How Many Prayer Beads Can You Get in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice?

In Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the quest for power is intimately tied to the acquisition of Prayer Beads. These coveted items are essential for increasing your Vitality and Posture, making you a more formidable shinobi. The question on every player’s mind is: How many Prayer Beads can you actually obtain in a single playthrough? The answer is a definitive 40 Prayer Beads. However, to fully maximize your character’s potential, you need to collect them all. This means finding and defeating specific bosses and mini-bosses scattered throughout Ashina. Read on for a detailed breakdown and answers to frequently asked questions!

Prayer Beads: A Shinobi’s Source of Strength

Understanding the Importance of Prayer Beads

Prayer Beads are more than just collectibles; they are the key to survivability in Sekiro’s challenging world. Each set of four Prayer Beads can be offered at a Sculptor’s Idol to create a Prayer Necklace. Each Prayer Necklace permanently increases both your Vitality (health) and Posture (stamina). These upgrades are crucial for enduring enemy attacks and breaking their defenses. A higher Vitality pool allows you to withstand more damage, while improved Posture helps you resist being staggered and vulnerable. Neglecting to collect these beads will make your journey significantly harder.

Locating and Acquiring Prayer Beads

The 40 Prayer Beads are not simply lying around waiting to be picked up. They are primarily obtained by defeating mini-bosses throughout the game. Some are rewarded for progressing through the main story, while others are hidden within optional areas. Discovering and overcoming these encounters is a significant part of the Sekiro experience. Keep your eyes peeled, your ears open, and your sword sharp, because each bead requires a hard-earned victory. Remember that exploration and careful observation are key to finding them all.

Breaking Down the Prayer Bead Locations

Ashina Outskirts Prayer Beads

• General Naomori Kawarada: Located at the beginning of the Ashina Outskirts.
• Chained Ogre: Found shortly after the General, locked in chains.
• General Tenzen Yamauchi: Situated on the battlefield leading up to the Ashina Castle gate.
• Ashina Outskirts Memorial Mob (purchased)

Hirata Estate Prayer Beads

• Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen: Found near the Bamboo Thicket Slope idol.
• Lone Shadow Masanaga the Spear-Bearer: Located near the Main Hall idol, after defeating Lady Butterfly.
• Hirata Estate Memorial Mob (purchased)

Ashina Castle Prayer Beads

• Blazing Bull: Encountered on the path towards Ashina Castle.
• Seven Ashina Spears – Shikibu Toshikatsu Yamauchi: Located near the Upper Tower – Antechamber idol.
• Ashina Elite – Jinsuke Saze: Found in a room within Ashina Castle.
• Nightjar Clan Member In the hidden staircase after the Dojo Idol

Senpou Temple, Mt. Kongo Prayer Beads

• Armored Warrior: Found on the bridge leading to the Inner Sanctum.
• Long-arm Centipede Sen’un: Located in the Main Hall of Senpou Temple.

Sunken Valley Prayer Beads

• Long-arm Centipede Giraffe: Encountered in the Gun Fort.
• Snake Eyes Shirafuji: Found guarding the passage towards the Guardian Ape’s Watering Hole.

Abandoned Dungeon Prayer Beads

• Tokujiro the Glutton: Found near the Poison Pool idol.
• Headless: Located deep within the dungeon, requiring Divine Confetti.

Ashina Depths Prayer Beads

• Snake Eyes Shirahagi: Located near the Hidden Forest idol.
• O’Rin of the Water: Found near the Mibu Village idol.

Fountainhead Palace Prayer Beads

• Sakura Bull of the Palace: Encountered in the courtyard of the Palace Grounds.
• Okami Leader Shizu: Located in the pool near the Feeding Grounds.

Great Serpent Shrine Prayer Beads

• Mini-Boss Defeat: One prayer bead can be obtained through defeating a specific mini-boss within this area.

Second Invasion Prayer Beads

• Seven Ashina Spears – Shume Masaji Oniwa: Appears near the Ashina Castle Gate Fortress after the Interior Ministry invasion.
• Lone Shadow Vilehand: Located in the Hidden Passage after the Castle is attacked.
• Ashina Elite – Ujinari Mizou: Found in the Dojo, replacing Jinsuke Saze.

