Demon of Hatred |
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| Location | Ashina Outskirts |
| Deathblows Required | 3 |
| Weakness | Malcontent Divine Confetti Suzaku's Lotus Umbrella |
| Reward | Memory: Hatred Demon Lapis Lazuli 15,000 Exp (NG) 18,750 Exp (NG+) 28,125 Exp (NG++) |
| XP | NG: 15000 NG+: 18750 NG++: 28125 |
Demon of Hatred (怨嗟の鬼, Demon of Resentment, Ensa no Oni) is a Boss in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. This Complete Demon of Hatred Boss Guide gives you strategies on how to beat the Demon of Hatred easily, as well as tips, tricks, weaknesses and lore notes. Bosses are special Enemies that feature a special display on-screen when defeated, such as "Immortality Severed" or "Shinobi Execution". You will need to perform multiple Deathblows on them in order to defeat them, with this generally accomplished by filling their Posture Gauge or depleting their health. Decreasing their health will make it so their Posture Gauge depletes more quickly, while depleting their health bar entirely will open them up to a Deathblow, as well.
Sekiro Demon of Hatred
The Demon of Hatred is what becomes of a specific NPC once he is consumed by the immense wrath and bloodlust burning within him. Though the NPC failed to become the Shura of legend due to Isshin's intervention, he has transformed into a powerful Demon (鬼, Oni). For the sake of Ashina and its people, it must be dealt with.
Demon of Hatred Location
The Demon of Hatred is located in Ashina Outskirts after returning from the Divine Realm and having defeated the Divine Dragon. Make your back way to the portion of Ashina Outskirts where you faced General Naomori Kawarada. Once there, interact with the Sculptor's Idol surrounded by flames to be transported to the boss arena: Flames of Hatred, an enclosed battlefield where the boss Gyoubu Oniwa was originally fought. This boss is optional.
Demon of Hatred Rewards
What do you get from defeating Demon of Hatred in Sekiro?
- Memory: Hatred Demon
- 2 x Lapis Lazuli
- 15,000 / 18,000 (without Kuro's Charm) Exp (NG)
- 18,750 / 22,500 Exp (NG+)
- 28,125 / 33,750 Exp (NG+2)
- 84,375 / 101,250 Exp (NG+7 and beyond)
Demon of Hatred Boss Guide Strategies
Sekiro Demon of Hatred Video Strategies
Sekiro Demon of Hatred How to Fight, How to Beat, and Cheese
BEFORE ANYTHING: MALCONTENT is an upgrade to the Finger Whistle, and when used will stun the boss, for enough time to remove roughly 1/4 of his actual vitality with regular sword strikes, and this can be repeated up to THREE TIMES before becoming ineffective. Similarly, using Suzaku's Lotus Umbrella can help BLOCK A MAJORITY of both FIRE and PHYSICAL attacks done by this boss.
This fight will be a test of endurance; the boss's Posture meter is roughly the same as its vitality meter. As such, take any opportunities you can to attack but do not feel like you have to rush it. You will most likely deplete the full vitality bar before a Posture break.
For the duration of the fight, stay as close to the boss's leading leg as possible. Remaining close to the leg and sprinting around it counter-clockwise will avoid most of his attacks. The main exceptions to this are his leaping explosion attack, and his Perilous attack (which may still be avoided by circling around). Luckily, both of these can easily be avoided. The explosion can be avoided by sprinting directly away as he leaps and grappling back during the aftershock, and succesfully landing a hit immediately after grappling will sometimes stun the boss, leaving it vulnerable to a couple of free hits. The Perilous attack can be avoided simply by jumping, as you will only be hit if you are on the ground. Using the distance created by the Perilous attack, he may do one of three things; a vertical slash towards you, a slash at the ground, or a swath of fireballs.
Both the ground slash and fireballs can be avoided by sprinting directly at the demon with a slight focus on his leading leg. The fireballs can also be avoided by running away from the demon. If you run back at the boss after the first volley, he will throw a second. He often uses his fireball attack directly after his perilous attack. The vertical slash has a longer startup, allowing you to react and sprint to the right side to continue pushing towards his leg. If during your attack he prepares a stomp and you don't feel confident that you can dodge or sprint out of the way, block it. The demon is not fast enough to break your posture in most cases and you will take no vitality damage from blocking anything that does not have fire damage.
After the first Deathblow, he will crouch and remain stationary for a time. Your attacks will not deal damage during this, and there will be a minor explosion at the end that will deal knock-back but no vitality damage. However, with proper spacing, you can run in after the explosion and get in a hit or two before he leaps back. The rest of the second phase is much like the first, with the exception that the vertical slash now has fire that spreads on both sides. This fire can be avoided by jumping immediately after the slash connects with the ground, or preemptively as the slash now opens up an opportunity to grapple back to the demon in a similar manner to his leaping explosion. Avoiding the slash itself will work the same as the first phase. Aside from this, the second phase is much like the first with extra damage.
