Sekiro: How to Cure Dragonrot

Dragonrot is a mechanic in Sekiro that hinders progression if you don’t cure it. Thankfully, the process of curing Dragonrot can be relatively straightforward. There are some things you’ll still need to do before you can do this, though.

What Happens if You Don’t Cure Dragonrot in Sekiro?

When an NPC gets afflicted with Dragonrot, any progression on their part will be halted. This isn’t game-breaking in any way since the most important NPCs in the game, such as Emma, Isshin, and Kuro will never get affected by this.

However, if you’re keen on completing various side quests that are centered around other NPCs, you’ll need to know how to cure Dragonrot.

If you leave Dragonrot uncured, your chances of receiving Unseen Aid will decrease. When one NPC gets Dragonrot, your Unseen Aid percentage will drop from 30% to 15%. Any more NPCs that receive the disease after that will continue to lower your Unseen Aid percentage by 2% per NPC afflicted.

Curing Dragonrot in Sekiro

When you die constantly in Sekiro, the NPCs around you will start to get infected with Dragonrot. The first character to get hit by this is the Sculptor.

When this first happens, you’ll respawn at the Dilapidated Temple instead of the last Sculptor Idol you visited. You can then speak to the Sculptor here about how he’s feeling. Then, talk to Emma and she’ll tell you about Dragonrot.

You can’t do anything about the Sculptor’s Dragonrot until another NPC gets afflicted by it. You’ll know when this happens because you’ll receive a Rot Essence after you respawn.

Once this happens, speak to Emma once more in Dilapidated Temple. You’ll find her tending to the Sculptor. She’ll then ask you to find a blood sample from another person who has the disease.

That said, go to the other person who’s afflicted by Dragonrot. Claim a blood sample from them, then return to Emma. She’ll then give you the Recovery Charm and a Dragon’s Blood Droplet.

With these items, you can now cure Dragonrot at any Sculptor’s Idol. Using one Dragon’s Blood Droplet will cure everyone who’s afflicted by the disease at the time.

Moving forward, an NPC will get afflicted with Dragonrot after you die about 10 times.

Where to Find More Dragon’s Blood Droplet

While the Recovery Charm is reusable, which means you’ll only need to obtain it once, you’ll need to collect more Dragon’s Blood Droplets to cure Dragonrot in the future.

Here’s where you can find more Dragon’s Blood Droplets in Sekiro.

• The Battlefield Memorial Mob in Ashina Outskirts sells them for 150 sen. You can find him outside the castle where you meet Tengu.
• Fujioka the Infobroker sells them. He’ll start selling wares after you defeat the enemies surrounding him in Ashina Castle. He’ll later move to the Dilapidated Temple.
• The Dungeon Memorial Mob located near the Abandoned Dungeon Entrance idol also sells them.
• You can purchase one from the Shugendon Memorial Mob at Senpou Temple. You’ll find him in an area below the Shugendo idol.
• Pot Noble Koremori from Fountainhead Palace will give you one in exchange for a Treasure Carp Scale. He’ll be right beside the Near Pot Noble idol, at the top left corner at the back of the palace.
• The Toxic Memorial Mob in Sunken Valley sells two of them. This merchant is located outside the Serpent Cave.
• There’s one on a gravestone near the Old Grave idol in Ashina Castle. You’ll find this as you follow the path that leads to the watchtower.
• There’s one on top of the Buddha statue behind the Main Hall Sculptor’s Idol in Senpou Temple.
• You can find one in Ashina Castle when you revisit the area during the later parts of the game. It’ll be right next to a purple ninja near the Serpent Shrine idol.
• You can easily spot one close to the Sanctuary idol in Fountainhead Palace.
• During the end game, you can return to the castle where you met Tengu of Ashina after defeating the Demon of Hatred. You’ll find another Dragon’s Blood Droplet here.

Dragon’s Blood Droplet Alternative Use

Aside from being used as a way to cure Dragonrot in Sekiro, Dragon’s Blood Droplets will also restore your Resurrective Power. However, it is highly recommended that you save these items for curing Dragonrot instead.

NPCs That Can Get Affected By Dragonrot

These are the NPCs that can get affected by Dragonrot.

• Crow’s Bed Memorial Mob
• Battlefield Memorial Mob
• Dungeon Memorial Mob
• Shugendo Memorial Mob
• Exiled Memorial Mob
• The Sculptor
• The Timid Maid (Inosuke’s mother)
• The Old Hag
• Blackhat Badger
• Fujioka the Infobroker
• Jinzaemon Kumano
• Kotaro
• Doujun
• Basket Wearer Shosuke

When one of these NPCs gets Dragonrot, their Rot Essence will be placed in your inventory.