How Many Treasure Carp Scales Are In Sekiro? A Completionist’s Guide

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The quest for completion in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a challenging, rewarding, and sometimes downright obsessive endeavor. Among the many items you’ll be hunting, the elusive Treasure Carp Scales are crucial for unlocking powerful items and progressing certain storylines. So, how many of these shimmering scales are scattered throughout Ashina? The answer is 42. This guide will provide you with a comprehensive overview of these scales, where to find them, and how to effectively utilize them.

Treasure Carp Scales: An Overview

Treasure Carp Scales are a unique currency used to purchase rare items from the Pot Nobles, Harunaga and Koremori. These benevolent (yet oddly unsettling) NPCs reside in different locations and offer progressively better wares as you feed them more scales. Obtaining all 42 scales requires exploration, combat prowess, and the acquisition of the Mibu Breathing Technique, which allows you to dive and swim underwater.

Locations and Acquisition Strategies

Here’s a breakdown of the key locations where you can find Treasure Carp Scales, along with tips on how to acquire them:

• Hirata Estate (7 Scales Total):

  • Dragonspring Idol (5 Scales): This starting area holds a surprising number of scales. Two carp are visible swimming in the water, easily dispatched with well-timed strikes. Three more lurk deeper below, near the waterfall. Target them by spamming the target lock button while submerged. Also check on the river’s shore below you on your left, here you will find one Treasure Carp Scale as well.
  • Bamboo Thicket Slope Idol (2 Scales): Explore the waters around this idol carefully. The carp are generally easy to spot and eliminate.

• Senpou Temple, Mt. Kongo (No Specific Number): While the number here is variable based on your actions, this area is crucial for progressing a key storyline related to the Divine Child of Rejuvenation. You might not directly find scales here, but your choices influence events that impact scale acquisition later in the game.

• Ashina Depths (4 Scales Total):

  • Mibu Village Idol (3 Scales): Dive into the water near the village. The carp are often hidden amongst the reeds and debris, so a careful search is required.
  • Water Mill Idol (1 Scale): Look around this idol carefully, as there is a chance to find a scale nearby.

• Fountainhead Palace (23 Scales): This is the motherlode! The Fountainhead Palace is teeming with Treasure Carp, holding more than half of the total available in the game. The sheer number makes it the best location for farming scales. Explore every flooded nook and cranny, and be prepared to fight off other enemies while hunting carp.

The Importance of the Mibu Breathing Technique

The Mibu Breathing Technique is acquired by defeating the Corrupted Monk in the Ashina Depths. This ability is non-negotiable if you want to collect all 42 scales. Without it, you’ll be restricted to surface-level searches, missing out on a significant portion of the carp and their valuable scales.

Utilizing the Treasure Carp Scales

Once you’ve amassed a collection of Treasure Carp Scales, it’s time to visit the Pot Nobles. Each noble has a unique inventory, so you’ll need to interact with both to acquire all the available items. Key items include Mask Fragments, which increase attack power at the cost of Spirit Emblems, and the Truly Precious Bait, which triggers a significant event in the Great Carp’s storyline.

You will encounter Pot Noble Harunaga in Hirata Estate, near the Dragonspring Idol. Pot Noble Koremori can be found in the Fountainhead Palace.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do Treasure Carp respawn? No, Treasure Carp do not respawn. Once you’ve killed a carp and collected its scale, it’s gone for good in that playthrough.

2. Where is the best place to farm Treasure Carp Scales? The Fountainhead Palace is by far the best place to farm Treasure Carp Scales. With 23 scales available, it offers the highest concentration of carp in the game.

3. What are Treasure Carp Scales used for? Treasure Carp Scales are used as currency to purchase rare and valuable items from the Pot Nobles, Harunaga and Koremori.

4. How do I get the Mibu Breathing Technique? Defeat the Corrupted Monk boss in the Ashina Depths to acquire the Mibu Breathing Technique, allowing you to dive underwater.

5. What is Truly Precious Bait, and how do I get it? Truly Precious Bait is a special item used to feed the Great Carp. You obtain it by trading Treasure Carp Scales with the Pot Nobles. Each noble will give you one Truly Precious Bait item, so you can obtain two.

6. What happens if I give the Great Carp Truly Precious Bait? Feeding the Great Carp Truly Precious Bait has significant consequences, leading to the death of the Great Carp and transforming one of the Pot Nobles into a carp. The story ramifications are substantial.

7. Which Pot Noble’s bait should I use? The choice of which noble’s bait to use is largely a matter of preference. The end result is the same: the Great Carp dies, and one of the Pot Nobles transforms. The surviving noble will inherit the inventory of the other.

8. Are there any missable Treasure Carp Scales? No, all Treasure Carp Scales are accessible throughout the game as long as you reach the necessary areas. However, completing certain questlines is required to access some areas, so focus on progression.

9. How many Lapis Lazuli can I get in one playthrough? You can obtain a total of six pieces of Lapis Lazuli in each playthrough. These are acquired by defeating specific bosses and completing certain side quests.

10. Can I upgrade all prosthetic tools in one playthrough? No, due to the limited availability of Lapis Lazuli, you cannot fully upgrade all prosthetic tools in a single playthrough. New Game Plus is required.

11. Is the Withered Red Gourd useful? The Withered Red Gourd is used to reduce Burn buildup and increase Burn resistance. While it won’t cure an active Burn status, it can be helpful in areas with fire-based enemies.

12. What do I do after killing the Great Carp? After killing the Great Carp, head to the Guardian Ape’s Watering Hole to find its corpse. You’ll receive the Great White Whisker item and the associated trophy/achievement.

13. How do I dive underwater indefinitely? The Mibu Breathing Technique allows you to dive and swim underwater without the need to resurface for air.

14. Where can I find a list of all items in Sekiro? The Sekiro wiki pages contain a list of items in the game.

15. What is the significance of the Pot Nobles and their transformations? The Pot Nobles and the Great Carp are tied to a fascinating, albeit tragic, storyline about ambition, corruption, and the consequences of seeking immortality. Their transformations are a symbolic representation of these themes. To further explore the educational and cultural aspects of gaming, consider visiting the GamesLearningSociety.org website. The Games Learning Society is a great source to dive deeper into the world of gaming!

Conclusion

Collecting all 42 Treasure Carp Scales in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a testament to your dedication and exploration skills. It unlocks valuable items and offers a deeper understanding of the game’s lore. Remember to acquire the Mibu Breathing Technique, thoroughly explore each area, especially the Fountainhead Palace, and interact with both Pot Nobles to reap the full rewards. Happy hunting, Wolf!