The second Deathblow will trigger the third phase immediately, allowing you to get more hits in this time around. The third phase introduces some new attacks; a Perilous attack that creates a ring of fire around both of you and a follow-up Perilous attack, a second Perilous attack added to his initial Perilous dash, and homing fireballs similar to the Shichimen Warrior, albeit faster for this boss. The new Perilous attack is a slash and can be avoided by jumping over both initial slashes (made easier if you flip off of the demon) and jumping over the follow-up Perilous attack.
The main trouble with this attack is not the slashes, but the limited arena space you now have to work with. (NOTE: You can avoid the ring of fire completely by running far away from him at the beginning of the phase). Touching the ring will build up the burn status and knock you back, limiting your ability to avoid the boss's attacks for a short time. He will commonly follow this up with his dashing Perilous attack, sometimes choosing to immediately do another dash Perilous back into the circle, and sometimes attacking from outside the circle. It will disappear after a short time, allowing you to once again make use of the entire arena. His other new attack, the homing fireballs, will deal heavy damage and Burn status with the possibility of knocking you down and preventing you from getting back up until death. The best strategy for this attack is to be as close to the demon as possible and circle around in either direction. Continue to do this until he slams his foot down and poses, signaling that he is finished with the attack and is now open to be hit.
Sekiro Demon of Hatred Attacks, Indicators & Counters
| Attack | Indicator | Counter |
| Phase 1 | ||
| Unblockable Attacks | ||
| Explosive Body Slam | Fire spreads to his entire body. Everything will be brighter. He will crouch down to ready the jump. | Finish any attacks to completion (you have a decent amount of time). Sprint away, making sure to not get caught on walls, barriers or trees. After he lands, wait a second before grappling back to guarantee a double aerial attack. Alternatively, use Suzaku Lotus Umbrella to block the slam on the spot. Hold it until the smoke shockwave passes, then counter with living force. The slam counts as a projectile, which causes the umbrella to smoke and empowers the next living force attack. |
| Hand Drag Charge | Danger Indicator and sound will show. His right hand go back and down to the ground. | Jump as soon as possible (backwards if you can) and begin running towards him to try to avoid follow-up ranged attacks. |
| Ranged Attacks | ||
| Fire Whip Slam | Only occurs at range. His left hand will raise up and back. | Continue sprinting forward and angle left to avoid attack. |
| Double Fire Throw | Only occurs at medium range. His left hand will pull back. | Hope you're close enough already to duck under the first one. If you're about to be hit, try to deflect to mitigate some damage. The second throw is smaller but closer to him, so don't walk forward if the first one hit. Alternatively, if you have the Suzaku's Lotus Umbrella prosthetic, you can avoid taking damage from the fireballs altogether by quickly activating it as soon as you see the windup. |
| Fireball Summon | Only occurs at range. Both hands will go up and will start waving. | Run sideways and towards him. If you've reached him, run in a circle around him. The last fireball comes out at his last hand wave. |
| Melee Attacks | ||
| Right Foot Slam | Only occurs if you're on his right. Raises right foot and holds it for a second. | Basic block is a safe defense. Alternatively, risk timing a dodge attack. |
| Two Foot Slam | Only occurs if you're on his left. Raises left foot. | Basic block is a safe defense. The second (right foot) slam should be dodge attacked. |
| Fire Melee Combo | Occurs in melee range. Winds left hand back. | Step-dodge the first swipe forwards or to the left, sprint around his side to avoid the right foot slam and attack freely while avoiding the rest. |
| Head Slam | Occurs if you're right in front. Brings head up. Beware of this if he's strangely still. |
Basic block is a safe defense. Avoidable if you're already sprinting around him. |
| Phase 2 | ||
| Fire Whip Slam Explosion | Similar to the normal Fire Whip Slam, but his body will have more fire and be brighter. The normal Fire Whip Slam may still occur. | Sprint right and jump just before impact (or, if you have Suzaku's Lotus Umbrella, use it to block the attack). Grapple to him to follow up. |
| Phase 3 | ||
| Fire Whip Swing Combo | Danger Indicator and sound will show. His full body will wind up for the attack. | Jump over the first swing. Don't jump (duck under) the second swing. Run behind him to avoid the third swing and attack. |
| Double Hand Drag Charge | This will usually occur in lieu of the single charge. Danger Indicator and sound will show. His right hand go back and down to the ground. | Jump over both charges, making sure not to jump too early for the second one. Try to position yourself against a wall for the second charge, allowing for easy and fast follow-up. |
Demon of Hatred Lore
- The Sculptor is confirmed to be the Demon of Hatred. Eavesdropping and talking to him prior to confronting Owl and drinking enough sake with him will unlock a secret dialogue with Demon of Hatred throughout the boss battle. Knowing who the Demon of Hatred is, will also lead to a change in dialogue with the old lady in the watchtower in which she actually talks about the Sculptor.
