. Each Skill Tree consists of a variety of skills that are categorized as Combat Arts, Shinobi Martial Arts, and Latent Skills that will allow players to alter and customize Sekiro’s overall effectiveness in combat and survivability.
- The Shinobi Esoteric Text is given to you by the Sculptor after you’ve gained one Skill Point.
Here are all the Skills in the Shinobi Arts Skill Tree:
*Whirlwind Slash – It takes 1 Skill Point to unlock. It is a spinning attack that can hit several enemies at once.
*Mikiri Counter – It takes 2 Skill Points to unlock. It is a counter for an enemy’s thrust attack.
*A Shinobi’s Karma: Body – It takes 2 Skill Points to unlock. It increases the amount of Spirit Emblems that can be held on your person.
*A Shinobi’s Karma: Mind – It takes 3 Skill Points to unlock. It increases the amount of Spirit Emblems that can be held on your person.
*Breath of Life: Light – It takes 5 Skill Points to unlock. It lets you recover Vitality upon performing a successful Deathblow on an enemy.
*Mid-air Combat Arts – It takes 3 Skill Points to unlock. It lets you execute your combat arts whilst mid-air.
*Mid-air Deflection – It takes 1 Skill Point to unlock. It allows you to guard or deflect incoming attacks while mid-air.
*Shadowrush – It takes 6 Skill Points to unlock. It lets you unleash a long-range, powerful thrust attack on an enemy. It costs 2 Spirit Emblems to use. It is the final Skill in this Skill Tree.
*Run and Slide – It takes 1 Skill Point to unlock. It lets you slide into a crouched position while sprinting. It easily deceives most enemies.
*Suppress Presence – It takes 2 Skill Points to unlock. It reduces an enemy’s ability to perceive those who are in stealth.
*Suppress Sound – It takes 3 Skill Points to unlock. It suppresses one’s movement noise to sneak around an area with stealth.
*Shinobi Eyes – It takes 3 Skill Points to unlock. It increases the damage inflicted on Posture upon executing a successful Mikiri Counter.
*Vault Over – It takes 2 Skill Points to unlock. It allows you to leap over an enemy after you have broken their Posture for a clean Deathblow.
Ashina Arts – Skill Tree
The Ashina Skill Tree in Sekiro focuses on combat and swordplay. This is the Skill Tree for the player who plans to be in direct confrontation with enemies often, and who does not care too much for stealth tactics. Because Bosses are likely to be fought in this manner, placing some points into this Skill Tree is recommended to all players. This Tree is perfect for destroying an enemy’s Posture with the moves that you can get in it. Just master the moves and you will be good. Each Skill Tree consists of a variety of skills that are categorized as Combat Arts, Shinobi Martial Arts, and Latent Skills that will allow players to alter and customize Sekiro’s overall effectiveness in combat and survivability.
- The Ashina Esoteric Text is given by Tengu in Ashina Outskirts. After you assist him with his rat problem, return and he will give this to you.
Here are all the Skills in the Ashina Arts Skill Tree:
*Ichimonji – It takes 2 Skill Points to unlock. It delivers a heavy, one-hit overhead sword strike to do massive Posture damage to an enemy.
*Descending Carp – It takes 1 Skill Point to unlock. It increases the damage to an enemy’s Posture from all sources after a Deflection.
*Ascending Carp – It takes 2 Skill Points to unlock. It increases the damage inflicted on an enemy’s Posture upon a successful Deflection.
*Ichimonji Double – It takes 3 Skill Points to unlock. It adds a follow-up overhead sword strike to the base Skill Ichimonji.
*Ashina Cross – It takes 5 Skill Points to unlock. Ii allows you to draw your blade at high speed from a sheathed stance. It is the final Skill in this Skill Tree.
*Breath of Nature: Light – It takes 2 Skill Points to unlock. It lets you recover Posture upon executing a successful Deathblow.
*Flowing Water – It takes 3 Skill Points to unlock. It reduces the amount of damage to Posture when attacked by an enemy with a sword.
Prosthetic Arts – Skill Tree
The Prosthetic Arm Skill Tree in Sekiro focuses on the use of the Prosthetic Arm Tool that all players possess. It allows the player to modify some of the tools they use in the manner that best fits their style of play. Since this can be direct or stealth combat, it is advised that all players spend at least some points into this Skill Tree. Obviously, this Skill Tree improves everything about your Prosthetics so make sure you take advantage of it. Each Skill Tree consists of a variety of skills that are categorized as Combat Arts, Shinobi Martial Arts, and Latent Skills that will allow players to alter and customize Sekiro’s overall effectiveness in combat and survivability.
- Unlocked via the Prosthetic Esoteric Text. It is given to you by the Sculptor after you fit at least 3 prosthetics on your arm.
Here are all the Skills in the Prosthetic Arts Skill Tree:
*Chasing Slice – It takes 1 Skill Point to unlock. It lets you perform a forward-dashing sword slice after using a certain Prosthetic Tool
*Fang and Blade – It takes 2 Skill Points to unlock. It allows one to simultaneously attack with the Prosthetic Tools and the sword.
*Projected Force – It takes 1 Skill Point to unlock. It allows one to draw the power of the Tool into the sword and release its attack.
*Mid-air Prosthetic Tool – It takes 3 Skill Points to unlock. It enables the use of Prosthetic Tools while in mid-air.
*Sculptor’s Karma: Scars – It takes 3 Skill Point to unlock. It increases the amount of Spirit Emblems that can be held.
