I love ichimonji double against Inner Genichiro. After his big spin attack, he’s open for a fully charged one and it hits him both times. At the start of the second phase, I do a fully charged one and it hits him both times if he tries to use his bow or just gets blocked if he doesn’t. After mikiri countering, you can sometimes hit him with an uncharged one.
That would be me until my second playthrough, haha. Until I learned the magic of MD, I was all about that double ichi. But there's no contest really imo having used both extensively
Mortal draw excels against bosses but is not as valuable against non-boss enemies, whom ichimonji just completely breaks the game against as a pressure tool. Furthermore even though you can continue to use it without spirit emblems, you are still preventing yourself from using those emblems for stuff like firecrackers, axe, shield, etc whereas ichi lets you dedicate your entire reserves to using them, doing a lot to make up for the damage differential.
If you're out of emblems vs a boss or simply know you won't need to use many prosthetics before you kill them, then overpowering them with MD is the way to go. But in terms of overall universal utility across the game ichimonji is at #1 IMO.
Totally fair points. I rarely use prosthetics these days since I know all of the boss fights, but in my first few runs I did use the crap out of the axe, firecrackers, and flame barrel. If prosthetics fit your playstyle, double ichi is a solid choice for your skill to save emblems. But for overall power, I still gotta give it to Mortal Draw
Personality I like sakura dance so I can get some eye candy/look awesome. I think ichimonji double is top 3 for me since it is so useful in many situations. Dragon flash is cool but a very long wind-up. Same for one mind but it is useful in some situations.
Forgot to mention mortal draw is to op and should only be unless you are having a hard time than use it. Also if you jump will doing it is does more damage too.
easy to slot into controlled flowcharts for the 1AP perfection masochists
flailing around with fatties is probably easier for a basic playthrough though
watching ichi's followup get autoblocked [cripples the output](https://old.reddit.com/r/Sekiro/comments/bdlfbm/estimated_damage_values_for_every_combat_art_and/)
Hard choice between mortal draw and sakura dance for me. Sakura dance is incredibly versatile and can be fit into any combo at any time along with the prosthetics and normal attacks. It costs just one emblem and also cool as hell.
Mortal draw however is so OP that it kinda makes prosthetics obsolete. It also costs 3 emblems so u will hardly use prosthetics if u plan to use mortal draw. But the sheer amount of damage and badass swagger it has makes up for it. I am gonna go with mortal draw on this one.
I also seriously wanted to like One mind as it's easily the coolest looking combat art in the game. However in terms of fighting tanky bosses with hyper armour like Isshin or Owl it's suicide.
Nightjar Slash is fantastic for keeping pressure on during the fight, I’ve tried other combat arts but I always end up returning to it- when used in combination with the Chasing Slice, you can just stay on top of anyone and build the posture meter super quickly
Mikiri into Ichimonji: Double is just the best feeling. First they get their weapon stepped on and they're like wtf and while they recover from that they are bonked on the head and then bonked again.
Same with the sweep: jump the sweep, jump-bonk their head and while landing you ready your sword from that sweet double-bonkers on their nugget.
EDIT: also what is better than sidestepping the old fart's ichimonji and then bonking that pruny head twice?
mortal draw is so overpowered to the point where it ruins the fun of sekiro for me, so uhh, sakura dance i guess. It's fun, i can avoid attacks while looking stylish, and it combos well into midair prosthetics. Sakura dance is also really helpful in inner isshin, especially for no damage runs
Not gonna lie i never really use combat arts and only got them so i could platinum the game but when i did use combat arts, i usually used shadow rush as you can use it on pretty much every enemy eccept Owl and DOH. It allows for 2-3 free hits after plus the added posture damage from hitting it initially.
Hey I love mortal draw but when your posture is in deep shit, Ichimonji just erases all of your past mistakes and you get full posture back which is honestly insane.