- Lore Theory: The Malcontent affects the Demon of Hatred because of the Sculptor's previous relationship with the ring's old owner, the Shinobi Kingfisher, in a similar way to how Father Gascoigne in Bloodborne could be stunned by playing the music box his daughter gives you.
- Lore Theory: The Sculptor knows he will either become the Demon of Hatred, or something like it, due to his own past and the immense bloodlust he feels. Hints towards his ultimate fate include:
- When you speak with him at the beginning of the game, the Sculptor mentions how carving statues of Buddha reflect those who carve them. He then immediately and constantly laments how the only Buddha he can carve, no matter how many times he tries, are those with wrathful faces rather than serene ones.
- Similarly, when speaking to the Sculptor after meeting with the Divine Heir, you are given the chance to ask the Sculptor what the Buddha showed him, to which he replies with: "Fire, that's all I saw,".
- One of your first clues comes when afflicted the Sculptor is affected by Dragonrot, wherein he is adamant about being unable to die from it, hinting that he is aware of his humanity slipping away from him.
- Dialogue shared by the Sculptor when you have given him Unrefined Sake explains that, once in the past, he would have almost explicitly become a Shura had it not been for Isshin "saving him," by cutting off his arm.
- When one examines the hut where the Sculptor lives, you can see that its entirety is covered with dozens of ofuda: a kind of paper talisman used in both Shinto and Onmyōdō rites for purification and exorcisms, or generally used as wards against misfortune and the supernatural. More distressingly, however, is that several portions of the walls supporting the house appear to have been broken from the inside out despite the presence of these ofuda.
- Dialogue offered by Isshin after you've given him Monkey Booze explicitly states that he once faced a Shura in battle ("...or something like it,") and killed it, with the implication being that he believes cutting off the Sculptor's arm--and thus robbing him of his ability to kill--was enough to put an end to his bloodlust and prevent him from becoming a Shura. Isshin also explains that Monkey Booze, which the Sculptor admits he drank much of during his time training in the Sunken Valley, also goes by another name: Shura's Wine.
- A less direct connection, however, lies in what the Sculptor divulges about the ring his partner wore throughout their time training in the Sunken Valley. ("Whistling through that ring … would fill the valley with a somber melody. Strangely enough, I enjoyed that sound. I listened to it so often.") Though the Slender Finger upgrade material implies this partner only used their finger to create a whistling sound: the Sculptor specifying how whistling through the ring his partner wore "would fill the valley with a somber melody," implies his partner also possessed the Malcontent's Ring.
- The former is important to note both because the ring is used as an upgrade material for the Finger Whistle prosthetic, and because the description of the Ring reads as follows: "Wearing this ring as you blow the finger whistle will create a somber tune. The weeping voice is full of solitude and beauty. Possibly somber enough to temporarily quell a voice of rage."
- It is thus possible, and debatable, that the death of the Sculptor's partner at the hands of the Guardian Ape is what finally set him down the path of becoming a Shura--although, as Isshin also explains through his Monkey Booze dialogue: "Those who go on killing will eventually become Shura. They don't even remember why... Simply enraptured... They kill solely for the joy it brings them."
- When you speak with him at the beginning of the game, the Sculptor mentions how carving statues of Buddha reflect those who carve them. He then immediately and constantly laments how the only Buddha he can carve, no matter how many times he tries, are those with wrathful faces rather than serene ones.
- Physically, the Demon of Hatred resembles the Sculptor (at least superficially) due to the style of its beard, hunched knees and back, possession of only a single physical right arm, and how its left arm is composed entirely of fire in the shape of (what appears to be) a coiled up grappling hook. The wispy red hair and pot belly also resemble an orangutan, a nickname Emma uses to refer to the sculptor during certain sake-prompted conversations, and implied in dialogue between the two to be his shinobi name.
- If you visit the Dilapidated Temple and try to enter Ashina Outskirts like you first did at the start, you'll notice that the hook spot you used is now burnt, further confirming that the sculptor was turning into a demon as he left the temple and left this mark.
Demon of Hatred Notes & Trivia
- The Demon of Hatred can be momentarily stunned up to three times when using the Malcontent upgrade for the Finger Whistle against it. As an apparition-type enemy, the boss can also be dealt extra damage using Divine Confetti.
- Most of its attacks can be blocked, and even countered, if you posses the required skill using the Suzaku's Lotus Umbrella upgrade for the Loaded Umbrella. (This is especially useful for guarding against/dealing with the jump attack and overhead swipe with fire the Demon likes to pull off in Phase 2 of the fight.)
- Before defeating the Divine Dragon, if you speak to the Old Priestess located in the building where you first encounter Tengu of Ashina(near the battlefield arena and the Battlefield Memorial Mob) she will mention that she is certain the war will give birth to a demon, foreshadowing this encounter. If spoken to before this, she will ominously ask: "Do you want to see a demon?" and nothing more.
- Fujioka the Info Broker offers the following explanation as to why the Sculptor is suddenly missing from the Dilapidated Temple: "Oh, if you're looking for the Sculptor, he's gone. He stumbled off muttering something about 'the flames...' I think he was heading towards the battlefield. But where he went and why he went there's none of my business."