*Sculptor’s Karma: Blood – It takes 2 Skill Points to unlock. It increases the amount of Spirit Emblems that can be held.
*Living Force – It takes 4 Skill Points to unlock. It lets you perform a follow-up attack with certain Tools that imbues the sword with the Tool’s effect. It is the final Skill in this Skill Tree.
*Grappling Hook Attack – It takes 1 Skill Point to unlock. It lets you launch yourself at an enemy using your Grappling Hook. Perfect for quickly evading a major attack from an enemy.
*Nightjar Slash – It takes 2 Skill Points to unlock. It lets you perform a spinning leap attack on an enemy.
*Nightjar Slash Reversal – It takes 3 Skill Point to unlock. It lets you perform a spinning leap attack on an enemy in any direction. Same as the other one just a little better.
*Emma’s Medicine: Potency – It takes 4 Skill Points to unlock. It increases the healing effects of recovery items.
*Emma’s Medicine: Aroma – It takes 5 Skill Points to unlock. It increases the healing effects of recovery items.
Temple Arts – Skill Tree
The Temple Arts Skill Tree in Sekiro focuses on a set of moves and skills that the Monks of Senpou Temple use, providing Sekiro secret Martial Arts techniques. This skill tree is the only one that isn’t provided by an NPC and is needed to be found by the player in Senpou Temple, Mt. Kongo. Each Skill Tree consists of a variety of skills that are categorized as Combat Arts, Shinobi Martial Arts, and Latent Skills that will allow players to alter and customize Sekiro’s overall effectiveness in combat and survivability.
- The Senpou Esoteric Text can be found in a small shrine near the Main Hall Idol in Senpou Temple.
Here are all the Skills in the Temple Arts Skill Tree:
*Praying Strikes – It takes 2 Skill Points to unlock. It allows you to unleash a flurry of quick attacks that inflict damage while preventing a counterattack.
*Praying Strikes – Exorcism – It takes 3 Skill Points to unlock. It adds a finishing attack to Praying Strikes.
*Devotion – It takes 3 Skill Points to unlock. It increases the amount of time a Buddhist Candy is effective when used.
*Virtuous Deed – It takes 3 Skill Points to unlock. It increases the amount of Sen obtained and improves item drop rates.
*Most Virtuous Deed – It takes 4 Skill Points to unlock. It increases the amount of Sen obtained and improves item drop rates.
*Senpou Leaping Kicks – It takes 3 Skill Points to unlock. It allows one to start an attack with a leaping kick.
*High Monk – It takes 4 Skill Points to unlock. It adds sword slashes and additional kicks to the Senpou Leaping Kick. It is the final Skill in this Skill Tree.
Mushin Arts – Skill Tree
The Mushin Arts Skill Tree in Sekiro focuses on unlocking a set of moves that are upgraded, and stronger versions of each tree’s ultimate ability. Players will need to unlock prerequisite skills in order to gain the listed skills in the Mushin Arts Skill Tree – this can be obtained by completing a quest from Tengu of Ashina, upon unlocking any ultimate ability, he will provide you with the Mushin Esoteric Text that contains the skills of the Mushin Arts. Each Skill Tree consists of a variety of skills that are categorized as Combat Arts, Shinobi Martial Arts, and Latent Skills that will allow players to alter and customize Sekiro’s overall effectiveness in combat and survivability.
- This can be obtained by completing a quest from Tengu of Ashina, then upon mastering the final skill of any skill tree, he will provide you with the Mushin Esoteric Text that contains the skills of the Mushin Arts. You will need to finish the Ashina Castle Genichiro fight for him to move to the Serpent Shrine Idol in Ashina Castle.
Here are all the Skills in the Mushin Arts Skill Tree:
*Shadowfall – It takes 6 Skill Points to unlock. It allows one to perform a spinning sword attack as they descend.
*Spiral Cloud Passage – It takes 9 Skill Points to unlock. It unleashes shockwaves that stun enemies for a short time.
*Empowered Mortal Draw – It takes 5 Skill Points to unlock. The Mortal Blade draws additional power, resulting in longer-ranged, more powerful slash attacks.
Ninjutsu Techniques
The Ninjutsu Techniques in Sekiro focuses on a set of Shinobi skills that can be unlocked and equipped by the player as they progress the game. This type of technique allows Sekiro to perform a follow-up attack after performing a Backstab Deathblow – acquiring all three will reward the player with the “All Ninjutsu Techniques” trophy or achievement. Basically, just play the game and you will unlock all of them if you play the game right.
Here are the three Ninjutsu Techniques that you can unlock:
*Bloodsmoke – Acquired after defeating Genichiro, Way of Tomoe at Ashina Castle. It turns the spraying blood of a victim into smoke.
*Puppeteer – Acquired upon defeating the Folding Screen Monkeys at Senpou Temple – Main Hall. It manipulates the victim like a puppet.
*Bestowal – This can be acquired upon defeating the Headless Ape in the Ashina Depths and permanently severing its immortality with the Mortal Blade. Note that this boss only spawns after you have already defeated it previously as the Guardian Ape in the Sunken Valley. It wreathes a blade in the victim’s blood, extending its reach.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Skills in Sekiro are not easy to get if you have a lot of them because as you play, it takes more Experience to get a Skill Point. At the end of everything, your last Skill Point takes about 80,000 Experience to get, but it is very easy to get that in later playthroughs. If you are going for 100% achievements like I did, then you won’t have any trouble getting all the Skills if you just wait to grind until your highest playthrough. The more you play, the more Experience you will receive. Make sure you don’t give up and that you are trying to achieve a goal.