Sekiro Resurrection Penalty | When should I revive?

Resurrection in Sekiro is a big part of the game. Unlike Dark Souls, when you die in Sekiro, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the end. Knowing when to revive in Sekiro is an important strategy, and using this ability has its upsides and penalties you have to consider.

When should I resurrect in Sekiro Shadows Die Twice?

After the incident at Ashina, Sekiro finds he has gained “Resurrective Power” from the Divine Heir’s blood. This gives him the ability to revive himself a limited number of times after falling in combat. By using a Resurrection Charge after dying, you can bring Sekiro back to life at half health to once again enter the fray.

You get one Resurrection Charge each time you rest at a Sculptor’s Idol. Additionally, you can build up a second one by killing enemies and performing deathblows. This means at the start of the game you can resurrect a maximum of twice before you have to face death.

Most of the time, you’re going to want to resurrect given the option. Dying will take half of your money and have of the Skill EXP for your current level. You won’t actually lose any Skill Points, but half of any progress to the next one is gone upon death.

This loss of currency and EXP can be mitigated if you’re blessed with Unseen Aid, but since there’s only a max of 30% chance of that happening, you shouldn’t count on it saving you often.

You’ll also have to start from the nearest Sculptor’s Idol when the game reloads after you die. This usually isn’t too terrible of a penalty; there are quite a few idols dotted around Sekiro. However, having to play the same part over and over gets frustrating, which can be bypassed by using resurrection.

Is there a resurrection penalty in Sekiro?

The unfortunate side effect that comes with resurrection in Sekiro is Dragonrot. The more Sekiro brings himself back to life, the more the disease known as Dragonrot will spread through the land. Upon revival, at times you’ll get a notification that you’ve received a “Rot Essence.”

A Rot Essence means a character somewhere in the world has contracted Dragonrot. Each Rot Essence lowers your chance of receiving Unseen Aid, and will also halt any progress in some NPC questlines. Choosing to die instead of reviving when you know a situation is hopeless can prevent Dragonrot from spreading, but there’s no meter or clues on who the disease will affect next or when they’ll contract it.