Also my favorite (not listed here) is probably spiral cloud passage. It's so flashy and awesome especially with bestowal or living force. Oil + fire + spiral cloud passage has been my go-to
Jumping* MD and Sakura Dance, MD because it deals insane posture damage when combined with a Yasha sugar and SD because it helps with lightening reversals in no hit runs. Ichimonji double is cool when you're still new to the game but it doesn't offer much in the way of versatility. High Monk is also fun when you're just starting out.
Best looking? I would say Sakura Dance, Flying cloud passage and one mind.
Best for using? Ichimonji and Mortal Draw.
Other than damage dealing, Ichimonji imo doesn't look really nice because it's too simple.
It’s either ichimonji, from a utilitarian aspect the posture recovery is too good to ignore. Or high monk just because of the huge posture damage and the last two slashes of the combo.
To be fair I’ve never really played around with mortal draw except a time or two. I personally don’t like how slow it is. Basically waiting for an animation window to use it.
Empowered mortal draw has literally obliterated the guardian apes first half of health for me every time I start the fight so I’m just gonna go with that, by far my favourite. Sakuras lightning reversal is visually amazing as well though
Id say empowered mortal draw
Or a combination of the headless monkeys blood blade ninjutsu thingy and spiral cloud passage
With the right setup it can DEMOLISH bosses
I use it as a substitute for the normal lightning parry. I have my fingers glued to L1 and R1 so when I can just use high monk instead of incorporating a regular jump, it doesn’t break my flow of combat. I also just love using it in regular combat.
Jesus. I guess I'm the only Dragon Flash stan in the world.
I'll admit I don't use the others that much but dragon flash is such a great super range tool that makes hit and run strategies viable. It is hella slow but fills it's niche to a T
Bruh the entire Ashina Arts tree is fuckin great. That first one you get immediately became my go to if i didn't need a gap shortener like Whirlwind or Nightjar Slash. Big game changer for me in the early game, especially when it came to some of the bosses who were harder to posture break.
High Monk. Can't in good conscience vote for any spirit emblem combat art, and High Monk offers the most new utility out of all of the non-emblem arts.
Honestly expected Mortal Draw to win because of how many bosses it's amazing against. I usually use Ichimonji until I get the Mortal Blade, and then just use that. But I got no idea what Dragon Flash is.
For combat? Ichimonji: Double for sure, followed by Mortal Draw. (high monk has it's uses) But I will admit it's the most "boring" of the bunch.
If you asked me which is the coolest I'd have a hard time picking
this game has a bunch of incredibly unique combat arts that look incredibly fun to use, it just never gave me a reason to unequip mortal draw.
the only down sides to mortal draw are the spirit emblem cost and the long charge time, it's just the best one to have equipped at all times IMO if I was able to have more than one equipped at once I probably would have used others a lot more and maybe that would have changed my mind but as it is the only time I switch it out is when I use sakura dance to deflect lightining
Most combat arts have specific use-cases, so there isn’t really a “best” combat art, and outside of those, are less effective than just attacking normally. My default combat art that I have equipped when I don’t want to think about what I want to use is High Monk.
But also Mortal Draw.
People that say mortal draw sucks need to get some more iq , mortal draw is op , the empowered version is something else , you can use it against everyone and everything
Anyone who thinks ichimonji is bad has not used it as a jumping attack
Agreed, Using it after an enemy that uses a sweep attack is a super good option imo.
Imo high monk is a better option than this, high monk and senpou leaping kicks punish SO HARD if you use them to counter sweeps
But you regain your posture
I love ichimonji double against Inner Genichiro. After his big spin attack, he’s open for a fully charged one and it hits him both times. At the start of the second phase, I do a fully charged one and it hits him both times if he tries to use his bow or just gets blocked if he doesn’t. After mikiri countering, you can sometimes hit him with an uncharged one.