- The Demon of Hatred is the Sculptor transformed into an Oni (鬼), often translated as "demon" in English. In Japanese folklore, Onis are a type of yōkai or ogre; in which they are usually depicted as hulking beings with one or more horns growing out of their heads. According to Wikipedia: "Accordingly, a wicked soul beyond rehabilitation transforms into an Oni after death. Only the very worst persons turn into Onis alive, and these are the Onis causing troubles among humans as presented in folk tales."
- When first met, the Demon of Hatred assumes a very distinct pose from Japanese Kabuki performances known as a mie (見え or 見得, pronounced 'mee-eh'). According to Wikipedia: "Mie means 'appearance' or 'visible' in Japanese," and as a pose is meant to "draw attention to a particularly important or powerful portion of the performance. It is meant to show a character's emotions at their peak, and can often be a very powerful pose. The actor's eyes are opened as wide as possible; if the character is meant to seem agitated or angry, the actor will cross his eyes,".
- The particular mie done by the Demon of Hatred is known as the Genroku mie, one of the famous and well-known of the mie used in Kabuki, wherein the actor's "right hand is held flat, perpendicular to the ground, while his left hand is pointed upwards, elbow bent. At the same time, the actor stamps the floor powerfully with his left foot,".
Demon of Hatred Image Gallery
AnonymousOne decent strategy is to dodge attacks by running. Try to get behind him and hit away. It feels more consistant than sidestepping, and gives better windows to attack than if you were blocking. The only attack that truly gives me trouble is when he throws fire at you. Maybe bring the umbrella. The 4 hit "double whip swipe, stomp, and whip again" attack sucks too, but it can be managed. In general though, running away from dangerous attacks can work well. It's also good against Gaurdian Ape and Sword Saint Isshin
- Anonymous
This fight would have been good at two phases. I really hate when positioning thats entirely not your fault gets you one shot by a stupid unblockable. Everyone keeps on calling this a dark souls boss, but dark souls bosses don't have unblockable bulls*** combined with two hit kills at end game vitality. It's luck if you make it to the end without the terrain, the camera, or stunlock killing you.
- Anonymous
Just treat this guy as a dark souls boss, bait attacks and dodge/weave and you’ll be fine. His attacks have alot of punishment spots, although the only one that’s absolute bullshit is the fire throw. You can “deflect” them but you still take damage and some burn status as well PLUS there’s no tell on the second wind up if he decides to do another one.
- Anonymous
I'm not trying to look cool or anything but I don't find this boss to be that hard. Sure I died a lot on my first playthrough but now I feel lime all its normal attacks can be dodged by strafing right and punishing anyway good luck skeleton to all the people fighting him
- Anonymous
for 3rd phase do this:
//pop yasharikus sugar (dont worry about the hp loss), make sure you have enough emblems on you to use malcontent 3 times. When the 3rd phase begins use malcontent and go wild on him, when the effect starts to wear off use it again, repeat for the 3rd time, at this point you should have grinded his posture to like 75%. Best part is that after all that whacking at his knees he staggers again which lets you finish him off. Its literally free phase 3 as long as you have enough emblems.
- Anonymous
In terms of foreshadowing (in lore), pretty sure the sculptor at one point says something akin to "You'll be the one to kill me", no?
I believe I'd given him all the different sake and finished progress towards the best and second best ending, right before the transition to the night and the finale.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
They put a Dark Souls boss in Sekiro. Then they put a Sekiro boss in Elden Ring. I'm calling Elden Ring boss in Armored Core
- Anonymous
****ing **** BOSS why the hell did FS implement something that doesn't it in the game with the mechanics they beat'n in the head of the player
- Anonymous
The absolute worst boss in the game from gameplay perspective. You learn how to deflect and counter enemy attacks, strike when opportunity presents itself, and when it's time for the endgame, one of the two strongest bosses literally kills everything you learned and regresses you back to dark souls dodges.
- Anonymous
God this fight does not belong in this game at all. And screw that perilous charge with no windup.
- Anonymous
i liked him but only after my ng charmless bell playthrough. he feels like a 1v1 vs a raid boss, very epic
- Anonymous
Once I learnt that I just needed to stay close to him, popped some withered red gourd, ministry dousing powder and all of my heals throughout the fight. Only other thing I did was use chasing slice with the Lazulite Shuriken as a further gap closer.
- Anonymous
I was really struggling on this guy, was starting to consider doing the cheese. Glad I didn't. What finally ended up working for me was 1) Use Divine Confetti. By this point in the game you probably have more money than you know what to do with, and every merchant sells it. Don't be afraid to use some, significant damage boost. 2) some say you should save your 3 uses of Malcontent for phase 3, but I was rarely even surviving to phase 3, so I just allotted myself 1 malcontent whistle for each phase. Helped me stay alive long enough to even get there. Then by the end I was obviously out of gourd heals, so reached into the rice from divine child for the first time, along with one of those rice balls Kuro gave you. So if you're super close to beating phase 3, don't forget about those healing items you normally don't use (or at least I never did, always felt like I had to save it for something). I guess this also applies to those Jinzo statues, which didn't occur to me until I was writing this out.
