Table of Contents

Can You Undo Dragonrot in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice?

Yes, you absolutely can undo Dragonrot in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. It’s not a permanent curse, and thankfully, the game provides you with a method to restore those afflicted by this debilitating disease. Understanding Dragonrot and how to cure it is crucial for progressing through the game and experiencing all it has to offer. Read on to fully learn how to deal with this complex game mechanic.

Understanding Dragonrot: A Primer

Dragonrot is a unique mechanic in Sekiro that reflects the consequences of the Wolf’s repeated deaths and resurrections. Each time the Wolf dies and chooses to respawn at a Sculptor’s Idol, he draws upon the life force of those around him, specifically the NPCs who are essential to the game’s narrative and side quests. This act of repeated resurrection causes a mysterious illness to spread, known as Dragonrot.

The consequences of Dragonrot are primarily tied to the following:

Reduced Unseen Aid: Unseen Aid is a mechanic that grants you a chance to retain your Skill Experience and Sen (the game’s currency) upon death. As Dragonrot spreads, the chance of receiving Unseen Aid significantly decreases, making each death more punishing.
Questline Stagnation: NPCs afflicted with Dragonrot may become too ill to continue their questlines, preventing you from progressing certain storylines or obtaining valuable items and lore. They won’t die, but they won’t be much help either.
Missed Lore: Some NPCs provide important background information and insights into the world of Sekiro. When stricken with Dragonrot, their dialogue options may be limited, causing you to miss out on crucial narrative details.

The Cure: Dragon’s Blood Droplets

The cure for Dragonrot involves using a Dragon’s Blood Droplet at a Sculptor’s Idol. By selecting the “Dragonrot Restoration” option, you can cleanse all afflicted NPCs of the disease and remove any Rot Essence from your inventory. Doing so will restore the Unseen Aid percentage and allow you to continue any stalled questlines.

However, it’s important to remember that this cure is not permanent. The more the Wolf dies and resurrects, the more likely Dragonrot will return.

When To Cure Dragonrot

The ideal time to cure Dragonrot depends on your playstyle and priorities:

When a Quest is Blocked: If an important NPC is afflicted with Dragonrot and refuses to progress their questline, it’s time to use a Dragon’s Blood Droplet.
Towards the End of the Game: If you’re nearing the end of the game and want to complete all available side quests, it may be wise to save your Dragon’s Blood Droplets until then and cure everyone at once.
When Unseen Aid Drops Too Low: If you find yourself dying frequently and the Unseen Aid percentage has plummeted due to widespread Dragonrot, curing the disease can provide some much-needed relief.

Limited Resources

While curing Dragonrot is relatively simple, the number of Dragon’s Blood Droplets available in a single playthrough is limited. Only 17 can be found “organically,” though some merchants will restock on the item after you’ve used one. Therefore, it’s essential to use them judiciously.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Dragonrot

Here are 15 frequently asked questions about Dragonrot in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, providing further details and clarifying common misconceptions:

