Parry, don't block
Blue-Flash Attacks are countered by a Parry — tap L1 just before impact. A parry deflects the hit without consuming your Sha-Chi and heavily depletes the enemy's Sha-Chi gauge. Holding block instead drains your own Sha-Chi per hit, so parry is almost always the better answer.
Dodge the red, never try to parry it
Red-Flash Attacks are unblockable. They must be countered with a well-timed Dodge (R1) just before the attack connects. Trying to parry or block a red attack means taking the full hit.
Break guards to open Executions
You and enemies both carry a yellow Sha-Chi gauge beside the HP bar. Land combos and parries to empty the enemy's gauge, leaving them Guard-Broken — staggered and open to high-damage combos or an Execution. This is the most reliable way to take down tough targets.
Save Power Surge for a real opening
Power Surge (L2) costs 1 Sha-Chi Essence per use. It's your biggest burst, so spend it on a Guard-Broken target or a phase change rather than burning it on a normal poke.
Spend Phantom Edges freely
Phantom Edge attacks (R2) consume Remnant Spark, which is refilled when you rest at a Bell. Don't hoard them all fight — use them as a regular part of your offense, then rest to refill.
Rest at Bells, and find every one
Resting at a Bell fully restores HP and Medicine. The first time you touch a Bell it also uncovers nearby areas of the map, so tracking down every Bell is the key to filling out the world.
Switch weapons to adapt mid-fight
You equip two primary weapons and can swap between them mid-combat to extend combos and match the enemy. Switching triggers a brief cooldown, which the Masterful Flow Lv. 1 ability shortens by 2 seconds.
Collect Blackstones for permanent power
Absorbing a Blackstone fragment permanently increases base Attack Power and Guard Break by +10%, and they're also spent to unlock advanced abilities. They're worth going out of your way for.
Know which enemies ignore Bleed
Status effects like Bleed, Burning, and Paralysis are real tools, but some enemies are immune — Puppets, Golden Bodies, and Phantom Bodies can't be bled. Swap to a different damage plan against them instead of stacking a bleed build.
Watch weapon level milestones
Upgrading weapons unlocks passives at specific levels — for example, the Wooden Sanguine gets Falling Petal Strike at Lv. 10 (more damage to Guard-Broken enemies) and Basic Forms at Lv. 25 (enables Perfect Combos). Check a weapon's milestones before committing materials to it.
Related Pages
The full moveset — combos, parry, dodge, and Guard Break.
Masterful Flow, Redirect Force, and the rest of the tree.
Start here if you're new to the game.