no level up run.

[Kain]

Anyone tried? no strength or any other level up?

[MBouland]

HP and posture can be increased by beating mini-bosses or finding them in the world/vendors.

Attack power can be increased by beating bosses or by spending skill points using the dragon mask. The dragon mask is only accessible in late game in a new file.

In reality, you can't over level in Sekiro without beating bosses at the appropriate level first. This isn't Dark Souls: Japan Edition. Soft caps of Attack Power in Sekiro essentially make any attack power gained after 14 has a very small impact to overall power.

Once you understand the game's mechanics and apply them properly; you'll notice that this game is much easier than Dark Souls for someone who mastered both games

[Kain]

That's what I figured, I'm already on my third playthrough, first I used a .... generic copy of the game, then I bought it on steam, finished to get the Shura and playing again. I think that maybe some bosses might take a long time to beat, but in terms of managing Stamina and not getting hit it seems doable.

The attack power up to 14 def does make an impact, but I think it might be interesting to train for a further no charm run.

[MBouland]

It seems that I misunderstood the question. I tried new file "Immortal Severance" with no HP upgrades. I Finished it within a few hours but it felt harder than no-charm.

The Owl was my minor road block in that run. The small posture bar combined with a small HP bar means any single mistake followed by an attack from the boss is a death. In no-charm run I can get away with mistakes by having more HP.

[TasGR]

I've completed a run with "minimum" upgrades. I only got Mikiri Counter and upgraded my attack power so the fights wouldn't take ages.
It's pretty tough and it took me quite a while, but if you practice the timings for deflect you can do it. When deflecting your posture never breaks so that's basically all you really need to beat the game.

[Sokurah]

Its tedious bejond believe. Shirafuji takes forever to go down already.

I stopped it because its no fun.

[Kain]

lol. I bet the fake Corrupted Monk would take forever even with all the seeds in the world

[EF_Neo1st]

Originally posted by Kain:

Anyone tried? no strength or any other level up?

I tried a no Vitality, no Attack and no skill points used at NG defeating every single enemy, mini boss and boss on the way (and every time I gone through the areas) . . .
After beating True Monk I collected the other part of the mask and . . spent everything, gone from Attack 1 to Attack 24 (or 27, I dont remember exactly but at least 24) and finished the game.

Only thing that really change is, the game takes longer to be beaten as boss fights take longer, and yes, I gone avoiding to use deflect and going with dodge and attack as main source for beating bosses and enemies, only using deflect to keep up the pressure.
After defeating True Monk, I did not want to continue with this no upgrades run, I lost my patience (and I had not even died to the bosses either, boss fights were just taking way too long already for me to enjoy and, before anyone that dont know me say something about deflect, I was not using deflect as main source for defeating bosses because I dont enjoy fighting with deflect, dont feel like fighting to me and feel more like a rhythm game).

Now I am rusty at the game after several months not plaing properly, just chilling here and there through my saves and may start it from new NG, again, but not to do another "no upgrades" run, it becomes boring.