How Long Did It REALLY Take to Beat Lady Butterfly in Sekiro?

For me, facing Lady Butterfly in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice was a brutal learning experience. It ultimately took me roughly five hours and well over thirty attempts to finally emerge victorious. This wasn’t a contiguous five-hour block, mind you. It was spread across a few evenings, punctuated by frustrated sighs and a growing understanding of the fight’s nuances. While some players might conquer her within an hour or two, and others may struggle for significantly longer, my experience highlights the varying degrees of difficulty and learning curves players encounter in this challenging boss battle.

Understanding the Lady Butterfly Hurdle

Lady Butterfly is often considered the first major skill check in Sekiro. While she might not be the absolute first boss, she’s usually the first one that forces players to truly grasp the game’s core combat mechanics: deflecting, posture breaking, and aggressive engagement. Before Lady Butterfly, you might have gotten away with button-mashing or relying solely on vitality damage. This fight demands precision and a deeper understanding of how Sekiro wants you to play.

My initial attempts were disastrous. I was too passive, too reliant on dodging instead of deflecting, and generally overwhelmed by her speed and illusions. Each death, however, provided a valuable lesson. I learned her attack patterns, the timings for perfect deflects, and the importance of maintaining aggressive pressure to prevent her from launching perilous attacks. The turning point came when I realized I needed to be in her face, constantly attacking and deflecting to fill her posture bar.

Strategies and Tactics for Victory

There are a few key strategies that proved essential in my eventual victory:

• Aggressive Deflection: The most crucial element is mastering the art of deflecting her attacks perfectly. This builds up her posture rapidly, leading to a deathblow opportunity. Don’t be afraid to be aggressive and attack between her flurries.

• Posture Over Vitality: Focus on breaking her posture rather than chipping away at her health. While vitality damage does contribute, posture damage is the key to a quick and decisive victory.

• Learning the Mikiri Counter: She uses a perilous thrust attack which is a perfect opportunity for a Mikiri Counter. This deals significant posture damage and can quickly turn the tide of the fight.

• Phase Two Strategies: The illusion phase is arguably the most frustrating part of the fight. The easiest way to deal with it is using Snap Seeds. These instantly dispel the illusions. If you’re low on Snap Seeds, you can run around the arena, dodging the illusions, until they transform into butterflies. Then, use the pillars to create distance and avoid the perilous butterfly attack. Alternatively, you can focus on the real Lady Butterfly, who is slightly brighter than the illusions. Defeating her quickly will end the phase.

• Knowing When to Heal: Healing opportunities are limited, but crucial. Create distance when she’s winding up for a long-range attack or after successfully performing a Mikiri Counter. Don’t be greedy; one or two heals are often all you can safely manage.

Ultimately, beating Lady Butterfly was a testament to perseverance and a willingness to learn from my mistakes. The feeling of finally landing that deathblow after so many attempts was incredibly rewarding and solidified my love for Sekiro’s challenging yet fair combat system.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lady Butterfly

Here are some common questions players have about Lady Butterfly:

1. Is Lady Butterfly an optional boss?

Yes, Lady Butterfly is an optional boss. You can skip her and progress through the main story, but defeating her unlocks valuable rewards and contributes to your overall strength.

2. What rewards do I get for beating Lady Butterfly?

Defeating Lady Butterfly grants you the Memory: Lady Butterfly (allowing you to increase your attack power) and the Snap Seed recipe (useful for dispelling illusions in future encounters).

3. What is the best combat art to use against Lady Butterfly?

While combat arts can be helpful, they aren’t strictly necessary for this fight. However, the Ichimonji: Double can be useful for recovering posture and dealing damage.

4. How many phases does Lady Butterfly have?

Lady Butterfly has two distinct phases. The second phase introduces illusions and a perilous butterfly attack, making it considerably more challenging.

5. What are the best prosthetics to use against Lady Butterfly?

The Shuriken prosthetic can be useful for interrupting her aerial attacks and preventing her from throwing kunai. The Flame Vent can also be effective for dealing damage and staggering her.

6. What is the best way to deal with Lady Butterfly’s illusions?

As mentioned earlier, Snap Seeds are the most effective way to instantly dispel her illusions.

7. Is Lady Butterfly weak to any specific combat styles?

Lady Butterfly isn’t particularly weak to any specific combat style, but focusing on aggressive deflection and posture breaking is the most effective approach.

8. What is Lady Butterfly’s weakness?

Lady Butterfly’s primary “weakness” is her relatively low posture. If you can consistently deflect her attacks, you can quickly break her posture and land deathblows.

9. At what point in the game should I fight Lady Butterfly?

It’s generally recommended to fight Lady Butterfly after completing the Hirata Estate area and acquiring some additional upgrades, such as more health and attack power.

10. Can I parry Lady Butterfly’s perilous attacks?

No, you cannot parry perilous attacks. You must either jump away, Mikiri Counter (if it’s a thrust), or use a Combat Art that grants invincibility frames.

11. How do I unlock the Lady Butterfly fight?

To unlock the Lady Butterfly fight, you need to obtain the Hidden Temple Key from an old woman in the Hirata Estate area. Then, pray at the Buddha statue in the dilapidated temple.

12. Is it possible to cheese Lady Butterfly?

While there are some minor exploits that can make the fight slightly easier, there are no reliable “cheese” strategies that guarantee victory. The fight is designed to be challenging and requires skillful play.

13. What stats should I prioritize upgrading before fighting Lady Butterfly?

Prioritize upgrading your vitality (health) and attack power. Increasing your health will allow you to withstand more damage, while increasing your attack power will help you break her posture faster.

14. What happens if I skip Lady Butterfly?

If you skip Lady Butterfly, you will miss out on the rewards mentioned earlier and potentially struggle with later bosses who demand similar combat skills.

15. Is there a better alternative to Snap Seeds for dealing with her illusions?

If you run out of Snap Seeds, you can use the alternative strategy of running around until the apparitions turn to butterflies. Then keep your distance and use the pillars to avoid the butterfly attack. Defeating the real Lady Butterfly will end the illusion phase, and she is slightly brighter than the apparitions.