Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - There's A Second Secret Way To Increase Difficulty

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice can be made even more difficult in NG+. In addition to the Demon Bell you can ring extremely early with a little clever exploration, there’s a second difficulty item that completely changes the way you’ll play the game. The Demon Bell simply makes the game more difficult — Kuro’s Charm protects you from chip damage.

In NG+, you’ll gain a special item called Kuro’s Charm. This special charm makes Sekiro immune to chip damage when blocking with his shield. The item description might sound strange — mostly because that’s how the game was always played. Normally, you can block as much as you want and not experience ‘chip’ damage, or small amounts of damage from blocked attacks. If you get rid of Kuro’s Charm, that changes.

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How To Unlock Chip Damage When Blocking | Increased Difficulty Guide

If you’re looking for an even more difficult experience in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, you can add another feature to the game. In NG+, you’ll gain an item called Kuro’s Charm. If you give this item away, you’ll change the style of game, forcing you to change your tactics in almost every single encounter.

The Kuro’s Charm item is given early in the game, when you collect the Ornamental Letter. After meeting Lord Kuro in the tower and gaining your primary sword, you’ll have the option to give away the Kuro’s Charm.

Giving away the charm increases difficulty by adding chip damage to all blocks.

If you find this too difficult, you can reverse the effect by talking to the Old Sculptor. He’ll allow you to regain the Kuro’s Charm, but you won’t be able to turn-up the difficulty again until you’ve reset the cycle for another NG+.

Removing the Kuro’s Charm from your inventory doesn’t just add chip damage to blocks, it also gives a small benefit. You’ll gain about 17%~ more money and XP.

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