Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice features a host of challenges to overcome, and Sekiro's bosses are certainly among the most difficult of these challenges. Indeed, the Demon of Hatred is one of the game's most arduous offerings, but the beast can be felled with an understanding of its attacks (and a little cheese, if needed).

How to Beat Demon of Hatred in Sekiro

The battle with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice's Demon of Hatred occurs over three phases, and the boss gains new attacks in each phase. Despite these slight variations, a general rule of thumb is to remain as close as possible to the Demon of Hatred for the duration of the fight. This is because giving the beast distance will cause it to launch projectiles that can deal massive damage.

Phase 1

When the fight begins, get next to the Demon of Hatred as quickly as possible, in order to avoid the aforementioned projectiles. Now, start putting in damage at every opportunity, using Sekiro's best skills along with the following techniques to address the foe's various attacks:

  • Foot Stomp: These attacks will track Wolf, so attempting to dodge them is not optimal. Instead, simply deflect them.
  • Fire Swing Combo: At times, the Demon of Hatred will do a multi-hit combo consisting of two fire swings, a foot stomp, and a final fire swing. Here players should dodge through the first two swings, deflect the stomp, and then dodge through the final swing.
  • Headbutt: This move is heavily telegraphed and simply should be deflected or dodged.
  • Perilous Charge: The Demon of Hatred's charge is one of its most deadly attacks, and Sekiro's prayer beads are unlikely to save players from it. When players see the Perilous Attack indicator, jump up and to the left to avoid its claw.
  • Air Smash: When the Demon of Hatred jumps up into the air, begin by running away to avoid the smash into the ground. Now, players need to grapple to it as quickly as possible to prevent projectiles and get in some damage.

Phase 2

The Demon of Hatred gains two new attacks in its second phase. Continue to employ the strategies outlined above, as needed, and use the following tips to address the additional offense and minimize the need to cure dragon rot in Sekiro:

  • Fire Orbs: The Demon of Hatred will now, occasionally, shoot tracking fire orbs. Give the foe a wide berth and continually strafe sideways to avoid the volley.
  • Fire Trail: With this attack, the boss slams one arm on the ground, sending out a massive fire trail with it. It is very difficult to dodge this attack, and it is recommended to run in one direction, when the windup animation begins, and jump just before the Demon of Hatred's arm hits the ground. Players should jump earlier if they find themselves still getting hit by the assault, or use the upgrade Loaded Umbrella Prosthetic Tool to prevent fire damage.

Phase 3

The final phase begins with the Demon of Hatred swinging its arm to create a huge arena of fire. It's a good idea to know how to sprint in Sekiro and run away, preparing to dodge the boss's initial attack when it finally emerges from the smoke. Now, continue to utilize the tools outlined above, and address its new fire sweeping AoE simply by jumping over it.

Sekiro Demon of Hatred Cheese

There is also an opportunity to add a bit of cheese into the Demon of Hatred fight if it is proving insurmountable. Specifically, learn about Sekiro's prosthetic upgrades to fully power-up the Finger Whistle Prosthetic Tool. This will turn it into the Malcontent, which can be used to stun the Demon of Hatred.

This can be done in any phase, but it is advisable to wait until phase three, when the beast is at its most deadly, as the stun can only occur three times in the battle. Also, make sure to wait for the Demon of Hatred to complete an attack before using the prosthetic — the stun will not occur if done in the middle of an attack animation.

While Sekiro's Headless may be giving more players trouble at the moment, the Demon of Hatred certainly poses a significant challenge. However, with the tips listed above, it should not be long before you have performed another shinobi execution and acquired another memory.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.