In Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, managing your healing resources is crucial for survival against the game’s formidable challenges. An important part of this management revolves around upgrading your Healing Gourd, primarily by finding and collecting Gourd Seeds scattered throughout the diverse environments of the game.

Gourd Seed Overview

1. Gourd Seed Collection:
– Gourd Seeds can be located in various ways:
– Exploration: Careful exploration of the game world often reveals hidden paths and areas to discover Gourd Seeds.
– Defeating Mini-Bosses: Some Gourd Seeds are rewarded for taking down specific mini-bosses, such as General Naomori Kawarada, who is found near the Outskirts Wall – Gate Path.
– Chests and Shops: Occasionally, Gourd Seeds may also be found in chests or bought from merchants throughout the game.

2. Upgrade Process:
– After collecting a Gourd Seed, players need to return to Emma, the doctor who helps facilitate the upgrades.
– Initially, Emma is located at the Dilapidated Temple, but her location can change later in the story (for instance, she can be found in Ashina Castle or Kuro’s Room). It’s important to track her whereabouts to ensure you can apply your upgrades.
– Each Gourd Seed allows you to increase the Healing Gourd by adding one additional charge, starting from a base of one use. The total can be increased to a maximum of 10 uses (by acquiring all 9 Gourd Seeds available).

Importance of Upgrades

Upgrading your Healing Gourd enhances your healing capacity significantly, which is especially beneficial:
– During encounters with tough bosses who can deplete your health rapidly.
– While navigating the challenging late-game areas, where enemies become increasingly difficult and punishing.

Strategy and Considerations

– Missable Gourd Seeds: Some Gourd Seeds are located in optional areas or require specific conditions to access them, making them missable if you don’t explore thoroughly.
– Plan Your Collecting: It is advised to keep track of which mini-bosses and areas you’ve already explored to ensure you gather all available Gourd Seeds during your playthrough.

Summary of Steps

To effectively upgrade your healing capacity in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice using Gourd Seeds:

1. Find Gourd Seeds through various methods: exploration, defeating mini-bosses, and searching chests or shops.
2. Locate Emma and bring your Gourd Seeds to her, regardless of her current location.
3. Upgrade your Healing Gourd using the seeds to increase your total number of healing charges available at each refill.

By following this guide and adequately upgrading your Healing Gourd, you can enhance your survivability, making your journey through the world of Sekiro more manageable.