- Anonymous
I've whacked this demon's unnervingly gentalia-less groin so many times that it's now uncomfortably imprinted in my mind.
Honestly not too bad once you get a hang of his moveset and figure out appropriate responses. I found there's a "sweet spot" in spacing this boss where the majority of his attacks will miss if you're sprinting left like a demon, and you can get in quickly to get ta' swingin'
2 biggest hurdles: Big beefy vitality bar, and Fromsoft's continued refusal to use wider camera angles on these big bosses. From a lore and design point of view, one of the most awesome bosses in the game; I love the fierce poses he pulls
- Anonymous
My problem with this boss is I can't not fight him like a Dark Souls boss... It feels like I should be dodging all his attacks but most of the time that just screws me over. It feels wrong to try deflect a giant monster with a katana.
- Anonymous
Takes forever with the difficulty modifiers. Like, yeah, I know his moves, I do be dodging his stomps and kabuki thing, but my hand's getting tired.
- Anonymous
just memorize first phase and figure out how to counter/evade them. second and third phases are very easy.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
I'm doing NG+ charmless right now. It took me 2 hours for owl father, then killed thus boss on my 1st try. Didn't use any consumables, prosthetic tools or weapon arts. Literally every move he does is simple to avoid and punish by sprinting, dodging or jumping. Forget about deflecting for this fight. Just stand infront of him and spam R1 and sidestep when he does the stomp. The most important thing: When he's far away, don't just run in on him because he will burn you, just let him come towards you and waste his attack.
- Anonymous
"A shinobi would know the difference between victory and honor" -People who cheesed DoH
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
big fire circle attack is a massive opening, just jump over the first swing and spam light attacks instead of running away
- Anonymous
This is just Laurence all over again. An extremely tanky mobile hard hitting boss who can end you in 2 seconds even if you did the fight flawlessly. Isshin is a harder boss and I loved him but this is just a mess that’s a chore to get through
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
I went into this fight thinking he was gonna be unbeatable and super annoying, but after beating him I think you guys just suck he was super fun.
- Anonymous
Just did this without malcontent or the umbrella. Took me over an hour of banging my head against the wall and learning his moves, but the first time I got him to phase 3 I beat him, albeit with help from a lot of rice as I ran out of gourds and pellets. Although he's big and imposing, the best thing you can do is just constantly sprint at him and get underneath him. He has a few attacks he uses there but most are dodgeable/deflectable. If he does his big jumping aoe attack, sprint away, jump just before he lands and then grappling hook his face to stay on him.
If you can keep the pressure up and never give him any breathing room, he gets quite manageable. Thankfully the camera is pretty decent on this one, and it highlights his stomps which can be deflected.
- Anonymous
Just beat this ungrateful son of a *****, my advice
don't even think about going into this battle without fire umbrella and malcontent. Only use malcontent in 3rd phase. Definitely apply ako's while doing malcontent stun.
- Anonymous
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- Anonymous
Agreed with Sep 05 poster. Fight wasn't that bad as long as you stay aggressive and never stop attacking or blocking. Took me an hour to beat him; Great Shinobi Owl took me a lot longer. I haven't fought Owl (Father) yet, so can't speak to that fight.
Stay aggressive, don't block, and dodge, dodge, dodge. I never blocked in the fight that I beat him, just dodged under and around his attacks and almost never stopped swinging. You get more dodge i-frames if you don't lock on to an enemy, so it's worth staying unlocked and controlling the camera. With an enemy as big as him, it wasn't too hard to keep him in view so I could react to his moves.
- Anonymous
This boss fight isn't that bad, yeah it's difficult but it's also fun at the same time and it's doable. Now Owl (Father) however, f**k that boss...
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
This Wikia is missing his Diving regular arm attack. In 4 hours of fighting this boss I have only seen it twice. First in phase one he did it away from me and i thought i was hallucinating. The second time was in phase 3, he hand dragged away out of his ring of fire and paused for 3 seconds. Then he leaped back into the ring with a thrust, no Danger symbol. Not sure if you can mikiri it, but I jumped into it and was one shot with no more Rez (:
Maybe it was added in an update, this is a new game and I have footage of it happening.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
Did I actually get this far just to have this game give me this bs one way, and then just simply two minibosses at the same time the other way? I just invested 35 hours into this game just to get to a part where I have to sacrifice my enjoyment just to experience the rest
- Anonymous
You can make this a bit more like a Sekiro boss with Suzaku's Lotus Umbrella. You can deflect the burning hand attacks with it.
- Anonymous
Man! I really feel like im getting the hang of sekiro! It should be smooth sailing from h- *encounters demon of hatred*
- Anonymous
Don't feel guilty: it's always morally correct to cheese him.