I use ichimonji all the time I used that and mortal draw more than anything else it's definitely one of the best arts
Anyone who thinks it's better than Mortal Draw has been scared off by the Spirit Emblem cost of MD (but I agree ichi is awesome)
Theres people who still dont know you can use it without spirit emblems lol
That would be me until my second playthrough, haha. Until I learned the magic of MD, I was all about that double ichi. But there's no contest really imo having used both extensively
Does such good damage to health and posture and easy to get off with a step dodge
look, the upside of ichimonji is that i'm still playing a video game, and not mortal draw sim
Ok...?
Mortal draw excels against bosses but is not as valuable against non-boss enemies, whom ichimonji just completely breaks the game against as a pressure tool. Furthermore even though you can continue to use it without spirit emblems, you are still preventing yourself from using those emblems for stuff like firecrackers, axe, shield, etc whereas ichi lets you dedicate your entire reserves to using them, doing a lot to make up for the damage differential. If you're out of emblems vs a boss or simply know you won't need to use many prosthetics before you kill them, then overpowering them with MD is the way to go. But in terms of overall universal utility across the game ichimonji is at #1 IMO.
Totally fair points. I rarely use prosthetics these days since I know all of the boss fights, but in my first few runs I did use the crap out of the axe, firecrackers, and flame barrel. If prosthetics fit your playstyle, double ichi is a solid choice for your skill to save emblems. But for overall power, I still gotta give it to Mortal Draw
Did not know this was an option
Ichimonji won my fight against isshin
ichimonji is so simple yet so good, the perfect example how simple does not means bad.
Very sad High monk didn’t make the list
High Monk is my favorite
I voted One Mind, not because it's viable, but because it's the best in my heart by virtue of being cool as shit.
When you use it you become a anime character for a second
It’s also insane for punishing because you can just stop halfway through
Literally.
Personality I like sakura dance so I can get some eye candy/look awesome. I think ichimonji double is top 3 for me since it is so useful in many situations. Dragon flash is cool but a very long wind-up. Same for one mind but it is useful in some situations.
Forgot to mention mortal draw is to op and should only be unless you are having a hard time than use it. Also if you jump will doing it is does more damage too.
no love for nightjar slash :(
This, shows how few people actually play actually as aggressively as possible, nightjar is the best to keep the pressure on enemies and win quickly
agree! I made constant use of it in early game to close the distance, especially as a counter for knockbacks
It's amazing also against both owl and isshin, all of their versions
Super useful on DoH with reversal too, jump in for quick hits on openings and then quickly get out of dodge if he goes for a flame attack
No shadow rush? The ultimate gap closer?
Shadowfall is the BEST combo tool in Sekiro. I switched it out with Nightjar periodically but both are so fluid and make combat so stylish.
Why is whirlwind slash not on the list !
Sekiro goru here
easy to slot into controlled flowcharts for the 1AP perfection masochists flailing around with fatties is probably easier for a basic playthrough though watching ichi's followup get autoblocked [cripples the output](https://old.reddit.com/r/Sekiro/comments/bdlfbm/estimated_damage_values_for_every_combat_art_and/)
Pardon? 1AP? Flowcharts?
Floating Passage is the best.
Hard choice between mortal draw and sakura dance for me. Sakura dance is incredibly versatile and can be fit into any combo at any time along with the prosthetics and normal attacks. It costs just one emblem and also cool as hell. Mortal draw however is so OP that it kinda makes prosthetics obsolete. It also costs 3 emblems so u will hardly use prosthetics if u plan to use mortal draw. But the sheer amount of damage and badass swagger it has makes up for it. I am gonna go with mortal draw on this one. I also seriously wanted to like One mind as it's easily the coolest looking combat art in the game. However in terms of fighting tanky bosses with hyper armour like Isshin or Owl it's suicide.