Is Dragonrot restoration permanent? No, using a Dragon’s Blood Droplet is not a permanent cure. The more you die and resurrect at a Sculptor’s Idol, the sicker everyone will get again because you’ll receive more Rot Essence.
Does Dragonrot spread if you don’t resurrect? Using the resurrection skill to come back to life where you are does not count towards this. If you die and respawn at the statue, it doesn’t matter if you previously used your resurrections or not – the dragonrot penalty is the same. Just dying.
Is it worth curing Dragonrot in Sekiro? I would say use it when you want to continue a quest and the dragonrot is stopping you from doing so. Or wait until you’re towards the end of the game and cure dragonrot then finish all the quests at once. Nobody dies from dragonrot, they just refuse to talk to you about their quest.
What happens if you don’t restore Dragonrot? When you actually die – that is, when you don’t resurrect and respawn at a Sculptor’s Idol – Dragonrot will begin to spread throughout the world.
What happens if I don’t cure Dragonrot? If you don’t, you will have a lowered chance of the Unseen Aid, problems with certain side quests, and reduced lore.
Is it bad to keep resurrecting in Sekiro? Repeated death and resurrection decreases your chances of recovering your Skill Experience and Sen by receiving Unseen Aid when you respawn at a Sculptor’s Idol.
Is resurrecting in Sekiro bad? The more you die and resurrect, the greater your chances are of receiving Rot Essence, thereby affecting people in the world. At a certain point, people start getting sick. You’ll only receive Rot Essence when you resurrect at a Sculptor’s Idol.
Is dying in Sekiro bad? If you die you lose half your gold and xp, but there’s 30% chance of activating unseen aid, which prevents losing anything on death. If you die a certain amount of times NPCs can contract dragonrot, which is a kind of disease, but again, it does not kill them. The more you die, the more NPCs will contract it.
Does Dragonrot actually matter? Nobody dies of dragonrot, but it can stop advancement of side quests until you cure it, as well as reduce lore you might get. Also, vendors are still usable even when rotting, but they only give you useless things. Real goods are found from maps and mobs.
Are dragon blood droplets limited in Sekiro? Only 17 Dragon’s Blood Droplets can be found organically in each playthrough of Sekiro. Some are found in the world, while others are purchased, but some merchants actually restock on the valuable item. After using a Droplet, Fujioka the Info Broker, as well as both Memorial Mob merchants, will restock on Droplets.
Is Dragonrot cure limited? There’s a limited supply of items in the game that can cure dragonrot for everyone at once. They can get sick again though. It’s really no biggie, don’t sweat it.
Does dying a lot in Sekiro matter? The more you die, the more NPCs will contract it. It isn’t actually that bad, for example you can still trade with merchants afflicted with dragonrot, but if a NPC who’s part of a questline gets it, it may prevent you from following that questline, until dragonrot is cured, and curing it is pretty simple.
What is the penalty for dying in Sekiro? If you die you lose half your gold and xp, but there’s 30% chance of activating unseen aid, which prevents losing anything on death. If you die a certain amount of times NPCs can contract dragonrot, which is a kind of disease, but again, it does not kill them.
How many deaths does Dragonrot Sekiro have? Dragonrot is spread after Wolf suffers a certain number of deaths he doesn’t resurrect from: resurrecting does NOT cause Dragonrot. Dragonrot will start manifesting after Wolf perishes definitely four times. Some of the characters that interacted with Wolf will become sick and develop a “Rot Essence“.
What is the point of curing Dragonrot? Few additional reasons you may want Dragonrot cured are the extra dialogue you will acquire from the NPCs, enriching the world of Sekiro as you play, and Unseen Aid.

Mastering Dragonrot: Tips and Strategies

Managing Dragonrot effectively requires a proactive approach. Here are some tips to minimize its spread and make the most of your Dragon’s Blood Droplets:

Avoid unnecessary deaths: This may sound obvious, but practicing your parrying skills and learning enemy attack patterns can significantly reduce your death count. The better you get, the less prevalent dragonrot will be.
Explore thoroughly: Search every nook and cranny of the game world to find as many Dragon’s Blood Droplets as possible.
Prioritize quests: Focus on completing questlines that are crucial for your desired ending before curing Dragonrot.
Manage your resurrections: Use your resurrections strategically. Sometimes, it’s better to accept death and respawn at a Sculptor’s Idol rather than resurrecting and risking further Dragonrot spread.

Dragonrot is a core game mechanic that adds a layer of complexity to the game. By understanding its causes, consequences, and cure, you can effectively manage its spread and ensure that your journey through Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is as smooth and rewarding as possible. Remember to use your Dragon’s Blood Droplets wisely, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different strategies to find what works best for you. This adds to the layers of learning in video games which is an important aspect that is studied by the Games Learning Society. For more information on the intersection of gaming and learning, visit GamesLearningSociety.org. Good luck, Shinobi!

Can you undo Dragonrot?