Looks like it's that time💞 again. A new FromSoftware game is out, and the internet is in an uproar debating difficulty, again.

But all I really care about is how fun this game is, and, let me tell you, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is an absolute blast, no matter how ma🐲ny times I resurrect.

It's the biggest departure from the norm that FromSoftware, makers of the Dark Souls, Demon's Souls, and Bloodborne games have ever made. That said, it's still pretty similar to the games I just mentioned, but unique in all the right ways. First and foremost, you only control a couple of your stats, like health, defense (known as posture,) and attack power. Otherwise, it's all about parrying attacks and looking stylish. And in ordꦆer to look stylish, From has graced us, finꦕally, with a jump button. That may not sound like a big deal, but if you've played any of their previous games, you'll know how huge this is.

We can jump, grapple, hide, block, attack, deflect, and more, all with infinite stamina! But, to make up for the fact that we can swing our katana all day, there's the Posture and Deathblow systems. Essentially, you want to guard break your enemy so you can defeat them instantly, and you'll be using different skills, weapons hidden in your prosthetic arm, and items to do it. Every playthrough isn't quite as varied as other From developed games, but there is still a wild amount of variability in Sekiro. So in order to help those looking for the best and most efficient Shinobi tactics to use in Sekiro, here's The 15 Strongest Upgrades And Items In Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (And The 15 Weakest.)

30 Strongest: Whirlwind Slash (Shinobi Arts) ꦐ

So let's start things off right with a skill you can nab early and for cheap. Whirlwind strike is literally t🥀he first skill on the Shinobi Tree. But why is it good you ask? Well if you've played other FromSoft games, you'll know that group combat is messy, one vs one is obviously their forte.

Well, with Whirlwind strike you can still have an option when mobbed upon by multiple enemies! My advice? Use it a bit earlier than you think you should, you want the second strike to be the one to connect. If done correct♔ly, it'll go through guards and clear out the weak mobs.

29 🅷  Weakest: Run And Slide (Shinobi Arts) 🤪

And, while we're on the topic of early game Shinobi Tree skills, let's talk about one that isn't nearly as impactful. The Run and Slide ability is 100% a quality-of-life skill. So much so it's kind of silly that it isn't a default ability for Sekiro.

But nope, instead, it blocks your progress on the skill tree unless you throw a skill point 💟at it. It's not at all a bad skill ✤mind you, I mean being able to go from running to a crouched, stealthed state is obviously useful. It's just not as useful as 90% of the other abilities.

28 Strongest: Mikiri Counter (Shinobi 𒀰Arts)

Don't get it twisted, this next skill is essentially mandatory, as it takes one of the harder mechanics of the game and turns it into child's play. Mikiri Counter is a skill that completely destroys enemies that use thrust moves. Basically, dodge towards the enemy when you see the prompt above their head for a thrust attack, and you'll stomp theiꦦr weapon into the ground for massive Posture damage.

But to avoid confusion, this skill does still require lightning-fa🦹st reaction timing. Plus, it is a bit odd to dodge into an attack. But once you get the hang of it, enemies like the Shinobi Hunter are a piece of cake.

27  Weakest: Shinobi's/Sculptor's🦋 Karma (Prosthetic/Shinobi🐓 Arts)

Spirit Emblems are Sekiro's ammo system. They're ammo for both your Prosthetic Arm Tools and your Combat Arts. They're i🧸ncredibly useful, cheap to buy and let you experiment with tons of different play-styles. But, as useful as they are, they're in no way worthwhile 𓆉enough to spend 9+ skill points on so you can carry 3-4 extra.

So just ignore the "Karma" skills as all they do is increase the amount you can hold by a single amount෴, each time. Sure, if you nab all of the skills, you can throw a couple of extra shurikens, or toss out another firecracker, but that's really it.

26 💧 Strongest: Ichimonji (Shinob♛i Arts)

Oh boy howdy do I like Ichimonji. This Combat Art is the first skill in the Ashina 🔥Arts tree, my favorite skill tree. The Ashina Tree is full of useful moves, comes from my favorite character Tengu, and has some great passive skills. But starting it off with Ichimonji was the right way to go on FromSoft's part.

This Combat Art by default costs zero Spirit Emblems to use, so spam it as much as you want.  To elaborate, it's a bit, deliberate overhead swing that absolutely tears through Posture as well as recovering some of your own. And if that doesn't sell you on it, just wait until you get Ichimonj๊i Double.

25 Weake꧅st: A Beast's Karma (Sakura Bulไl Reward)

So back to spirit emblems, but first, lets chat about the Sakura Bull. This is꧒ a boss later in the game. Much later in fact, than what we've been talking about so far. Honestly, it's a recolor of the Flaming Bull fight that was already no fun. The bull mini-bosses are annoying fights, they've got tons of health, and feel repetitive.

So, making it through should warrant a pretty h🔜efty reward. But instead, what we get is a skill called Beast's Karma, which again, only incr🐠eases your Spirit Emblems! To be frank, it's absolute Bull.

24 Strongest: Breath Of Nature (Ashina ♒Arts)

We're back on the Ashina Arts tree. It's so good! They're mostly passive skills that frankly just make the game a bit more bearable in terms of difficulty. And one of the 𝔉best skills on this tree is Breath of Nature: Light. Thiꦯs skill passively recovers Posture per Deathblow, all of it. Now that doesn't sound like it'd be all too useful right?

Maybe in the early game, it wouldn't be, but once you're a bit farther in, blocking any attacking without deflecting almost immediately fills your posture bar. Plus, most bosses take 🍸more than𓄧 one Deathblow, so this really just sets you up for the Phase 2 part of most fights.

23 🌄 Weakest: Devotion (Temple Arts)

Now we're onto the Temple Arts tree, which you get from the Senpoud Monks. One of their passive skills is called Devotion. On paper♉, it's a pretty useful ability, as it increases the amount of time that Buddhist Candy is active. Buddhist Candies are the little "sugar" items you've ꦆbeen picking up throughout the game like Ako's Sugar.

These things can reduce or buff damage, increase stealth, or let you tear through posture. They're really useful honestly. But the buff only buff's them by about 50%, so a 30-second duration becomes 45 🐠seconds instead. Decent, sure, but not at all as you'd think it would be.

22 Strongest: Breath Of Life (Shinobi Arts) ജ

Now this skill is even more mandatory than Mikiri Counter. In fact, I'd say that if you managed to beat the game without this skill, you deserve a🍎 bit of pra♋ise. Breath of Life in the Shinobi tree gives you health back for every Deathblow.

That's absolutely insane, especially in the area's where there are 15+ weak mobs. Basically, it lets the sk🎉illed players keep their health topped off so that when it comes time to fight a boss/💎mini-boss, they've got all their Healing Gourds stocked are raring to go.

21 ꦗ Weakest: Spiral Cloud Passage (Mushin Arts)

So we've talked about one use for the Spirit Emblems, but another use is for the Combat Arts. With sword-spinning skills such as Spiral Cloud Passage. T🎀h💫is move is at the very end of the Mushin tree, one of the last and hardest trees to unlock.

It costs an absurd nine skill points and sounds insanely powerful. But, in the end,🀅 I don't think it is. ඣWhich stinks because it's absolutely a blast to use. But, its damage is weak and costs 5 entire Spirit Emblems to use each time. Which is just much too high of a price for me personally.