Sekiro: Shadows Die Twiceis a game that keeps on giving. Even after a year since its release,FromSoftwarehas recently added new content to the game that is free for all players. The 1.05 update included costumes for Sekiro to swap between, online elements such as player-made messages, and the new Gauntlet of Strength mode.
RELATED:Dark Souls: Questions About The Lore, Answered
The Gauntlet of Strength is an endurance mode that pits players against a series of bosses back to back. Players that beat these Gauntlets can expect new skins and boss Memories. For those interested in the new mode, here’s a selection of things that players should know before heading into the Gauntlet of Strength inSekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
Updated on June 22, 2025, by Jack Pursey:Sekiro: Shadows Die Twiceis considered to be a Soulsborne game, but it sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the other games in FromSoftware’s critically-acclaimed series. The game is an action-adventure title instead of an action RPG, it features minimal customizability, and the combat system is completely different. One of the things that the game has in common with the other soulsborne releases, however, is its punishingly difficult boss fights.
The Gauntlet of Strength is the ultimate boss fighting challenge and one that truly tests whether the player has mastered Sekiro’s gameplay mechanics. To give players some extra help, we’ve updated this list to include a few more facts about the Gauntlet of Strength.
13How To Unlock Every Gauntlet
Some players have had a hard time unlocking each ofSekiro’snew Gauntlet runs. Thankfully, they are rather straightforward to unlock. Here are the requirements for unlocking each of the four Gauntlet runs:
Note that the Mortal Journey Gauntlet will require the player to beat the game at least twice since players must complete aShura and non-Shura playthroughto unlock the three prerequisite Gauntlets. Every Gauntlet has rewards for completing them, excluding Mortal Journey.
12Master Deflections
Aggression is the cornerstone ofSekiro’scombat rhythm. Those that have not mastered the game’s combat will need to hone their skills if they wish to complete a Gauntlet. Dying during a Gauntlet run will set players back to the very beginning.
Because of this, mastering deflection windows is paramount to surviving the game’s harder Gauntlets.Practicing is the best way to improveon this front, but players can quickly become aware of deflection windows by completing aSekiroplaythrough without Kuro’s Charm, resulting in every attack dealing chip damage through blocks.
11Practice Using Reflections Of Strength
Alternatively, players can choose to fight bosses as many times as they please withthe new Reflections of Strength introduced in update 1.05. Reflections let players fight their respective boss as many times as they desire.
Utilize these Reflections to memorize enemy movesets or experiment with new strategies. Players will obtain Reflections from any boss they have fought, even if they have not beaten them. This is especially handy for newer players or those that have yet to beat the Gauntlet’s new Inner boss variants.
10Players Refill Resources After Every Boss Kill
Gauntlet runs don’t immediately teleport players to the next arena once players slay a boss,unlike many boss rush modsthat have this behavior. Players can rest at a Sculptor’s Idol and configure their character before venturing forth.
RELATED:Ghost Of Tsushima: Skills, Gears, And Armor That Make The Game Extra Easy
In other words, players get to refill their Healing Gourds and Spirit Emblems after every kill. Unlock skills that enhance Spirit Emblem carrying capacity to use Prosthetics more frequently during a fight, and make sure to obtain every Gourd Seed before attempting a Gauntlet. Players are going to need all the healing they can get for some of these Gauntlets.
9Consumables Are Refunded When A Run Ends
Consumables are already valuable inSekirodue to their potency. Gauntlet runs take this to another level. Not only are items such as the Ceremonial Tanto and sugars invaluable for combat, but they also get refunded when the run ends. If the player has a small number of Sprit Emblems or sugars, use them anyway! They’ll come back after the run ends regardless of success or failure.
8Remove Kuro’s Charm Debuff
Many players are going to attempt Gauntlet runs on savesthat have completed every ending. Since players will be on a rather far playthrough number, chances are they don’t have Kuro’s Charm in their inventory. Due to how tough these Gauntlet runs can get, players should consider obtaining Kuro’s Charm before attempting these runs for the first time.
For those unaware, completing the game and starting a new playthrough will give players the option of removing Kuro’s Charm from their inventory. While players don’t have the item, blocks only block a percentage of damage instead of 100%, meaning imperfect deflections and blocking itself will get the player killed. This debuff carries over to Gauntlet runs.
7Jizo Statues Are Invaluable
Before attemptingthe harder Gauntlets, obtain as many Jizo Statues as possible. These items will grant the player a free node of Resurrection Power when consumed. Since Gauntlet runs refund any used consumables at the end of the run, now is the perfect time to farm and use them.
6Start With The Divine Heir Gauntlet
While all four Gauntlets are a massive test of player skill, some are much easier than others. Those looking to start their climb towards killing every boss should start with the Divine Heir Gauntlet. This is a rather short Gauntlet that consists of three early-game bosses.
RELATED:Ghost Of Tsushima: Advanced Tactics Dark Souls Fans Can Use
While that sounds easy, in practice this Gauntlet is rather tough. Players will need to master spacing to beat Oniwa, Prosthetics, and aggression to beat Lady Butterfly, and will need to break old habits if they want to beat tougher augmented Inner Genichiro.
5Be Wary Of New Attacks
Some Gauntlets have an augmented version of bosses that have the “Inner” prefix to their name. This isn’t a simple health and damage increase; these boss variants have entirely new attacks that can change the overall flow of the fight. Whenever an Inner boss is next, take a breather andbe ready to tangoagainst a few new attacks. Other than that, these bosses are functionally the same as their normal counterparts.
4Two Boss Fights Don’t Appear
There are two boss fights that don’t appear anywhere in the Gauntlet of Strength. The Folding Screen Monkeys and Divine Dragon fights are nowhere to be seen, which is a shame for those that enjoy the encounters.
It’s possible that both fights were excluded due to their length as, although they’re two of the easiest fights in the game, they’re both quite long-winded. Moreover, both fights, especially the Folding Screen Monkeys one, are fairly gimmicky. Gimmick boss fights appear in almostevery Soulsborne gameand tend to split opinions. FromSoftware may have felt that cinematic gimmick fights didn’t fit the Gauntlet of Strength concept.