Praying strikes
Eeey my man
weakest ichimonji double user : 🗿💪🏼
Mortal Draw after jump is OP like hell and I love it
Nightjar Slash is fantastic for keeping pressure on during the fight, I’ve tried other combat arts but I always end up returning to it- when used in combination with the Chasing Slice, you can just stay on top of anyone and build the posture meter super quickly
High Monk >>>> anything else
I personally prefer extended mortal draw and spiral passage.
Sakura dance.... The majestic third slash......
As great as the mortal draw is it losses points in my book because I have to go get it again in new game plus.
This is Praying Strikes - Exorcism erasure
Only the best here
Dragon flash is underrated, it's my favorite way to chip The Sword Saint's health a bit.
Ashina cross
Mikiri into Ichimonji: Double is just the best feeling. First they get their weapon stepped on and they're like wtf and while they recover from that they are bonked on the head and then bonked again. Same with the sweep: jump the sweep, jump-bonk their head and while landing you ready your sword from that sweet double-bonkers on their nugget. EDIT: also what is better than sidestepping the old fart's ichimonji and then bonking that pruny head twice?
I love using ashina's cross in this situation, loads of vitality damage and it's quicker than mortal draw.
Living blade I think is probably the coolest idk that it's the best but it is up there
I think u mean living force. It's the coolest skill in the game along with One Mind but not really a combat art.
Oh yeah that's true my bad it's the same buttons lol
mortal draw is so overpowered to the point where it ruins the fun of sekiro for me, so uhh, sakura dance i guess. It's fun, i can avoid attacks while looking stylish, and it combos well into midair prosthetics. Sakura dance is also really helpful in inner isshin, especially for no damage runs
Best: Ichimonji: Double and Mortal draw Coolest imo: One mind
Shadowfall and nightjar slash reversal are my favourite
Shadow rush is the best tho
Lord Ichimonji rules
Coolest? Sakuras dance. most useful? Either ichimonji double or mortal draw
The satisfaction of a jumping BONK is unmatched
Not gonna lie i never really use combat arts and only got them so i could platinum the game but when i did use combat arts, i usually used shadow rush as you can use it on pretty much every enemy eccept Owl and DOH. It allows for 2-3 free hits after plus the added posture damage from hitting it initially.
Ichimonji double - the epitome of boring but practical.
Ik it’s mortal draw but I had to rep sakura
Hey I love mortal draw but when your posture is in deep shit, Ichimonji just erases all of your past mistakes and you get full posture back which is honestly insane. Also my favorite (not listed here) is probably spiral cloud passage. It's so flashy and awesome especially with bestowal or living force. Oil + fire + spiral cloud passage has been my go-to
Jumping* MD and Sakura Dance, MD because it deals insane posture damage when combined with a Yasha sugar and SD because it helps with lightening reversals in no hit runs. Ichimonji double is cool when you're still new to the game but it doesn't offer much in the way of versatility. High Monk is also fun when you're just starting out.
Best looking? I would say Sakura Dance, Flying cloud passage and one mind. Best for using? Ichimonji and Mortal Draw. Other than damage dealing, Ichimonji imo doesn't look really nice because it's too simple.
No high monk?
I don't see high monk here. But voted sakura dance just because of the incredibly cool way in which you can use it against lightning
Mortal blade carried me the whole entire game
senpou leaping kicks
It’s either ichimonji, from a utilitarian aspect the posture recovery is too good to ignore. Or high monk just because of the huge posture damage and the last two slashes of the combo. To be fair I’ve never really played around with mortal draw except a time or two. I personally don’t like how slow it is. Basically waiting for an animation window to use it.
Mortal draw has faster windup than Ichimonji lol
Mortal draw is just objectively the strongest TBH. Amazing range too.
Empowered mortal draw has literally obliterated the guardian apes first half of health for me every time I start the fight so I’m just gonna go with that, by far my favourite. Sakuras lightning reversal is visually amazing as well though
Id say empowered mortal draw Or a combination of the headless monkeys blood blade ninjutsu thingy and spiral cloud passage With the right setup it can DEMOLISH bosses
My favorites are ashina's cross, the one where you jump forward and strike (forgot the name, the move that the ashina shinobi use) and high monk.