- Anonymous
"A shinobi would know the difference between honor and victory"
- Anonymous
Bro I don't even like Dark Souls boss fights in Dark Souls.
- Anonymous
Man, what a long fight! I don't think I used any dairy products: Malcontent, Divine Confetti and the like.
Overall, I just concentrated: I call it "Max Focus Mode" (it's an expression a friend of mine uses, meaning he's constipated).
- Anonymous
This was a mfer of a boss to beat with demon bell no charm. Got lucky his attacks missed my hitbox from elevation couple of times
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
I loved this guys execution. Its so cool to realize its the sculptor as he falls of the cliff- i mean gets stabbed in the head!
- Anonymous
I always cheese the boss no matter what. I play Sekiro for the intense back and forth dueling, if I want to fight a giant beast by attacking his ankles, i'll go play Dark Souls. No shame to anyone who likes it, I just don't find the long ass fight fun nor worth my finite life to repeat more than once. RIP in pepperoni at the bottom of the cliff buddy.
- Anonymous
Straight up feels like a dark souls boss, was definetly hard for me to switch gears from how most sekiro enemies are (parrying ****s you in this fight, have to dodge 80+% of the attacks) . Still, can be a pretty fun boss once you learn his patterns
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
easiest boss in the game IMO, attacks are so easy to dodge. super fun tho
- Anonymous
Actually fun fight. Just beat him for the first time. I saved my three uses of malcontent for the last phase, so once I got past the first two, it was just beating him on the openings I got and stunning him when I felt was necessary. I barely won tho. Had one gourd use left
- Anonymous
If you come from Bloodborne, he's just another Vicar, quit simple.
- Anonymous
this boss could have been so good if deflecting his fire arm wouldn‘t cause chip burn buildup… a pity.
- Anonymous
Actually one of my favourite bosses to fight, but that might be because I beat all three dark souls games before moving on to Sekiro.
I feel like the practice I got in against him might translate pretty well to Bloodborne, once I get a chance to play through it.
- Anonymous
Sorry to anyone who argue about cheesing bosses; cheese is the way of shinobi and therefore is absolute
- Anonymous
Lots of people in the comments making excuses for cheesing him. Git gud
This was the only fight in the whole game that after i beat it i felt nothing but just relief that it was over with.
- Anonymous
Bug; if you stagger him for the death blow, but somehow leave a charged Malcontent echo, he will be forced to do his headache animation. Got this by chance on his 3rd phase, and I was surprised he suddenly started to clutch his head while Sekiro was still in final deathblow pose. Didn't matter because the deathblow took out all his health, and he could 1 shot at that point.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
Im defeating this guy once, not even gonna bother on my next NG+
- Anonymous
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- Anonymous
All you need is Suzaku's Lotus. Deflect every physical attack with your sword and every flame attack (except for homing fireballs) with the umbrella. It even counters the jump explosion attack.
- Anonymous
Remember , a Shinobi should always choose Victory over Honor, so no issues if you cheese this guy by making him commit suicide. Both normal and cheese require skillz , so no one has the right to say git gud to if you if cheese him.
- Anonymous
absolute chore to learn but overall a pretty enjoyable fight once you get past the initial learning curve
- Anonymous
Appropriately enough, he has everything I hate in a boss - a massive health bar that you very slowly chip away with your letter-opener, lightning fast attacks that take 90% of your health, and insta-kill combos that will force you to restart from a single mistake. But you can learn to avoid many of his close-range attacks through careful positioning, and whoever suggested Tanto + Umbrella was right on the money for surviving his AoE stuff; then just keep trying and hope for a lucky run where he doesn't deside to use his most dangerous attacks. Worked for me (after about 5 hours).
- Anonymous
At the very least, this game makes a clear distinction between fighting warriors and fighting beasts. Can't say I enjoyed being set on fire every 2nd or 3rd hit, though. (Can't figure out umbrella too well and I'd much rather save emblems for other things.)
- Anonymous
Absolutely unenjoyable boss fight, might be cause I fight him right after Isshin, I just realised deflecting is completely worthless after 5-6 attempts than I just ran straight to him on first phase, kept my distance when he went too far and dodged his new two attacks then immediately ran towards him again as if its phase 1 in phase 2, and the first time I reached phase 3 I tried to stay close and one of ring of fires actually hit me, followed by an attack by him I just died, then I figured out I just need to run out of ring and fight him after. Next time I fought him it was a piece of cake.
I swear if I went to play some dark souls to practice before entering this boss it would take a lot less time beat (Fun fact I was on Demon Prince on my ds3 save.)
- Anonymous
Figured a way to kill this boss by fighting him like a proper Sekiro boss, not a DS boss. Recorded some no damage videos and I'll splice them together to break down my method and his attacks involved. Busy at the moment, but I'll try to have it out by end of year.