Others Prayer Beads

• Pot Noble Harunaga In Hirata Estate, after giving him enough Treasure Carp Scales
• Pot Noble Koremori In Hirata Estate, after giving him enough Treasure Carp Scales

Multiple Endings Variations

Some boss encounters and area access can change depending on your choices throughout the game and the ending you are pursuing. This might slightly alter the order in which you obtain certain Prayer Beads, but the total number remains consistent.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Prayer Beads in Sekiro

1. What happens if I miss Prayer Beads in my first playthrough?

You can acquire any missed Prayer Beads in New Game Plus (NG+). All progress is reset except for acquired skills, prosthetics, and items like Prayer Beads and Memories. This means you can revisit locations and defeat bosses again to collect any you missed.

2. How many Prayer Necklaces can I create in a single playthrough?

Since you can obtain 40 Prayer Beads, you can create a total of 10 Prayer Necklaces in a single playthrough (40 beads / 4 beads per necklace = 10 necklaces).

3. Is it necessary to collect all Prayer Beads?

While not strictly necessary to beat the game, collecting all Prayer Beads significantly enhances your survivability. Increased Vitality and Posture make challenging encounters more manageable, especially in later stages of the game. Therefore, it’s highly recommended.

4. Does the difficulty of obtaining Prayer Beads increase in NG+?

The difficulty of the enemies increases in NG+, making it marginally harder to acquire the Prayer Beads. However, since you retain your skills and prosthetics from the previous playthrough, you will likely be more skilled and equipped to handle the challenge.

5. Can I track which Prayer Beads I’ve already collected?

The game itself doesn’t offer a direct tracking system for Prayer Beads. It’s recommended to keep a personal checklist or refer to online guides to ensure you haven’t missed any.

6. Are there any Prayer Beads that are missable and permanently unobtainable?

No, thankfully, there are no Prayer Beads that are missable in a way that prevents you from getting them in a future playthrough. Even if you lock yourself out of an ending that changes a particular mini-boss encounter, it only means you’ll have to find it in a different location.

7. Do I need to defeat every boss in Sekiro to get all the Prayer Beads?

No, you don’t need to defeat every boss, but you need to defeat all the bosses and mini-bosses that reward Prayer Beads. Some bosses might not drop Prayer Beads, but rather other items like Memories, which boost your attack power.

8. Is there a specific order in which I should collect Prayer Beads?

There’s no strict order, but it’s generally recommended to explore accessible areas thoroughly early in the game. This allows you to boost your Vitality and Posture as quickly as possible, making subsequent areas easier to navigate. The Ashina Outskirts and Hirata Estate are good starting points.

9. Do Charm effects influence the drop rate of Prayer Beads?

The Kuro’s Charm, which affects difficulty and damage received, does not influence the drop rate of Prayer Beads. The drop rate is fixed; defeating the designated mini-boss will always reward you with a Prayer Bead (or two in some cases).

10. What happens if I die while fighting a boss with a Prayer Bead reward?

Dying during a boss fight only resets the encounter. You won’t lose the Prayer Bead; you simply need to defeat the boss to claim your reward. You might lose Sen and Unseen Aid chance, though.

11. Can I farm Prayer Beads in Sekiro?

No, you cannot farm Prayer Beads in Sekiro. Each Prayer Bead is a one-time reward for defeating a specific mini-boss or obtaining it from a vendor. Once you’ve acquired a Prayer Bead, that’s it.

12. How do I know if a mini-boss will drop a Prayer Bead before fighting them?

The game doesn’t explicitly tell you. However, most named mini-bosses (those with their names displayed on screen upon encounter) are likely to drop valuable items, including Prayer Beads. A safe approach is to assume that every mini-boss is worth defeating, just in case.

13. Are there any Prayer Beads hidden in secret areas or puzzles?

Some Prayer Beads require you to explore optional areas or complete small puzzles to reach the mini-bosses that hold them. For example, certain areas within the Ashina Depths and Senpou Temple are not immediately obvious and require careful exploration.

14. Does collecting Prayer Beads affect the game’s ending?

No, collecting Prayer Beads does not directly influence which ending you receive. The ending is determined by your dialogue choices and actions related to specific characters and events in the game. However, having more Vitality and Posture makes the final boss fights easier, regardless of the chosen ending.

15. Where is the best place to start looking for Prayer Beads if I’m new to the game?

Start by exploring the Ashina Outskirts. The first few mini-bosses, like General Naomori Kawarada and the Chained Ogre, are relatively straightforward and provide valuable early-game boosts to your Vitality and Posture. After that, venture into the Hirata Estate through the offering at the Sculptor’s Idol.