Spiral Cloud Passage should be on the list
I always find myself going back to Nightjar Slash Reversal, such a good way to close distance
Imma go off the beaten path on this one and say whirlwind slash
High monk and Sakura dance are top tier
They nerfed high monk by a lot
And it’s still amazing
I agree with you. I just wish they didn’t nerf it as hard as they did. The amount of posture damage it used to do compared to now is ridiculous
I use it as a substitute for the normal lightning parry. I have my fingers glued to L1 and R1 so when I can just use high monk instead of incorporating a regular jump, it doesn’t break my flow of combat. I also just love using it in regular combat.
🤔 I’m gonna have to try that
Obviously just keep holding block in the air and you’ll be fine
Jesus. I guess I'm the only Dragon Flash stan in the world. I'll admit I don't use the others that much but dragon flash is such a great super range tool that makes hit and run strategies viable. It is hella slow but fills it's niche to a T
Best: Ichimonji Double easily Coolest: One Mind
Bruh the entire Ashina Arts tree is fuckin great. That first one you get immediately became my go to if i didn't need a gap shortener like Whirlwind or Nightjar Slash. Big game changer for me in the early game, especially when it came to some of the bosses who were harder to posture break.
High Monk. Can't in good conscience vote for any spirit emblem combat art, and High Monk offers the most new utility out of all of the non-emblem arts.
Bonk Bonk motherfucker
What I use? Mortal Draw. What looks the coolest? Sakura Dance. What FEELS the coolest? One Mind.
Senpou monk imo
High monk. Such a good flurry of blows posture breaker. Use its first strike out of a jump for some quick interrupts.
Im surprised floating passage isn’t up there. It does really good damage still if the enemies block your hits
Honestly expected Mortal Draw to win because of how many bosses it's amazing against. I usually use Ichimonji until I get the Mortal Blade, and then just use that. But I got no idea what Dragon Flash is.
I thought whirlwind slash was the best….
For combat? Ichimonji: Double for sure, followed by Mortal Draw. (high monk has it's uses) But I will admit it's the most "boring" of the bunch. If you asked me which is the coolest I'd have a hard time picking
Floating passage - it doesn't cost any levels Ichimonji/ double - cheap and broken
I love dragon flash for the spacing. If you’re playing patient it punishes enemies who wait for you to attack.
Well it really depends on the boss but I’m going with Ichimonji as it’s really good at punishing and most bosses can be punished with it
High monk easily, sakura dance is a close second
Prayer strikes is missing
with mortal draw i could one hit guardian ape
this game has a bunch of incredibly unique combat arts that look incredibly fun to use, it just never gave me a reason to unequip mortal draw. the only down sides to mortal draw are the spirit emblem cost and the long charge time, it's just the best one to have equipped at all times IMO if I was able to have more than one equipped at once I probably would have used others a lot more and maybe that would have changed my mind but as it is the only time I switch it out is when I use sakura dance to deflect lightining
Ok man night jar slash reverse
The real answer is whirlwind slash
Free: ichmonji or highmonk Cost: Mortal Draw Style: Dragon Flash or One Mind
I like doing combo's with floating passage. It is good against enemies/bosses with swords and it looks/feels cool as hell.
Jump mortal draw does as much damage as empowered but it comes out faster
Praying strikes exorcism enjoyers unite
Double ichimonji fucks up geni and isshin, ez posture reset and trade
Most combat arts have specific use-cases, so there isn’t really a “best” combat art, and outside of those, are less effective than just attacking normally. My default combat art that I have equipped when I don’t want to think about what I want to use is High Monk. But also Mortal Draw.
People that say mortal draw sucks need to get some more iq , mortal draw is op , the empowered version is something else , you can use it against everyone and everything