- Anonymous
this boss goes against everything this game stands for and teaches you, practically a last moment "is it dark souls ? always has been" moment
- Anonymous
IIRC there was dragon rot dialogue with Emma where Sekijo mentions he is not easy to kill. When you look at his demon design, you assume that the spikes sticking out of his chest are just grotesque ribs. But no, his normal ribs are still there. I'm guessing that instead of extra ribs, these are actually centipede legs. It's hard to kill him because of rejuvenating waters, which made him a formidable shinobi back in the day. Unlike the True Monk & Guardian Ape, the fires of hatred killed the centipede within before it could take control or escape, which is why we don't need the Mortal Blade to kill him.
Sekijo used to serve Ashina and knew Dogen who created the prosthetic for him, it's not hard to imagine that Dosaku was somehow able to experiment on him at the time. The prayer beads mention a pink ogre, so I suspect that Sekijo was a forerunner to the red-eyed ogremen.
- Anonymous
Damn are you kidding me I spend hours fighting him then when I finally beat him I come here to see I could have stunned him with the whistle and he’s weak to confetti!? That would have saved me so much time
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
But the worst thing about this boss is the feckin' chip damage. He has an actual moveset that's fun to deflect, but you can't stay alive long enough to have fun with it without healing. If you actually deflect his attacks, the huge ass sponge of an HP bar doesn't matter anymore.
At least for the burn, you can use the red gourd or powder.
- Anonymous
I really hope that if Sekiro ever gets a sequel, From stops putting Souls bosses in.
This boss isn't even hard. His only problem is a ****ton of HP, while also forcing you to play in the way you've been unlearning the entire game.
He's like the Chained Ogre which teaches noobs bad habits, but instead he's punishing the veteran's good habits.
- Anonymous
I love how half the comments are people who **** on the boss because they can't be bothered to figure him out, and the other half are those did and got gud.
In any case, the best loadout; Suzaku's Umbrella & Malcontent for phase 3, Yashariku & Tanto, & Nightjar Slash Reversal.
Use Tanto at the start to ensure you have enough emblems, then heal. Even just 5 extra is enough.
Malcontent is a no brainer. Suzaku's Umbrella is obviously for blocking his fire-imbued attacks, which can pierce, but attacks deflected this way deal more poise damage to him than just attacking & whittling his HP. Confetti is a bad choice for this loadout because using the follow-up attack of the Umbrella overrides confetti and ends it prematurely. What matters here is building up poise. Yashariku will help you do that, and even at 90% HP his poise recovery is dismal.
Nightjar Reversal personally is my preference, but it's very useful in closing the distance or even making distance. Also compared to holding a button to sprint then press another button near an enemy to attack, it's a bit less of a hassle to press 2 buttons, then have a short moment to think what to do next while Sekiro is doing the flip.
- Anonymous
In spite of dodge & poke most people use, this boss still a Sekiro boss. Learning the move pattern & deflecting is still key, since it builds posture faster than whittling his health down to zero.
Malcontent is fine, but Suzaku's is a better tool for this. He has combos like any other boss, but because of fire, it's safer to deflect the last hit of the combos. So, you'll need Suzaku's specifically. Use Yashariku, because Confetti will be negated by the umbrella's follow up attack. Deflect non-fire attacks as much as possible with normal deflect. In particular his 4-hit combo that starts with the flaming fist high up; dodge the first 2 hits which are fire-based, deflect the 3rd attack which is a stomp, and use Suzaku for the last hit, then follow up attack. Don't bother deflecting his jumping fist attack. It doesn't seem to deal any posture damage to him.
When he jumps and dives, stand your ground & guard with umbrella. Wait a bit before counterattacking, because the shockwave will knock you back. Time it right, and you can deal massive health & posture damage. As for most other attacks which don't involve his fist or feet, just dodge & nip at his heels. Rinse and repeat. You can totally beat this boss even without Malcontent, but you can use it to secure victory in the 3rd phase.
Also, if manage to keep the tower, it's still possible to use the Gyoubu skip after the fight. It's also possible to still use the Bull skip and enter Ashina Castle. This version is different though, since FS set up collision walls to prevent you from crossing the bridge, & entering Ashina Castle. Though for some reason, once you fall from the roof & the boss respawns. Gonna try and see if I can use this to fight him twice.
- Anonymous
Noobs : wahhhhh this boss is so hard
Me : I’m not crying because it’s hard, I’m crying because it’s beautiful. Best fight in the game. Rip Sekijo
- Anonymous
Beat him with only the base items: katana, grapple, gourd. And all I can say is this: don't, just cheese him he sucks to fight.
- Anonymous
By far the most shity boss due to him haveing dark souls machanics
- Anonymous
I just beat Demon of Hatred on my first attempt, BUT I cheesed him. Came here to say this: I FEEL BAD.
Sekiro has been so hard to me, I have been punished so many times, I got so small chances that when I saw that I could cheat, I just couldn't help it. Like I was blinded by revenge, I thought it was fair, I have the right to take some advantage at some point.
The feeling, my friends, when I got to that rooftop, the joy, the justice! I was like "I am the only king in the world! Ha ha ha!"
But when the DoH fell off the cliff I instantly regretted. And when he said "thanks, Wolf" and the trophy popped, it was like an illusion vanishing right in front of my eyes. I felt like an impostor. I still do.
It made me question my morals and ethics.
I was so f***ed for not being good enough for playing Sekiro that I didn't give him a chance to show me again that I am not good enough. Seems like he did it, though.
That's why I am quitting. Won't play Sekiro anymore, won't finish the game.
This wiki helped me a lot, and I will never forget the great fights against Genichiro and the Guardian Ape, memorable to me. I will also never forget the guy who wants he could kill the Great Serpent with the power of Christ.
That's all, have a good life, friends.
- Anonymous
This feels like a mix of Flamelurker and Laurence but with Sekiro combat, i like it a lot
- Anonymous
Man it would be nice if the camera wasn't in half the body so I could see when he's about to rush
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
Tips to beating him with ease, I recommend making backup save for this:
- Sugar (any) and Divine Confetti spam
- Malcontent (KEY TO SKIPPING THIRD PHASE COMPLETELY)
- Most attack power possible
- Fighting more like a souls boss, blocking/parrying if necessary
- Don't get frustrated, he takes a little time to learn his moveset :)
YOU GOT THIS
- Anonymous
Just reached him on my second playthrough (first time charmless) and did an initial attempt on him. Had never used the umbrella before him, but I relied on it a lot the first time I fought him.
Turns out, the charmless chip damage also applies to the umbrella.
I'm so ****ed.
- Anonymous
Kanji just doesn't appear half the time for hand rush or 60° cone of fire after ng?
Genuinely asking, and I recorded to go back and check I didnt miss it, also didnt happen first playthrough
Not the end of the world but annoying when you think its a palm strike or straight line whip.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
Just got to him in NG+ without Kuro's charm and found out the chip damage applies to the umbrella... This will suck.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
You've mastered the art of deflection. You can time your mikiri counter perfectly every time. You've learned how to dodge and counter, use your shinobi tools to relentlessly assault the enemy. You are a sword master that surpasses Isshin and a shinobi that surpasses Owl
Now, throw away everything you've learned and keep running and turtle behind your umbrella at the slightest sign of an attack
- Anonymous
he just takes a long time to grind down. patience is the key, a lot of his attacks/movements gives you some space to use items more liberally.
I used nightjar slash to close the distance that he loves making. Also hit him in the head, stuns him after a few hits. I tried to keep to his right as its easier to get in and get hits after his combos.
I saved malcontent for phase three.
I will say, actually beating the boss was bittersweet. Is this what wolf is destined for? To be consumed by bloodshed and trauma. Istg almost shed a tear when you hear "finish me wolf..."
Kinda makes ya feel bad when a good chunk of people just cheese this boss (i aint gonna lie, i beat him in reflection of strength then cheesed it, im not that much of a masochist
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
This mf makes Isshin fight like 40% more difficult because by the time you beat this mf thr muscle memory is messed up so badly.
- Anonymous
So the Guardian Ape lost its mate when it outlived her, then killed the Sculptor's "mate." Because the Ape was immortal, the Sculptor went mad because he couldn't inflict revenge on Kingfisher's killer, and he was left with the Ape's karmic imprint. Isshin severed his arm to prevent him from becoming Shura, but the festering hatred eventually transformed him into an ape-like demon...
Maybe that's why for Sekiro to recognize him, he has to have made the connection between the Sculptor and the Sunken Valley by giving him both the Ashina sake and the monkey booze (the only varieties required for the hidden dialogue). And maybe that's what the old woman means when she tells him there's still reason to keep faith—because he successfully severed the karmic imprint left by the Ape's own hatred toward its immortal life?
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
I came here to play Sekiro. Not Bloodborne. Even after 6 years Miazaki still hasn't gotten over that high yet
- Anonymous
I enjoyed Demon of Hatred immensely.
It felt nostalgic due to its resemblence to soulsborne bosses.
Just keep at it and you will get him eventually.
- Anonymous
This boss fight is the prime example of why Fromsoft optional bosses are just shy of being great. I like the lore and design of this fight and I like a good challenging boss, but when the boss has a BS dash attack in a fight that wants you be aggressive, and that same dash borderline oneshots you and the gets a flame aoe later, it just feels like it's too much happening. Why does almost every optional Fromsoft boss have a fire version with a and stretchy arm and extendo fingers broken hitbox?
If your struggling with this fight. Do a run without hitting him and just purely dodging. Will help you figure out when you can actually afford to hit him. My favourite opening was his slash down the front i just kept running to the right and then charged at him when i saw it coming down get like a minimum of 6 solid hits in. Gotta keep cool and just dodge his **** till you know you can afford to hit him. If you try to force it he will punish you. I also preffered to suzaku umbrella his jump slam instead jumping away and grappling back. GL guys.
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